How to Set Up an Effective Referral Program with Squarespace

Who could use an effective way to get more clients?

Well, that probably describes most businesses, but many are also looking for a way to do so cost-effectively. Advertising can bring in clients, but it costs money and the flow of clients tends to stop if you stop advertising.

There is an often under-utilized method to build a pipeline of future clients, without having to spend large amounts of money - referral programs. 

Read here: These referral programs work with Squarespace

Why set up a referral program?

You might think that if you provide excellent service to your clients, then naturally they will refer more customers to you. This works sometimes. While you should always aim to deliver an exceptional customer experience, the reality is that people often don’t make referrals unless you ask. It’s not that they don’t want to, it’s more likely that they simply don’t think of it.

That’s just one good reason to set up a referral program - when you set one up the right way, it prompts people to make referrals. It even incentivizes them along the way. 

Referrals are a big deal in the overall scheme of what gets customers to buy. Here are just a few statistics that highlight why referral marketing is important:

• 80% of all B2B and B2C purchases involve some sort of word-of-mouth recommendation during the purchase cycle. (Source)

• 49% of US consumers say their friends or family are their top sources for brand awareness. (Source)

• People are four times more likely to buy when a product or service is recommended by a friend. (Source)

• (On the flipside) just 33% of people trust online ads. (Source).

Starting to gain the trust of new customers before you’ve met is a great reason to operate a referral program, as is the fact that referral programs give you a lower average cost per lead than paid advertising. 

If you need another reason, studies have found that customers obtained via referrals tend to be more loyal and stay around longer than other customers. A Harvard Business Review study followed 10,000 accounts at a large German bank over a period of three years. The bank offered a simple referral program where those who referred new customers would receive €25. The researchers found that the referred customers were 18% more likely to stay with the bank and 16% more profitable. For the €25 investment, they made a 60% return.

What is a referral program?

Most business owners understand the value of asking customers to refer business: a referral program formalizes that and gives the referrer something in return. Most of us have experienced this - you make a purchase (often online) and get invited to refer friends, usually in return for something such as store credit.

It helps to have an official referral program in place because it puts a system around referral requests. Instead of them being an “oh, by the way,” tacked on when you remember to ask, a referral program usually has a set process.

Tracking is an important aspect of a referral program. As a business, it’s important to know who your key referrers are, but it’s also really important that you deliver on whatever has been promised in return for the referral. For this reason, referral software (which we’ll get into) is something that we highly recommend.

What does an effective referral program look like?

The answer to building an effective referral program is that it will look different for each business. Your referral program as a Squarespace website designer will probably look completely different to your client’s program for an ecommerce business. 

In any case, you should always offer an excellent product or service first - something that people will want to refer others to. One thing to remember about referrals is that people want to refer something trustworthy to their friends: in a sense, it’s about their own reputation, too.

The place to start is with your goals - following a process something like this:

#1. Create goals for your referral program

You need to know exactly what it is that you’re hoping to get from a referral program and this does look different from business to business. For example, as a Squarespace designer, a lot of your clients are probably project-based, so you need a reliable way to keep a pipeline of projects.

Businesses that sell a longer term product or service may have goals around retention or repeat business. The clothing store wants people to come back and buy more clothes while the software subscription business wants people to retain their subscriptions.

What do you need to get out of a referral program?

At this step, it’s also important to define who you want to attract via a referral program - what sort of customers are you looking for? Being specific is a good idea when you create the verbiage for your referral program too, for example: “Refer a restaurant that needs a new Squarespace website!”

#2. Know your referral sources

Who are you going to be asking to join your referral program? Will it always be direct customers, or will you include others as well? As an example here, it’s still quite common for bloggers to advertise affiliate links to products or services on their websites.

This is where you can consider some of the “how.” So for example, if customers who buy from you are a target of your referral program, you might invite them to refer by sending them a unique link they can use. As for any bloggers or other affiliate sites, you might set up an affiliate center on your website.

(Note: The key difference between referrals and affiliates is that referrals tend to be based on making a personal recommendation to someone the person knows, whereas affiliates publish a link that anyone can find and click on. Affiliates are usually a third-party brand advocate and affiliate programs usually operate separately to referral programs).

