Creating a New Google Site
Exploring The New Design
From the Insert tab you can add text, images, HTML embed codes, or upload files. You can also add Google Drive folders, YouTube videos, maps, calendars and other files stored in your Google Drive. Each element can be resized by clicking and dragging the frame around each object. You can move it around the page by snapping it to some handy guidelines. Dragging objects around also lets you put two things side by side like text next to an image or two or more videos.
From the Pages tab, you can create new pages for your navigation. The page templates are gone, so there are no more Announcement or Filing Cabinet options, but for the most part, these can be recreated with the new features in Google Sites. You can drag and drop pages to rearrange them in the order you want them to be in, and select a page to be set as your homepage. Both horizontal and vertical navigation options exist in the new Google Sites and can be chosen by hovering your mouse in the top left hand corner of your Site and clicking on the gear icon.
From the Themes tab, you can choose from one of six stylish new themes. Each theme has its own color palette to choose from, and three font styles. So, although it might not look like there is all that much to choose from, the number of variations you can create with these options is more than you might think.
Click the images below for a closer look at the new menus.
Another nice addition is the ability to background accents to elements like text boxes. You can access those by hovering your mouse over your text and clicking the palette icon that appears on the left hand side of your screen. This lets you choose between Regular, Emphasis 1, Emphasis 2 or an image as a background for your text. This can let you create some very stylish pages that can really make your content pop. Examples of that can be seen in the gallery below.
What Happens to Existing Sites
- In 2017, Google will provide and recommend options to domain administrators to migrate your sites from the classic Sites to the new Sites.
- Beginning in 2018, Google will send a timeline and instructions regarding the gradual process to shut down the classic Sites. The specific date for the shutdown of the classic Sites has yet to be set, but Google will inform domain administrators at least one year in advance of that shutdown.
My Wishlist
Is there something you miss from the old Google Sites? If so, what is it? Leave a comment below, and be sure to click the feedback button in the bottom left-hand corner of Sites in order to let Google know too! In the meantime, check out this playlist of tutorials from steegle.com on how to use the new Google Sites.
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