How to Use Google Sites to Build a Website
Aug 6, 2022 · 3 min read
I use Google Sites to develop and maintain this website. Here are some of my tips and tricks on how to make a website using Google Sites, along with some of the other tools that I highly recommend.
I originally had this website hosted on an AWS S3 Bucket, with the IaC and CI/CD managed by Terraform Cloud and GitHub Actions. I was pretty jazzed about that, because I could run my operations at just ~$1.50/year with this serverless approach and all of the code was mine and safely versioned. However, my front-end skills (i.e., HTML, CSS, etc.) are not nearly as strong as my back-end skills, which significantly slowed the ongoing development of my site. Because of that, I decided to refactor my work with Google Sites this week. Boy am I glad I did!
Using Google Sites and Related Tools
Google Sites is an amazing product that makes web development easy and fast.
When I chose to switch to using Google Sites, I was faced with the trade-off of either (1) "getting my website out the door fast, but having to use a 3rd party" or (2) "having the flexibility of owning all of my website's code and moving slow." I chose the former option and decided to move fast. It was far more valuable for me to get my website running at the level I needed it to now rather than wasting weeks honing my site's front end all by myself.
You don't need to know how to code to build a website with Google Sites. All it really takes is some time and creativity — You'll get better as you go along. To get started, all you need to do is follow these simple steps:
Ensure you have a Google account and are logged in
Open up the Google Sites service
Start a new site!
Google Sites not only makes web development easy, but it also integrates seamlessly with many other tools, like Google Domains, Google Analytics, and Google Search Console. After you've started a site, I would recommend you integrate each of these services with your site.
#1 How to Integrate Google Domains with Your Google Site
To set up a new domain address using Google Domains, follow these steps:
Go to the Google Domains service
In the search bar, enter the domain you'd like to register and select the desired extension (i.e., .com, .net, .org)
If the domain is available, select "Add to cart." If the domain is not available, you'll need to choose a different one
Review your cart and select "Proceed to checkout"
Sign into your Google account
Enter your personal and billing information
Review and accept the Google Domains terms of service
Select "Purchase" to complete the registration process
You can manage your new domain's settings and configure DNS records through the Google Domains dashboard.
After you have purchased your domain, you can add it to your Google Site with these steps:
Open your Google Site
In the top right, click on the "More" button and select "Manage site"
On the left side menu, click on the "Web Address"
Click the "Add a custom domain" button.
Follow the prompts to verify your domain ownership.
Once your domain is verified, you can set it as the primary domain for your site by clicking the "Set as primary" button.
Keep in mind that it may take some time for the changes to take effect, as it can take up to 48 hours for DNS changes to propagate. If you run into any issues or have any questions, you can reach out to Google's support team for help.
#2 How to Integrate Google Analytics with Your Google Site
To integrate Google Analytics, you will need to follow these steps:
Go to the Google Analytics service and sign in with your Google account. If you don't already have a Google Analytics account, you will need to create one
Click on the "Admin" button
In the property column, click on "Tracking Info" and then click on "Tracking Code"
Copy the tracking code provided
Go to your Google Site and click on the "Settings" button
Click on "Manage Site" and then click on "Metadata"
Paste the tracking code you copied from Google Analytics into the "Header" field
Click "Save" to save your changes
It may take up to 24 hours for data to appear in your Google Analytics account.
#3 How to Use the Google Search Console with Your Site
I'm still new to the Google Search Console, but I have found it tremendously helpful as I continue to improve my website.
It is very simple to set up the Google Search Console to monitor traffic to your website. You'll be done in three steps:
Go to the Google Search Console service and sign in with your Google account
Select + Add property on the dropdown
Add a property and verify. Since Google Sites already are Google-hosted properties, you can create a "Domain property" and the verification will happen automatically, so long as you are signed in with the same account as you use to manage your site.
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