Thursday, September 5, 2013

Using Google Sites if your Domains are with Intuit

I really like Google Sites and I really like Intuit.  I create my sites using Google Sites and have my domains registered thru Intuit.  However, at first there didn't seem to be a straight-forward way to make it work.  But I have streamlined the process and below is the best way I've found to get my sites up and running.

1.  Go to intuit.com
2.  sign into the Intuit Websites login
3.  Go to the Advanced DNS settings of the domain you wish to use
4.  Click the Edit button
5.  If you have used other hosting services, you may want to 'Reset Defaults' but if this is the first time doing anything with the domain, just leave it alone.
6.  in the CNAMES change the www to ghs.googlehosted.com

leave this window/tab open in your browser

open a new tab/window in your browser

7.  Log into the Google Account that has your Google Site
8. Go into the Google Sites
9.  Make sure to set the Share to "Public on the web"
10.  Add web address (domain you edited above)
11.  Click the "these directions" link in the pop up at the top
12.  Go to bottom heading 'Domain is not verified' error when mapping
13.  Click the Webmaster Tools home page
14.  Click 'ADD A SITE' button on right
15.  type in the domain you edited above
16.  Choose the alternate methods tab
17.  Choose the domain name provider radial button
18.  Choose 'other' at the bottom of the drop down list
19.  Copy and paste the TXT record

leave this window/tab open in your browser

Go back to Intuit window/tab in your browser
20.  The best way to get the TXT record in is to use the Support Chat.  Kind of hard to find
21.  Click the 'Chat with Us' button
22.  State that you would like to add a TXT record to the DNS configuration of a domain you own to verify with Google (or something like that)
23.  They should ask for the domain and the text record (that you copied and pasted earlier in Google's webmaster tools).
24. It just takes a few minutes...once they have it entered, go back to the Google webmaster tools and click 'verify'
25.  You should now be able to go back to your Google site and add the web address to the site.

There you go....it seems like it might be easier to just have my domains with GoDaddy or another popular company.  But Intuit's customer service has been incredible.  Possibly the best customer service I've worked with.