Talk NYC Original Perspective: Squarespace
Anthony Casalena couldn’t find the perfect platform for his personal web site… so he created one. In 2003 he founded Squarespace, a web publishing company that provides tools that enable anyone to build a web site with innovative design, regardless of technical skills and coding experience.
Casalena now has a team of 90 in the heart of New York City and is pushing the envelope with tools that make it easy for agencies, brands and marketers to build a site with high profile digital concepts and ideas. Last month Casalena unveiled Squarespace 6, an overhaul that was funded by a $38.5 million investment from Index Ventures and Accel Partners two years ago. The new version adds 50 new features and allows users to create and maintain blogs, photo galleries, and a variety of pages. In a press release, Casalena called the latest version “the most impressive product we have ever made.” Squarespace hopes new advances that allow complete editorial and code control will push the service closer to CMS market kings like WordPress and Tumblr.
The platform makes building a professional looking and practically functioning web site simple. It provides seamless integration with social networks and unique designs for mobile templates. Our take… the latest version is a peak at the future of web design, and winners in the CMS market will continue to offer more interfaces that are easier to interact with and approachable for people who might not be comfortable with advanced coding, but still desire a customized and clean web site. The question remains – can Casalena generate adoption among advertisers, digital shops and brands on the CMS front?
Are you using Squarespace for your brand’s web site? What works, what does not? Tell us on Twitter @TalkNYC.