How to Get and Install Google Sites Templates in 2024

Google Sites is an easy-to-use platform that allows you to create websites without advanced technical skills. One key feature that simplifies the website creation process is the availability of templates. 

These templates come with pre-designed layouts, structures, and styles for various purposes, such as personal, work, education, or business. Using these templates can speed up website development and give a professional look without starting from scratch. 

Our previous guide shared How to Sell on Google Sites by customizing the template, and our list of best Google Sites examples detailed 20+ websites for inspiration. This guide will walk you through the step-by-step process of getting Google Sites templates and seamlessly integrating them into your website.

What are Google Sites Templates?

Google Sites templates are pre-designed layouts and structures provided by Google to help you create websites. Instead of starting a website from scratch, you can select a template that matches your desired look and feel and then customize it with your content. 

These templates come with predefined sections, designs, and features. This makes the website creation process more efficient.

The Google Sites template library offers around 14 pre-designed templates to help you craft the ideal website. Additionally, it caters to web experts who prefer to build from scratch and possess coding skills by providing a blank design option.

The pre-designed Google Sites themes are categorized into Personal, Work, Small Business, and Education. This assists you to find and customize templates based on your needs.

How to Get Google Sites Templates

Most of the Google Sites’ pre-designed templates are found on the homepage under different categories. Apart from that, you can also get other customizable templates from different marketplaces online, like Steegle and Templateheaven.

Later in the article, I’ ’ll review a few of these Google Sites template marketplaces. But first, let’s understand which kind of in-built templates you’ll find in the Google Sites platform.

Here are some of the templates you’ll find under each of the 4 categories: 

Work template: Help center, event homepage, team, and project.

Small business template: Photo portfolio, wedding, holiday party, restaurant website, dog walker, or salon.

Personal template: Portfolio site and family update.

Educational template: Professors, students portfolio, graduates, classes, and clubs.

Types of Websites You Can Create Using Google Sites Templates

Even though Google Sites seem to have limited templates, don’t forget you can create a site from scratch using a blank page. Here are some of the sites you can create using these templates.

• Personal Websites:  You can create personal blogs, portfolios, or resume websites. Users can showcase their work, achievements, and personal information. Use a portfolio widget to showcase your previous work with details.
• Event Websites: Whether it’s a wedding, conference, or meetup, Google Sites can be used to create a website with details about the event, schedules, and other important information. You can use an event calendar widget to display events with details on your site.
• Small Business Websites: You can use these templates to create a site for small businesses or startups with basic online presence needs with information about your business, contact details, and relevant content.
• Intranet Sites: You can use its templates to build simple intranet sites for internal communication within an organization. You can share important documents, announcements, and other resources.
• Project Websites: Google Sites is good for creating websites related to specific projects. You can collaborate with team members, share documents, and provide updates in a centralized location.
• Educational Websites: Teachers can create websites for their classes where they can share resources, assignments, and announcements.
• Affiliate Websites: Previously, we shared how you can use Google Sites for affiliate marketing. In essence, you can promote other people’s products (i.e., affiliate offers) on your website by using traffic sources such as solo ads (use Udimi for buying ad traffic), paid ads, and referral traffic.
• Club or Organization Websites: Clubs, non-profits, or community organizations can use Google Sites to create a web presence. This can include information about the organization, upcoming events, and contact details.
• Knowledge Base Sites: It allows you to design a knowledge base or wiki-style website where information is organized and easily accessible. This is useful for documentation and collaboration.
• Training Resources Sites: Companies or educators can use Google Sites to create training materials, educational resources, and online courses.
• Lead Generation Pages: Suppose you want to build an email list, and you don’t want to pay for a service like Clickfunnels, Unbounce, and Brizy. In that case, you can use Google Sites for capturing email addresses. Make sure you use a quality email capture tool such as OptiMonk and ConvertBox.