#3. Know when and how to reach out

Any time you ask for a referral, the secret is in the timing. Identify when the appropriate time/s will be to reach out and ask for referrals.

For example, ecommerce businesses might request a customer join their referral program as soon as they have ordered something, or, they might wait until the product has been delivered. When would it make sense to ask a Squarespace client? At the completion of their website? It’s up to you.

#4. Understand what will work as an incentive

Given what you know about your target audience, what will be a good incentive for them? A few ideas include:

• Credit toward a product or service

• A free product or service

• A percentage of the package the referred customer bought

• A stepped incentive, where the prize gets bigger for more referrals made

• A set amount of cold, hard cash

The best referral programs often offer something to both the referring customer and the customer being referred. For example, maybe the referred customer gets a discount or a store credit to get them started.

#5. Make referring easy

The best way to encourage more referrals (besides providing an excellent product or service) is to make the referral process easy. People don’t like to have to jump through hoops to get something done.

Some examples of “easy” referral mechanisms include:

• Enter your friend’s email address into a box (this is probably less popular - there’s still some work involved!).

• Send an email requesting that the person share their unique link with referral code.

• Make the actual sharing part super-easy, for example, allow people to share with one-click to their social media.

As we mentioned earlier, the easiest way to set up a referral program that will be convenient for your customers and simple for you to track is to use referral software. There are a few programs that have been built and are ready for you to customize with your own details. ReferralCandy is just one that works with Squarespace websites. 

Importantly, when you’re choosing your referral software, check out the analytics and tracking that come with the package. This is how you know if people are engaging with your referral program, as well as which customers came from whom.

Read here: Referral programs that work with Squarespace

Reflexiones finales

A referral program is a great solution to bringing in more customers without a large investment in marketing spend. Referrals are effective and tend to net more profitable clients.

There are some key points to making a referral program effective: you must design it around the target customer, especially by understanding what will incentivize them to refer. You also need to make it as easy as possible, removing unnecessary friction from the referral process.

At SQSP Themes, we have an affiliate program, which as noted, is slightly different to a referral program but operates along similar lines. You can see how we’ve set that up here.

What Makes a Customer Buy? Optimizing Your Squarespace Website to Convert

Most people don’t need more traffic — they need fewer reasons to bounce.

You’ve got something worth paying for. Maybe it’s a product, maybe it’s a service, maybe it’s a combination of both. But the moment someone lands on your site, the clock starts ticking. Not just to grab their attention — but to hold their trust.

And that’s where most Squarespace sites fall short.

Not because the template is wrong. Not because your offer sucks. But because your site has small leaks in trust, clarity, and usability. Death by a thousand friction points.

Let’s walk through where people fall off, and how to fix the stuff that’s quietly costing you.

1. Confusion = Exit

If your visitor has to stop and think, you’ve already lost them.

Most websites fall into the same trap: trying to be clever instead of clear. The header says something vague like “Bold design for bold ideas” and the person on the other side is still wondering: “...wait, is this for me?”

They shouldn’t have to scroll twice to figure out what you do, who you serve, or how they can take the next step.

Pregúntate:

• Can someone tell what I offer without clicking anything?

• Do my nav labels make sense to a stranger?

• Is my homepage doing one thing well, or trying to do five things halfway?

Simple wins. Every time.

2. The Experience Feels Like Work

Even if your copy is strong and your offer is solid, your layout can trip you up.

Slow load times. Clunky navigation. Buttons that don’t feel like buttons. Forms that ask for six pieces of info when two would do. It all adds up.

Squarespace gives you the bones — but you still have to wire up the experience like someone who wants people to take action.

If you’re selling something, test it. Pretend you’re a new visitor. Try buying from yourself. Better yet — have someone who doesn’t owe you anything do it. Watch where they pause. Where they scroll too fast. Where they frown. That’s your real analytics.

3. Zero Trust, Zero Sale

People don’t want to be the first to buy. And they definitely don’t want to get scammed.

If your site doesn’t look like a business that delivers, people won’t risk it — no matter how good the product.

