How to change the Date Format of Blogs

Esta publicación es una colaboración con BeyondSpace.studio

Struggling with mismatched date formats across your Squarespace blog? Whether it’s blog posts, blog pages, or summary blocks, inconsistent dates can make your website look unpolished. While Squarespace lacks an easy way to fix this problem natively, a simple solution can help you achieve consistent formatting without much effort. Let’s explore the problem and the straightforward fix.

The challenge with Squarespace date format

Squarespace users face two major issues when dealing with date formats:

1. No Direct Date Format Customization
   Squarespace doesn’t provide a straightforward way to adjust date formats. While changing the Squarespace website’s locale might partially help, it’s a clunky and indirect solution.

2. Inconsistent Formatting Across Different Areas
   The way dates are displayed can vary significantly. Blog posts, blog pages, and summary blocks often use different formats, creating a lack of uniformity across the site.

For instance:

• Blog post might display one style, like “22 Jun”

• Blog list could use another, like “22/06/2019”

• Summary blocks might look completely different, such as “22 Jun 2019”

Inconsistent blog date format: English (United States) locale

A Simple solution for Consistency

Fortunately, you don’t need to rely on manual fixes or advanced coding knowledge. The Beyondspace Date Format Tool provides an easy way to unify date formats across your entire Squarespace site.

This tool allows you to:

• Choose Your Desired Format: Whether it's the USA format (MM-DD-YYYY), UK format (DD-MM-YYYY), or something else, the tool supports a wide range of options.

• Create a Custom Format: If the default options don’t meet your needs, use date tokens to define your own format effortlessly.

• Set a Consistent Locale: Standardize date formats across blog posts, blog pages, and summary blocks for a cohesive look.

• Include Time Stamps: Need to display both date and time? Toggle the "Use Timestamp" option for seamless formatting.

Before you start, ensure you have the following:

• Squarespace Version: 7.1 or 7.0

• Plan: Business or higher to use the Footer Code Injection

Using Beyondspace date format

How to implement the Code

1. Visit the Beyondspace Date Format Tool.

2. Choose your preferred date format and locale using the intuitive interface.

3. Copy the automatically generated code.

4. Paste the code into Squarespace’s Code Injection

Within minutes, your site will display consistent date formats throughout!

Unified Squarespace date format - dddd, D MMMM YYYY

With this simple solution, you can say goodbye to inconsistent dates and hello to a more polished and professional Squarespace site!

Preguntas frecuentes

Can I display UK date format?
Yes! The tool supports the UK date format (DD-MM-YYYY) and can be applied seamlessly across your blog posts, pages, and summary blocks.

Can I display AUS date format?
Absolutely! The Australian date format (DD/MM/YYYY) is fully supported and can be easily set using the tool.

Can I display USA date format?
Of course! The USA date format (MM-DD-YYYY) is one of the default options available for quick setup.

What is a custom date format?
A custom date format allows you to define your own layout for dates using date tokens. For example, you can create unique formats like "YYYY.MM.DD" or "DD Month, YYYY" to suit your site's design and audience preferences. Learn all available tokens on this page

Bonus #1: Simplify backdating Blog and Event publish dates

Struggling to backdate a blog post or event on Squarespace? The default date picker in Squarespace only lets you navigate month by month, making it tedious if you're trying to adjust dates that go back years.

With Beyondspace's Publish datepicker, you can easily set past dates with a streamlined interface that eliminates unnecessary clicks. It supports Squarespace 7.1 right out of the box, saving you time and effort!

Beyondspace publish datepicker

Bonus #2: Enhance Squarespace Forms with a Custom Datepicker Field

Looking to improve the date selection experience on your Squarespace forms? Beyondspace's Datepicker Form Field replaces the standard text input with a user-friendly calendar view. It offers features like month and year navigation, disabled dates, and cutoff preorders, making your forms more functional and user-friendly. Whether for product forms, form blocks, it integrates seamlessly with your site and enhances user experience!

How to Upload an Ads.txt file to Root Directory of Squarespace

Esta publicación es una colaboración con BeyondSpace.studio

Uploading files to the root directory is essential for services like Google ads.txt verification,Squarespace doesn’t offer direct access to a traditional root directory, but with the use of URL redirects, you can mimic this functionality. This guide will show you how to upload an ads.txt file and make it accessible for ad verification.

Uploading Files on Squarespace

Squarespace doesn't support a traditional root directory; instead, uploaded files are stored on its dedicated CDNs. To achieve the effect of a root directory upload, you’ll need to use 301 redirects.

When ads.txt is uploaded to the root directory, it is accessible at top-level domain as such your-domain.com/ads.txt

Step-by-Step Guide to Uploading Ads.txt

Step 1: Download Your Ads.txt File

Get the ads.txt file from the verification service (e.g., Google AdSense).

Step 2: Upload the File via Link Manager

1. Go to your Pages in Squarespace.

2. Add a Link in the Main Navigation.

3. Choose File as the Link Type and upload your ads.txt file.

4. Exit the Squarespace Link Editor without saving since we’re only using it for uploading the file.

This will store the file in your Squarespace CDN and it will be accessible at /s/ads.txt, eg: your-domain.com/s/ads.txt

Upload ads.txt file

Pro tip: explore all the gateway to Squarespace Link Editor to upload and manage file in this post.

Step 3: Trace the File URL

Use a URL tracing tool like WhereGoes or Beyondspace Redirection tracer to get the real URL of the file. Paste your your-domain.com/s/ads.txt URL into the tool and trace it to its CDN source URL.

Trace ads.txt file

Step 4: Set Up a Redirect in URL Mappings

1. Go to Settings > Developer Tools > URL Mappings in your Squarespace dashboard.

2. Add the following redirect:
   /ads.txt -> {real-file-path} 301
   Replace {real-file-path} with the traced CDN URL.

Pro tip: If you used Beyondspace Redirection tracer to trace the redirection, simply copy the redirection in Root Directory Redirection after the trace completed.

