Blogger vs Wordpress - Benefits of Blogging on Blogspot Platform

This article compares Blogger vs Wordpress. It covers the main features of the Blogspot blogging platform at blogger.com and gives a short summary of the advantages and disadvantages of Blogger over Wordpress as a blogging platform.

Blogger vs Wordpress- Which is the Better Blogging Platform?

Creating your Blogspot blog at Blogger.com is a good choice for beginner bloggers because it is a free blogging platform with an easy interface and good features. More advanced bloggers may find the lack of some advanced features annoying but Blogger is definitely worth considering as a blogging platform to try out blogging at no cost.

At Blogger.com you don't need a custom domain so there is no cost involved in purchasing a domain name if you don't want to.  However, should you wish to dispense with the subdomain name Blogger assigns by default, Blogger.com offers the facility to add a custom domain name to your Blogger blog for free.

Blogspot (blogger.com) is a powerful blogging platform
but still suited to beginner bloggers

Main Blogger / Blogspot Features

• Blogger is a completely free blogging platform


• Blogger is fast to set up. It only takes about 10 minutes to create a blog, configure the settings and add some gadgets.


• Regardless of your level of  technical expertise Blogger is an easy and intuitive interface to use. Widgets that add functionality to a blog are inserted easily using drag and drop and buttons and links make navigation easy.


• Bandwidth is unlimited with Blogger so there are no bandwidth issues with video and pictures


• It is easy to integrate Google Adsense ad units into your blog once you meet the criteria for an Adsense account.  

• Advertising banners and scripts can easily be incorporated into a Blogspot blog.


• Google Analytics can be added to track blog performance


• It is possible to use your own custom domain rather than the default. For instance yoursite.com instead of yoursite.blogspot.com


• Blogger supports blogging from mobile locations


• Blogger comes with ready made templates. Default Blogger templates can be tweaked with the addition of HMTL and CSS to achieve a unique look.  It is also possible to add a custom template for a more professional look. There are thousands of Blogger templates (both free and paid) to use with different types of blogs depending on purpose eg portfolio, magazine, video etc.
  
  The advantage of uploading a custom premium Blogger theme is that most of the hard work is done for you. You may also consider buying a Blogger theme that offers support for any problems that arise.  Most premium Blogger themes are around $20 at websites like Theme Forest.

Benefits of Blogger over Wordpress

Comparison of the Blogger Platform over Wordpress

There are two different versions of the Wordpress blogging platform.

Wordpress.com  offers a straight forward no nonsense hosted blogging platform which is a rival to Google's Blogger platform. 

Wordpress.org offers a more flexible self-hosted option that requires paid hosting and a custom domain name out of the box.

Interface

The Wordpress.com interface is clunkier than that of Blogger.com.  There is a learning curve to using either of these blogging platforms.  If you don't want a full blog or the headache consider Tumblr a mini blog or even Twitter a micro blog.

Advertising

Wordpress adds its own advertising to your blog and derives revenue from those ads.  Blogger on the other hand puts no advertising on your blog.  With Blogger any revenue a blog derives from advertising is entirely the users.

Storage Space

While Blogger.com allows fairly good storage for photos with Picasa, Wordpress.com caps site storage at 3 GBs.  Running out of storage space is likely to be a problem with Wordpress.com as your blog grows and needs more and more space.

Cost

Blogger is entirely free as is Wordpress.com.  However Wordpress.com only offers limited features.  To access a full range of premium features with Wordpress.com there is a cost depending on what level of account you choose.

Bandwidth

Another issue with Wordpress.com is that once your blog grows and the number of visitors increases you may be required to swap over from the free option to a paid option.

Wordpress.com offers both free and paid options

Blogger vs Wordpress.org

Don't confuse Wordpress.com with Wordpress.org which is an entirely different option.  The strength of Wordpress.org lies in the flexibility and options for plugins to the basic Wordpress program. In order to access Wordpress.org you will need paid hosting for your blog and a custom domain name.

Learning Curve

With added functionality and features comes a steep learning curve to start blogging with the Wordpress.org blogging platform.  If you are not technically minded this can be a headache and detract from the fun of creating a blog.

Functionality

Wordpress.org definitely has the advantage when it comes to features.  There are many templates and plugins available and in the process of development. There are some great professional looking Wordpress themes that will really make your blog stand out.  If you intend to integrate a shopping cart down the track it will be easier to start with Wordpress which has modules and plugins for ecommerce.