Trust can be subtle. But it matters.

Here’s what builds it:

• Real testimonials (bonus if they include photos or names)

• Product reviews or client logos

• A support link that isn’t buried in the footer

• A return policy that sounds human

• An About page that reads like a real person wrote it, not ChatGPT

• High-res images and videos that don’t scream stock

Also? Update your footer year. Nobody trusts a business whose copyright still says 2021.

Get our tips for reducing cart abandonment here

4. Surprise Fees = Cart Abandonment

You ever get all the way to checkout and suddenly see an extra $9.99 slapped on top?

Yeah. Same.

That little “surprise” is one of the fastest ways to lose a sale — especially if someone was on the fence already. The average cart abandonment rate is ridiculous (around 70%), and hidden costs are one of the top reasons why.

If you sell physical goods, make shipping transparent. If you offer services, make the process clear before someone even gets to the booking form. Nobody wants to feel tricked at the end of the journey.

A few things that help:

• Flat-rate or free shipping thresholds

• Upfront timelines and pricing for services

• Clear breakdowns of what’s included (and what’s not)

5. Your Site Looks Good — But It's Not Selling

Squarespace makes it easy to make a site look polished. But looking good isn’t the same as converting.

Your design needs to do something. And most of the time, that “something” is guiding people to take a next step — book a call, buy a product, join a list, download the thing.

If your site is gorgeous but nobody clicks, that’s a problem.

This is where plugins and subtle UX tools can help. A few worth trying:

Testimonial Slider – Instead of a wall of praise, let it glide across the screen. Cleaner. More believable.

Product Gallery Video – If you’re selling something physical, show it in motion. Static images rarely sell the full story.

Inventory Indicators – A gentle nudge like “Only 2 left in stock” goes a long way.

Wiremo Reviews Integration – Saves you time and displays reviews automatically. No coding. No manual updates.

Hover-to-Zoom or Image Rollover Plugins – Let people get a closer look. Think like a shopper, not just a designer.

None of these fix a broken offer. But they do give your already-good offer a clearer, smoother path to conversion.

What Actually Makes Someone Buy?

It’s not the perfect font. Or the clever headline. Or the flashy promo.

It’s trust. Clarity. Ease.

People buy when they know what they’re getting, feel good about who they’re buying from, and don’t have to jump through hoops to make it happen.

If you’re not getting sales, the fix isn’t always to “drive more traffic.” Sometimes it’s just tightening the path between interest and action.

Cut the fluff. Sharpen the steps. Build trust early. Make it easy to say yes.

That’s it.

Want a second set of eyes on your Squarespace site?
I’ve helped plenty of designers, creators, and shop owners spot the things they didn’t realize were costing them.
[Let’s talk.]

Or if you’re not ready yet, grab the free guide on reducing cart abandonment — small fixes, big difference.

Download how tips for reducing cart abandonment here

Not Just Another Squarespace Agency

How to Stand Out, Get Noticed, and Get Booked

If you’ve ever scrolled through a dozen Squarespace agency websites, you’ve probably noticed something:

“Beautiful, modern websites.”
“Premium web design services.”
“Helping you build your online presence.”

It all starts to blur together.

The problem? If you sound like everyone else, clients can’t tell what makes you the right choice.
The opportunity? You don’t have to be louder—you just have to be clearer.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to:

• Craft a distinct brand and message that clients feel immediately

• Specialize in a niche that makes you the obvious choice

• Offer more than “just a website” by solving deeper problems

• Structure your business and process to build instant trust

Free download: Get our actionable tips on branding your Squarespace agency

You Can’t Afford to Be “Just Another Agency”

Here’s the truth: your clients aren’t looking for a Squarespace site. They’re looking for results.
They want a site that books more calls, sells more products, tells their story, or earns trust.

When your message says:

“We make beautiful Squarespace websites”

...they hear:

“We do what everyone else does.”

But when you say:

“We help therapists book more clients through strategic Squarespace design,”

...you stand out. You’re no longer a vendor—they see you as a specialist.

