Why The New Website?

Okay, it's pretty late in the evening at the time of writing this. Or, it could be considered early in the morning, depending on your perspective. And, full disclosure, I need to post something, so the blog feed doesn't look empty when I launch the site, so here we go.

Why the new website? That's the big question you didn't ask. Truthfully, you may find some value in the reasons, so let me explain.

Owning and managing a website yourself takes a decent amount of work. I built my previous site on WordPress, a popular site-builder used by some of the biggest companies like Yelp, PlayStation, The Walt Disney Company, MTV News, and more.

Just a fun fact, WordPress powers 35% of the world's websites.

It seems like a good choice, right? and it is. However, adding webmaster to the list of titles was a bit overwhelming for someone like me, who has a family, a full-time job, and runs a YouTube Channel.

WordPress is robust, but many third-party tools are required, some coding, FTP, PHP, and a whole bunch of technical stuff that requires some level of personal expertise not to screw up. And, if one thing goes wrong, like a third-party tool releases an update that changes your site and breaks (meaning it doesn't work), you have to troubleshoot that yourself, and there's no guarantee you'll figure it out.

So what's the change?

I decided to build my site on Squarespace. It used to be that site builders such as Squarespace or Wix couldn't rank as well within Google (show up when someone searches), but those days are long gone.

I don't have as much experience with Wix, but Squarespace is a legitimate builder that is just as good at optimizing for search on Google as WordPress is. Reputable sites are using Squarespace, such as Etsy, DoorDash, and Harper's Bazaar.

For me, Squarespace has everything I need to build and manage my site with minimal effort and expertise. It's easy to design and edit, has all the tools you need, makes eCommerce simple, and if something goes wrong? You can contact customer service. Ohh, and not to mention, they have tutorials on just about everything needed to get started. It took me two days to create this website.

Ohh, you read eCommerce? yes, another reason I'm switching to Squarespace is to better monetize Brickanics by creating an online store for custom instructions, sets, and merchandise. That's a noble goal, to make creations well enough that they're worth paying for and displaying.

The Lego Community needs more resources. If I can be a positive contributor to the community by sharing my passion and helping inspire others to create while making a few dollars in the process, it's a win-win for everyone.

Squarespace makes operating an online store super easy. Way easier than I would ever dream of on WordPress.

So, hopefully, I'm better motivated to engage the Lego Community more through this website, write more, create more, share more, and be a better overall resource. That's my goal, and Squarespace will be a tool for growth rather than a deterrent. I'm excited about that.

Wow, did I write all that? And no, I'm not sponsored by Squarespace, at least not yet, although it probably does sound like it. Call me a fanboy; I'm good with it, lol.

Hopefully, you enjoy the new site!