Cost

Wordpress needs to be hosted somewhere like Blue Hosting or Hostgator.  To start blogging with Wordpress you will also need a custom domain name available from domain name sites like GoDaddy.  As your traffic increases expect to need to upgrade to a more comprehensive hosting plan with greater bandwidth which will increase annual running costs.

One of the advantages of Blogger is that as a Google product it is a very stable blogging platform.  In selecting Wordpress your website is subject to the vagaries of the host.  Lots of server down time and slow speeds will negatively impact on your blog traffic.  As someone who has personally had problems with too much server down time I would recommend that if you go with Wordpress.org you choose your web hosting carefully. The cheaper the hosting the more likely this will be a problem.

Problems

Whatever blogging platform you choose expect to have some technical problems.  Wordpress is more bug ridden and problematic than Blogger however this is purely my point of view. Wordpress is a very popular blogging platform with many loyal followers and it rightly deserves its praise having cornered a third of the blogging market.

Wordpress.org is constantly being updated to improve the interface and eliminate security risks and bugs. Blogspot, on the otherhand, is only being updated periodically these days. However, there are lots of third party hacks and scripts for both blogging platforms so it is usually possible to find a work around for most problems.

How to Decide Whether to Blog with Blogger or Wordpress

How to Decide Between Blogger vs Wordpress.org

I am not an advocate of Wordpress.com because of the advertising and the limited features.  Deciding between Blogger and Wordpress.org takes more thought however.  With both platforms there is the facility to build a viable blog that will attract visitors from around the world.

For the less technically minded Blogger is the better choice as much of the hard work is taken out of the process of adding information and gadgets to a blog.  Blogger is entirely free making it a good option to have a bit of a dabble in the blogging arena at no cost.

As a self-hosted option Wordpress.org costs from the outset so it is more of a commitment whereas Blogger is a platform you can grow into. If you want to future proof your blog in case you want to add ecommerce and other advanced features then Wordpress.org wins over Blogger.com.

At the end of the day Blogger is a powerful blogging platform that can be modified to suit individual taste and needs. I prefer it because I find it faster to use than Wordpress and I encounter fewer problems. The lack of SEO is one of Blogger's main drawbacks but with a bit of tweaking this can be overcome too.

If you are starting out as a beginner blogger I recommend that before you lay out your hard earned money you at least have a play with Google Blogger before you even consider Wordpress.org. When Blogger vs Wordpress are compared side-by-side Blogger as a free blogging platform has a lot going for it.

Related Articles

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How to Position Adsense Units on Blogger to Earn Extra Money

Want to know more about how to make money with Google Adsense and your Blogger blog (Blogspot blog)? A lot of bloggers make money blogging solely from Google Adsense clicks. Placement of your Adsense ad units on your blog is critical if you are to earn money. In this article I will give you some tips about some of the basics of placing Google Adsense ad units on Blogger from my own experience so that you will earn extra money from your Adsense banners.

Tips for Adding Google Adsense to a Blogspot Blogger Blog

• Use the Google Adsense Heat Map Placement Guide

  First take a look at the Google Adsense Heat Map that shows you the hot and cold positions of Google Adsense ad placement. Notice that a lot of the primary positions where you would put Google Adsense are around the main content. If you use this Google Adsense Heat Map as a guide to your Adsense placement you will start to earn extra money from your ad units.
  
  



• Decide on How Many Adsense Ads?

  Just because Google Adsense rules allow more than three ad units per page doesn't necessarily mean it is a good idea to put more than three on a page. If your blog is fairly new and your traffic low at this stage more than two maybe overkill.
  
  One strategy is to position your ad units by placing one above the first post or around the title and another at the foot of the post. This placement strategy has worked successfully for me in the past.



(Update 2020: Google Adsense now allow a lot more ad units since I wrote this.  If you don't want to think too much about ad placement consider using Google Adsense Auto Ads. If you are intent on customizing your Google Adsense ads the Google Adsense heatmap still pretty much applies as a guide to ad placement.)





• Best and Worst Performing Google Adsense Ad Units

  • I have found that my best performing Google Adsense ad units is 336x280. This sized unit has been very successful in the position above the post and under the post title. Both of these areas are Adsense hotspots as depicted in orange. If this size is not an option you could try a 728x90 leaderboard which is a high performance unit too.
  • I don't particularly like a 468x60 Adsense ad unit in the header. I haven't found this a particularly high performing unit either. Instead I now reserve this slot for my favorite affiliate banner rather than an Adsense ad unit
  • All my Adsense vertical skyscraper ad units such as 160x600 in the sidebar of my blogs have been a waste of time and I have now gotten rid of them. Notice how this is borne out by the white low performing area of the Blogger sidebar
  • I have had mixed success with the linked units such as 728x15 in the Blogger header. They do work on some blogs where there is no navigation menu so I have decided to keep them on in the meantime.

