Google Website Builder: Create Your Site Easily

Did you know you can make up to 5 subpages on Google Sites¹? This feature shows why Google Sites is great for those new to web design¹.

Google Sites is easy to use and lets you make professional websites quickly¹. It works well with other Google tools, making it perfect for work, personal projects, or team sites¹. You can use it to show off your work, work with colleagues, or share your brand online.

Key Takeaways

• Google Sites offers a user-friendly website builder with a range of customizable templates and tools.
• The platform seamlessly integrates with other Google Workspace applications, making it a convenient choice for various projects.
• Users can create up to 5 levels of subpages and add elements such as collapsible text, buttons, and image carousels.
• Google Sites provides options for pre-made and custom themes, allowing users to personalize the look and feel of their website.
• The platform offers a range of storage and coding options, ensuring users can build and publish their sites with ease.

Get Started with Google Sites

Creating a new website is easy with Google Sites. It lets users make professional-looking sites from scratch or use templates². With over 1 billion websites online, Google Sites is a great way for people and businesses to get online².

Create and Name Your Site

To start, go to Google Sites from the Google Workspace homepage or Google Drive. You can begin with a blank page or pick a template². When making a site, give it a document name for the back end and a catchy site title for visitors².

Add a Site Title

The site title is key to making your website easy to recognize². It’s the first thing visitors see, showing what your site is about². Google Sites makes it simple to customize and reflect your brand or style²³.

Google Sites offers tools for both new and template-based sites³. You can add text, images, HTML code, and link with other Google apps³².

Google Sites also lets you work with others on your site²². You can share editing duties and preview changes before going live²²³.

Add and Organize Pages

Google Sites makes it easy to add and organize pages on your website⁴. You can have up to 5 levels of subpages for a clear navigation. Also, when you hide the main page, Google Sites hides the subpages too⁴.

Add a New Page

To add a new page, click on “Pages” in the right panel and choose “New page”. You can then customize it with your content and settings⁴.

Move and Organize Pages

It’s easy to move and organize pages in Google Sites. Just drag and drop them to create a clear hierarchy⁴. This way, you can organize google site pages for a better user experience and site structure.

You can also move pages google sites by dragging them to where you want. This makes it simple to add google site page and change your site’s layout for better navigation⁴.

With Google Sites’ powerful tools, you can organize google site pages and move pages google sites easily. This ensures your website is structured well and easy to use⁴.

“Google Sites allows you to easily add, move, and organize pages, creating a seamless and intuitive navigation for your website.”

Add Content to Pages

Google Sites lets users make websites that are fun and full of information⁵. You can add many types of files and content, like YouTube videos, calendars, and maps⁵. You can also use HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Google Docs, and more from Google Drive⁵. To make your site look good, you can add images in .jpg, .png, or .gif formats⁵.

Add Text and Headings

Google Sites has many text and heading styles to help you structure your content well⁵. You can make your site look great and easy to use with these options⁵.

Insert Images

Adding pictures to your site is a great way to grab your audience’s attention⁵. You can add images from your computer, Google Drive, or the web⁵. This makes your site more engaging and fun for visitors⁵.

In the new Google Sites, it’s best to share documents through Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides first⁵. On the classic Google Sites, you can add tables and tables of contents too⁵. For more control, you can add HTML, CSS, or JavaScript code in the new version⁵.

“Google Sites empowers users to create engaging and informative websites by providing a variety of tools to add content to their pages.”

Use Section Layouts

Google Sites has many pre-designed⁶ section layouts that make adding content easy. These layouts make your content look good and organized. You can use columns, image carousels, or collapsible text sections⁶. This way, you can make professional websites without needing a lot of design skills.

The new Google Sites interface makes it easy to customize these layouts with a drag-and-drop design⁶. You can see changes before you publish and make sure your site works well on mobile devices⁶. Plus, you can add a Cloud search box to your site for better user experience⁶.

Google Sites has lots of templates for different needs, like business, small businesses, personal use, and education⁶. These templates help you start building your site easily. For businesses, there are templates for event homepages, help centers, project websites, and team websites⁶. For small businesses, you can choose from a dog walker site, holiday party home page, portfolio website, restaurant website, or salon website⁶.

