Step-by-step guide: Embed Google Docs in WordPress for better collaboration

Do you want to embed Google Docs in WordPress while maintaining their original formatting, links, media, and content? In this tutorial, I'll show you how to sync Google Docs to your site in a searchable, sortable, filterable file repository.

Looking for a way to embed Google Docs in WordPress?

If you share documents between Google Docs and WordPress frequently, you need a dedicated Google Docs embedder plugin to streamline your workflow and make the process of collaborating with other people smoother.

Here, I'll walk you through the step-by-step process of embedding Google Docs in WordPress like this:

• We'll use the Document Library Pro plugin to display your Google Docs in a searchable library on your site like this:
  

  

• And we'll optionally combine it with Embed Any Document to embed the Google Doc so that people can view it directly on the page, like this: 

  

This will make it much easier for people to find and view your Google Drive docs directly on your WordPress website.

Let's jump right in.

The best Google Docs embedder plugins

Document Library Pro and Embed Any Document are the perfect plugin combo for embedding Google Docs in WordPress.

• Document Library Pro: Adds, organizes, and presents Google Docs in a sortable, searchable, and filterable file repository on your WordPress site.
• Embed Any Document: Embeds individual Google Docs so that users can view the documents directly on the page.

The way they work together is that Document Library Pro lists the Google Docs in a searchable library. When someone clicks on a link to a document in the library, they'll be taken to a separate page containing the Google Doc embed.

Let's take a closer look at each Google Doc embedder plugin.

Document Library Pro

Document Library Pro is a simple-to-use plugin that lets you add and display Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, and other Google Workspace files directly on your WordPress website.

Using Document Library Pro, you avoid the hassle of managing file uploads or converting documents to web-friendly formats. It lets you sync your WordPress site with Google Docs. Once synced, you can organize and showcase files in a user-friendly searchable, filterable grid or table on your site.

Here's the grid view:

And the table view:

Plus, the Google Doc library automatically inherits your theme's design to fit naturally with its content — zero PHP, CSS, or HTML skills needed.

A quick note: In addition to being an excellent Google Doc embedder plugin, Document Library Pro also supports other file types — Word, PDF, Excel, images, YouTube videos, Dropbox folders, and more. So, if needed, you can have a mix of document types in the same library. Essentially, you can use it to create a comprehensive, centralized document repository that includes Google Doc files alongside other formats.

"Embedding Google Docs in WordPress is a game-changer for collaboration. It lets everyone see the latest updates and work together in real time, right on your site. No more jumping between different platforms. This makes managing content smoother and helps your team stay on the same page, literally and figuratively. It's all about making things easier and more efficient for everyone involved."

Jessica MalnikContent Strategist.

Top features

Here's a quick overview of Document Library Pro's key features.

Document embeds

It lets you add links to directly embed files from Google Drive (Docs, Sheets, Slides, etc.) to the document library in WordPress. Then, you can display the document library anywhere on your site using the dedicated document library page or shortcodes.

Automatic file updates

Since the files are linked to your site, if you update a Google Doc in your Drive then your changes reflect automatically on your website. There's no need to re-upload or re-embed them.

This is especially useful for frequently updated content like team schedules, meeting notes, or living documents that multiple team members edit. Files are always kept up-to-date with no version control issues.

Privacy access controls

If you opt for Document Library Pro's two-plugin bundle, you'll also get the Protected Categories plugin. This lets you set access controls to keep your Google Doc repository private or accessible only to specific users.

This is handy for client portals, member-only resource libraries, internal company sites, and the like.

Beautiful file repository layouts

Document Library Pro displays Google Docs in a beautiful table or grid format on the front end. This gives your repository an organized, polished look.

In addition, you can customize the columns to showcase additional details like document titles, descriptions, categories, tags, and more. This lets you present additional useful information along with each document.

Search and filter options

It comes with built-in search, sorting, and filtering options. These features make it easier for visitors to navigate the repository and quickly locate the Google Doc they need.

You can set filters based on categories, tags, custom terms, or the repository's content, to allow users to narrow down specific files.

Document expiry

The document auto-expire feature helps streamline content management for time-sensitive files. It lets you set expiration dates for each Google Doc. Once a file expires, it is automatically hidden from public view — non-admin users won't be able to access it.

Embed Any Document

Embed Any Document is one of the best plugins for embedding Google Doc files in WordPress. This free plugin is packed with features that make adding Google Docs simple, flexible, and user-friendly.

