Listen, when you’re just starting out, the best website platform isn’t the one that costs you $30 a month. It’s the one that gets your idea online today for free. And that, hands down, is Google Sites.
It’s not for a complex store, but it’s a powerful, zero-cost foundation that lets you launch genuinely professional-looking pages in an afternoon.
Here’s my quick breakdown of why Google Sites should be your first step, and most importantly, how to actually make money with it.
Why Google Sites is the Best Place to Start
It completely knocks down the three main things that stop new creators: cost, complexity, and compatibility.
- Zero Cost, Zero Hosting Fees: This is the killer feature. You don’t pay monthly fees for hosting, you don’t need an SSL certificate, and your overhead stays at $0. Google handles the entire infrastructure for you.
- Ultimate Google Integration: It hooks directly into the entire ecosystem. I love this because I can embed a Google Form for contact requests with one click, or show my clients a live Google Sheet of my work. Updates are instant and effortless.
- Automatic Mobile Design: Forget coding for different phones. Every single Google Site is fully mobile-responsive by default. It just looks great on phones, tablets, and desktops automatically.
- Pure Drag-and-Drop: You spend zero time debugging code. The interface is completely visual, so you can focus purely on arranging your content blocks and images to tell your story.
What Kind of Project It’s Perfect For
Google Sites is ideal when you need to share information or capture a lead, not run a giant sales transaction.
| Ideal Project | The Advantage of Google Sites |
| Professional Portfolio | It’s clean, image-focused, and fast-loading—perfect for showing your design, writing, or coding projects to recruiters and clients. |
| Consultant Landing Page | A simple 5-page site (Services, About, Contact) that acts as a digital business card for consultants or local businesses. |
| Event / Project Hub | Need a fast site for a wedding, course launch, or seminar? It’s quick and easy to update with schedules and registration links. |
| Resource Library | A simple way to host educational materials, client onboarding documents, or internal team collaboration links. |
The 3 Best Ways to Monetize Your Site
Since Google Sites won’t run a shopping cart, you make money by using the site to attract traffic and then redirecting them to where the transaction happens.
1. Lead Generation for Services (High-Value)
This is the fastest path to serious money. You’re using the site to sell yourself or your consulting service.
- The Method: Clearly outline the problems you solve (e.g., freelance writing, coaching, local business SEO).
- The Conversion: Embed a simple Google Form for a “Discovery Call” or “Free Quote.” The client gives you their contact info, and you handle the high-value sale offline.
- Your Goal: Build trust and capture contact information, leading directly to high-value client work.
2. Affiliate Marketing (Passive Income)
Turn your simple resource site into a revenue stream by recommending products you already love.
- The Method: Write targeted content—like a guide to the “5 Best Budgeting Apps” or a review of a “Great Niche Cookbook.”
- The Conversion: Insert a prominent Button or hyperlink with your affiliate link pointing to the third-party product (Amazon, a SaaS tool, an online course).
- Your Goal: Generate commissions when visitors click through and buy something from the external merchant’s site.
3. Selling Digital Products (External Link)
You can still sell e-books, templates, or printables—you just need a separate checkout platform.
- The Method: Create a product page showcasing your digital download (e.g., a fitness tracker template, a gardening e-book).
- The Conversion: Place a “Buy Now” Button that links directly to a secure payment service like Gumroad, Etsy, or Payhip.
- Your Goal: Use Google Sites for fast, professional promotion, and rely on the external tool for secure payment processing.
Google Sites is not the end of your web journey, but it is the perfect, risk-free place to begin proving your idea and making your first income. What project are you going to tackle first?
