Squarespace Author Profiles for Better Blog Engagement
TL;DR:
- Author profiles add a personal touch to blog posts and boost reader engagement
- Available in Squarespace 7.1 and older template families like Farro and Skye
- Profiles show the author’s name, picture, bio, and website link
- You can edit profiles through contributor settings or basic author profiles
- Customise appearance through site styles and hide profiles if needed
- Author filter pages let readers browse posts by specific writers
Squarespace author profiles help readers connect with the people behind your content. They’re a simple way to add personality to your blog posts and encourage deeper engagement.
Where Author Profiles Appear
The placement depends on which version of Squarespace you’re using:
Squarespace 7.1: Author profiles appear directly below each blog post.
Farro Template Family: Profiles show at the end of posts with the author’s name, picture, and bio.
Skye Template Family: You get more flexibility here. Profiles can appear in the sidebar or below the post. You can control this with the “Author Profile” tweak in your template settings.
The Skye template works well if you want more control over where profiles appear, especially on different screen sizes.
Setting Up Author Profiles
Squarespace pulls author information from two sources:
Contributors: These are users who can post content on your site. You can edit their profiles in your site settings under the contributor section.
Basic Authors: These are profiles for people who don’t have site access. Site owners or administrators need to manage these profiles manually.
To change which author is linked to a post or update their profile information, head to the profile management area in your site settings.
Customising How Profiles Look
You can adjust the appearance of author profiles to match your site’s design:
Fonts
Go to your blog post editing mode and look for font settings under the “Paragraphs” menu. Make your changes and save them.
Colours
Find the “Colors” section in your site styles. Here you can adjust the colour settings specifically for author profiles to keep everything consistent with your overall design.
Hiding Profiles
Sometimes you might want to turn off author profiles:
- Squarespace 7.1: Toggle the “Show Author Profile” option in your blog edit settings
- Farro and Skye templates: Look for the hide profile options in your site styles settings
Author Filter Pages
Squarespace automatically creates pages that show posts from specific authors. When readers click on an author’s name, they’ll see all posts by that person. This makes it easy for readers to follow their favourite contributors.
FAQs
Can I show multiple author profiles on one blog post?
Yes, you can tag posts with multiple authors, and each will show their profile.
How do I change where author profiles appear in my layout?
This depends on your template. Check your template settings for options to place profiles below posts or in the sidebar.
Can I use author profiles outside of blog posts?
No, they’re designed specifically for blog posts to highlight the connection between authors and readers.
Jargon Buster
Contributors: Users who can publish and manage content on your site.
Basic Authors: People represented on your site who don’t have direct posting access.
Site Styles: Squarespace’s tools for controlling how your site looks.
Tweaks: Specific settings within templates that let you customise design and display features.
Template Families: Groups of related Squarespace templates that share similar features.
Wrap-up
Author profiles are a straightforward way to make your blog posts more personal and engaging. Whether you’re customising the look, managing who can post, or deciding where profiles appear, these tools give you the flexibility to create a blog that connects with your readers.
The key is finding the right balance for your site. Some blogs benefit from prominent author profiles, while others work better with subtle ones. Try different approaches and see what works best for your audience.
Ready to dive deeper into Squarespace customisation? Join Pixelhaze Academy for more detailed guides and expert tips.
