In short. Google Sites shows the draft beside the current published version and marks unpublished changes before publication.
Definition: Google Sites can show a draft beside the current published version before an editor publishes changes. The draft appears on the left, the published version on the right, and annotations identify unpublished changes.
Key facts
- Google Sites provides a Preview control before publication. The editor can choose a layout option and exit preview from the bottom right, according to Google's publication and sharing documentation.
- Clicking Publish opens a side-by-side comparison of the draft and the current published version. Annotations on the draft identify unpublished changes, and selecting a page on the left changes the page shown in the comparison, according to Google's pre-publish review documentation.
- The editor can click Back in the top left to return to the draft, then click Publish in the top right when the draft is ready, as the same review documentation explains.
- Pre-publish review is automatically turned on. For one site, an editor can open Publish settings, uncheck “Editors must review changes before publishing”, and click Save, as the same documentation states.
- After publication, the Published site sharing control offers Restricted or Public. Google notes that work or school accounts may have other options, in its publication and sharing documentation.
What does the comparison show?
The comparison is between the draft site and the current published version. Google describes the draft as the changes made since the last publication, so the right-hand view is the version currently published while the left-hand view is the proposed version. The left side also carries annotations for unpublished changes.
The page selector belongs to the draft side. Selecting a page there changes the page shown for review. If an editor needs to revise the draft, the Back control in the top left returns to editing. These controls are part of Google's review workflow.
What happens when the draft is ready?
The review screen has a Publish control in the top right. Clicking it publishes the draft. Google also documents an Info control at the top: pointing to it shows who last updated the page. This gives the editor a documented check on the latest page update before the draft is published.
Review is enabled automatically. The setting is per site: next to Publish, the editor opens Publish option and then Publish settings, clears “Editors must review changes before publishing”, and selects Save. Google's pre-publish review instructions give these control labels.
How is publication different from sharing?
Publication and sharing are adjacent steps in Google's workflow. The publication instructions first tell the editor to open the site, click Publish, enter a web address, and click Publish. They then describe sharing: click Share, use the drop-down beside Published site, select Restricted or Public, and click Save or Done. Work or school accounts may show other sharing choices, according to Google's publication and sharing instructions.
The same page says that a site owner can visit the site's web address after publishing to check that it was published correctly. That check concerns the published address, while the side-by-side review concerns the draft and the current published version.
How do I check a change before publishing?
Open the site, click Publish, and inspect the draft on the left against the current published version on the right. Read the annotations, select each relevant page from the left side, and use Back if the draft needs another edit. When the comparison is acceptable, use Publish in the top right. Google's review instructions place these actions in that order.
Related terms
- How do I inspect the HTML Google renders for a page?
- How do I suggest a site name to Google?
- WebSite structured data
FAQ
Does Google Sites compare the draft with an older draft?
No. The documented comparison places the draft beside the current published version and describes the draft as changes since the last publication.
Can you review one page at a time?
Yes. You can click a page on the left side of the comparison to show a different page.
Can you turn off the review screen?
Yes. You can open Publish settings for the site, uncheck “Editors must review changes before publishing”, and save the setting.
Where do you check who last updated a page?
You can point to Info at the top of the review screen to check who last updated the page.
Sources
- Google Sites Help, "Publish and share your site", undated
- Google Sites Help, "Review the latest changes to your site before publishing", undated
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