Benefits of Using Google Sites Templates

• Regular Updates: Google regularly updates its tools, including Google Sites. Users benefit from the latest features and design trends automatically, ensuring their websites remain modern and secure.
• Time Savings: Google Sites templates save time by offering pre-designed layouts. You can pick a template that fits their needs, avoiding the need to start from scratch. This is especially helpful for those with limited web design skills or tight schedules.
• Integration with Google Services: Google Sites integrates seamlessly with other Google services like Google Drive, Google Calendar, and Google Maps. Templates often come with built-in integrations, making it easier to embed content from these services.
• Collaboration: Google Sites is part of the Google Workspace suite, which means multiple users can collaborate on a site in real time. Templates can facilitate collaborative efforts by providing a structured starting point.
• User-Friendly Interface: Using pre-made Google Sites templates simplifies the process of building a professional website, especially if you lack design skills. The user-friendly drag-and-drop editor and well-crafted templates offer an excellent foundation for your website.
• Mobile Responsiveness: Its templates ensure your website looks good on any device, be it a phone, tablet, or desktop. This adaptability enhances user experience, which allows the growing number of mobile users.
• Cost-Effective Solution: Using Google Sites is free, making it a budget-friendly option for individuals and small businesses. This eliminates the cost associated with hiring web designers or using pricey website platforms.
• SEO Friendly: Pre-made templates are made with SEO in mind, making it easier for your website to get more visitors. These templates include relevant keywords, effective page titles, and meta descriptions.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Google Sites Template

When using Google Sites templates, several factors should be considered to ensure that the chosen template aligns with your goals and offers the best user experience:

• Integration with Google Services: If you’re heavily invested in Google’s ecosystem, like Google Workspace or Google Analytics, ensure the template integrates seamlessly with these services. This enables smooth workflows and analytics tracking.
• Responsiveness: The template must be mobile-responsive, meaning it displays and functions well on various devices, including smartphones and tablets. A responsive template will allow higher ranking on search engines and user experience.
• SEO Considerations: While content plays a significant role in SEO, the template’s structure and code can also influence search engine rankings. Choose templates that are SEO-friendly, with clean code and proper heading structures. Check out the guide on Google Sites SEO for more tips.
• Purpose & Audience: Always determine the primary purpose of your website, such as business, portfolio, or education. Ensure the template’s design and structure cater to the needs and preferences of your target audience.
• Customizability: While templates provide a starting point, make sure your template allows sufficient customization. It must allow you to adjust colors, fonts, layouts, and other elements to match your brand or personal style.
• Features: Look for a template that has built-in features like maps, contact forms, calendars, or integration with other tools. Alternatively, you can embed third-party widgets on Google Sites by using HTML embed, such as a cookie consent banner, website search box, social media plugins, and Telegram chat widget.
• Loading Speed: Templates with excessive animations, heavy graphics, or complex structures can impact the site’s loading speed. Get a template that prioritizes performance. Also, you can use ShortPixel, TinyPNG, and other image compressors to optimize images for the web.
• Updates & Support: Templates that receive regular updates and come with active community support can be beneficial in the long run.
• Reviews & Feedback: Before settling on a template, check reviews or feedback from other users. Their experiences can provide insights into potential challenges or benefits associated with the template.

How to Change the Template in Google Sites

If you’re looking to give your site a fresh look or adapt to a different layout, changing the template is a straightforward process. You can either import a theme from another site, create your custom theme, or choose from templates provided by Google Sites.

Here are the steps you must follow to achieve that.

Step 1: Open Google Sites

Go to Google Sites to begin making your website. If you’ve never built a website before but have used Google products like Google Docs or Google Slides, you’ll recognize the familiar layout.

Step 2: Select a Template or Blank Page

At the top of the page, you’ll see the “Start a New Site” section. From there, you can select to create a blank site or pick from various templates. If you want to get more templates, click on “Template Gallery.”

Choose a template that suits your needs by clicking on it. This sets up the basic structure of your site, allowing you to begin editing.

You can customize any template by moving elements around, adding or removing images, changing colors, and updating the text with your content.

In this guide, I’ll use the Restaurant template as an example and show you how to customize it. Follow along with me step by step.

Step 3: Change the Theme or Template

a) Import a Theme from a Third-party Site

If you want to use a theme from another site that you like, you can import it to your Google Sites. To do this, you need to:

Navigate to the right panel and locate the “Themes” option.

Under the “Custom” section, choose the “Import theme” option.

Opt for a website that features a theme you find appealing.

Initiate the theme import process by clicking on “Import theme.”

After importing, you’ll see the theme in the “Custom” section. Easily apply it to your site.

However, I’ll demonstrate how to change the template by creating a custom theme for this article.

b) Create Your Custom Theme

If you wish to design a unique theme that resonates with your brand identity and personal style on Google Sites, follow these steps:

Navigate to the right-hand side and choose the “Themes” option.

Within the “Custom” section, opt for “Create theme.”

Give your theme a unique name.

Proceed by selecting the “Next” option.

Enhance your theme’s visual appeal by incorporating a logo and a banner image.

Adjust the colors, fonts, and design elements to align with your vision.

Finally, click on Create Theme. After that, you’ll notice the Restaurant template has changed its color.

