Should You Update Squarespace To The Latest Version?

Currently, there’s no way to migrate content from 7.0 to 7.1 without starting from scratch and rebuilding. Is it worth the trouble? Read along to find out.

There’s no doubt that websites built on the new Squarespace 7.1 version are faster, cleaner, and more versatile than websites built on the old Squarespace 7.0 version.

But if your website has any of the following, it may be worth reconsidering whether migrating from version 7.0 to 7.1 is the best choice for you:

1. You’ve been grandfathered into a low annual or monthly subscription.
   At the time of writing this, a Business Plan is $23/mo if paid annually, and $33/mo if paid monthly. Some clients I’ve worked with in the past created their Squarespace website many years back, when the subscriptions were as low as $15/mo. If you migrate from 7.0 to 7.1, you’ll be starting a new website, which means you’ll have to say goodbye to your cheaper plan. Make sure you check how much you’re paying now, and compare it to Squarespace’s current pricing before you do the switchover.

2. You’re happy with your existing site.
   Squarespace version 7.1 offers new features such as the Fluid Engine (a grid-like drag-and-drop content editing experience) and site-wide animations. But if you’re happy with your website now, and don’t need to add any bells and whistles, you’re good to stay on 7.0. As of now, Squarespace still offers support for both versions, so there’s really no added benefit in switching over.

3. You have lots of complex pages… or a lot of pages in general.
   It’s relatively easy to migrate text to a new 7.1 site — if you like copying and pasting. But if you have lots of complex pages on your website (ex. long pages with multiple images, galleries, videos, etc), it just might not be worth the hassle. If you still insist on switching over and don’t want to do it yourself, you can contact me for an hourly quote to handle the migration.

4. You have a Member Area with lots of members.
   It’s not an easy process to migrate members from one version to the next. If you’re using Squarespace’s Member Areas, make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into. You can learn more on Squarespace’s support page.

Overall, if you’re looking for speed, a cleaner look, and SEO improvement, then migrating to 7.1 may be the direction you want to go. However, if you’re happy with your 7.0 website and don’t need to add any new features that 7.1 offers, there may not be a compelling reason to upgrade.