Case Study: Launching Oakland Economic Development’s Squarespace Website
As a volunteer PR board member for Oakland Economic Development (OED), I’ve seen firsthand the heart and dedication that goes into supporting our small business community, boosting local tourism, and building connections here in historic Oakland, Oregon.
For years (decades maybe?), our group had been running entirely without a website, relying on social media posts, word of mouth, and in-person connections to share news, events, and resources. But as our projects and grant opportunities grew, and our member base expanded, it became clear: OED needed a true home online.
When the opportunity came to build that home, I jumped in—both as a proud OED member and as someone who loves designing Squarespace websites. I saw it as a way to combine my skills, serve our community, and “test the waters” before officially offering website design as part of my business.
Blending Tourism and Member Support
From the start, the vision for the site was ambitious: create a space that not only promotes Oakland as a charming destination, but also acts as a central hub for OED members, community updates, and ongoing projects.
We wanted:
Tourism resources to help visitors plan their trips
A member directory to showcase and support local businesses
An events and press section to highlight what’s happening in town
A home base for sharing updates on grant projects and initiatives
The challenge was designing something that felt welcoming to visitors and functional for members.
Mapping Out the Website
While I now use a detailed client questionnaire for all my web design projects to cover brand identity, audience, goals, features, and content needs, this project served as a live test run for that process. Even without a formal form, our planning conversations covered the same key points and gave me a clear roadmap for the build.
I chose a Squarespace template that offered flexibility, mobile-friendly design, and clean navigation. From there, I customized it to reflect OED’s personality and priorities, ensuring it was easy for our volunteer team to maintain going forward.
Bringing the Website to Life
Over several weeks, the site evolved from a blank template to a vibrant, functional hub. We organized information into intuitive sections, made sure the design highlighted Oakland’s history and small-town charm, and set up features to keep events, resources, and news easy to update.
Throughout the process, the OED team’s encouragement meant the world to me. Their excitement at seeing their ideas take shape reaffirmed that this work isn’t just about launching a website. It’s about creating something that strengthens the ties between our community, visitors, and partners.
You can explore the finished site here: oaklandor.com, and watch for exciting updates coming soon!
One website Project at a Time
This project confirmed for me that I want to take on Squarespace website design as a service, helping other organizations, small businesses, and creatives create a professional online home that’s both beautiful and strategic. One that doesn’t require a social media log in to see their information… read more on that topic here: Why Your Business Needs an Evergreen Resource Library Built on Core, Long‑Form Content and The Hidden Costs of Social Media for Your Business.
I’m currently working on a new Squarespace project for a client, and I’ll be sharing more soon. My upcoming Squarespace Website Design Packages will offer a range of options, from streamlined starter sites to more strategic builds that integrate with your marketing efforts, all with the same one-client-at-a-time focus that allows me to give each project my full attention.
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