How to Build a Website on Google Sites Complete Guide

Overview

how to build a website on google sites is a practical, low-code way to publish a professional site quickly. This guide walks beginners, entrepreneurs, and developers through planning, creating, customizing, publishing, and validating a Google Sites website. You will learn how to set up a Google account, create pages, use layouts and themes, embed external content, connect a custom domain, and apply basic SEO and analytics.

Why this matters: Google Sites is free with a Google account, integrates with Google Workspace apps, and lets you launch informational sites fast without server management. It is ideal for portfolios, small business microsites, event pages, and documentation.

Prerequisites: Google account, modern browser (Chrome recommended), images and copy for your pages, optional custom domain and Google Workspace account. Time estimate: plan and basic site in about 1-2 hours; custom domain and DNS changes may add 30-90 minutes depending on registrar.

Step 1:

how to build a website on google sites - plan and create an account

com or create a Google account.

Why you are doing it: Planning saves time during the build. A Google account is required to access Google Sites and to publish under your domain or Google Workspace.

Concrete actions:

1. Sign in at accounts.google.com.
2. Open Google Sites at sites.google.com
3. Click “Blank” or choose a template.
4. Create a folder in Google Drive to store site assets.

Expected outcome: A Google account ready to use, a plan with a list of pages and assets, and an open blank or templated Sites project.

Common issues and fixes:

• Cannot access Google Sites: ensure you are signed in to the correct Google account and that your organization does not block Sites (contact admin).
• Missing assets: compress images with a tool like TinyPNG to lower upload time.
• Templates look different: templates change over time; choose one and adjust layout.

Time estimate: ~20 minutes

Step 2:

Create a new site, choose layout and theme

Action to take: Create the site in Google Sites, pick a theme, and set the global navigation and header style.

Why you are doing it: Theme and header decisions define your site branding and global layout. Setting navigation early helps organize content and user flow.

Concrete actions:

1. In Google Sites, click “Blank” or select a template.
2. Click “Themes” on the right panel. Pick a theme and adjust font and color.
3. Click the header area to set header type: Large banner, Title only, or Cover.
4. Configure navigation: top or side, then add the site title.

Expected outcome: A new Google Sites project with a chosen theme and header style that matches your brand.

Common issues and fixes:

• Theme color not matching brand: use the custom color picker or upload a logo to set colors that match.
• Navigation missing pages: add pages first (next step) and then set them as primary navigation.
• Title overlaps header image: reduce header height or switch to “Title only”.

Time estimate: ~15 minutes

Step 3:

Add pages and structure navigation

Action to take: Create the core pages (Home, About, Services, Contact), organize them in the Pages panel, and set up subpages or anchor navigation.

Why you are doing it: Clean structure improves user experience and SEO. Logical navigation helps visitors and search engines find content quickly.

Concrete actions:

1. Click “Pages” in the right sidebar.
2. Click the plus icon to add pages. Name them clearly (use hyphens or spaces for readability).
3. Drag pages to reorder or nest pages for dropdown menus.
4. For internal anchors, add a “Text box” and click the three-dot menu to “Copy link to section” for navigation links.

Expected outcome: A site with a clear page hierarchy and navigation that reflects your plan.

Common issues and fixes:

• Page names are too long: shorten titles to 50 characters for better navigation.
• Nested page not appearing in nav: check top vs side navigation settings and publish after changes.
• Anchors not working: ensure you copy the correct section link and use it in a button or text link.

Time estimate: ~15 minutes

Step 4:

Add content blocks, images, and embeds

Action to take: Populate pages with text, images, buttons, Google Drive files, and embedded external content like forms or maps.

Why you are doing it: High-quality content and useful embeds provide value to visitors and make the site functional.

Concrete actions:

1. Use the right sidebar “Insert” menu to add Text box, Image, Button, Embed, or Drive files.
2. Upload or select images; use “Replace image” to change hero images.
3. To embed a Google Form or map, paste the embed code using the “Embed” option.

Example embed code for a Google Form or widget:

<iframe src="docs.google.com width="640" height="800" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0">Loading...</iframe>

Expected outcome: Pages filled with readable text, optimized images, and functional embeds like forms, maps, or videos.

Common issues and fixes:

• Embedded content blocked: ensure the external service allows embedding; some sites use X-Frame-Options that block iframes.
• Images too large: compress images to under 200 KB where possible and use WebP/JPEG.
• Layout breaks on mobile: preview with the mobile view toggle and adjust section layouts.

Time estimate: ~30 minutes

Step 5:

Configure site settings, SEO, and analytics

Action to take: Set the site name, custom favicon, site-level navigation, page descriptions, custom URLs, and connect Google Analytics or Search Console.