Step 4: Name Your Website

At the top-left corner above the editing section, locate the template title (or “Untitled site” for the Blank template) and click on it. You can then enter a new name for your site.

The name you enter will be the identifier for your website when you log in to Google Sites, and it will be private, visible only to you. All changes you make to your site will be saved automatically as you work on it.

Step 5: Build Your Site Header

Google Sites provides a header you can immediately edit. To make adjustments, all you need to do is select the header text and make the necessary modifications.

Within the editing tools, you’ll encounter a range of standard text customization options. These include the ability to select different fonts, adjust the text size, choose various text styles, and apply formatting changes. 

It’s good to spend some time familiarizing yourself with these choices. Once you’re comfortable, you can proceed to input and finalize your header content.

Step 6: Adding Pages

Go to the “Pages” tab on the right side of the window. Depending on your template, there might be existing pages there.

To make a new page, hover over the “+” symbol at the bottom of the right panel and choose “New page.” In the New page window, give your page a name and click “Done.”

You can also create a new menu section, which acts as a header for users to hover over and access related subpages. 

Plus, you can import a whole webpage from another site or link to an external URL. This flexibility lets you build a more intricate and interconnected layout for your website.

Step 7: Insert Layouts and Images into your Home Page

Using the “Insert” tab in the right-hand sidebar, you can add layouts, text, images, and videos. Let’s go over the options for page building and customization.

• Basic elements: From the top section of the Insert menu, you can add text boxes and images, embed HTML code, or incorporate Google Drive files. Alternatively, double-clicking anywhere on your ongoing site will also present these options via the circle menu.
• Collapsible Group: It is a section with a clickable header that reveals hidden text lines when expanded. You can convert any header and associated text into this format by toggling the “Collapsible” option within their respective text boxes.
• Image carousels: You can incorporate multiple images into a carousel, allowing users to navigate using navigation dots or have the carousel automatically transition between images.
• Content blocks: These are pre-designed sections of text and images that help you eliminate the need to insert and organize each element separately.
• Table of contents: Google Sites provides an automatic table of contents feature. It creates links based on the content of various sections on your site, allowing users to navigate easily. While you can delete existing entries, you cannot manually add new ones.
• Placeholders: These sections reserve space for content such as Google Calendar, images, YouTube videos, or Google Maps.
• Buttons: These are designed buttons with a link that redirects users to your preferred page. Also, the button adopts its font style and color scheme from your selected theme.
• Dividers: Google Sites offers dividers with designs that align with the theme you’ve chosen.

Similar to the header text, any text box you create using these elements can be formatted and resized. Click on the three dots at the end of the editing toolbar to adjust line spacing, insert an indent, or apply code-like formatting.

Integrate Features from Google

Google Sites allows seamless integration with other Google apps using the Insert menu. Each Google-related choice directs you to a menu where you can select the file or interactive item you wish to include. Here are the options available:

• YouTube: Add a YouTube video that visitors can play directly on your website.
• Calendar: Show your calendar with weekly, monthly, or agenda formats.
• Map: Place Google Map showing a specific address.
• Docs, Sheets, and Slides: Include a Google file in View mode on your webpage.
• Forms: Present a Google Form for visitors to fill out on your website.

Step 8: Adding Text Content

Open the Pages tab in the right panel and choose the page you want to edit. This will allow you to make changes to that specific page without affecting others.

If you’re starting with a template, you’ll see sample text that you can edit. You can also add a new text box anywhere on the page by going to the Insert tab on the right and selecting Text Box. To add or edit text, simply type or click on existing text to make changes.

For easier layout design, use Content Blocks. Click “Insert” and choose from six layout options under Content Blocks to add a design to your page. You can also replace existing text boxes or image spaces with your content.

Step 9: Add a Footer

The website footer is the bottom section where you can place social links and copyright details. To add it, hover near the bottom edge, and the add option will appear.

On Google Sites, the footer includes an editable text box. You can add images, maps, social media links, calendars, etc. It allows you to drag content to the footer and place it where you want. Google Sites will align your content to the nearest grid.

Step 10: Share Editing Duties

To collaborate with another Google user on your Google Site, share the site by clicking on the icon with a person and a plus sign at the top of the editor. Enter the collaborator’s name or email address.

If you want them to edit and contribute content, assign them as an Editor. If you only want them to view drafts, label them as a Published Viewer. Click “Send” to send them an invitation.

Step 11: Configure Settings

Selecting the gear icon in the top menu, a popup will appear with various useful settings. This is where you can connect a personalized domain name and configure Google Analytics to monitor your site’s activity.

