MODULE ONE: LESSON FIVE
YOUR SQUARESPACE DASHBOARD
By now, you should have received access to your customized Squarespace template. If it’s been more than 48 hours since your purchase and it still hasn’t arrived, please reach out so we can make sure everything is on track.
At this point, you’ve done all the prep work outside of Squarespace and now, it’s time to step inside the platform and start bringing your site to life.
This lesson is your official introduction to the Squarespace dashboard. We’ll go over the basic layout, how to navigate the platform, and where you’ll find everything you need to start customizing your site.
Let’s Take a Look Around
When you log into Squarespace, you’ll land on your dashboard. This is your command center for building and customizing your site. Here’s what to pay attention to first:
1. The Left-Hand Menu
This is your main navigation inside Squarespace.
From here, you can access Pages, Design, Commerce, Marketing, Settings, and Analytics (depending on your plan).
Spend a moment clicking through these sections to get familiar with where everything lives.
2. Your Pages Panel
Found at the very top of the left-hand menu.
Here you’ll see your site’s pages laid out in a list.
The structure you see has already been built into your template, so you’ll find your Home, About, Books, and other sections ready to edit.
Clicking on any page will open it in the main preview window for editing.
3. The Site Preview (Main Window)
The large area on the right is your live site preview.
This is where you’ll see changes as you make them.
Hover over sections and blocks to start editing text, images, and buttons.
4. Site Title & Design Settings
In the left-hand menu, go to Website and then choose styles (second option).
This is where you’ll control fonts, colors, and overall site styles.
You can also access these settings by clicking the paintbrush icon on the right side of your preview window.
Both routes take you to the same place — use whichever feels easier.
what to do right now
For now, you don’t need to make any changes. Your first step is simply to:
Click through each page to see what’s included.
Explore the left-hand menu and notice where everything is located.
Open the Design settings from either the left-hand menu or the paintbrush icon to see where global styles live.
Familiarize yourself with how the preview window responds as you move around.
Getting comfortable with the dashboard will make the next lessons much smoother, so take your time exploring before we dive into customization.
Reminder
If you’re not quite ready to start uploading graphics or making edits, that’s totally fine. For now, just focus on getting familiar with the dashboard and exploring your site structure.
just explore. Look around. You’re officially in!
Module One Wrap-Up
You’ve done the hard work of building your brand foundation! Whether you’ve accessed Squarespace yet or not, these lessons have prepared you to move forward with confidence.
When you’re ready, move on to Module Two: Design Styles where we’ll start inputting your assets and bringing your visual brand to life.
