Client Training Sessions: Teaching Clients to Use Their Squarespace Site

Article

6 Mar

You've finished the site. It's beautiful. It works perfectly. You're ready to hand it over and move on to the next project.

Then the client goes live and you're fielding support requests constantly. How do I add a blog post? How do I upload an image? Where do I edit the footer? Why did my blog post disappear?

The solution is training. A proper training session, delivered at the right time, prevents months of support requests. It's not optional. It's essential.

Why Handoff Without Training Is a Trap

You're not handing off a car to someone who knows how to drive. You're handing off a car to someone who's never driven before. Without training, they will hit things.

Squarespace is relatively intuitive, but it's not obvious. Clients don't know the difference between a collection page and a regular page. They don't understand the relationship between Blog posts and Blog settings. They don't know why images look small on mobile even though they look fine in the editor.

Without training, they make mistakes. They publish things before they're ready. They accidentally delete content. They don't optimise images, so the site gets bloated and slow. They don't fill out SEO fields because they don't know they exist. They break the site trying to make changes.

Then you're in support mode. Forever. Every week there's a new question. Every month there's a crisis they could have avoided with proper training.

A single training session prevents all of this.

Structuring a Training Session

Duration and format. Aim for 60 to 90 minutes. Any longer and you lose attention. Record it so they can reference it later. Use video conferencing with screen sharing, or meet in person if possible. Screen recording is easier than live sessions because they can pause, rewind, and revisit specific sections.

Agenda structure. Start with the overview. Walk them through the Squarespace interface. Show them where to find things. Explain the difference between different types of content. Then go deep on the specific tasks they'll actually do. End with Q&A.

What to prioritise. Don't cover everything. Prioritise the tasks they'll do regularly. If they have a blog, focus on how to write and publish posts. If they have an e-commerce store, focus on product updates. If they have a services page, show them how to update that page. Skip the obscure settings. Skip features they won't use.

The Sections Clients Struggle With Most

Blog posting. They don't understand the difference between drafts, scheduled, and published. They're confused about featured images. They don't know why their post looks different in the published version than the editor. They don't know about the blog grid settings that control how posts display. Spend time here. Show them the full workflow from blank post to published.

Image sizing and optimisation. This is where most clients go wrong. They upload huge images. The site gets slow. They don't know that Squarespace requires images at specific sizes for different contexts. They don't understand aspect ratios. Show them exactly what image dimensions you recommend for different sections. Give them a cheat sheet they can reference later.

Page editing and layouts. Squarespace page building is visual, but it's not obvious what you can and can't do. Show them how to add sections, how to configure them, what the different layout options do. Show them the difference between simple content sections and more complex layouts. Demonstrate what happens when they delete a section.

SEO fields. They don't know these exist. Show them where to find the page SEO settings, the post SEO settings, the image alt text fields. Explain why these matter in simple terms. Don't dive deep into SEO strategy. Just show them the fields and remind them that filling them out helps people find the site.

Email collection and forms. If they're using forms or email capture, show them how it works. Where do the submissions go? How do they download the data? How do they integrate forms with their email system? This is often handled poorly because clients don't understand the mechanics.

What NOT to cover. Don't train them on everything. Don't show them CSS settings unless they explicitly asked for custom code access. Don't go deep into advanced e-commerce features they won't use in the first month. Don't cover features they're not ready for. Keep it practical and immediate.

Recording Training Sessions

Record the training. Not just for them to reference, but because you'll give this training multiple times. You want a recording you can share, repurpose, and improve.

Use screen recording software. Go slowly. Pause occasionally. Explain what you're doing and why. Speak clearly. You're making a reference document, not entertaining content.

After the live session, give them the recording. Tell them to watch it again at their own pace. They'll absorb more the second time. They'll pause and try things themselves. That's when real learning happens.

Creating a Simple User Guide

Written documentation complements video training. Create a simple user guide that covers the most common tasks. It doesn't need to be comprehensive. It needs to be a quick reference.

Format: simple PDF or Google Doc. Headings for each task. Step-by-step instructions. Screenshots. Links to the recording. Keep it short. Keep it practical.

A typical user guide might have sections like: "How to write and publish a blog post", "How to update the homepage", "How to add a new product", "Where to find your site stats", "Who to contact with questions".

Make it something they can skim in five minutes and find the answer they need.

Setting Boundaries on Post-Launch Support

Training reduces support requests, but you still need boundaries. Specify what's included in post-launch support.

"I provide 14 days of included support after launch. This covers how to use the site, questions about the system, and urgent bugs. After 14 days, ongoing support is billed at £40 per hour."

Or: "I'm available for questions for 30 days after launch. Small updates and tweaks are included. Complex changes are billed separately."

Be clear about this in your process document (which we covered in the previous article). Enforce these boundaries kindly but firmly. You're not being difficult. You're respecting everyone's time.

How Good Training Reduces Maintenance Burden

A well-trained client is independent. They update their own blog. They change their own images. They don't call you about every small edit. They're comfortable with the system.

You're not freed entirely, but you're freed considerably. A trained client might call once a month with a genuine issue. An untrained client calls once a week with basic questions.

Multiply that across multiple clients and you get your life back. Your profitability improves. Your stress decreases. That's the real value of training.

Charging for Training vs Including It

Some designers include training. Some charge for it. Both approaches are valid.

Include it: Training is built into your project fee. It's included. It sets the expectation that you're committed to their success post-launch. It's a competitive advantage. Clients appreciate not getting hit with extra costs at the end.

Charge for it: Training is an additional service. You offer it as an add-on (typically £200-500 depending on complexity). It incentivises them to attend because they've paid for it. It's extra revenue. Some clients don't need training and this saves them money.

I include basic training but charge for extensive training. One 60-minute session is included. Additional sessions or more detailed training is £100 per hour. This balances cost and incentive.

Whatever you choose, be explicit about it. Don't ambush clients with surprise training costs.

The Real Impact

Training is an investment in the relationship. It signals that you care about their success. It positions you as someone who's thorough and professional. It prevents future resentment and misunderstanding.

A client who receives good training remembers you fondly. They refer you to others. They contact you again for their next project. They don't resent you for being unavailable after launch.

Training isn't a burden. It's a business multiplier. It reduces support costs, increases client satisfaction, and improves your reputation.

Make it part of your standard process. Record it. Refine it. Use it with every client. Watch your support requests drop and your client relationships improve.