--- schema_version: "1" id: 833fc8f5ab4452070d753e432ec0319d687a374aafbba6fe944a56ca68afac2b title: Plan and Implement a Site.com Website collection: admin version: current locale: en-us portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/platform/264-0-0/siteforce_workflow.md canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.siteforce_workflow.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 source_site: help.salesforce.com content_type: documentation content_hash: adc45a9e71943ba0c6b7a4157696c65dfffba2f92a32f48ea708db70da6c33f9 description: There are many approaches to building a website. The process that best suits your needs depends on many factors, such as the size of your team and the tasks you're responsible for. If you're a site administrator or designer, you’re involved in every stage, including adding and maintaining the site's content. Alternatively, you can have contributors who add, edit, and maintain this content. And if you're a contributor, you can be responsible for editing and updating all of the site's content, or you can work with other contributors, designers, and site administrators to bring the site to completion. There are various stages involved in creating a site with Site.com. products: - Salesforce Platform - Security release: "264" --- # Plan and Implement a Site.com Website There are many approaches to building a website. The process that best suits your needs depends on many factors, such as the size of your team and the tasks you're responsible for. If you're a site administrator or designer, you’re involved in every stage, including adding and maintaining the site's content. Alternatively, you can have contributors who add, edit, and maintain this content. And if you're a contributor, you can be responsible for editing and updating all of the site's content, or you can work with other contributors, designers, and site administrators to bring the site to completion. There are various stages involved in creating a site with Site.com. ### Required Editions
Available in: Salesforce Classic

Available for purchase in: Enterprise, Performance, and Unlimited Editions

Available (with limitations) in: Developer Edition

User Permissions Needed
To create or import Site.com sites: Site.com Publisher User field enabled on the user detail page
To build, edit, and manage Site.com sites:

Site.com Publisher User field enabled on the user detail page

AND

Site administrator or designer role assigned at the site level
To edit only content in Site.com sites:

