Can you create and manage good mobile-optimized websites with Google Sites?

Think about all the times you use the internet throughout the day. How many of them are on your phone versus your computer? Nearly half of all web traffic now comes from mobile devices (Oberlo). With the rise of mobile internet usage, creating websites optimized for mobile devices is more important than ever. But how can you accomplish this without much technical knowledge? Google Sites is a powerful tool that makes building and customizing mobile-optimized websites easy.

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Regardless of whether you use Google Sites to build a mobile-friendly website or you use another tool, it's critical to understand how thinking mobile-first for your business can improve your marketing efforts and attract more customers.

Why mobile-optimized websites are important

Small businesses need mobile-friendly websites. Mobile optimization is essential when it comes to ensuring people visiting your client's website have a smooth user experience. Sites optimized for mobile viewing tend to load faster than those not, improving bounce rates as well.

When potential customers visit a website that isn't optimized for mobile devices, they may have difficulty navigating and accessing the content. If they get too frustrated, they may end the session completely. On the other hand, a mobile-friendly website is designed for easy accessibility and navigation on small screens, making it much more user-friendly. 

How mobile optimization can improve user experience and search engine ranking

Mobile-optimized websites can also help boost search engine rankings, as Google’s mobile-first indexing best practices favor the mobile version of a site’s content (Google Search Central). Additionally, optimizing your website for mobile devices can help you reach a larger audience of people who prefer using their phones or tablets over desktop computers and laptops. 

Google Sites' mobile capabilities

For those looking for an easy and mobile-ready website builder, Google Sites comes with a handful of features and capabilities that lets you create and design websites in a matter of seconds. Since it’s a Google-made website builder, Google Sites also easily integrates with other Google products, such as Google Workspace, Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and more.

Here are just a few capabilities Googles Sites have for creating mobile-optimized websites:

• Automatically optimized for mobile devices: the sites you create with Google Sites are already optimized for mobile, without any additional coding or
• Mobile-ready themes: Much like the websites being built, Google Sites comes with several mobile-ready themes designed to function and display properly on smaller screens. Each theme is customizable to help users match their websites with their business’s brand.
• Site speed: Google Sites is designed to be fast and responsive on any device, even for users accessing the site over slower data connections.
• Updates over mobile: Users can also make quick updates and changes to their Google Sites on mobile as well via the app.

Pros and cons of using Google Sites for mobile website creation

While Google Sites offers an easy-to-use, intuitive interface and powerful editing tools, there are also some drawbacks when using it for general website design and management.

Advantages of using Google Sites for mobile

• Free to use: Creating a website on Google Sites is free for anyone to use and it’s an accessible option for small businesses or freelance website resellers who want to create a mobile-friendly site.
• Google services integration: As mentioned earlier, Google Sites easily integrates with Google-native software and services like Google Drive, Google Maps, and Google Analytics for website creators to add content, maps, and track site metrics.
• HTML embedding: Google Sites also supports HTML embedding for custom widgets or multimedia content to their site.
• Built-in content management system (CMS): its built-in CMS lets users create and manage website content without additional software or plugins. It also allows users to see and revert to previous versions of the site.
• Editable on mobile devices: Website creators can create and edit pages on their Google Site via the mobile editor, with much of the same features on desktop being available.

Limitations of using Google Sites for mobile

• No built-in blog tool: Google’s blogging tool for websites lives in a separate platform and isn’t integrated immediately with Google Sites. This is especially a detriment for website creators who want to sell content marketing services to clients.
• Limited customization: Even though users can choose from pre-made themes and templates, customization for other elements on Google Sites is limited.
• Lack of third-party integration: While the Google-native integration is a bonus, one significant drawback for the Google Sites platform is its inability to use popular plug-ins or apps for website optimization.
• Limited SEO settings: Google Sites’s SEO settings on the platform is sparse. Users can create and optimize the main page and headings, but you can’t even change or update basic elements such as meta titles, descriptions, open graph settings, redirects, schema, and more.
• Limitations for multiple website creation: Each business and user is limited to the amount of Google Sites they can create. Some users reported that they can create up to 100 websites, while others say they’re only limited by the amount of space they have on their Google Workspace storage capacity. Meanwhile, a few users reported that they were only able to create one Google Site on their account.

Who is Google Sites for?

Ultimately, Google Sites was made for people who need a simple builder for creating a website for their business. If you’re just looking for an easy way to quickly create a responsive website without too much fuss, then Google Sites could be a good option.

Use cases:

• Small businesses: SMBs who prefer managing their website themselves can benefit from the free cost to use, as well as the customizable built-in templates and themes.
• Freelance artists: Google Sites has multiple layouts designed to showcase artistic products and portfolio work with the need to know coding or HTML.
• Portfolio websites: Other artists such as freelance photographers, writers, designers, and more can organize their work in visually appealing ways to catch the eye of clients, customers, and potential employers.
• Personal blogs: while there’s no built-in blogging tool in Google Sites, there are workarounds to allow writers to produce simple, mobile-optimized blogs to attract readers.

However, power users such as agencies looking to manage multiple websites for clients may need to seek other alternatives. Google Sites’ platform offers very little customization and integration options, as you’re only limited to its in-house suite of tools.

Why create and host your client’s sites with Website Pro

However you accomplish it, your clients need an optimized website to compete, as 79% of small business websites are mobile-friendly. Creating a mobile-optimized website can seem intimidating, but with the right tools it doesn't have to be. For those looking for an easy and affordable way to create a stunning mobile website, Vendasta's Website Pro lets users quickly and easily build beautiful and highly functional mobile websites for clients.

1. User-friendly website builder: Website Pro comes with built-in, pre-made and mobile-ready WordPress templates via Divi Builder that are easily customizable and integrable with other 3rd party WordPress plugins.
2. Search Engine Optimization:
3. Secure Google Cloud hosting: All sites created with Website Pro are hosted securely via Google Cloud Platform, no matter how many websites you decide to build for clients
4. Multiple website management: Website Pro allows you to create an unlimited amount of websites along with an unlimited amount of backups for each one.
5. Ecommerce capabilities: WooCommerce comes built into Website Pro, so you can easily create and host ecommerce websites for clients who need them.
6. Analytics and reporting: The Website Pro dashboard gives you all your important data and analytics at a high-level with built-in Google Analytics integration (which you can easily switch off for GDPR compliance)
7. Customer support: Your client’s websites are covered under 24/7 support to help you address any potential issues or concerns via phone, email or live chat.

Additionally, you can take things a step further for your clients by offering them white-label website design services to save time while getting them the websites they need to run their business.

Frequently asked questions

Can Google Sites be used on mobile?

Yes, Google Sites can be used on mobile devices. It is a web application that is designed to provide an easy-to-use platform for creating and managing websites. It allows users to create simple yet powerful sites with minimal effort. With the help of responsive design, Google Sites can easily be optimized for different sizes of screens, from desktop to mobile. In addition, it has several features designed specifically for mobile devices such as touch-based controls and simplified navigation menus.

How do I optimize my Google site for mobile?

Google Sites is one of the best platforms for creating and managing websites optimized for mobile use. With its responsive design, Google Sites can easily adapt to various sizes of screens, so it looks great on both desktop and mobile devices. It also has various features specifically designed for mobile users such as touch-based controls and simplified navigation menus.

Additionally, it has integrations with other Google tools you may already be using. By using these features, you can make sure that your website looks great on any device and provides an optimal user experience on any platform. To ensure that your Google Site is fully optimized for mobile use, make sure to test it thoroughly on different devices before launching it.