Step 12: Publish Your Website

Before finalizing your page, check how it looks on various devices. Click the “Devices” icon at the top to see previews for mobiles, tablets, and desktops.

Now, share your work. Click the “Publish” button on the top-right of the screen.

Enter your custom web address. If you don’t have a domain name, your website’s address will be https://sites.google.com/view/<yourpreferredname>. Select a name that represents your website, whether it’s your business name, full name, or any name you prefer.

You can control who can view your website. By default, it’s open to anyone who finds it, but you can limit access to specific people if you prefer.

Click on “MANAGE” under “Who can view my site?”

In the “Published site” section, pick “Public” to make it available to everyone, or choose “Restricted” to specify certain individuals. If you go for restricted access, enter the names or email addresses of the contacts who should be allowed to view the site. Click “Done” when finished.

Finally, click “Publish” to make your website live and accessible to the selected audience.

Related: Wix versus Google Sites – Two popular site builders compared

4 Best Marketplaces for Google Sites Templates 

As I mentioned earlier, the marketplace is where you can find third-party Google site templates. Some of these templates are free, others you have to pay to get them. I’ll include some of the templates that you’ll find under each marketplace

1. TemplateHeaven

TemplateHeaven is a marketplace for top-notch Google Sites templates. You can enjoy the flexibility of extensive customization, varied layouts, upgraded features, and contemporary designs. Your website will exude a professional touch.

These templates come with the same features

• It allows you to use the Drag-and-Drop feature of the Google Site editor to place your content effortlessly. This makes it easy for those without technical expertise to customize the template.
• You can easily upload and showcase images or artwork. Also, the platform supports jpg, png, and gif file formats.
• Integrate player widgets from popular music services like Spotify, YouTube, Beatport, Bandcamp, and Soundcloud. 
• The template employs a flexible color system, leveraging Google’s site color picker. When you select a color from the theme, it’s instantly applied across all pages. You can easily modify the background, font, and button colors effortlessly.
• You can access over 800 fonts from Google, and it allows you to adjust the font size and color across your entire website.
• These Google Sites template designs can adapt to any screen size. This ensures visitors have a smooth and visually pleasing experience, regardless of their device.
• It’s simple to add additional pages.

Here are the types of templates available:

• Portfolio Templates: Ideal for professionals like designers, photographers, or consultants. These Google Sites templates help in crafting captivating and user-centric websites to showcase expertise.
• Wireframe Templates: You can create your site with Google Sites wireframe templates, which are inspired by Elementor PRO designs. Whether you run a local business, organize workshops, or offer personal styling services, these templates enable you to build a website tailored to your brand and goals.

• Creative Templates: Designed for individuals wanting to showcase their unique brand. Whether you lead workshops, design fashion, or offer personal assistance, these templates will ensure your website stands out.

• Local Services Templates: Aimed at local businesses such as plumbing, electric services, cleaning, landscaping, or car repairs. These templates emphasize services and enhance visibility on Google.
• Music Templates: Tailored for musicians, DJs, or event planners. These templates spotlight talent and facilitate easy music discovery for fans.

• Food Templates: Perfect for restaurants or food ventures like diners, bakeries, or BBQ spots. These templates highlight menus, delivery options, and order management.

2. Imaketemplates

At Imaketemplates, you’ll discover top-notch Google Sites templates suitable for various categories like business,  retail, creative, food and drink, education, and more. These templates are adaptable and mobile-friendly.

Each template offers a live preview, allowing you to experience its appearance and functionality firsthand. Once you’ve selected your preferred template, you can easily customize it as you like.

Free Templates 

Here are some of the Free Google Sites templates you’ll find:

a) Bosch Portfolio Template

Bosch is a portfolio template that’s available for free. Its clean and elegant design showcases your art and photography projects. The layout is simple in that it allows your work to take center stage and adapts to various screen sizes.

This portfolio template is ideal for landscape, commercial, and portrait photographers, as well as photojournalists and visual artists. In addition, you can promote your creative talents to clients, customers, and fans.

b) Columbo Coffeeshop template

Columbo is a free Google Sites theme designed for coffee shops. Its layout is both simple and bold, showcasing your projects and adjusting seamlessly to different screen sizes.

This versatile theme is suitable for various eateries, offering features such as menu information, contact details, and an optional notification bar to showcase deals, news, and updates for your customers.

c) Magnum Creative Agency template

Magnum is a Google Sites template designed for creatives, agencies, and digital designers. Its minimal and clean layout is perfect for showcasing your creative abilities. 

