How to Build a Website on Square Step-By-Step

Overview

This guide explains how to build a website on Square using Square Online, Square’s website and eCommerce builder. You will get a step-by-step workflow that covers signup, planning, template selection, editor customization, payments and inventory, domain setup, launch, and validation. This guide is practical for beginners, entrepreneurs, and developers who want a live site quickly and want to understand the underlying HTML/CSS/JS options available for custom work.

What you’ll learn and

why it matters:

• How to set up a Square Online site and pick the right template.
• How to create pages, add products, and configure payments and shipping.
• How to apply basic SEO, connect a custom domain, and test checkout flows.

Prerequisites:

• A Square account (or willingness to create one).
• Basic familiarity with web concepts (pages, images, navigation).
• Optional: basic HTML/CSS for custom code blocks.

Time estimate: ~4-6 hours total, broken into short sessions.

High-level outcome: a published, secure, payment-enabled Square Online website optimized for conversions and basic SEO.

Step 1:

how to build a website on square

Action to take:

1. Go to squareup.com and click Products > Online > Get Started, or visit squareup.com
2. Sign in or create a Square account with your business email.
3. Follow the onboarding prompts to choose your business type.

Why you are doing it:

Signing up and selecting a site type registers your account, links payments, and creates the initial site container that Square uses to manage pages, products, and orders.

Commands, code, or examples:

• Use a modern browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari).
• Provide business details, address, and tax ID if applicable.
• Accept terms and verify your email.

Expected outcome:

You will have a Square Online site skeleton with a dashboard and access to the Site Editor, Items (products) catalog, and Settings.

Common issues and fixes:

• Problem: Verification email not received. Fix: Check spam folder, allowlist squareup.com, or request another verification email.
• Problem: Business type not listed. Fix: Pick the closest match; you can edit details later under Account Settings.

Time estimate: ~20 minutes

Step 2:

Plan your site and choose a template

Action to take:

1. Sketch a sitemap: Home, About, Products/Services, Contact, Blog (optional).
2. In the Square Online dashboard, open Site > Themes or Templates and preview relevant templates.
3. Choose a template that matches your industry and desired layout.

Why you are doing it:

Planning prevents rework and ensures the template supports required features like product pages, booking, or menus. Templates provide responsive structure and prebuilt styles.

Commands, code, or examples:

• Checklist:

1. Define primary goal (sales, lead capture, portfolio).
2. List required pages and content blocks.
3. Choose a theme with built-in eCommerce if selling products.

Expected outcome:

A selected template and a clear content plan that maps content to template sections. You will know which pages and media to prepare.

Common issues and fixes:

• Problem: Template lacks a feature. Fix: Check if a plugin, third-party block, or a custom code block can add it; otherwise switch template.
• Problem: Image guidelines unclear. Fix: Use 1200x800 for hero images; compress files to under 500 KB.

Time estimate: ~30 minutes

Step 3:

Build pages and customize the editor

Action to take:

1. Open the Site Editor from the dashboard.
2. Create pages: Home, About, Shop, Contact. Use Add Section to place hero, text, gallery, and contact forms.
3. Replace placeholder content with your copy and images. Set navigation order via Pages > Reorder.

Why you are doing it:

The editor is where you assemble content and visual hierarchy. Customizing ensures your brand, messaging, and UX are aligned with customer expectations.

Commands, code, or examples:

• Numbered tasks:

1. Click Pages > Add Page to create a new page.
2. For each page, click Add Section and choose type (text, image, product list).
3. For the contact page, add a Form block and configure email notifications in Settings.

• Example: insert a custom code block for a simple tracking snippet:

<!-- Paste this into a Site > Settings > Custom Code block -->
<script>
 (function(){ console.log('Custom tracking snippet loaded'); })();
</script>

Expected outcome:

Pages populated with your content, a working site navigation, and at least one form for lead capture.

Common issues and fixes:

• Problem: Image not showing or stretched. Fix: Upload a properly sized image and use the editor’s fit/cover controls.
• Problem: Form emails not received. Fix: Confirm notification email under Settings > Notifications and test the form.

Time estimate: ~45 minutes

Step 4:

Add products, services, and configure Square payments

Action to take:

1. In Dashboard, go to Items (or Products) > Add Item. Enter title, description, price, SKU, and images.
2. Configure inventory and variations for size, color, or options.
3. Go to Settings > Payments and ensure Square Payments is enabled and verified.

Why you are doing it:

If you sell online, products and payment setup are core functions. Square integrates payments, tax, and order management to process transactions securely.

Commands, code, or examples:

• Numbered tasks:

1. Items > Add Item > Upload image > Set price > Save.
2. Items > Manage Inventory to set stock and alerts.
3. Settings > Payments > Follow verification steps (bank account, identity).

• Example: set a product variant
• Click Variations > Add Option > Name “Size” > Add values S, M, L.

Expected outcome:

A functional product catalog, inventory tracking, and a verified payment processor ready to accept orders.

Common issues and fixes:

• Problem: Payments in test mode only. Fix: Complete identity and bank verification in Square Dashboard.
• Problem: Tax or shipping rates applied incorrectly. Fix: Review Settings > Taxes and Settings > Shipping and set region-specific rates.