For personal use, templates include a family update site, digital portfolio, or wedding website⁶. Educational templates are available for graduates, professors, classes, clubs, or students⁶.

But, Google Sites might not be the best choice for complex websites⁶. In such cases, it suggests using a more detailed Content Management System (CMS) for your project⁶.

Google Sites is a great tool for building websites with pre-designed layouts⁶. It’s easy to use and doesn’t require a lot of design knowledge⁶. But, remember it might not work well for complex sites. For those, consider using Elementor or a more detailed CMS⁶⁷.

In Google Sites, you can make up to 5 levels of subpages¹. You can add many elements like collapsible text, buttons, search bars, image carousels, social media links, and more¹. You can also create custom themes with specific colors, fonts, and your own logo and banner image¹.

“Google Sites is a powerful and user-friendly platform that allows users to create professional-looking websites with minimal design expertise.”

Remember, Google, Google Workspace, and their logos are trademarks of Google LLC¹. But, editors without a Google account can only view a site’s draft in Google Sites, not edit it¹.

Customize Your Site’s Appearance

Google Sites lets users change how their website looks. They can use pre-made themes or make their own⁸.

Apply Pre-Made Themes

Google Sites has many pre-made themes for users to pick from. These themes come with different colors, fonts, and designs. This makes it easy to make your site look better⁹.

Create Custom Themes

For more control, Google Sites lets users create custom themes. You can change colors, fonts, and designs to match your brand or taste⁸.

To make a custom theme, start by picking colors and fonts⁸. You can also add a logo and banner image⁸. Changing the font style is easy with pre-made themes by clicking on the Font style option⁸.

In the classic Google Sites, you can change the site background by saving your changes⁸. You can also change the font style, color, or size under “Themes, Colors, and Fonts.”⁸

Custom themes let you customize a lot, like setting default text styles and adding brand images or favicons⁸. You can also adjust site properties like buttons and image carousels⁸. Most custom themes let you change the site width⁹.

About half of the themes are pre-made by Google, and the other half can be imported from other sites⁹. Adding brand images or favicons can help businesses stand out. Most sites use the recommended site width for the best look⁹.

“Customizing the appearance of a Google Site is a powerful way to create a unique and visually appealing online presence that aligns with your brand or personal style.”

Using Google Sites’ customization options, you can make a website that shows off your brand or style. This makes the site look better and improves the user experience⁸⁹.

Preview Your Site

Before publishing, users can use Google Sites’ preview mode to see how their site looks on different devices and sizes¹⁰. This feature helps them make sure their site looks good and works well on desktops, tablets, and phones¹⁰. Once they’re happy with the preview, they can publish their site for everyone to see.

The preview mode is key in building a website¹¹. It lets users spot any problems or design issues before the site goes live¹⁰. By checking their site in preview mode, users can fix things to make their site look better and work better before it’s live.

Google Sites’ preview mode also shows how the site will look on different devices¹⁰. With more people using mobile devices, it’s important for sites to work well on all screens¹⁰. Previewing on different devices helps users make sure their site works great for everyone, no matter the device.

In short, the preview mode in Google Sites is a must-have for fine-tuning a website before it’s published¹⁰. By checking the site in preview mode, users can make sure it looks good, is easy to use, and works well on all devices. This makes for a great experience for their visitors.

Previewing a website before publishing is a big deal with Google Sites¹⁰. It helps users create sites that look good and work well on all devices¹⁰. Using this feature, users can make sure their site matches their online goals before it goes live.

Collaborate and Share

Google Sites makes it easy to work together and share your website with others. You can invite people to check out and help improve your site. By giving them editor access, your team can edit the site together in real-time¹². This way, everyone can see each other’s changes right away.

This teamwork makes sure your website is always up-to-date and reflects everyone’s ideas¹².

Allow Others to Review

Google Sites lets you control who can see and change your website. You can set permissions so some can just view, others can comment, and a few can edit¹². This keeps your site safe and organized, making teamwork smooth¹².

