Google Sites
Get a Google Account
Google Sites allows users to build a website in the cloud using just a web
browser. The site editor as well as all of the content lives in the cloud on
Google’s servers. Google Sites is free to Gmail account holders.
Sign up for a Gmail account if you do not have one already
Start up Sites
Sites is located under the More menu of your Gmail account
You need to pick a unique site name. One way to make it unique is to add your
Gmail username as a prefix or suffix to your site name.
Choose a Site Template = Prebuilt Pages + Theme
A site template is a pre-built site with lorem ipsum placeholder text and images.
Each page is already laid out. For example the Family template has Family blog,
Family calendar, Family map, and so forth. Template users simply swap in their
own content.
Site templates are provided for different types of applications such as a
classroom or small business.
While some of the templates are pretty slick, you are better off beginning with
the Blank template to learn Google Sites.
o The Blank template contains only a home page with a simple theme.
o You add pages to the Blank template as needed.
Choose a Theme = Layout & Formatting
The theme is similar to a theme in PowerPoint. Every page in the site derives its
look and feel, layout, colors, fonts, and so forth from the theme.
You can keep the simple theme that comes with the blank template or choose a
professional theme that fits your target audience
HOW TO
o More Actions > Manage Site > Themes
o Manage Site
o > Site Settings > General > Site Name …. > Save Changes
o > Site Appearance > Site Layout ….. > Save Changes
o > Site Appearance > Colors and Fonts
o Page Settings
Select Layout for Each Page
In edit mode only the content area of each page can be edited. However, you
can change the layout of the content area on each page in order to suit the text
and images that you plan to insert.
Select layout (rows, columns) for content area of page
Each page can have its own layout
2
Google Sites
Add Text and Images
Add text to the pages
o Be consistent on formatting throughout site
o Choose appropriate headings styles
o Choose appropriate font sizes if necessary
Add images to the pages
o Save images out of PowerPoint as PNG files
Group images if necessary
Crop images if necessary
Right-click > save each image as PNG
o Insert images into pages
Change layout of page if necessary to place images in columns
Insert > Image
Resize and align images in their columns as necessary
Insert Gadgets
Capture customer information in a Contact Us page
o Create and save a Form in Google Docs
Documents > Create > Form
o Insert the Form in your Contact Us page
Edit Page > Insert > Spreadsheet Form
o View the spreadsheet of customers in Google docs
Insert a YouTube Video
Insert other gadgets as appropriate
If you get the following error message answer NO, otherwise you get only part of
the gadget—the part that can be delivered securely
Layers on a Page
A web page is made up of a number of layers stacked on top of one another. Here is the
order of the layers beginning with the Page Background on the bottom.
Page Background
Page Wrapper
Content Background
3
Google Sites
Content
4