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Google Sites Basics

Intro to Google Sites

Written by: Mei Lin Lee-Stahr | Winter Quarter 2023

Contents:

What is Google Sites?

Google Sites is an easy to use tool to help you build and create a website. Choose from a previously made template or create a website from scratch. Everyone with a Google account can access Google Sites for free!

Where to find it

You can either go to sites.google.com or go to your Google Drive and press new and scroll down for more to find the sites option. 

 

If you choose the Google Drive option, then you’ll immediately be taken to a new blank site, but if you go to the website directly, press “Blank” or browse templates.

Google Sites home dashboard

Getting Started

For now, I’ll show you how to create a website from a blank one. If you chose to use a template, then it’ll be largely the same steps. 

 

Once you create your site, this is what it should look like:

Google Sites new Untitled Site page

 

To edit text, click on the text and it’ll give you editing options:

Google Sites text tool

Click on the background to change its color or add a picture.

Google Sites background image selector

To add more pages go to the pages tab and press the “+” button

Google Sites pages tab

You have multiple options when adding a new page:

Google Sites pages menu

 

On the “Insert” Tab you can add different elements to your page:

Google Sites insert menu

 

Text Box: to add text

Images: Import images into your site

Content blocks: use these to help you order text and images in a coherent way

How to add a subsection to a page

1. Click on “add page,” title this whatever you want your page to be titled

 Google Sites pages tab

2. Drag and drop the selected page over the home page and it’ll automatically become a subpage. 

Google Sites page tab showing a subpage

 

3. This creates a dropdown menu on the final site, you can add as many subpages as you’d like

Google Sites drop down menu

 

Extras

If you want to use a theme, but not a template, go to the theme tabs to change the overall look of your site

Google Sites theme tab

 

Want an example for inspiration? Check out my sample site

How to add a Map

1. On the righthand toolbar, scroll down until you see "Maps"

Google Sites insert tab with Maps circled

2. A popup window will appear; then type in the location you would like to focus on in your map

Google Sites map selector tool

3. You may then change the location of the red pin by clicking on "Drop a Placemark." NOTE: You cannot rename this pin, nor can you drop multiple pins. Google Sites map showing drop a placemark button circled

4. When you have dropped your pin where you want it, click "Select" to add it to your site

Google Sites map showing select button

5. When you're done it should look like this:

a Google Map embedded on a Google Site

 

NOTES: You may also add something called "My Maps" to your site. More information on Google My Maps