How to Host Your WordPress Site on Google Sites
There’s no question that WordPress is the gold standard for blogging platforms. With a large array of features and a vibrant community, there’s no surprise that it’s been so successful. In fact, in 2018 alone, there were over 250 million active monthly users on WordPress websites, the majority of which were created using the platform. More and more businesses recognize the value proposition of WordPress and its associated platforms, like Google Sites.
Whether you’re a seasoned web marketer or an early innovator of digital marketing, you’ll certainly be familiar with WordPress. Launching a WordPress website is easy enough and, if you stick to the essentials, you’ll have a functional online presence quite quickly. Just remember to add some content regularly to keep your audience engaged.
Why Host Your WordPress Site On Google Sites?
It should come as no great surprise that Google would jump at the chance to host your WordPress site. After all, as we’ve established, WordPress is the gold standard when it comes to blogging platforms, and with good reason. In addition to being a fantastic blogging platform itself, WordPress powers some of the most popular websites on the internet, like the New York Times and the Hollywood Reporter. If you’re looking to host your site on the open web, you’ve undoubtedly considered WordPress.
As a content strategist, I regularly think about the future of content strategy and what it will look like in 5 or 10 years. In 2022, content strategy will be at the forefront of every brand and business’ digital marketing strategy, and that’s a trend that can be directly attributed to the success of WordPress.
Forbes columnist Peter Shankman makes the case that content strategy is far more than just writing compelling content and attracting readers. He argues that in the future, content strategy will be a set of processes, including research, planning, and execution, that deliver strategic value to a business. In other words, content strategy is becoming more of a handing exercise.
The success of WordPress and other content management systems, like Google Sites, is making that case quite forcefully. If you’ve been paying attention to content marketing over the last several years, you’ll know that content strategy has been around for longer than most business professionals expect. As much as we like to think that digital marketing and technology have made content marketing easier and more accessible, it’s still a discipline that requires research, planning, and execution, and most importantly, a lot of content.
What’s more is that businesses in all industries are realizing the value that a well-executed content strategy can bring. In fact, studies have shown that businesses that invest in content strategy see a 15% increase in revenue and 25% decrease in cost per lead, relative to their competitors.
What Do I Need To Host My WordPress Site On Google Sites?
If you’re looking to host your WordPress site on Google Sites, there are a few things you’ll need to consider.
First, you’ll need a Google account. This will be your primary log-in to drive all of the analytics and report-related functionality that comes with being a Google site owner. Additionally, you’ll need to consider whether you want the site to be publicly available or private.
Second, you’ll need to determine how much content you want to commit to on a regular basis. Ideally, you’ll want to have at least 500 words of content available on a regular basis. That way, you’ll be able to post regularly and engage with your audience on a consistent basis.
Third, you’ll need to decide how much space you want to reserve for your content. Ideally, you’ll want to have at least 1 GB of space reserved, though that’s often difficult to find on shared hosting accounts. That way, you’ll be able to have a functioning site with all the content you commit to, even if you don’t have the most advanced tools to work with.
How To Host Your WordPress Site On Google Sites: Step By Step
Now that you have your Google account, you can begin the process of setting up your WordPress site on Google Sites.
The first step is to visit the official Google Sites website and create an account if you don’t have one already (you’ll need to use your email address to do so). Once you’re logged in, you’ll see a “welcome page” with helpful links to get you started. Click on the “Create a new site” button to begin.
As you’re creating your site, you’ll need to think about the kind of content you want to commit to (and whether you want to commit to text or multimedia content), your target audience, and the structure you want to use for your blog posts. Make sure to click the “Publish” button once you’ve finished writing a blog post to go live.
Step One: Target Audience & Content Type
The first step in the process is to define your target audience, which you can do on the Settings page. Here, you’ll need to make a decision about whether you want your site to be focused on men or women, or both, and whether you want your content to be focused on product or services.
For example, if you run a blog about style, you might want to target men as your audience since they are more likely to be interested in reading about style, especially if you’re a woman. Or if you run a travel blog and want to attract more people from Japan, you might want to target men to engage them in conversation about traveling abroad.
As for the content type, you have the option of either publishing a text-based blog or a multimedia website, like this one from Google Sites.
If you decide that you want to go with the text-based version, you’ll then be guided through choosing a topic for your blog, setting a publishing schedule, and choosing a domain name for your site.
Step Two: Choose A Niche
Once you’ve decided on your target audience and the content type for your site, you’ll then be guided through choosing a niche. When selecting a niche, you’ll need to consider what you know, what you’ve done, and what you’ve learned.
For example, if you’re a vegan blogger, you might decide to focus on ethical and eco-friendly alternatives to animal products. Or if you’re a lifestyle blogger, you might want to focus on health, fitness, and nutrition topics.
When choosing a niche, you also need to decide what you’ll need to research to be able to write intelligently about your chosen topic. For example, if you’re a vegan blogger, you might want to look into how plants are grown and sold so that you can write intelligently about the benefits of a plant-based diet. Or if you’re a travel blogger, you might want to research hotels and restaurants to provide the best content for your audience.
Step Three: Domain Name & Website Layout
After you’ve chosen your niche, you’ll then be guided through choosing a domain name for your site and setting up the basic structure and look of your blog.
You’ll want to pick a.com domain since it’s the most recognizable and accessible extension for completing a website’s address. If your blog is designed to be accessible from any device, then make sure to choose a mobile-friendly domain name. Additionally, you’ll want to use your Blogger dashboard to install and set the basic theme of your site, as well as enable and set the features you want to use for your blog. You should also consider using a content management system like WordPress to create and maintain your blog since it makes the process of writing and updating content much easier. And finally, make sure to purchase a good-quality website design from a reputable company in order to give your blog a professional appearance.
As for the layout of your site, you have the option of either using a fully responsive web design or sticking with the template provided by Blogger. If you decide on the former, it’s a good idea to look into hiring a web designer to help you build a custom-fit website that looks great on every screen size and shape.
Step Four: Publishing Your Blog
Once your blog is up and running with content, the next step is to begin posting regularly. To do this, you’ll need to think about what’s working for you, your target audience, and the type of content you’re posting.
If you decide that product reviews are working well for you and your audience, you might want to look into reviewing products you’ve never tried before or products your audience isn’t familiar with. Or if you’re a travel blogger, you might want to choose a destination for your blog that you’ve never written about before and see how it goes.