Squarespace to Acquire Google Domains: What This Means For Creative Businesses

Hey there, creative entrepreneurs! I have some exciting news to share with you today. (We’re moving away from the AI conversation for a bit.)

On June 15th, Squarespace announced its plan to acquire Google Domains. This move is expected to impact the online business world significantly, and I’m here to break it down for you.

Let's talk about Squarespace and Google Domains for those unfamiliar. Squarespace is a website-building platform that allows you to create professional-looking websites without knowing how to code. They offer a variety of beautiful templates that you can customize to fit your brand's aesthetic.

Google Domains is a domain registrar that allows you to purchase and manage domain names for your websites (.com, .net, .creative, .studio, etc.). Google Domains comes with a vital asset – Google Workspace, which hosts cloud computing, collaboration, and productivity tools many business owners use (including professional emails like info@morsecreatives.com).

I like that Alphabet (Google’s parent company) is choosing to sell this product instead of just killing it. And I’m thrilled Squarespace is the buyer – more on this in a bit.

First, let's get into why this acquisition is so important. By acquiring Google Domains, Squarespace will become an even bigger player in the web hosting and website-building market. About ten million domains hosted on Google will be acquired by Squarespace when the deal is finalized later this year.

The transition will be seamless if you’re already a Google Domains customer. Your “domain name registration and DNS delegation will not be affected by the migration to Squarespace.” Google assures you of that and details the process in its announcement article.

For those of you who are annoyed by this acquisition, I hear you. It’s like moving to a new house when settling in and getting used to the neighborhood you just moved to.

But rest assured, Squarespace is no newbie in web hosting (or website design). They’ve been around since 2003, and they’ve grown and expanded tremendously over the last twenty years. Squarespace has also been a long-time partner of Google and a reseller of Google Workspace, so it makes sense that they’re taking over Google Domains. I wonder if most of Google Workspace purchases were coming from Squarespace. But don’t quote me on this one; just a thought.

We’ve been using Squarespace since 2018. I spent the previous two years creating sample websites, testing, and comparing other website builders like Shopify, Wix, WordPress, GoDaddy, Weebly, and Showit. I was looking for a website builder with built-in SEO features where I could publish my blog content, integrate well with Google software and social media, create an online store when I wanted, and offer 24/7 support and security, without adding so many plugins. I wanted a robust, all-in-one, all-purpose, high-quality website building and hosting platform. It was a tall order, but Squarespace delivered, and they haven’t disappointed me or my clients.

When I started my first Squarespace blog, they gave me a professional Gmail account (part of Google Workspace) free for the first year. I then paid $6 per year after that. With this acquisition, anyone wanting to create a Squarespace website, get a professional email, or buy a domain wouldn’t have to integrate with Google Workspace or Google Domains because it’ll be part of Squarespace by 2024. Through this transition period, “Squarespace will also provide billing and support services to Google Workspace customers that signed up for the service through Google Domains.” (source).  

So, what does this acquisition mean for content creators, influencers, and creative entrepreneurs looking to grow their creative businesses?

This means that building a professional website with a custom domain name has never been easier. As a creative agency specializing in Squarespace website design, we understand the importance of having a website that looks great, functions well, represents your brand, and speaks directly to your target audience.

At Morse Creatives, we aim to help creative entrepreneurs grow their businesses on their terms by telling powerful stories through soulful content, intuitive website design, and clever marketing. With Squarespace's acquisition of Google Domains, we can offer an even more streamlined website-building process to help you achieve your creative and business goals.

To sum up, Squarespace's acquisition of Google Domains has the potential to revolutionize online businesses, especially for creators and creative entrepreneurs. Squarespace is a platform made for creatives. As a business-minded creative, now is the perfect time to capitalize on this opportunity and create a website that accurately reflects your brand. Morse Creatives is here to assist you in designing a website that will enhance your business and foster a devoted customer or fan base. Let's create something beautiful.