How to Add a Custom Domain to Your Google Sites Website

Introduction

If you're a Google Workspace admin looking to publish your Google Sites webpage using a custom domain, this guide is for you. Some users have noticed difficulties in finding the 'Custom Domains' option in Google Sites settings. This article will walk you through the steps to successfully map your Google Sites to a custom domain using the Google Admin console.

Steps to Add a Custom Domain to Google Sites

Follow these steps to map your Google Sites to your custom domain:

Step 1: Ensure Site Creation is Enabled

1. Sign in to your Google Admin console using your administrator account.
2. Navigate to Apps > Google Workspace > Sites.
3. For New Sites, ensure the option Users can edit sites is checked, and Allow users to create new sites is also selected. Click Save.
4. For Classic Sites, similarly, ensure users can create sites within your domain.

Note: Changes may take up to 24 hours to propagate.

Step 2: Add a Custom URL

1. Sign in to the Google Admin console using your administrator account.
2. Go to Apps > Google Workspace > Sites.
3. Click Custom URL.
4. Choose Add New Sites or Classic Sites based on the version of Google Sites you are using.
5. Enter the current URL for your site.
6. Select the domain you want to use. Note that the domain must be verified.
7. Enter your desired custom URL and choose Add Custom URL.

Step 3: Update Your Domain’s CNAME Record

1. Sign in to your domain host's platform where your domain is registered.
2. Access the DNS management page.
3. Locate the CNAME settings and add a new record:
   • Alias/Name: Your custom domain (e.g., www.yourdomain.com)
   • Target/Destination: ghs.googlehosted.com
4. Save the changes. These changes might take up to 24 hours to propagate.

Common Issues and Troubleshooting

• Missing Certificate: Delete and recreate the address mapping to supply the domain-validated SSL certificates.
• Invalid DNS Error: This is often due to an incorrect CNAME record on your domain host’s website. Ensure the CNAME destination is ghs.googlehosted.com.

For additional assistance, you can refer to the Google Support article here.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you can seamlessly map your Google Sites to your preferred custom domain, providing a professional web address for your site visitors. Make sure DNS records are correctly set up and user permissions are properly configured within your Google Workspace settings.