How to Create a Photo Or Video Gallery Using Squarespace
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How to Create a Photo Or Video Gallery Using Squarespace?
Squarespace makes it easy to create visually stunning photo and video galleries on your website. Whether you want to showcase your photography, highlight product images, or display a portfolio of your work, Squarespace offers several options for building engaging media galleries.
Quick Fix
Use Squarespace's Gallery Pages
The simplest way to create a gallery is by using Squarespace's dedicated Gallery pages. These pages are designed specifically for displaying collections of images and videos:
In your Squarespace dashboard, go to Pages and click + to add a new page.
Select Gallery as the page type and choose a layout (grid, slideshow, etc.).
Click Edit on the new page to start adding your media.
Use the Image Uploader to drag and drop your photos, or click the + icon to browse and select files from your computer.
You can also embed videos by pasting a URL or HTML code.
Customize the gallery settings like autoplay, thumbnails, and captions in the Design tab.
Embed Galleries into Other Pages
If you want to integrate a gallery into an existing page, such as a blog post or product page, you can use Squarespace's Gallery blocks:
Add a new block to your page and select Gallery.
In the Content tab, upload your images and videos.
Adjust the layout, spacing, and other design settings in the Design tab.
Gallery blocks give you more control over where and how the gallery is displayed on your page. You can even mix galleries with other content blocks for a more custom layout.
Leverage Third-Party Plugins
For even more advanced gallery functionality, you can use third-party Squarespace plugins:
Gallery Pro by Squarepixels: Adds features like infinite scrolling, lightboxes, and custom grid layouts.
Photoswipe Gallery by Squarepixels: Integrates the popular Photoswipe lightbox for a sleek, mobile-friendly gallery experience.
Justified Gallery by Squarepixels: Creates a responsive, edge-to-edge gallery layout.
These plugins typically require a bit more technical know-how to set up, but they unlock a wide range of customization options beyond Squarespace's native gallery tools.
Optimize Your Gallery Media
Regardless of the method you choose, it's important to optimize your gallery images and videos for the web:
Compress image files: Aim for file sizes under 500KB to ensure fast loading times.
Use the right image formats: Squarespace supports .jpg, .gif, and .png, but not .webp.
Resize images properly: Squarespace recommends 1500-2500 pixels wide.
Add descriptive filenames and alt text: This improves accessibility and SEO.
By following these best practices, you can create visually stunning photo and video galleries that enhance the user experience on your Squarespace website.
