Setting up a website on Google Sites

I am SO excited about this class.  It will be a great opportunity to use some of your spare time to create something you can enjoy well after these days of quarantine.  This week, we will introduce you to Google Sites and get you started.  We will follow up in the next couple of weeks so that you can walk away with your own website.  It really isn't too hard, and will be something you will enjoy time and again!  I am including the entire website building lesson, but it is doubtful we will get to everything.  We will probably return next week for Part 2...

A website is a site which has one or more web pages which are related to a common content.  It is identified by a domain name and is published on at least one web server.

A web page is a single document which is displayed in a web browser.  It can be associated with a website, or can be a simple document in HTML form which will be displayed in a graphical way like a website.  When you are creating a document in a word processing program like Word, you can save as a web page.  This creates a link which will then be shown in a web browser. 

For example, we have taken a document (Handout_Website design for everyone) designed in word and saved as a web page document.  You can then click on it and it will open in your default browser (which in the example is Chrome).

Picture of the handout files in our file program, comparing the Word version with the HTML version:

The HTML version will be a little confusing, as it does not include margins and other things like that.  It is designed to adjust to the screen.  Picture of what it looks like when you view the handout in web form: (Note the URL shows that the file in on my computer)

The website is hosted by a web server, a computer which is used only for storage and distribution of files. 

 A web server can include one or more websites.  Websites are requested using a type of protocol called HTTP.  A web server is always connected to the Internet.  A web host is a company that leases out space on a cluster of servers to help people store and deliver their own content. A web host might be free with limited services, or may cost something but offer more variety in design and data storage.  

·         Popular web servers include: Apache, IIS, Nginx and LiteSpeed

·         Popular web hosts include: WordPress, Weebly and Google (all free with limited services) OR DreamHost, Bluehost and iPage (see their sites for prices and services)

A domain name is your website name, the address where Internet users can access your website.  It must be registered before you use it, and every domain name is unique (no two websites can have the same domain names).  Some web hosting services provide you with a domain name as part of the service.  Others will require that you set one up before using their site.  To set up a domain name, you can try GoDaddy or Google Domains.  You can check a special database such as Network Solutions or Google Domains to see if the name you want is available.  (Go to the database, type in the domain that you want, and see if it is available).  Domain names (basic) are about $12/year.

Google tools are free with a Gmail account.  Using Google tools, you can design a website, and then host it on Google.  Here is how your Google account provides each of the above components (design, hosting, domain name):

Design:  New Google sites has a uniformity in themes.  They are simply designed and easy to use. 

Hosting:  Google will host your site for free.  And, even better, Google is a secure site (https). 

Domain name:  Google will allow you to create a custom domain name, which would become part of the URL.  So, a web address created by Google sites may look like this:  https://sites.google.com/view/sdce-websitedesign  Or, if you want, you can purchase a domain, and then set it up so that when the domain name is entered, it will take you to your Google site.  Most domain names are between $12 and $20 a year.  You can purchase through Google or another site if you prefer (like Go Daddy).  To purchase the name from Google:

• Go to:  https://domains.google

• Put in the domain name that you want (no spaces, not case sensitive

• You will see if it is available (smiley face) or not (frowning face).  The price is indicated next to the cart.  If you want it, click on the cart.  

• Unlike the past, there are a seemingly infinite choice of domain name endings.  Click on all endings to see your choices.  

 You do not have to decide right away if you want to purchase a domain name.  You can purchase at any time.  You can always use the free name that you get when you set up your site.  

 After you purchase a domain, you will go to domain.google.com and redirect the website you are creating on Google to this domain.  Below, you can see what it looks like in domain.google.com and how the two course websites redirect to the same URL.  Take a look:

Define your website:  

Even if it is just for practice, you should think about what type of website you might develop.  Some instances where you might want to develop a website include communication (a neighborhood group), educational (teach about something you are passionate about), commerce (sell products to others), marketing (yourself if you are rejoining the workforce, and highlight what you have done), entertainment (highlight one of your loves such as movies or books).  Use your imagination!  

We will be practice designing a site which captures our activities during the great Quarantine of 2020!

To create your website in Google sites:

·         Use your Google account to log in.

·         Click on the small 9 squares and then click on “drive”

·         Click “new”, “more” and “Google sites”

·         You will see the beginning of the site.  

·         OR, while logged into your Google account, you can type in:  sites.google.com

·         If you end up on classic sites, don’t forget to select “new google sites”.  

Setting the background of “getting started” on home page:

Click “change image” and then “select image”.  You can choose from the ones provided by Google sites (gallery) or you can use any images that you have on your Google image albums or on Google Drive.  If you want something different, try clicking on “search”, and then type in some description of what you are looking for. When you find an image you like, click on it, and then click “select” at the bottom.  Hate it?  Click “reset” and try again.

Now, let’s change the words (and or font) from “Getting Started”.  Left click and drag to delete “getting started” and replace with your choice of words (“Welcome to our website”).  

Do you like the heading?  Click on Header Type and click on the options.  Choose the one that works best for you.

Page title:  

Each page in a website is titled.  This is the home page, where viewers will arrive first.  You might call it HOME (sort of uninspired) or you might choose another title.

Add a page:  

Now, let’s add a page.  Click on pages tab and then click on the circle icon with a + sign to add a page. Name your page.  You will now see that your page has been added, and a tab has been added to the top next to the “home” icon.  To add to this page, use the same procedure as above (click on Insert and insert text).  Below are 3 pictures.  One is before adding the page, the second picture is after clicking the plus when you name the page, and the 3rd shows after creating the page.  Note that it then takes you to the new page with the same background as the previous page (important in maintaining consistency!).

Subpages: 

If there is a page which will spawn new pages, you can create a sub page.  This is nice because when you are done, the user can click on the main page and see the subpage links.  Below, we can see how to find the add subpage, and what it looks like with 2 subpages.

YouTube:  

You are automatically set up for a YouTube account when you have a Google account.  To find it, go to the 9 squares next to your name and find YouTube.  Or, while signed in to Google, just go to YouTube.com.  Click on the 3 lines on the left and then click on “My channel”.  This is where your videos will go.  

• •  Open YouTube and click on the upload icon

  • Find your video file (.MOV, .MPEG4, .MP4, .AVI, .WMV or more options

  • Fill in information:

    • Give your video a title (this will appear under the video on your channel) and a description

    • Public, unlisted or private (With private, you have to indicate who gets to see the video)

  • Click Publish.  

  •  It may take some time to load and publish.  When it is done, you can find it on My channel.

There are other things you might try, especially things that combine Google tools with the website builder.  Some possibilities:

Google Calendar 

Create a calendar: for your website and then embed.  This is done through your Google account.  You set up events on calendar.google.com and when the calendar is embedded, events will show on the calendar on the website.  Changes to your calendar on Google will then synch with those on the website.

Google Map

Create a map for your website and embed.  This can include places you have gone, or where you are going.  In this, you will go to Google Earth (earth.google.com) and use the Projects tools to set up various places to highlight on a map.