How to use Google Sites - Tutorial for Beginners

How to Build Your First Website with Google Sites

Introduction to Google Sites

• Scott Friesen introduces the video, aiming to help viewers build their first website using Google Sites or refresh their knowledge of its features.

• To access Google Sites, users should navigate to sites.google.com, where they can start a new site or view existing ones.

Starting a New Site

• Users can create a new site by clicking the plus button for a blank page or selecting from available templates for quicker setup.

• The insert tab is highlighted as crucial for adding content, allowing users to drag and drop various elements onto web pages.

Inserting Content

• Demonstrates how to add a carousel of images and text by dragging it onto the webpage, indicating where it will be placed with blue lines.

• Various content types can be added through the insert tab, including collapsible text and integrations with other Google services like Maps and YouTube.

Managing Pages

• The pages tab displays all website pages; users can edit properties such as titles and set any page as the home page.

• Themes can be changed easily; previews show how different themes affect layout, font, and color choices.

Previewing Your Website

• The preview feature allows users to see how their site will appear on different devices (desktop, tablet, phone).

• Users are encouraged to check layouts in various formats before finalizing designs.

Sharing and Publishing

• Before sharing links, users must publish their sites. Collaboration options allow others editing rights similar to Google Drive documents.

• Settings include navigation adjustments (side vs. top), logo uploads, favicon settings, and version history access.

Finalizing Your Site

• Changes are not live until published; users need to assign a web address during this process.

• A default URL format is provided if no custom domain is registered initially.

Organizing Content Sections

• Sections within the site are visually separated by dotted lines for easier management during editing but won't appear in the final view.

• Moving sections around is straightforward; simply click and drag them into desired positions on the webpage.

Adding Images and Formatting Text

• Users can upload images from Google Drive or via URL searches. Resizing components is done by dragging blue dots surrounding them.

• Each content type has specific formatting options accessible upon selection (e.g., cropping images or changing text styles).

Creating New Pages

• New pages can be added easily through a plus symbol at the bottom of the pages tab. Options include creating subpages or external links.

• Newly created pages can be hidden from navigation menus if desired.

Managing Navigation

• Subpages can be organized under main menu items by dragging them into position. Visibility settings allow control over what appears in navigation menus.

• Adjustments made here help streamline user experience based on visitor needs while navigating through content.

Conclusion

• Viewers are encouraged to ask questions about using Google Sites in comments below as Scott wraps up his tutorial emphasizing productivity simplicity.