Four Ways to Use the Squarespace's Duplicate Feature to Improve Your Workflow
Last year, Squarespace introduced the Duplicate Feature, allowing users to create a complete duplicate of their site inside their account with just a few clicks.
Since duplication launched, I've integrated it into my client workflow and found four easy ways that it can save you time in your business.
1. Make a Duplicate of Your Approved Client Sites Before You Hand Them Over.
I duplicate every site that I launch before I hand the keys over to the client. Why? It's always good to have a backup in case a client accidentally deletes a page or tries their hand at your CSS and makes a mess. If this happens, you have the old site to refer to so you can make any fixes.
Also, some clients like to go in and make changes to the original design that aren't always great. It's nice to have a pristine version of the site as you built it to show potential clients.
2. Make Your Own Blank Templates For Use on Each New Website Build
I have two of my own blank templates that I use, one in Brine (7.0) and one in Squarespace 7.1. When I looked back at my old client work, I found that most of that most of my sites needed the same pages, Homepage, About, Contact, Blog, 404 Redirect, Terms and Conditions, Privacy, etc at least to start. I also include the CSS I use on virtually every build.
When I begin a new project, I duplicate one of my private templates, and most if not all of the pages that I need are already there, ready for me to style.
Not having to stop and add each individual page and piece of code helps me stay in creative flow. Once I finish designing with one page, I simply move on to the next because it is already on my page list. It is almost like having a checklist built into every site build.
3. Give Your Clients Design Options
Using the Duplicate Feature is also a great way to give a client a few options. You can build the site once, then duplicate it and make changes on the copy site. The client can then see both options and choose the best one. Working this way can save considerable back and forth with minor modifications.
A WORD OF ADVICE: Unless the client is paying you to build two different complete mockups, I don't suggest giving clients the option to choose between two radically different websites. If you do, it will lead to double the work for you without double the paycheck. Instead, it is better to do your research before you start building to get a good idea of what look and feel your client wants for their site. If you are clear on the direction before you begin designing, using the Duplicate Feature to swap out some colors or make other minor changes makes sense and lets the client feel like they have options.
4. Making Big Changes to an Existing Website
Once you have a few clients under your belt, you'll get more and more repeat business as those clients come back to you for changes and updates. Sometimes those changes will be small, and you will be able to make them without much need for client approval.
However, sometimes clients want drastic changes to their sites and don't want to put up a coming soon or a cover page while you make changes in the background. This is a great time to use the Duplicate feature. Here is what I do.
First, I duplicate their site. Then on the new demo website, I make all the changes requested. Once approved, I can quickly copy the changes using a tool like Squarewebsites' convenient Chrome extension. Or I can make the changes manually (copy/paste new CSS, add images, export/import JSON files, etc.) when the site doesn't have much traffic, so a few minutes of awkwardness won’t matter so much.
Some items of note regarding the Duplicate Feature:
First, images you licensed via Squarespace will not copy over to your new site when using the Duplicate feature. This is because Unsplash and Getty image licenses are only good for one website if you licensed them via the search for images feature on your website. If you want all your images to copy over to the new site, you will need to upload them from your computer.
Second, when you duplicate a site, it starts a new free trial site. You can then upgrade the new trial site to a paid subscription with its own domain if you want to. Any changes will not sync to the old site.
For more on duplicating your Squarespace websites, click here.