It also works well with other Google tools like Drive, Docs, and Calendar¹². This means your team can work on the website from the apps they’re already using. It saves time and cuts down on email and file-sharing hassles¹².

Plus, you can access Google Sites from anywhere with internet¹². This is great for teams working remotely or across different places. It lets everyone contribute to the site, no matter where they are¹².

Google Sites and its connection to other Google apps make teamwork easy for creating websites and content¹². This teamwork leads to a better website that meets everyone’s needs¹².

Using Google Sites’ strong sharing and teamwork tools helps teams work better together¹². This teamwork makes your website better and more engaging for everyone¹². It also makes team members feel more connected and proud of their work¹².

google website builder

In today’s digital world, having a strong online presence is key for both people and businesses¹³. Google’s website builder, Google Sites, makes creating websites easy, even for those who aren’t tech-savvy.

Google Sites has many customizable templates to help users make attractive websites fast¹³. It also connects well with other Google tools like Google Sheets, Slides, and more. This lets users make websites that meet their exact needs.

Google Sites is great because it works well with many other tools¹³. The Google Workspace Marketplace has over 5,000 apps to choose from. You can add lots of features to your site. Plus, tools like Google Analytics help you understand how your site is doing.

Google Sites might not have as many templates as some other builders¹³. But it’s still a great choice for many users, from individuals to small businesses¹⁴. It’s easy to use, works well with Google tools, and is affordable.

Looking to make a personal site, a team page, or a small business website? Google Sites is a great choice¹⁴. It’s fast, secure, and easy to use, making it a top pick for today’s digital users.

Publish Your Site

After designing and creating your website with Google Sites, it’s time to make it public¹⁵. Google Sites is free and lets you make both personal and business websites¹⁵. It also helps with keeping your site up-to-date and running smoothly¹⁵.

To share your Google Site, pick a web address (URL) you like¹⁵. You’ll need to buy a domain name and set up DNS settings¹⁵. After that, confirm your site goes live for everyone to see¹⁵. You can share it by sending the URL to search engines and social media.

¹⁵ To get more people to visit your site, work on its SEO and update content often¹⁵. Also, make sure it works well on mobile devices to improve user experience.

Keeping your site running smoothly is key¹⁵. Make sure it loads fast, works well with hosting, and doesn’t have coding issues¹⁵¹⁶. Use tools like “Site:Sitename.com” and Google Search Console to check and improve your site’s performance.

¹⁶ To get your site on Google, verify your site in Search Console and submit a sitemap or indexing request¹⁶. Using Fetch as Google can help new pages get indexed faster, bringing in visitors and conversions quickly.

¹⁷ Google Web Designer is great for making sites but doesn’t let you publish directly to a domain¹⁷. People often ask how to share their sites made with Google Web Designer¹⁷. The best way is to move your site files to a hosting service, like FileZilla, to share it with the world.

“Publish your Google Site and showcase your work, promote your brand, or communicate information to a wider audience.”

Change Site Settings

Google Sites lets users manage site settings like renaming their website and changing the site’s URL¹⁸. This control helps users shape their website’s identity and visibility¹⁹.

Rename Your Site

To rename a Google Site, click the “Publish” button and then select “Publish settings.” There, users can enter a new name for their website. This makes it easier to update branding and match their online goals¹⁹.

Change or Reuse URL

Changing or reusing a Google Site’s URL is easy. Users go to the “Publish settings” and change the web address as needed¹⁹. This lets users keep a consistent online presence or change the URL to fit their new needs²⁰.

Using the google site settings, users can rename google site and change google site url. These tools help make sure their website matches their branding and online strategy. They give Google Site users the power to customize their online presence and boost their website’s visibility and impact¹⁸¹⁹²⁰.

Copy or Delete Sites

Google Sites lets you make copies of websites. This is great for testing new designs or keeping backups. You can easily make a copy by going to the “More” menu and picking “Make a copy”²¹. You can copy the whole site or just pick certain pages²¹.

Make a Site Copy

Making a site copy is easy. Just click on “Make a copy” to copy your website. This keeps all your content and layout the same. It’s great for backups or trying out new designs safely²¹.

