Adding Public Comments to a Google Site

Post date: Jun 04, 2013 3:43:0 PM

I originally found Google Sites downright ugly and utterly annoying. However, after doing a little research and getting over the initial learning curve I was able to learn quite a few tips and tricks, and before too long I found myself really starting to appreciate the simplicity and ease of use Google Sites had to offer. It is a great tool for collaborating with peers and it definitely came in handy when I was planning out Reflective Friends lessons this school year.  Still, in comparison to WordPress, I found Google Sites somewhat constraining, especially when considering the millions of plugins, themes, and customization options offered by Wordpress. 

One of the biggest limitations of Google Sites was the fact that it did not allow for moderated, public commenting. This is an option that people have been screaming about for some time. Fortunately, I found a solution to this dilemma the other day in the form of Disqus.com. Disqus is a commenting platform that can be embedded in a Google Site. It allows for moderated or un-moderated public commenting. Disqus allows visitors to your Google Site to leave a comment on the site by signing in with their Disqus, Google, Facebook, or Twitter username and password. You can also set up the option to allow anyone to comment "anonymously"  by enabling the guest commenting feature under the settings tab when logged onto the Disqus site. Another nice feature would include the fact that when a comment is posted on your Google Site, Disqus immediately sends you an email where you can approve, or delete the comment right on the spot. 

Below is a video explaining the process of how to embed Disqus commenting on your Google Site via a Google Gadget. I have also placed the URL to the XML code you will need to copy in order for the Google Gadget to work properly. You can also view the step by step instructions by clicking here and a sample page of how the tiered comments appear on a Google Site by clicking here. A special thanks to Serge Populov who I believe wrote the code and pointed me in the right direction.

Adding Public Commenting To A Google Site

Cut and Paste This XML Code:

https://google-sites-disqus.googlecode.com/git/disqus-gadget.xml