Integrate Google Drive with Your Wix Website
TL;DR:
- Embed Google Drive folders or files directly into your Wix site using HTML embed elements
- Use Zapier to automatically save Wix form uploads to Google Drive
- Offloading file hosting to Google's servers can improve your website's load times
- Make sure your Google Drive files are set to public viewing before embedding
Google Drive integration with Wix gives you two main benefits: you can display files directly on your site and automate file management from your forms. Here's how to set both up properly.
Embedding Google Drive Content on Your Wix Site
The HTML embed element in Wix lets you display Google Drive files directly on your pages. This works for documents, images, folders, and most other file types.
To embed a Google Drive file:
- Open the file or folder in Google Drive
- Click the share button and set permissions to "Anyone with the link can view"
- Look for the embed option (usually under "More actions" or in the sharing menu)
- Copy the embed code provided
- In your Wix editor, add an HTML embed element where you want the file to appear
- Paste the embed code and save your changes
Important: The privacy settings matter here. If your Google Drive file isn't set to public viewing, your website visitors won't see anything. Double-check this before you publish.
For folders, the process is similar, but you'll get a folder view that visitors can browse through. This works well for resource libraries or document collections.
Automating File Transfers with Zapier
If you're collecting file uploads through Wix forms, you can automatically send them to Google Drive using Zapier. This saves you from manually downloading and re-uploading files.
Setting up the automation:
- Create accounts with both Zapier and connect your Google Drive and Wix accounts
- Create a new Zap with Wix as the trigger (when someone submits a form)
- Set Google Drive as the action (upload file to a specific folder)
- Choose which folder in Google Drive should receive the files
- Map the file upload field from your Wix form to the Google Drive upload action
- Test the automation with a sample form submission
This setup works for any file uploads from Wix forms. You can also capture other form data like names, email addresses, or text responses and save them as a Google Sheet in the same automation.
Pro tip: Set up email notifications in Zapier so you know if the automation stops working. Form automations can break if you change your form fields or Google Drive folder structure.
Benefits of This Integration
Hosting files on Google Drive instead of uploading them directly to Wix can improve your site's performance. Google's servers are fast and reliable, and they handle the file delivery while your Wix site focuses on everything else.
You also get better file management. Instead of files scattered across different pages in your Wix backend, everything stays organised in Google Drive where you can easily update, replace, or reorganise files.
The automation side saves time if you regularly collect files from visitors. Customer uploads, applications, portfolios, or any other file submissions can flow directly into organised Google Drive folders without you touching them.
FAQs
Can visitors download files I've embedded from Google Drive?
Yes, if you've set the Google Drive permissions to allow it. You can control whether people can view, comment, or download through Google Drive's sharing settings.
What file types work with embedding?
Most common formats work fine: PDFs, images, Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, and even some video formats. If Google Drive can display it, Wix can usually embed it.
Will this integration work if I change my Google Drive organisation?
If you move or rename files in Google Drive, you'll need to update the embed codes on your Wix site. The same goes for Zapier automations if you change folder names or locations.
Can I embed private Google Drive files?
No, embedded files need to be set to public viewing. If you need to keep files private, you'll need to upload them directly to Wix instead of using Google Drive integration.
Jargon Buster
HTML Embed Element – A Wix tool that lets you add custom code to your pages, including embed codes from external services like Google Drive
Zapier – An automation platform that connects different apps together, so actions in one app can trigger actions in another
Embed Code – A snippet of HTML code that displays content from one website (like Google Drive) on another website (your Wix site)
Wrap-up
Google Drive integration gives you flexible file management and can improve your site's performance by offloading file hosting. The embedding option works well for displaying documents and resources, while Zapier automation handles file collection efficiently.
Start with embedding if you want to display existing files on your site. Add automation later if you're collecting files from visitors and want to streamline that process.
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