How to Build an Effective Squarespace Portfolio Without Commercial Projects
Elwyn provides his top tips for building your Squarespace web design business portfolio in 2025.
The classic chicken-or-egg scenario is among the most common challenges for new designers.
This issue recently emerged in a discussion in our Pixelhaze Coaching Community on Skool, where one of our members asked, “How do I build a portfolio for my Squarespace web design services without any commercial projects to show?”
It’s a great question I often hear from beginner web designers. Portfolio building can feel like a Catch-22.
Clients want evidence of your skills, but you need projects to build that evidence. It’s a dilemma, but it’s undoubtedly surmountable, and I’ll walk you through how to approach it from the ground up.
Having worked in web design for the past 20 years and built over 3,000 websites, I’ve faced similar hurdles.
In fact, launching my own Squarespace business presented unique challenges despite my previous experience on other platforms. Below, I’ll share practical strategies and examples to help you build an effective Squarespace portfolio, even without any paid projects under your belt.
A Psychological Barrier to Overcome
The most significant initial hurdle for most designers transitioning to a new platform is psychological.
Even if you’ve worked on other systems (such as WordPress), a certain level of imposter syndrome comes with embracing a new platform like Squarespace. You can be skilled in design and development, but without tangible examples of completed Squarespace projects, it’s hard to feel like you can confidently market yourself as an expert.
Compounding matters, joining programs like Squarespace Circle (which offers perks for Squarespace professionals) requires you to complete three Squarespace-hosted projects first. Since Squarespace tracks this based on active hosting plans, it’s not a cheap workaround to build three demo sites to qualify.
So, how do you get your foot in the door when starting from scratch?
Step One: Decide Your Path
The first decision you need to make is whether you’ll:
Create a variety of sample websites across different industries to showcase versatility or
Focus on a specific niche audience and build concentrated expertise.
Both approaches are valid, but the right path depends on your circumstances. If your work is regional or word-of-mouth-driven, flexibility might matter more to secure local clients. Conversely, if you already have a passion or knowledge of a specific industry, niching down can help you create highly targeted, compelling work that resonates with potential clients in that space.
For example, when I launched my past agencies, we began with a regional focus due to practical limitations but evolved into broader national and international markets as our reputation grew. Either way, pick your path for now and remember, you can always broaden your focus later.
Step Two: Leave Your Ego at the Door
Starting from scratch often feels humbling — and it should. Even if you’re a seasoned designer with years of top-tier work under your belt, potential clients won’t know that unless you have relatable examples to back up your expertise. Early on, it’s important to acknowledge this and deliberately craft a plan to build momentum.
That may mean offering discounted services or even free projects in exchange for testimonials and portfolio contributions. For instance, when growing Pixelhaze, I sometimes provided consultancy worth thousands of pounds for either reduced fees or at no cost in return for glowing video testimonials and reviews. It allowed me to establish authority while lowering the barrier for clients to test out my services.
The key is to approach this strategically.
Be clear with your potential clients about why you’re offering reduced rates or free services. Mention your regular rate to highlight the value they’re getting, and set clear boundaries to ensure expectations are managed.
With time, your leverage will grow as positive client feedback and small wins stack up. A portfolio containing 8 to 10 strong, polished projects is often enough to establish authority and open doors to regular paid work.
Step Three: Build a Starter Catalogue of Work
This is where your creative and technical capabilities need to shine. You’ll want to develop a diverse yet focused collection of "portfolio-worthy" pieces. These aren’t necessarily real, paid projects, but they must look the part. Here are a few ways to approach it:
1. Create Demo Sites for Fictional Businesses
Pick industries or markets you’d like to cater to and craft complete professional sites for imaginary companies within those fields. For example, one site could be for a boutique hotel, another for a fitness instructor, and a third for a craft brewery.
Use real-world inspiration to make your designs highly relevant and practical. Be clear that these are demo projects when sharing them, but showcase them like they’re for real clients to demonstrate what you can do.
You can use free Squarespace demo sites to achieve this, then use a free screen recorder to create a video of you navigating through your new creation. This approach is currently working wonders on social platforms like LinkedIn. You can also go one step further and ask the communities for feedback.
2. Offer Free Websites to Real Businesses
Find small local businesses or entrepreneurs who might benefit from an impressive Squarespace site but can’t afford one right now. In exchange for a professional-looking website, ask for testimonials and portfolio rights. It’s a win-win — they get value, and you get credible work to show to future clients.
3. Redesign an Existing Site (With Permission)
Some small businesses might already have outdated websites. You can redesign their site using Squarespace as a showcase with their approval. Some business owners might agree to let you show this as a ‘before-and-after’ project in your portfolio. Pitch it to highlight how your work could elevate their brand.
“You can use free Squarespace demo sites to create a website mockup, then use a free screen recorder to create a video of you navigating through your new creation. This approach is currently working wonders on social platforms like LinkedIn. You can also go one step further and ask the communities for feedback.”
Step Four: Tap Into Your Community
Building a portfolio on your own can feel isolating. In my early days as a designer, I was fortunate to co-found my first agency with a trusted friend from university. We worked as a team to grow the business, attending endless networking events and encouraging each other when progress felt slow. If one of us had an off week, the other was available to pick up the slack.
While you may not necessarily have a business partner, tapping into a community of like-minded professionals (hint, hint: Pixelhaze DIY Community for those on a tight budget or Pixelhaze Coaching Community if you need hands-on workshops) can fill the same gap. Whether it’s networking with other local business owners, joining online groups of web designers, or becoming part of a supportive space like the Pixelhaze Coaching Community, the collaborative opportunities available today are more abundant than ever.
Having a community to brainstorm ideas with (or even troubleshoot tricky projects) can significantly speed up your growth. Connecting with designers who work in different markets and aren’t direct competitors is also helpful — there’s always something new to learn.
Final Thoughts
Initially, it all boils down to being humble, creating opportunities for yourself, and offering real value to clients in return for credibility and experience. If I were starting from scratch, my first steps would be directly contacting potential clients in my chosen niche or local area, offering to solve a problem or improve their business with a well-crafted website, and requesting a solid testimonial.
The goal is to build up 8-10 portfolio pieces and establish yourself as a trustworthy designer.
As you secure rave testimonials and compelling examples of your work, you’ll find it much easier to justify higher rates and attract paid clients. Remember, every experienced designer started somewhere, and building your path is often all about patience, persistence, and purposeful planning.
Good luck!
Elwyn.