Niche Down to Stand Out

Specialists are trusted. Generalists are compared.
That’s why choosing a niche is one of the fastest ways to rise above the noise.

You might choose your niche based on:

• Industry: wellness, food & beverage, education, e-commerce

• Style: bold minimalism, storytelling-focused, luxury editorial

• Tech: integrations with tools like MindBody, Acuity, or Shopify

• Personal background: maybe you spent years in hospitality—lean into it

The clearer your niche, the easier it is for clients to say: “That’s for me.”

One example of an agency targeting a specific niche of clients is Launch It, Girl. Their target audience is specifically female entrepreneurs that are launching a new business. 

Differentiating what you offer

Another great way to differentiate yourself is in what you actually offer. This might be directly related to the niche you have chosen; for example if you specialize in ecommerce stores, one of your offers might be high quality product photography (which every ecommerce business should have!)

Some agencies specialize in certain programs or types of integrations. For example, Pixality Design specializes in websites for yoga and wellness businesses that include integrations with MindBody, the scheduling software. They also offer marketing consulting and done-with-you Facebook and Instagram ad setup. These “extras” are good examples of identifying particular problems that people within the niche may have.

Here’s another great example of choosing a niche and differentiating what is offered; Liz Kalloch Design and Illustration specializes in Squarespace websites, book design, and illustration for writers and other creatives. Kalloch channelled her more than 20 years of experience in illustrating and book design to create a unique agency.

First impressions - Brand Identity

What are you saying and how are you saying it? Many potential clients will first encounter your agency online so your branding needs to be on-point. Bland and boring won’t cut it, you need to get their attention early.

One way of looking at it is that you’re solving a particular problem (or set of problems) for clients. Which two or three things are their biggest challenges? If you can focus your energy into one pressing problem, it’s a great way to differentiate your brand.

So instead of “we make beautiful Squarespace websites,” you might now have “we make Squarespace websites that help ecommerce stores to grow their sales” (or something like that!)

However you choose to differentiate your brand, it’s important that it comes across in a client’s first impressions of your agency website. Most website visitors stick around for less than 15 seconds, so make your point quickly. If people don’t “get it” almost immediately, they don’t tend to search around for more information.

Here’s an example of great differentiation. Website by Tonight actually does what the brand name implies. Not only that, they’ve styled themselves as an agency for agencies, taking care of creating simple client websites for agencies in just a few hours.

Choosing a different way to do business

Sometimes how you run your business can be a differentiator for clients. To be honest, some agencies have helped to create an impression full of red tape, and that producing a final product will take a long time.

How can you stand out to counter this idea? By telling clients how you operate! Clients dislike ambiguity, especially around what they are getting and how much it will cost them. If you have clearly delineated packages, this is a great way to get around that fear. Remember, people may have been burned previously by unexpected costs from a web designer!

So you might:

• Explain a step-by-step process that ends with the final website being created. Include how you communicate with clients and what will be needed from them. Our first agency example, Website By Tonight, outlines a 6-step process, including how they get input from clients. They also offer web design via screen share.

• Offer specific packages that make you different from others. Our founder here at SQSP Themes, Omari, is a huge fan of the “productized service” model of business. This simply means packaging up some sort of service so that it can be offered as a product would, with clearly defined boundaries.When Omari first started in business, he offered a productized service doing custom CSS tweaks. Instead of offering a one-off service, he bundled it into packages of five or ten Squarespace tweaks. This was a great way to offer a defined service and to do repeat business rather than simply one-offs.

The underlying lesson is that being specific and transparent about what you offer and your process for offering it can help to draw customers in. Everyone knows that a website design project has a beginning, middle, and end, but they want to know exactly what that entails in terms of time, money, and what they get from it. 

Download our actionable tips on branding your agency to stand out here

Reflexiones finales

You’re not “just another Squarespace agency,” are you? We thought not. There are so many ways you can differentiate yourself from the crowd and help to draw in more clients.

It might be in what you offer, how you offer it, how you brand yourself, or the niche that you serve. One thing you should always spend time on is honing that message so it is clear to anyone who visits your website.

We’d love to hear about how your agency defines itself. Drop us a comment below!