How Do I Put a Video on Squarespace?

Putting a video on your Squarespace website can enhance your content and engage your audience more effectively. Squarespace offers several ways to add videos to your site, including embedding videos from popular platforms like YouTube and Vimeo, adding video backgrounds, and uploading videos directly to the site. Below are detailed steps and considerations for each method:

1. Embedding Videos from YouTube or Vimeo

Embedding videos from YouTube or Vimeo is straightforward and ensures your site loads quickly since the videos are hosted externally.

Steps:

1. Upload Your Video: First, upload your video to YouTube or Vimeo if you haven't done so already.
2. Copy the Embed Code:
3. On YouTube, go to the video, click on “Share,” and then “Embed” to get the embed code.
4. On Vimeo, click the “Share” button and copy the embed code.
5. Access Squarespace Editor: Log in to your Squarespace account and navigate to the page where you want to add the video.
6. Add a Video Block:
7. Click on the "Edit" button on the page.
8. Click the “+” icon to add a new block.
9. Select “Video” from the block menu.
10. Paste the URL: Instead of using the embed code, Squarespace allows you to simply paste the video's URL in the “Video” block. Just copy the URL from YouTube or Vimeo and paste it into the provided field.
11. Save Changes: Save your changes to see the video embedded on your page.

2. Adding Video Backgrounds

Video backgrounds can make your site more visually dynamic but should be used carefully to avoid impacting page load times.

Steps:

1. Prepare Your Video: Ensure your video is in a format supported by Squarespace (MP4 is usually best).
2. Access the Section Editor: Navigate to the page where you want to add a video background. Hover over the section you want to edit and click “Edit Section.”
3. Select Background Options: In the section editor, choose “Background” and then select “Video”.
4. Upload Your Video: Click “Upload Video” to upload a video file from your computer.
5. Alternative Method: If your video is on YouTube or Vimeo, you can also paste the video URL directly into the "Video" field.
6. Save Changes: Click "Save" to apply the video background to your section.

3. Uploading Directly to Squarespace

Squarespace also allows you to upload video files directly (limited to Business and Commerce plans with restrictions on file size and type).

Steps:

1. Access the Video Block: Navigate to the page where you want to upload the video. Click on the "Edit" button and use the “+” icon to add a new block. Select “Video”.
2. Upload File: Instead of pasting a URL, click on “Upload File” and choose the video file from your computer.
3. Configure Settings: Optionally, you can add a thumbnail, set the video to autoplay or loop, and manage other settings.
4. Save Changes: Save your changes to finalize the upload.

Considerations & Limitations

1. File Size: Keep in mind the file size limits when uploading videos directly. Large files can impact page load times and user experience.
2. Browser Compatibility: Not all video formats are supported by all browsers. MP4 is widely compatible.
3. SEO: Use descriptive titles, tags, and descriptions for your videos to improve search engine optimization.
4. User Impact: Ensure that video backgrounds do not distract from important content and that autoplaying videos do not annoy users.

By following these methods, you can effectively add videos to your Squarespace site to enhance its appeal and functionality.