How to create reusable copy across Squarespace site

Have you found yourself retyping the same content repeatedly? Whether it’s an affiliate disclaimer, an update, or a bonus section at the end of your blog, creating reusable elements can save you time and ensure consistency.

In this article, we’ll walk you through how to create reusable copy in Squarespace—step by step.

Why Reusable Copy?

Squarespace 7.1 introduced the Saved Sections feature, which helps to some extent, but it has limitations:

1. Saved sections can’t be used in blogs or product additional info sections.

2. Saved sections are not synced; changes made to one instance won’t reflect elsewhere.

3. The current limit is 50 saved sections per site.

These limitations inspired me to explore alternatives, especially when creating FAQ blogs after fine-tuning AI chatbot responses. The Summary Block turned out to be a simple yet effective solution for storing and reusing content across pages. Let’s dive in!

Benefits of Using Summary Blocks for Reusable Copy

1. Dynamic Updates: Update the blog post excerpt, and the changes reflect automatically wherever it’s used.

2. Unlimited Storage: Squarespace imposes no limits on the number of blog posts you can create.

3. Categorization: Organize reusable copy with categories and tags.

4. SEO-Friendly: The content displays directly on the page without requiring JavaScript, making it lightweight and suitable for SEO.

5. Easy Access: Available even on the Personal plan without additional tools or coding.

Drawbacks to Consider

While Summary Blocks are versatile, they have some limitations:

1. The excerpt editor supports formatted plain text only, so you can’t add images, galleries, or advanced blocks.

2. Summary Block filtering doesn’t allow selecting specific posts directly; you’ll need to assign unique tags to filter your desired content.

3. The content appears in smaller text by default, which might require CSS tweaks for styling.

Despite these, the simplicity and efficiency make it a worthy solution for reusable copy.

Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Reusable Copy

Check the video below for detailed steps

1. Create a “Reusable” Blog

1. In your Squarespace admin, go to Website > Pages.

2. Click the "+" sign to add a new blog and name it, for example, Reusable

2. Create Your Content

1. Open the Reusable blog page.

2. Click "+" to create a new post.

3. Add a title, leave the body empty, and publish the post.

4. Hover over the post in the side panel, click "..." > Settings.

5. In the Content tab, add your reusable content in the Excerpt field

6. In the Options - Tags, assign the unique identifier of the post, you can use the post URL slug

3. Reuse the Content Across Pages

1. Open the page where you want to add the reusable copy.

2. In the block editor, choose the Summary Block.

3. Under the Content tab, select your Reusable blog.

4. In Filter Items, assign and filter by the unique tag for your post.

5. Switch on Show Excerpt in the Design tab to ensure the content displays.

4. Style Your Summary Block

• To adjust appearance, use the following settings:

  • Content > Primary Metadata: Set to "None."

  • Design > Layout: Set to "Carousel."

  • Design > Number of Items: Set to "1."

  • Design > Items Per Row: Set to "1."

  • Design > Header Text: to be removed.

• Use custom CSS if you need to match your site’s design perfectly.

5. Manage Reusable Copy

Because reusable copy is stored as blog posts, managing it is straightforward. You can add, edit, or delete content anytime from the blog editor.

Additional Considerations

• Prevent Indexing by Search Engines: To hide the Reusable blog from search results:

  1. Go to Website > Pages.

  2. Click the gear icon next to the "Reusable" blog.

  3. Select the SEO tab and toggle on "Hide Page from Search Results."

Wrap-Up

By leveraging blog excerpts and Summary Blocks, you can efficiently create reusable copy that updates dynamically and maintains consistency across your Squarespace site. This approach saves time, reduces redundancy, and ensures a cohesive look and feel for your content. Additionally, it’s SEO-friendly and doesn’t require advanced coding, making it accessible to all Squarespace users.

Whether you’re managing disclaimers, updates, or FAQs, reusable copy can streamline your workflow and elevate your site’s professionalism. Try it today and let us know your thoughts!