Site.com Contributor User field enabled on the user detail page

AND

Contributor role assigned at the site level
- Plan the Site Design and Page Layout (Site administrator or designer)—Before building the pages of the site, spend time planning the site design and basic layout. This stage is key to ensuring a consistent look and feel with the minimum amount of effort. From a hierarchical point of view, think about how many pages you need and whether they have subpages. Also consider how you want site visitors to navigate around your site. Next, plan the layout of the pages and identify the common elements that every page has. In this example, the site has a header section that includes the company's logo and menu (1), and a footer section (2). However, the main section of the home page (3) differs from the rest of the site pages (4). Take note of these similarities and differences, because they affect how you create your site pages. ![Page designs with common header and footer](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-platform-extend_click-264-0-0-production-enus/5f7d9219-b7b1-4552-8891-f1aba9b289fc/extend_click/images/siteforce_layout.png) - Create the Site (Site administrator or designer)—When you've completed the planning stage, you're ready to get started! Log into the Site.com app and go to the [Site.com tab](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.siteforce_hometab.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "If you can't see the Site.com tab, go to the Site.com app. It's available in the Lightning Platform app menu in the Salesforce header. Then click the Site.com tab to view the list of your Site.com sites."), where you can [create your first site](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.siteforce_website_create.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "To get started with Site.com, create a new blank site."). Your new blank site opens in [Site.com Studio](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.siteforce_overview_studio.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Site.com Studio provides a dedicated site-building environment for site administrators and designers."), a powerful environment for building the pages of your site. ![Note](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-platform-extend_click-264-0-0-production-enus/5f7d9219-b7b1-4552-8891-f1aba9b289fc/images/icon_note.png) Note Only users with the Site.com Publisher User field enabled on their user detail page can create and import sites. - Import Assets (Site administrator or designer)—If you're working with a design agency, they can provide all of the files and assets you need, including a CSS style sheet. If you've created your own design, cut up the design and collect the assets, images, and files you plan to use in the site. [Import the assets](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.siteforce_assets_import.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Contributors, publishers, and site administrators can import a variety of assets, such as images, HTML pages, and PDFs, to use in a website. You can import assets and files individually, or use a zipped file. When importing entire websites or large numbers of assets, it’s easier to create a zipped file of the content with the desired folder structure. When importing the zipped file for a website, Site.com recreates your website and places everything in the same folder structure.") into Site.com Studio, where they appear in the Assets section of the Overview tab. - Create a Page Template (Site administrator or designer)—When you've decided on the layout, the quickest and most effective method is to use [page templates](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.siteforce_page_master.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Before you begin building the pages of your website, take some time to plan the pages you need, and in particular, which pages have a similar layout. When you've decided on the layout, the quickest method is to use a page template to build the basic layout.") to build the basic layout and then base your site pages on it. Try to keep the design of your main page template simple to make it easier to modify in the future. For more complicated site designs, such as the example graphic, you can use the main page template as the basis for a [child template](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.siteforce_page_master.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5) to achieve maximum flexibility. When you [create your page template](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.siteforce_page_master_create.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "A page template lets you define the layout and functionality of site pages in one location. By adding common page elements to the template and then basing site pages on it, you can achieve a consistent look and feel throughout your site. And because a template-based page inherits the template's elements, you can make site-wide changes from one location."), you can choose from predesigned layouts that include headers, footers, and columns, or you can create a blank page template. - Lay Out the Page (Site administrator or designer)—After you create the page template, you can [modify the layout](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.siteforce_panel_add.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "A panel is a useful layout tool that defines the logical divisions of your page and lets you group page elements together for easy movement and positioning. Think of it as a container for other page elements, including other panels, or as a div that wraps around the content placed within it. Panels are ideal for adding editable areas to page templates.") further to match the design of your site. - Create the Site Pages (Site administrator or designer)—Using the template as a base, you can quickly [create the site pages](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.siteforce_page_create.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "As a site administrator or designer, when you create a site page, you can choose to base it on a layout or page template."), which automatically inherit all the elements of the page template. Or if you need a standalone page that doesn't follow the site's overall design, you can create a blank page instead. - Add Features and Page Elements (Site administrator or designer)—Use Site.com's prebuilt [page elements](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.siteforce_objects.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Page elements are the building blocks of your site pages and page templates. Combined, they provide the page's structure and content.") to add features such as [navigation menus](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.siteforce_menu_add.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "By default, when you create a menu, it's generated from the pages and site map links in the Site Map folder in the Site Pages view. However, you can also create a menu that's generated from the pages in the Landing Pages folder or from the child or sibling pages of a site page."), [images](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.siteforce_image.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "As a site administrator, you can add images directly to your site pages and page templates or you can add images to content blocks."), and [data services](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.siteforce_data_overview.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Site.com data services combine many features that let you connect to standard and custom Salesforce objects. Retrieve data from your organization's objects and dynamically display it on your site pages, or alternatively, gather and submit data from your customers. And when you update data in your Salesforce object, the changes are reflected automatically on the live site—no site updates required!"), and include [content blocks](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.siteforce_contentblock_add.