How do these free Squarespace Plugins look?

Hello guys,

Just launched our free plugins site to enhance Squarespace sites. Is it a simple process to use the plugins/customise with them?

How could we improve?

Thanks to anybody who takes the time to have a look!

Hey Gregory,

First off, congratulations on launching your free plugins site! 🎉 it's a solid idea, and it’s great to see you putting this together.

I took a look at your website and wanted to offer a few suggestions that might help improve things overall.

1. Intro/About:

You’re missing a couple of key things that are essential for any website, especially when it comes to building trust with your audience. Before even considering your plugins I should have answers to:

• Who are you?
• What do you do?
• How can you help me?

It’s clear you’re offering free plugins, but why should I trust your code? What makes your plugins unique or better than your competitors? A quick intro text on the homepage would help. Also, a more detailed "About Us" page where you show your team, experience, and mission would help with building trust.

2. Confusion around services:

Initially, I thought you were offering 3 free plugins and a paid subscription. After clicking on the subscription image, I realized it’s also a free plugin, but the image had me expecting to enter a sales funnel. 🤔 I’d suggest clearing up the messaging here to avoid that confusion.

3. CTA Button Issues:

The "Contact Us" button takes me back to the free plugin page, which left me feeling a bit lost. When someone clicks a "Contact Us" button, they expect to see a form or an email link or be taken to Contact Us page, so this is something to look into.

4. Service Page & Pricing Breakdown:

Since you’re offering services, it’d make sense to have a Service page with a breakdown of what you offer, especially if you introduce paid options later. Even though everything’s free now, having a clear structure will help with professionalism, user experience, and again - building trust. People are less likely to use or buy something if they’re confused about the offering, and trust is essential, right? Also, consider implementing a shopping chart.

5. Testimonials / Reviews:

Social proof is everything these days. Who’s used your plugins? Do you have any feedback or testimonials from early users? Even if it’s just a few, this could boost credibility.

Also, your claim of being the "No. 1 for free Squarespace plugins" might come off a bit strong, especially since there are already some big players out there in this space. Consider rephrasing it to be more approachable.

6. Legal Requirements:

Every site needs the basics: Privacy Policy, Cookies Policy, Terms & Conditions, and Accessibility. For policies and T&C I use iUbenda and for accessibility UserWay Widget for accessibility. It’s pretty straightforward to set up and ensures your site stays compliant with continuous scanning and adaptation to new legacies.

7. SEO:

SEO is huge for getting discovered. Make sure your site is optimized for search engines, with proper keywords and structure to help people find your plugins. SEOSpace is a great help! head over to their site for a free SEO site audit and helpful resources (blog, YouTube, webinars).

Inspiration for Improvement:

Here are a few other Squarespace plugin creators I admire. It's worth checking them out and studying how they’ve set things up:

1. Ghost Plugins – They’re spot-on with their design and branding, plus they answer all the key questions I mentioned earlier. They also offer a staggering library of 500+ free plugins. You can learn a lot from them! Pay special attention to the info they have in their footer.
    
2. @WillMyers – He’s got a great mix of free and paid resources, and he also creates video tutorials that show how to install plugins, adding a personal touch. Check out also his articles: Will Myers Resources (filter for "Free Only" - below the categories on the left side).
   
   Attached screenshot:

   250+ 5 star ratings.
   Don’t take my word for it, people Will talk.

   Love the wordplay here also.😎 Details matter!
    
3. Spark Plugins – they offer a 14-day free trial to let people try before they commit. It’s a great strategy to encourage trust.
    
4. Square Kicker – like Spark, but with more variety and depth in their plugin offerings.

I’m only sharing two channels, not to overwhelm you, because they’re both super resourceful. It’s better to focus on quality over quantity!

1. The Website Architect:

2. David Alex:

I hope this helps! 😊

If you have any questions or need further feedback, feel free to reach out.

Best wishes with everything, and I’m looking forward to seeing where you take this project.

Cheers from Berlin, 🕊️
Mirjam

PS: Some of the links I’ve shared are affiliate links. I only recommend products I genuinely love and use, and there’s no extra cost for you if you decide to check them out.

Great suggestions @mirjamhlastan, very well said!

Congrats on the plugin store launch @gregory98. Love to see more people adding code to help out the community!

On 9/23/2024 at 4:18 PM, WillMyers said:

Great suggestions @mirjamhlastan, very well said!

Congrats on the plugin store launch @gregory98. Love to see more people adding code to help out the community!

@WillMyers thanks a lot for your kind words! I'm a big admirer of what you do! Keep teaching us 😄