Time estimate: ~40 minutes

Step 5:

Connect a domain, SSL, and SEO settings

Action to take:

1. In Dashboard, go to Site > Domain > Connect a domain. Buy through Square or connect an external domain via DNS.
2. Enable SSL (usually automatic with Square-hosted domains).
3. Edit SEO settings: Site Title, Meta Description, URL slugs, and Open Graph images under Settings > SEO.

Why you are doing it:

A custom domain builds trust and branding. SSL secures data and helps SEO. Proper SEO settings improve discoverability in search engines.

Commands, code, or examples:

• Connecting an external domain (general steps):

1. In your domain registrar, create CNAME record for www to the Square target (see dashboard).
2. Create A records if required by Square instructions.

• Example meta tag (if using Custom Code for advanced SEO):

<meta name="description" content="Short description of your site for search engines.">

Expected outcome:

A public domain resolving to your Square site with HTTPS enabled and basic SEO configured.

Common issues and fixes:

• Problem: DNS propagation delay. Fix: Wait up to 48 hours and use tools like dig or whatsmydns.net to check propagation.
• Problem: Mixed content warnings after SSL. Fix: Update any hard-coded http:// resources to https:// or use protocol-relative URLs.

Time estimate: ~30 minutes (plus DNS propagation time)

Step 6:

Publish, test checkout, and add monitoring

Action to take:

1. Click Publish in the Site Editor to push changes live.
2. Run test transactions: purchase a low-cost item, test coupon codes, and test shipping calculations.
3. Set up analytics: Settings > Site > Analytics or insert Google Analytics/GA4 ID in Settings > Tracking.

Why you are doing it:

Publishing makes the site accessible to customers. Testing checkout and analytics ensures the user flow works and you capture conversion data for optimization.

Commands, code, or examples:

• Numbered test checklist:

1. Complete a purchase using a live or test payment method.
2. Test refund and order notification flows.
3. Verify order appears under Orders in Square Dashboard.

• Example GA4 snippet to place in Custom Code only if required:

Expected outcome:

A live, functioning site with checkout validated and analytics capturing pageviews and conversions.

Common issues and fixes:

• Problem: Order not appearing in dashboard. Fix: Confirm payment succeeded and webhooks are enabled; check Filters in Orders view.
• Problem: Analytics not showing data. Fix: Verify tracking ID is correct and code is placed in the head or tracking field; check real-time reports.

Time estimate: ~35 minutes

Testing and Validation

How to verify it works with checklist:

• Open the published domain and load the home page on desktop and mobile.
• Complete a purchase as a customer and confirm order appears in Square Orders.
• Submit the contact form and check the notification email.
• Confirm images load quickly and pages score well in a basic speed check (PageSpeed Insights).
• Verify SSL displays as secure and canonical URLs are clean.

Each test should be performed in an incognito window and with a mobile viewport. net for DNS, and Google Search Console for indexing.

Expected validation time: ~30-60 minutes.

Common Mistakes

1. Skipping business verification: Without completed verification, Square may limit payouts and features. Avoid this by providing accurate identity and bank information early.
2. Overloading pages with large images: Large files slow page load. Resize to recommended dimensions and compress images before upload.
3. Not testing checkout flows: Assuming checkout works can lead to lost sales. Perform live tests, including refunds and coupon codes.
4. Ignoring mobile layout: Templates are responsive but custom content can break layouts. Test on several devices and use the editor mobile preview.

Address these by adding verification tasks to your checklist, using image compression tools, conducting full checkout tests, and previewing mobile layouts before launch.

FAQ

Do I Need a Square Account to Use Square Online?

Yes. Square Online is tied to a Square account which manages payments, orders, and business settings. Create an account during the initial onboarding.

Can I Use My Existing Domain with Square Online?

Yes. You can connect an external domain by updating DNS records at your registrar to point to Square’s servers, or buy a domain through Square and connect it automatically.

Can I Edit HTML, CSS, or Add Custom JavaScript?

Square Online supports custom code blocks and site-wide header/footer code snippets for HTML, CSS, and JS, but access depends on your plan. Use custom code carefully and test on staging or in a limited section.

Is SSL Included with Square Online?

Yes. Square provides SSL when your domain is connected to their hosting, enabling HTTPS automatically once DNS is resolved.

How Do I Accept Credit Card Payments on My Square Site?

Enable Square Payments in Settings, complete account verification, and ensure your bank account is linked. Square handles card processing and deposits payouts per your payout schedule.

Next Steps

After launch, monitor analytics and orders for the first 30 days to identify friction points. Collect customer feedback and prioritize improvements like faster images, clearer calls to action, and checkout simplification. Consider A/B testing headlines or product descriptions and plan a content schedule for blog or social channels to drive traffic.

Upgrade to a paid Square plan if you need advanced features like subscriptions, advanced reporting, or custom code privileges.

Further Reading

• How to Build a Squarespace Website From Scratch
• Make a Website Https Step by Step
• How to Make a Website Visible on Google Search
• How to Create a Website Email Guide

Sources & Citations

• https://squareup.com - https://squareup.com
• https://squareup.com/us/en/online. - https://squareup.com/us/en/online.
• https://www.whatsmydns.net - https://www.whatsmydns.net
• https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-XXXXXXXX"> - https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-XXXXXXXX">