Site Customization

Customize search for a site

Search options for a site

If you enter a term in the Google Sites search box, you can search across all the site's content and attachments. However, you can also customize your search box to search across more content. Google Sites offers multiple search options:

1. Search across multiple sites (not just the current site). For example, an algebra class site might configure the search box to search its own site as well as related math or algebra class sites to increase the relevant content searched. This option can only include sites that exist on the school Apps domain.
2. Search across the entire domain. A school portal site might change the search box to search across all sites in the domain to provide the visitor (most likely a student or faculty member) the content or site within the domain that is most relevant.
3. Search using a Custom Search Engine. A math class site, for example, might offer an option for a particular topic to search using a Custom Search Engine which includes third- party sites on the same topic (math resources/help/tutorials). Custom Search Engines are used often in educational contexts to create a 'safe' search by pre-selecting the sites you want to include in the search results. In addition, by pre-selecting the sites, the results will be higher quality and prevent students from a surplus of inaccurate sources.

If there is just one search option enabled, the site displays the search button only. If there are multiple options enabled, a drop-down list appears, so people who visit your site can select what type of search they want to do.

Configure search for your school domain and Google

To enable search options for your site, follow these steps:

1. In your site, make sure you are not editing a page (if you see the Save and Cancel button, you are in editing mode). If in editing mode, click Save or Cancel to exit.
2. Click the More menu and select Manage site.
3. Select the General tab.
4. Click Site layout and click the Configure search button.

1. Select Advanced.
2. Click Add provider and select a provider from the drop-down menu.

1. If you like, you can select the default search option from the drop down.

Configure search by selecting school domain sites or a Custom Search Engine

To select specific sites for your search option or to use a Custom Search Engine you have created, follow these steps:

1. In your site, make sure you are not editing a page (if you see the Save and Cancel button, you are in editing mode). If in editing mode, click Save or Cancel to exit.
2. Click the More menu and select Manage site.
3. Click Site layout and click the Configure search button.

1. Click the Advanced tab.
2. Click the Add provider button and then select a provider type (If you already have one provider, you can add another by clicking Add provider again):
3. If you would like to specify websites to be included in search requests, select search across multiple sites

1. If you have a Custom Search Engine created and ready to use, select Custom Search Engine.