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Content blocks contain the text of your website pages, and can also house images, videos, and hyperlinks. Designers and site administrators can add content blocks to pages when in Design Mode.") that contributors can edit. And add interactive, animated effects using [events and actions](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.siteforce_events_overview.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Events enable you to add interactive and animated effects to the pages and page elements of your website."). - Make Your Website Look Good (Site administrator or designer)—Take advantage of [cascading style sheets](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.siteforce_style_overview.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) provide a flexible way to add style to the pages of your website. This collection of formatting rules governs the appearance of your pages, and lets you define the fonts, colors, layout, and other presentation features.") (CSS) to develop the look and feel of your website. If you're not completely up to speed with CSS, the [Style pane](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.siteforce_style_tab_using.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "The Style pane is a visual CSS editor that lets you modify style properties, such as the background color, font size, and border style, as you work with pages and page elements. If you're using CSS classes or IDs to style your pages, you can modify or create style items directly from the Style pane, rather than opening the style sheet.") provides an easy, visual way to create and manage styles. Or if you're a CSS expert who likes to get straight into the code, you can hand-code the site's [style sheets](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.siteforce_style_css_create_sheet.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "A default style sheet called “Site Style Sheet” is included with every site you create. However, if you're familiar with CSS and need multiple style sheets, you can create ones to use in your site."). - Add and Edit Content (Contributor)—At this stage, if you're a contributor, the site is usually ready for you to add and edit content such as [text](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.siteforce_contentblock_edit.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Designers and site administrators can edit content blocks on the page. Content blocks contain the text for site pages, and can also house images, videos, and hyperlinks."), [images](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.siteforce_contentblock_image.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Designers and site administrators can add images to content blocks when viewing a page in Design Mode."), [videos](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.siteforce_contentblock_video.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Designers and site administrators can add YouTube®, Google®, Adobe® Flash®, Windows Media®, and Apple QuickTime® videos to content blocks when viewing a page in Design Mode."), and [hyperlinks](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.siteforce_contentblock_hyperlink.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "When viewing a page in Design Mode, designers and site administrators can create hyperlinks to external Web pages or websites, pages and assets in the site, email messages, and anchors on the page."). And as you work, you can [upload](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.siteforce_assets_import.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Contributors, publishers, and site administrators can import a variety of assets, such as images, HTML pages, and PDFs, to use in a website. You can import assets and files individually, or use a zipped file. When importing entire websites or large numbers of assets, it’s easier to create a zipped file of the content with the desired folder structure. When importing the zipped file for a website, Site.com recreates your website and places everything in the same folder structure.") any images or files you need. - Review and Test the Site (Contributor, designer, or site administrator)—Testing the changes to the pages of your site happens throughout the development cycle. As a contributor, designer, or site administrator, you must [preview your changes](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.siteforce_preview.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Contributors, designers, and site administrators can preview site pages to see how they look when rendered in a browser window. It's always a good idea to make sure your changes are displayed correctly, as this preview is how the pages appear on the live site.") to ensure they display as expected in a browser. And if you're a site administrator or designer, you can send a preview link to the site's reviewers so they can review the finished product before it goes live. - Publish the Site (Site administrator only)—After testing is complete, you're ready to go live with your new site. Just [set the site's domain information](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.siteforce_domains_map.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Before you can publish your site to the Internet, you must set the site's domain information.") and then [publish your changes](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.siteforce_publish.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "When you publish a site in Site.com, you make its pages and assets live on the Internet so site visitors can access them.") to make your site live! - **[Site.com Tab Overview](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.siteforce_hometab.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)** If you can't see the Site.com tab, go to the Site.com app. It's available in the Lightning Platform app menu in the Salesforce header. Then click the Site.com tab to view the list of your Site.com sites. - **[Using Site.com Studio as a Site Administrator or Designer](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.siteforce_overview_studio.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)** Site.com Studio provides a dedicated site-building environment for site administrators and designers. - **[Using Site.com Studio as a Contributor](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.siteforce_editor_overview_studio.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)** Site.com Studio provides a dedicated content-editing environment for contributors. - **[Understand the Site Administrator and Designer's Overview Tab](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.siteforce_overviewtab.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)** As a site administrator or designer, when you open a site in Site.com Studio, it opens on the Overview tab. Here you can access and manage the site's components and configure the site's properties. - **[Understanding the Contributors's Overview Tab](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.siteforce_editor_overviewtab.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)** As a contributor, when you open a site in Site.com Studio, it opens on the Overview tab. Here you can access and edit the site's pages and content, and import images and files. #### See Also - [Using Site.com Studio as a Site Administrator or Designer](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.siteforce_overview_studio.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Site.com Studio provides a dedicated site-building environment for site administrators and designers.") - [Using Site.com Studio as a Contributor](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.siteforce_editor_overview_studio.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Site.com Studio provides a dedicated content-editing environment for contributors.") - [Set Up the Contributor’s Studio View](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.siteforce_contrib_view.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Control what your contributors can do in Site.com Studio.")