Delete Selected Pages

Google Sites also lets you delete pages or the whole site if you need to. Remember, deleted pages can be brought back from earlier versions⁴. This means you can change your site without worrying about losing important stuff²¹.

Need a site backup or want to remove pages? Google Sites has the tools for it. These features help you manage your website better, keeping it tidy and up-to-date²¹.

Being able to copy and delete sites and pages in Google Sites is very useful. It helps you control your online space, protect your content, and try new things safely²¹.

Classic vs New Google Sites

Google Sites has changed a lot over the years. Now, it comes in two versions: Classic Google Sites and New Google Sites. The new version is more modern and easy to use, with better features and more integration with other Google tools²².

The new Google Sites have a clean and easy-to-use interface. This makes making and managing websites simpler. Usability was a big focus, offering a straightforward way to build websites that the classic version didn’t have²³. It also includes new design features like image carousels and collapsible text that were missing before²³.

The new Google Sites are also very mobile-friendly. Users can easily make their websites work well on phones and tablets, something the classic version didn’t offer²³. Plus, they always use a secure HTTPS web address, unlike the classic Sites which used HTTP, making them safer²³.

The new Google Sites work better together with other tools. Google Domains integration lets users easily add a web address, a feature the classic version didn’t have²³. But, the classic Sites let users set page-level permissions, a feature the new version doesn’t have²³.

When it comes to working together and sharing, the classic Google Sites let users leave visitor comments, a feature the new version doesn’t have. On the other hand, the new Sites have editor comments, a way to work together that the classic version is still improving²³.

Another big difference is in Drive integration. The new Sites work well with Google Drive, and they don’t use up your Drive storage. This wasn’t true for the classic version²³. The new Sites also give users access to the Drive API, letting them do more with files and set permissions, things the classic Sites couldn’t do²³.

The new Google Sites also have cool features like Vault integration, which helps with keeping data safe and managing it. These features weren’t in the classic Sites²³.

By August 2020, the new Google Sites became the main choice for making websites in Google Workspace²⁴. By March 2021, admins could check their classic Sites and move them to the new version²⁴. By May 2021, making new classic Sites stopped, and by January 30, 2023, editing classic Sites will stop, with Google moving any left classic sites to the new one²⁴.

In short, the new Google Sites are more modern and have more features than the classic version. Users should think about what they need and want before choosing which one to use²².

Conclusion

Google’s website builder, Google Sites, is easy to use for both individuals and teams. It lets you create professional-looking websites without needing a lot of design or tech skills²⁵. It’s great for personal, work, or team projects, making it easy to focus on your site’s content and message.

Google Sites is perfect for freelancers, creators, writers, and small businesses wanting a simple online presence²⁶. It’s free, easy to learn, and works well with other Google tools²⁵²⁶. But, it might not be the best choice for complex or online store sites because of its limited design and SEO options²⁶.

The end of Google’s old website builder is a chance for small businesses to improve and beat their competitors online²⁷. By updating their online look and investing in professional design, businesses can grow their online presence, gain trust, and attract more customers²⁷. In today’s digital world, having a well-made, SEO-friendly website is key for any business to succeed online²⁷.

Source Links

1. Create your first site with Google Sites – https://support.google.com/a/users/answer/9310491?hl=en
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17. Publishing and hosting – https://groups.google.com/g/gwdbeta/c/4Um5f7yZ-Ic
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21. Create, name, delete, or copy a site – https://support.google.com/sites/answer/98081?hl=en
22. PDF – https://www.iwla.org/docs/default-source/chapter-docs/google-sites/how-to-transform-your-old-google-site-into-a-new-google-site.pdf?Status=Temp&sfvrsn=4
23. Compare new Sites & classic Sites – https://support.google.com/sites/answer/7176163?hl=en
24. Transition from classic Sites to new Sites – https://support.google.com/a/answer/9958187?hl=en
25. Pros And Cons Of Google Website Creator You Should Know – https://mockitt.wondershare.com/website-builder/google-website-creator.html
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27. Google’s Website Builder Shutdown: What Now for Small Businesses? | RapidWebLaunch – https://rapidweblaunch.com/blog/google-website-builder-shutdown/