Google Sites uses Google Drive sharing permissions. Access is managed through Google Workspace (or personal Google accounts) rather than a CMS-specific role system.
Permission Levels
Google Sites inherits Drive sharing model:
| Role | Edit Site | Publish/Unpublish | Share With Others | View Draft | View Published | Delete Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Editor | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Viewer | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Published (Anyone) | No | No | No | No | Yes | No |
Owner
The site creator. Can publish/unpublish, share, transfer ownership, and delete. Only the Owner can connect Google Analytics.
Editor
Can modify site content, add pages, change layout. Cannot publish changes, manage sharing, or configure site-level settings like analytics.
Viewer
Can view the draft version of the site. Useful for review before publishing.
Analytics Integration
Only the Owner can add Google Analytics tracking. Navigate to Settings (gear icon) > Analytics:
# Google Sites Analytics Configuration
# Settings > Analytics > Google Analytics tracking ID
#
# Steps:
# 1. Open your Google Site in edit mode
# 2. Click the gear icon (Settings)
# 3. Select "Analytics"
# 4. Enter your GA4 Measurement ID: G-XXXXXXXXXX
# 5. Click Save
# 6. Publish the site for tracking to activate
Google Sites does not support custom JavaScript injection. The built-in Analytics field is the only way to add GA tracking.
Custom Roles
Google Sites does not support custom roles. The three levels (Owner, Editor, Viewer) are inherited from Google Drive and cannot be modified.
Google Workspace Admin Controls
For organizations using Google Workspace:
# Google Workspace Admin can control Sites access at the org level
# Admin Console > Apps > Google Workspace > Sites
#
# Settings available:
# - Who can create new Sites (everyone, specific OUs, nobody)
# - Default sharing settings (internal only, external allowed)
# - Whether Sites can be published externally
Best Practices
- Use the built-in Analytics field rather than attempting custom script injection
- Transfer ownership before the site creator leaves the organization
- Use Google Workspace admin controls to enforce organization-wide sharing policies
- Editors cannot publish -- use this as a review mechanism
- Google Sites has limited analytics capability -- consider embedding Google Data Studio reports for richer insights