Forte Squarespace Template Analysis
Helpful notes on the distinctive features of the Forte template
Updated March 2018
Template Name: Forte
Forte was originally released as a Squarespace 6 template back in 2013, which means Forte is one of the older templates still available on Squarespace 7 today.
Why choose Forte?
Websites have changed a lot since 2013, especially when it comes to designing with mobiles and tablets in mind. Although the Forte template is fully responsive (meaning it flexes to work on all sizes of device), certain things have moved on, and the newer templates have been created with everything from huge HD screens and mobiles in mind from Day 1. This means Forte feels a little behind the times, especially when it comes to the amount of elements you can control style-wise. However, it's still a decent choice for creative portfolios, especially if you don't have a lot of time (or desire) to tweak lots of elements design-wise.
The (then) novel design approach of a fullscreen slideshow of photos is not so novel now, and you can actually achieve a similar effect using other templates (such as Brine family) now. Therefore, I'd only recommend Forte if you are happy with the positioning of elements and the way the demo site looks on all devices, and you want to quickly and easily slot your content into that framework.
Final tip: be sure to read my Squarespace Template Bible for further detail on what templates do and don't control - and how to avoid the single biggest mistake people make when choosing a Squarespace template.
| Strong Point / Best For… | Portfolio sites that want a fullscreen automatic slideshow on homepage, and minimal design. |
| Design Notes | Full-bleed homepage background image, full-bleed canvas inner pages. Minimal style controls. |
| Homepage | Fullscreen slideshow Index page, with links showing in a text box bottom left. |
| Index Page | YES, only Galleries (not Pages). Has customizable slideshow transitions. |
| Sidebars | 1 sidebar, blog only. Choose left, right or hidden. |
| Header | Minimal: logo,tagline and menu texts float at top of full-screen home image. Inner page menu floats on canvas. |
| Header Images (Banners) | NONE |
| Main Navigation | Main horizontal nav at top, adjustable alignment. Icon to display folder items. Will need to use folders if you have lots of pages, as the navbar looks odd when it wraps. |
| Fixed Navbar? | NO |
| Other Navigation | NONE |
| Social Icons | Top right, below nav. Can control size and style. |
| Footer | Standard, no visual separator or style controls. |
| Page Titles & Descriptions | NO |
| Gallery Design | Grid only, in horizontal full-width scroller. |
| Gallery Display | Grid shows as large images in horizontal scroller that bleeds off the edge of the screen. Image descriptions appear below each image in the scroller. |
| Blog Notes | Full text of blog posts show in blog home. |
| Promoted Blocks? | NO |
| Products Notes | |
| Other Features / Notes | Homepage auto-detects color of photo and switches color of navbar to white if the background of the photo is dark. Nice touch, but it doesn’t always get it right on images with lots of variable colors. Works best with blocky colors. |
| Similar to… | Brine family, Ishimoto |
Visit Squarespace and start building your site now. Or, get in touch if you’d like me to help you.