Influenced by Google’s Material Design philosophy, Magnum is meticulously crafted by an experienced designer with a keen attention to detail. It serves as an effective tool to promote your creative skills to clients, customers, and fans.

d) Furillo Fitness Template

Furillo is an ideal website design for fitness centers and gyms, aiming for a sleek and contemporary presentation of their offerings.

It offers ready-made page designs, simplifying the website setup process. Each template, from the main page to the contact section, is carefully created to present content in a clear and accessible manner.

Whether your goal is to feature your services, present class timetables, or exhibit client feedback, Furillo provides the necessary tools.

Premium Templates

In addition to free templates, they offer premium Google Sites templates. These are ready-made websites designed to help you go online swiftly. The premium templates are more specialized, with layouts tailored to specific needs. They include:

• More pages and layouts to suit your business requirements
• Additional styles
• Enhanced features from the Google Sites toolset
• Support for installing and setting up your Google Sites website
• Free updates for 12 months
• Automated responsive layout

Here are some of the premium templates

a) Apana Restaurant Template

Apana is made for restaurant owners and comes with tools to help you build a top-notch website. It has a user-friendly menu creator for displaying your food and drinks.

You can add photos of your restaurant, staff, and dishes to provide visitors with a preview of their experience. The website is also optimized for mobile devices, ensuring a great look on any screen size.

You can buy it for £29

b) HartPlus Resume Template

HartPlus is a sleek personal profile page designed for Google Sites. Its clean layout exudes professionalism and will quickly impress potential employers. With two layouts and five themes available, you can easily distinguish yourself online.

You can buy this template for £9

c) Templar Modern Business template

Templar is tailored for today’s businesses, offering a sleek and modern look that radiates professionalism. Whether you’re a startup or an established company, its contemporary design will make your brand shine and differentiate you from competitors.

A key feature of Templar is its 7 ready-to-use page layouts. Whether you need an engaging home page, a compelling about page, a platform for blogging, or a contact page, Templar provides the solutions. Each layout is designed to enhance user interaction and effectively showcase your business.

You’ll get it for £29

3. Steegle

Steegle offers a range of templates, including over 50 high-quality ones. These templates are designed for Google Sites. Once you pick a template and fill out a form, Steegle will provide you with that template on Google Sites. This enables you to create responsive websites that work well on both mobile and desktop.

After selecting a template and setting it up, you can customize it using the Google Sites editor. This allows you to change colors, text, logos, and images to fit your content and branding.

Intranet Templates

Steegle specializes in designing intranet sites for various clients, from large corporations to smaller businesses. 

They offer both free and paid intranet templates that cover a wide range of needs. When you buy a template, you’ll get a version of it on Google Sites. You can adjust its appearance, add content, and even hide or delete pages as needed.

Here are some examples of Intranet Template:

a) Tyrian Purple

This template has 14 pages (5 are hidden templates) and serves as a launching point for apps, a secure space for company documents, and a hub for essential information. 

With its intuitive design, Tyrian Purple is ideal for businesses aiming to set up an intranet quickly. Additionally, it comes with free hosting, making it a cost-effective choice.

You can get it for $499

b) Azure Professional Intranet

This template focuses on company news, resources, and communication. It helps employees stay connected, access vital information, and manage their tasks efficiently. 

Azure Professional Intranet also provides easy access to employee manuals, training resources, and the latest company updates.

Get it at $499.

4. GoDigitalNow

This Google Sites template is perfect for e-commerce businesses. It’s designed to be straightforward and effective, especially for small businesses wanting to showcase and sell products online. To use it, you just need a Google Account.

Features include

• A contact form using Google Forms.
• Continuous updates to the template.
• Email alerts and a Google Sheet to manage contact form submissions.
• An instructional video.
• A customizable footer.
• Additional guides and tutorials.
• Access to two Canva templates for creating optimized images.

Businesses that would benefit from this template:

• Online suppliers
• Local online shops
• Global e-commerce companies
• Affiliate marketers
• B2B operations
• Those selling digital goods
• Individual sellers or small businesses

FAQs

Final Words

From the article, we can now understand that getting a Google Sites template and installing it is an easy task. Even though Google Sites has fewer pre-designed templates, you can still get your desired templates from the online marketplace. Also, you can follow the above steps to customize your template and come up with a robust website.

Check out other tutorials related to Google Sites:

• Here’s how to create a blog on Google Sites
• How to promote affiliate offers on Google Sites
• Which platforms are better than Google Sites? Let’s find out!