Used by more than 60,000 websites, including educational, business, and content-heavy sites, Embed Any Document makes it easy to share documents. It includes plenty of customization options for controlling how embedded files appear to your site's visitors. Plus, you can present documents without requiring downloads or additional browser tabs.

How to embed Google Docs in WordPress

As you can see, pairing Embed Any Document and Document Library Pro is the perfect way to embed Google Docs in WordPress. Next I'll tell you how to set them up, step-by-step.

Step 1: Set up the default settings

First things first, we'll configure the setup wizard to choose the default layout, specify the metadata to be displayed together with each Google Doc, add filters to help users navigate the file repository, and more.

Part 1: Add Document Library Pro to WordPress

1. Get the Document Library Pro plugin and add it to your website.
2. Once Document Library Pro is activated on your site, the setup wizard will open. You can also re-launch it at Document Library → Settings → General.
3. The first step in the setup wizard is to choose a default layout for the Google Doc library. While both table and grid layouts look great, I recommend opting for the table layout since it is straightforward and is more convenient for showcasing a lot of additional metadata.

   

Part 2: Choose your preferred file library layout

1. If you opt for the table layout, the next step is to decide which columns to display for each document in the library. Note: You'll need to enter specific terms based on the type of fields you wish to add. Refer to this guide for a rundown of the appropriate fields and what they mean. Here are examples of columns you might want to add.
   • Title: To display the name of the Google Doc file.

     

   • Content: The actual files that will be embedded in the repository. Only include this if you want the embedded Google Doc to appear on your main document library page. This can take up a lot of space, so it's generally best to remove this column. Instead, people can click on a button to view the embedded document on a separate page.
   • Categories and Tags: To facilitate filtering and sorting.
   • Button: To enable visitors to download the file.
2. Enable lazy load if you plan to embed and showcase a huge number of files in the Google Drive repository. This will help make sure that the page loads fast for visitors even if you're showcasing hundreds or thousands of files.
3. To make it easier to navigate the Google Docs library, add category and tag filters:
   

   

4. If you opt for the grid layout, select the information fields you want displayed in your file library then go to the next page.

   

5. Click "Finish setup" once done.

Step 2: Embed each Google Doc in WordPress

2a. Get the doc's sharing link

Now, it's time to generate shareable links for each Google Doc. You'll use these links in a minute to embed the Google Doc in your WordPress document library. Follow these steps:

1. In Google Drive, open the Google Doc you want to embed.
2. Head to the top left of the page and navigate to File → Share → Publish to web.
   

   

3. Click on Publish.
4. Copy the published link, as you'll need to paste it into WordPress later on.
   

   

2b. Embed each Google Doc in WordPress

Now you've created the overall library, it's time to create the actual documents:

1. Install and activate the free Embed Any Document plugin.
2. In your site's dashboard, go to Documents → Add New (or edit an existing document).
3. Fill in the relevant fields, such as file name, featured image, excerpt, document author, slug, etc.
4. Choose document categories and tags, if relevant.
5. Click on the "Add documents" button above the document description area.
6. Select "Add from URL".
   

   

7. Paste the Google Doc link you copied earlier in the field and select "Add URL".
   

   

8. On the Advanced Options page, you can adjust the height and width of the embedded Google Doc on the page, and decide whether or not to show a download link.
   

   

9. Finally, click on the "Insert" button, and Embed Any Document will automatically display the Google Doc within the page.
10. Hit "Publish" in the top-right section of the page to add the doc to the library.

Step 3: Display the Google Docs library in WordPress

By default, Document Library Pro adds a new page to showcase files on your site upon installation. Follow these steps to use it for your Google Doc library:

1. In your site's dashboard, navigate to Pages → All Pages → Document Library.
   

   

2. Enter an appropriate title for the page. This can be something like “Resources”, “Client documents”, etc.
   

   

3. Hit "Update" to make the changes to the page live.

That's it! Head to the front end to view your searchable, sortable, and filterable Google Docs library.

When people click on a link to a document, they'll be taken to a page containing the embedded Google Doc:

Ready to embed Google Docs in WordPress?

In this post, I've shown you how to use Document Library Pro and Embed Any Document to embed Google Docs in WordPress and display them in a searchable, sortable file repository.

To recap, Embed Any Document lets you embed files one by one so visitors can view them directly on a webpage.

Document Library Pro makes it easy to seamlessly collaborate with other users and enables them to easily access Google Docs from your WordPress site. And because updates in Google Doc files will automatically reflect in WordPress, it cuts down on a lot of manual effort that you would have spent on file management.

Get started today and start embedding Google Docs in WordPress!