Viewing your Squarespace site, whether it's still in development or live, can be straightforward. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you access your site at different stages of the setup:

1. Viewing Your Site While in Development

Before Your Site is Live:

• Log In to Squarespace:

  1. Go to Squarespace.
  2. Click the “Login” button at the top-right corner.
  3. Enter your account credentials and log in.

• Access Your Site Dashboard:

  1. Once logged in, you will be directed to the Squarespace dashboard. If you have multiple sites, select the one you are working on.

• Preview Your Site:

  1. On the left-hand menu, navigate to the “Home” section.
  2. Click on “Website” or “Pages.”
  3. From here, you will see a list of your site pages. Select any page to edit, and click the “Preview” button at the top-right corner of the screen.

Using a Preview Link:

• Share a Preview with Others:
  1. While in the “Preview” mode, click the “Share Preview” button.
  2. Copy the generated URL and send it to others, allowing them to view your site without logging in.

2. Viewing Your Live Site

After Launching:

• Make Your Site Live:

  1. Ensure that your site is connected to a domain. Go to “Settings” > “Domains” to either purchase a new domain, connect an existing domain, or use a Squarespace subdomain.
  2. Click “Settings” > “Site Availability” and set the site to “Public.”

• Visit Your Site:

  1. Open a web browser.
  2. Enter your site's domain into the address bar and press “Enter.”
  3. You should now see your live site as your visitors will.

3. Additional Considerations

• Mobile View:

• Squarespace templates are responsive. While previewing or viewing your live site, it is recommended to also check how it appears on mobile devices. Simply access your site URL from a mobile device or use the built-in mobile view by clicking the mobile icon in the site editor.

• Site Password:

• If your site is live but not yet ready for the public, you can password-protect it. Go to “Settings” > “Permissions” > “Site Availability,” and select “Password Protected.” Enter a password so only those with the password can access it.

• Quality Assurance:

• Conduct thorough testing across different web browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge) and devices (desktop, tablet, smartphone) to ensure compatibility and good user experience.

• SEO and Analytics:

• Once your site is live, monitor its performance using tools such as Google Analytics and Squarespace’s built-in analytics. SEO settings can be adjusted under “Marketing” > “SEO” in the Squarespace dashboard.

If you follow these steps, you should be able to easily view your Squarespace site at any stage of its development and after it goes live.