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Jun 25, 2025 09:35 PM
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Squarespace
summary blocks
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Use Squarespace summary blocks to display content from blogs, products, or events in various layouts like wall, carousel, list, or grid. Customize settings for appearance, ensure quality images, and adapt for mobile viewing to keep your site fresh and engaging.
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How to Use Squarespace Summary Blocks to Display Your Content
TL;DR: Key Points
- Use summary blocks to display content from blog posts, events, or products anywhere on your site
- Pull content from specific collection pages to populate summary blocks automatically
- Choose from four layouts: wall, carousel, list, or grid to display content
- Customise appearance settings like number of items, text alignment, and image display
- Summary blocks work well on mobile devices automatically
- Add visual interest with background colours and stroke options
What Are Summary Blocks?
Summary blocks let you showcase content from your collection pages (blogs, products, events) in different layouts across your site. Think of them as windows into other parts of your website.
You might use a summary block on your homepage to show your three latest blog posts, or create a portfolio page that pulls in your recent work automatically. They're particularly useful because they update themselves when you add new content.
Adding Summary Blocks to Your Site
Here's how to add one:
- Go into Edit mode on your page
- Click an insertion point or hit 'Add Block'
- Select 'Summary' from the block menu
- Choose your content source and layout
Once added, you'll see two tabs for customisation:
Content Tab: Pick which page to pull content from and decide how many items to show.
Design Tab: Choose your layout and adjust settings like text alignment and spacing.
Choosing Your Layout
You get four layout options:
Wall: Creates a Pinterest-style masonry grid where items fit together like puzzle pieces. Good for showcasing varied content sizes.
Carousel: Shows items in a horizontal row with arrows for scrolling. Saves vertical space and works well for featured content.
List: Displays items vertically with images beside text. Clean and readable, perfect for blog post summaries.
Grid: Shows content in neat, even rows and columns. Most structured option and works well for products or portfolios.
Design Settings That Matter
Basic Options: Control how many items appear, whether to show titles and images, and text alignment.
Advanced Options: If you're using Squarespace's newer Fluid Engine, you can adjust stroke width, blend modes, and blur effects. Sites on the older Classic Editor have fewer customisation options.
Mobile Display: Summary blocks adapt automatically for mobile viewing. The content reflows to fit smaller screens without you needing to do anything.
Getting Better Results
Use quality featured images. Summary blocks pull the featured image from each piece of content. Blurry or inconsistent images make your summary block look unprofessional.
Keep titles concise. Long titles get cut off or wrap awkwardly, especially on mobile.
Mix multiple summary blocks. You can't pull from multiple pages in one summary block, but you can add several summary blocks to the same page to show different types of content.
Test different layouts. The same content can look completely different in a grid versus a carousel. Try them all to see what works best.
Common Questions
Can one summary block show content from multiple pages?
No, each summary block connects to one collection page only. Use multiple summary blocks if you want to show content from different areas of your site.
How many items can I display?
Up to 30 items per summary block.
Do summary blocks work differently on mobile?
They adapt automatically. Fluid Engine sites maintain consistent appearance across devices, while Classic Editor sites may show some variation.
Quick Reference
Featured Image: The main image that represents each piece of content in your summary block.
Metadata: Additional details like publication date, author, and tags that can appear with your content.
Fluid Engine: Squarespace's newer editor that ensures consistent display across devices.
Collection Page: The main page that houses your blog posts, products, or events.
Final Thoughts
Summary blocks are one of Squarespace's most useful features because they keep your site fresh automatically. When you publish a new blog post or add a product, any summary blocks pulling from those collections update immediately.
The key is choosing the right layout for your content type and making sure you have good featured images. Once set up properly, they'll make your site feel more connected and help visitors discover content they might otherwise miss.