Set redirect ads.txt

Step 5: Verify the File

Complete the verification process for your external service by providing the redirected URL (e.g., https://your-domain.com/ads.txt).

How This Works

Using a 301 redirect makes the file accessible at the root directory, even though it is hosted on Squarespace’s CDN. Google supports such single redirect to external domain (this case, redirection from your domain to Squarespace static CDN) for ads.txt verification, making this method effective for those using Squarespace.

Supported Services

• Google ads.txt verification

• IndexNow.org

• Bing Webmaster Tools

• Creating an alternate Squarespace sitemap

Conclusión

Squarespace doesn’t have a traditional root directory, but by using URL redirects, you can effectively upload verification files like ads.txt and meet the requirements of external services. This method works for all Squarespace plans, including the Personal plan.

Bringing Gallery Blocks Back to Squarespace 7.1 Sections

Esta publicación es una colaboración con BeyondSpace.studio

The Gallery block has always been a versatile tool for Squarespace users, allowing the addition of visually appealing image and video galleries across various sections. On Squarespace 7.0, these blocks were highly flexible, supporting multiple layouts and areas. Squarespace 7.1 limits the availability of Gallery blocks to blog posts, events, and product descriptions, leaving users unable to add them to other sections as they could in version 7.0.

Fortunately, with the Classic Gallery block, you can bring back the full functionality of Gallery blocks, making it possible to insert them across sections of your Squarespace 7.1 site!

Inserting Gallery blocks

Update notice
Classic Gallery Block is now managed through Ground Control for easier navigation and customization. Explore Ground Control

Introducing the Classic Gallery Block

The Classic Gallery block is a powerful workaround to reintroduce the flexibility of Gallery blocks in Squarespace 7.1. Whether you’re using Classic or Fluid sections, this tool ensures you can add Gallery blocks effortlessly in areas that Squarespace restricts by default, such as layout pages, footers, and collection landing pages.

What does it offer?

• Full compatibility with various sections on 7.1 templates.

• A solution for using existing galleries—just like in 7.0.

Pro Tip: Looking to customize your Gallery Blocks further? Explore all styling options and Squarespace plugins for Gallery block in this post.

Gallery Block Availability with Classic Gallery Block Enabled

When activated, the Classic Gallery block unlocks the ability to insert Gallery blocks in sections previously unsupported by Squarespace 7.1. Here's a comparison:

Supported Areas	7.1 Version	7.0 Version	Classic Gallery Block
Blog posts	✔️	✔️	✔️
Individual events	✔️	✔️	✔️
Product additional Info	✔️	✔️	✔️
Layout pages	❌	✔️	✔️
Collection landing pages	❌	✔️	✔️
Portfolio sub-pages	❌	✔️	✔️
Footers	❌	✔️	✔️

Collection landing pages: (blog pages, events pages, portfolio pages, store pages)

Using the "Existing Gallery" Option on Squarespace 7.1

The Existing Gallery option was a standout feature in Squarespace 7.0, allowing users to link Gallery blocks to shared content from Gallery pages. Unfortunately, this feature is missing in 7.1, which means users can only create transient galleries—where images are uploaded directly to the block and cannot be reused across multiple pages.

With the Classic Gallery block, however, you can replicate this functionality by creating Gallery pages using transient galleries and organizing them under a designated dropdown folder for easy access.

Pro tip: For a modern, flexible solution, consider Synced Blocks. This approach lets you create reusable galleries that sync content and settings across pages, ensuring consistency and saving time.

Step-by-Step: How to Use Existing Galleries with Classic Gallery Block

Detailed step-by-step tutorial for the below has been updated in this post

Step 1: Copy Classic Gallery block to your Footer

• Visit Classic Gallery block page and copy the snippet

• Paste the snippet to the Footer Injection of your Squarespace site.

• Incoming: Squarespace 7.1 has introduced a Section Anchor ID feature, which could prove useful for inserting multiple galleries on a single gallery page and displaying them in the Existing Gallery option using their anchor IDs. Once this feature is fully functional, I’ll update this post with detailed instructions—stay tuned!

Step 2: Create a Transient Gallery Block or Section on a Blank Page

• Insert a Gallery block or Gallery section on a blank page.

• Add up to 250 images or videos to the gallery.

Create a transient Gallery

Step 3: Organize Your Gallery Pages

To make galleries easier to locate, create a dropdown folder named "Classic Gallery Pages" in your site's navigation. Place all Gallery pages under this folder. This reserved name ensures the script focuses only on pages within the folder, avoiding the need to search your entire site.

Pro Tip: The dropdown name "Classic Gallery Pages" is reserved for this functionality. If you don’t use this exact name, the script will still work but will search through all pages across your site, which may slow down the process significantly.

Group pages to Classic Gallery Pages

Step 4: Use the "Existing Gallery" Option

1. Insert a new Gallery block where needed.

2. Switch to the Use Existing Gallery tab in the block settings.

3. Select your Gallery page from the dropdown list.

Select existing galleries

Conclusión

The Classic Gallery block restores functionality that Squarespace 7.1 missing, making it possible to create and reuse galleries across your website effortlessly. By using transient galleries and organizing them under a designated folder, you can replicate the "Existing Gallery" feature and maintain consistency across pages.

Pro Tip: This script relies on an undocumented Squarespace API, so use it responsibly. Ensure your site is on a Business plan or higher for script installation. Personal plan users, check out alternative solutions on this post.

Whether you're upgrading from 7.0 or seeking more control over your galleries, the Classic Gallery block is the perfect tool to bridge the gap and enhance your Squarespace site.