SEO Google Sites
Configures a Google Sites page's settings and content so that Google can crawl, understand, and index it, helping the page appear in search results.
If you have ever published a Google Sites page that barely ranks, you already know that crawlability and clear content matter more than the platform's simplicity.
Key points
- Write unique, user-focused content on every page; thin pages struggle to rank.
- Use descriptive titles and meta descriptions so Google understands each page's topic.
- Add alt text to all images for better accessibility and indexing of visual content.
- Submit your sitemap to Google Search Console to speed up discovery of new pages.
- Check for accidental noindex directives that block indexing of important pages.
- Consolidate duplicate content with canonical tags to avoid splitting ranking signals.
A travel blog gets indexed after adding structure
A travel blog on Google Sites published 10 destination pages with no internal links, a generic title like 'Page 1', and no alt text. Google indexed only the homepage. After adding descriptive titles, a sitemap, and crawlable links from the homepage, all 10 pages were indexed within two weeks. Traffic from search grew from zero to 150 visits per month.
Three common mistakes that hurt indexing
- Blocked by robots.txt Blocking important pages in robots.txt prevents Googlebot from crawling them. Use robots.txt only for low-value areas like admin pages, never for content you want indexed.
- No internal links Without crawlable internal links, Googlebot may not discover all your pages. Link from the homepage or a table of contents to every important page.
- Missing sitemap A sitemap helps Google find new or updated pages faster. Submit your Google Sites sitemap via Search Console to speed up discovery.
Four settings to check before publishing
- Page visibility Check the page's visibility setting in Google Sites. Ensure it is set to 'Public on the web' so Google can index it.
- Noindex directive Adding a noindex tag tells Google not to index the page. Remove it if you want the page to appear in search results.
- Canonical URL If you have duplicate content (e.g., same page on multiple URLs), use a canonical tag to tell Google which version is the preferred one.
- Image alt text Add descriptive alt text to all images. This helps Google understand the image content and can improve accessibility for users.
Three ways to improve crawlability
- Use crawlable links Make sure every important page is linked from another page on your site. Googlebot follows links to discover new content.
- Submit a sitemap A sitemap lists all your pages and their last update dates. Submit it to Search Console to improve crawl efficiency.
- Avoid redirect chains Long chains of redirects slow down crawling and waste crawl budget. Keep redirects short and direct to the final URL, ideally one hop, to ensure Googlebot reaches your content efficiently.
Common questions
What is SEO optimisation?
SEO optimisation is the process of making a website more visible in search engines by improving content, structure, and technical setup. For Google Sites, it focuses on crawlability and indexing.
How do I do SEO for a website step-by-step?
Start with crawlable links and a sitemap, then write descriptive titles and unique content. Check indexing in Search Console and fix any issues.
What is the best SEO checker?
A Google SEO checker can scan your page for common issues like missing titles, slow load times, or broken links. It helps identify areas to improve.
Sources
- Google Search Central: SEO Starter Guide Covers foundational SEO practices including crawlability, content, and indexing.
- Google Search Essentials Lists technical requirements for Google indexing, including robots.txt, noindex, and canonical tags.