Why you are doing it: These settings improve discoverability, brand recognition, and analytics tracking for performance and marketing decisions.

Concrete actions:

1. Click the gear icon (Settings) in the top-right menu.
2. Set a favicon image and adjust viewer tools such as link to Google Analytics or custom banner.
3. For SEO, open each page, click the three-dot menu, and choose “Properties” to add page-level meta description (if available).
4. Add Google Analytics Property ID under Settings > Analytics or add the site to Google Search Console using the published URL.

com/search-console and entering your published URL to verify ownership.

Expected outcome: Site has basic SEO metadata set, a favicon, and analytics tracking enabled to monitor traffic.

Common issues and fixes:

• Cannot set meta description: Google Sites may limit direct HTML edits; use page description fields where available and optimize on-page headings and content.
• Analytics not tracking: confirm the correct Property ID and that you published the site; allow 24 hours for some metrics.
• Favicon not updating: clear browser cache or wait for propagation.

Time estimate: ~20 minutes

Step 6:

Publish, connect a custom domain, and set sharing permissions

Action to take: Publish the site, choose the web address, and, if desired, connect a custom domain through Google Domains or update DNS at your registrar.

Why you are doing it: Publishing makes the site live. A custom domain strengthens branding and trust. Permissions control who can edit or view private content.

Concrete actions:

1. Click “Publish” in the top-right corner.
2. Choose a web address under sites.google.com/view/your-site-name or a custom domain.
3. To use a custom domain: click “Custom URL”, follow the prompts, then verify domain ownership and add DNS records at your registrar (A/CAA or CNAME as instructed).
4. Set sharing: click the person icon and manage who can view or edit the site.

Expected outcome: A live website accessible at the selected address or your custom domain, with correct sharing permissions.

Common issues and fixes:

• DNS propagation delay: allow up to 24-48 hours for DNS changes to propagate. Use tools like intoDNS or dig for verification.
• Custom domain errors: ensure you added the exact DNS records Google provides; remove old conflicting records.
• Edit access problems: add collaborators by their Google account email and set them as Editor.

Time estimate: ~30-60 minutes depending on domain DNS propagation

Testing and Validation

Verify the site functions and looks right using this checklist:

1. Open the published URL in desktop and mobile views.
2. Test navigation links, buttons, forms, and embeds.
3. Check that images load quickly and alt text is descriptive.
4. Confirm Google Analytics is receiving hits and Search Console has the site added.
5. Validate custom domain resolves and SSL is active (https).

Run tests:

• Use Chrome DevTools device toolbar for mobile breakpoints.
• Use a link checker or browser inspector to find broken links.

Expected result: All pages load, interactive elements function, and analytics record visits.

Common Mistakes

1. Overloading pages with large images: compress images and use thumbnails to reduce load times.
2. Skipping mobile testing: Google Sites is responsive but content blocks may need reflowing on small screens.
3. Forgetting to set sharing and permissions: unpublished changes or wrong editor permissions block collaborators.
4. Incorrect DNS records for custom domain: copy-paste exactly and allow propagation.

How to avoid them: prepare optimized assets, preview mobile layout, test with a friend or colleague, and follow registrar DNS instructions precisely.

FAQ

Do I Need Coding Skills to Use Google Sites?

No. Google Sites is designed for users without coding experience. Developers can add embeds and iframes but most tasks use a visual editor.

Can I Use a Custom Domain with Google Sites?

Yes. You can connect a custom domain via Google Domains or configure DNS records at your registrar. Allow up to 48 hours for DNS propagation.

Can I Add Google Analytics or Search Console?

Yes. Google Sites supports linking Analytics and you can add the published URL to Search Console for indexing and performance data.

Is Google Sites Good for Ecommerce?

Google Sites is not a full ecommerce platform. Use it for informational pages and links to external store platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, or Ecwid.

Can I Export My Google Sites Site?

Google Sites does not provide a straightforward HTML export for full site portability. You can copy pages or use Google Takeout for data, but migrating to another host may require rebuilding.

Next Steps

After publishing, monitor traffic and user behavior via Google Analytics and Search Console. Improve content based on visitor data, add blog or news pages for SEO growth, and create regular backups of key images and copy in Google Drive. Consider upgrading to Google Workspace for custom email and tighter domain management if you run a business.

Further Reading

• Create a Website on Google Step-by-Step Guide
• How to Make a Website Visible on Google Search
• Create a Website Sitemap Complete Guide
• Make a Website Https Step by Step

Sources & Citations

• https://accounts.google.com. - https://accounts.google.com.
• https://sites.google.com/new. - https://sites.google.com/new.
• https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/FORM_ID/viewform?embedded=true" - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/FORM_ID/viewform?embedded=true"