AP Images Spotlight blog is powered by Squarespace
The Associated Press (AP) Images Spotlight Blog is a powerful showcase of one of the world’s largest collections of historical and contemporary photography. With its vast catalog of iconic images and real-time additions from around the globe, the AP Images Spotlight Blog is a treasure trove for image buyers and commercial customers alike. Since moving to Squarespace in 2016, the AP Images Spotlight Blog has flourished, offering a sleek and visually engaging platform to display its content.
A photo hub on Squarespace
The AP Images Spotlight Blog stands as a testament to how even the most renowned brands can rely on Squarespace to provide a solid, user-friendly foundation for their digital presence. With nearly 3,000 blog posts hosted, and more being added constantly, the website offers a streamlined, polished look that allows visitors to focus on what matters most—the powerful visuals.
Closer look on AP Spotlight Blog
Full-Bleed Images: One of the standout design elements of the blog is the use of full-bleed images. Unlike traditional blog layouts where images and text are balanced in size, AP has opted for larger visuals that immerse the viewer, allowing for greater focus on the images. This visual choice is key in highlighting the importance of photography in telling global stories.
Image and Gallery Blocks: The blog makes effective use of Squarespace’s built-in image and gallery blocks, but in a way that maximizes impact. The arrangement emphasizes each image's scale, allowing for an uninterrupted, bold presentation of AP's photographic content.
AP Spotlight Blog hosts photo contests
AP Images also uses their Squarespace blog to host monthly photo contests, bringing attention to outstanding photography from different categories. This allows AP to spotlight both their own archives and current photography from the wider community, demonstrating Squarespace’s versatility in managing ongoing features like contests.
Interactive content
Though the AP Images Spotlight Blog is a hub for rich visual content, some of the more interactive or dynamic storytelling has been moved to an external platform hosted on projects.apnews.com. Here, AP uses more complex animations and interactive scrolling assets, showcasing a more multimedia-driven experience for in-depth features. It highlights the versatility of AP's digital presence, combining both Squarespace's streamlined functionality and more specialized, interactive features off-site.
Why Squarespace works well for AP
AP Spotlight Blog seems to leverage Squarespace’s range of features effectively. The platform offers customizable templates, which appear to support AP's use of full-bleed images and a clean, responsive design—both of which are crucial for a photography-focused site. The seamless gallery integration also allows for impactful visual storytelling. Additionally, Squarespace’s built-in performance and SEO tools likely help keep the blog running smoothly, even with its frequent content updates and large image library. This combination makes Squarespace a suitable choice for a site that needs to balance high-quality visuals with reliable functionality.
Final Thoughts
The AP Images Spotlight Blog’s migration to Squarespace in 2016 marks a perfect match between a leading photography archive and a robust website platform. It’s a reminder that even world-class organizations like the Associated Press find value in the simplicity, reliability, and scalability of Squarespace.
If you’re looking to build a professional, image-focused blog or website, take inspiration from the AP Images Spotlight Blog. Squarespace offers the flexibility and features to display your content with clarity and style.
What’s your favorite AP photo collection? Let us know in the comments!
Notable mentions: FineArtAmerica blog
In addition to Associated Press, Fine Art America is another prominent name that harnesses the power of Squarespace. As a leading online marketplace for artists, Fine Art America offers a platform for artists to showcase, sell, and distribute their artwork. The blog can be accessed at https://blog.fineartamerica.com/
