MODULE SEVEN: LESSON ONE
Why Mobile Optimization Matters
More than half of all website visits happen on mobile devices, which means your readers are likely browsing your books on their phones or tablets. If your site isn’t mobile-friendly, you could lose potential readers before they even see your work.
Why It’s Important
First Impressions Count: A site that looks messy or broken on mobile can make you look unprofessional and push readers away.
Ease of Use: Readers should be able to navigate your site, find your books, and click links without pinching or zooming.
Better Engagement: A smooth mobile experience encourages readers to stay longer, explore your catalog, and subscribe to your newsletter or buy your books.
Search Engine Benefits: Search engines like Google prioritize mobile-friendly websites, so optimizing your site helps it show up higher in search results.
*Special Disclaimer for Main Street and corruption Templates
If you purchased the Main Street or corruption templates, click here before making any changes to mobile settings. These templates include small amounts of custom code to achieve their unique design elements, and changing certain mobile-specific settings without understanding how they interact with the code could break parts of your site.
Be sure to read the notes provided so you can make safe updates without disrupting your site’s functionality.
How Squarespace Handles Desktop & Mobile
I’ve designed your template to be fully optimized for mobile right out of the box. That means you shouldn’t see anything strange or “broken” on mobile unless you make major design changes, such as significantly altering section layouts or adding complex custom code.
Squarespace uses responsive design, which means your website automatically adjusts to fit different screen sizes (from large desktop monitors to tablets and mobile phoneS) without needing a separate mobile site.
Here’s what that means in practice:
Automatic Stacking: On mobile, sections and columns are often stacked vertically. For example, a two-column layout on desktop will usually become a single-column layout on mobile, with one section appearing above the other.
Style Inheritance: Most design settings (like fonts, colors, and button styles) apply to both desktop and mobile views. But you can fine-tune some elements, like spacing, to look better on smaller screens.
Live Preview: In the Squarespace editor, you can preview your site on different devices using the device icons at the top of the page — but it’s still best to check your site on an actual phone or tablet for the most accurate results.
Key takeaway: Squarespace’s responsive design does most of the heavy lifting, but it’s still important to check every page and make small adjustments so your site looks polished on mobile.
What Does a Good Mobile Experience Look Like?
A mobile-optimized site should feel:
Clean and easy to read — with text that doesn’t require zooming in
Visually balanced — images that scale properly without distortion
Easy to navigate — with a clear, accessible menu
Quick to load — because readers won’t wait long for slow pages
Tap-friendly — buttons that are large enough to easily click
Optimizing your site for mobile isn’t just about looks — it’s about creating a seamless, frustration-free experience for your readers so they can find what they need quickly.
Action Steps
Understand why mobile optimization is critical for your author website’s success.
Preview your site using Squarespace’s built-in mobile preview tools.
Read the Important Note section above so you know what to expect if you make design changes.
For corruption & Main Street templates: Visit your Resources page immediately to review the mobile optimization notes before editing anything on mobile.