Summary

In this post I have given you the benefit of my experience with respect to strategically placing Google Adsense ad units on a Blogger blog to earn extra money. I strongly suggest following the Google Adsense Heat Map which is an authoritative guide to ad unit placement. If you want to earn extra money try out a 336x280 unit and dispense with any sidebar skyscrapers and 468x60 header banners unless you are sure they are actually good earners. Any questions or if you would like to let me know how you get on please don't hesitate to comment.

Related Links

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How to Get More Adsense Clicks with Blogger
Easy Ways to Put Banner Ads on Blogger
7 Tips for Choosing a Great Blog Topic
How to Put a Copyright Notice on a Blogger Blog
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How to Start a Blog for Free on Google Blogger at Blogger.com

It's easy to start a free blog at Blogger.com and the cost is zero. That's right at Google Blogger it's absolutely free to create and use a blog for as long as you decide you want it. This Blogger tutorial for beginner bloggers will help you create a Blogspot blog using the Blogger Platform which is a powerful blogging platform owned by Google since 2003.

Why Choose Google Blogger over Other Blogging Platforms

If you have been wanting to start a blog but not sure where to start I would suggest Google Blogger as a good option. Lots of bloggers will recommend Wordpress to you which is the gold standard in blogging platforms but is an option that you pay for (the free version has limited functionality). If you haven't tried blogging before and you're not sure if you will even like it then I encourage you to start with Blogger as a no cost way to trial blogging.

If you find that you really like blogging then you can convert your Blogger blog into Wordpress if you choose to further down the track but there is absolutely no reason why you cannot build a successful blog with Google Blogger. Don't spend you valuable hours wading through random articles comparing blogging platforms and website builders when you can get started on your Blogger blog while reading this blog post.

Check out: Blogger vs Wordpress comparison.

Walkthrough of the Steps to Create a Blogger Blog

Blogspot Blogger Guide walks you through the process of creating a blog:

• Getting a Google account
• Using a new versus an existing Google account
• Tips for naming a blog
• Steps for signing up to Blogger.com for a new blog
• How to sign in to your new blog on Google Blogger
• How to select a Blogger theme from the default themes

Sign up to Blogger.com and start enjoying the world of blogging confident in the knowledge that this Blogger Tutorial will help you with the initial learning curve and provide ongoing support in the form of Blogger tutorials on how to make the most of the amazing, free blogging platform at Blogger.com. Start a blog today and begin laying the foundations for a profitable and successful blog.
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Follow this Guide to Get a Blogger.com Blog

Main Features of Blogspot Blogging Platform at Blogger.com

• Completely Free - Zero Cost
• Simple user-friendly interface
• Easy to post photos, text and videos
• Choice of using a blogspot subdomain or your own domain name
• No restrictions on bandwidth
• Unlimited video storage using YouTube
• Photo storage virtually unlimited
• Support for Mobile blogging
• Facility to add third-party templates and widgets

Getting a Blogspot Blog at Blogger.com is a 3 step process:

1. Create a free Google Account if you don't already have one at Blogger.com or use an existing Google Account
2. Name Your Blog
3. Choose a Template

Tips Before Creating a Google Account for Your Free Blogger Blog at Blogger.com

Anyone can sign up for a free account at Blogger.com. You can use an existing Google account eg (gmail account) or you can create a new account.

Setting up a New Account versus Using an Existing Account

Personal Blog
If you are using Google Blogger for a personal blog that you want your family and friends to read then it makes sense to probably use your existing gmail account. This will allow you direct access to photos you have saved on Google Photos and Google Drive. It will also make it easy to use other Google Services like Google Docs and Google Maps and import files into your blog.

Business Blog
If on the other hand you are setting up a business blog then it is probably better to set up a new account as it will enable you to separate your business from your personal. It will mean you will need to log out of your personal account to switch to your business account but on the plus side it will help you to keep all social media accounts and so on that you might set up in the future to promote your blog content separate from your personal social media and email account.

Once you have created an account at Blogger.com you will be free to create as many blogs as you wish up to 100 blogs on the same account.

Tips for Naming Your Blog on Blogger

If you are setting up a business it is best to choose a name that clearly explains the general topic of your blog. If you are starting a personal blog then you have a lot of flexibility about the blog name. The only limitation is whether it is available on Blogger and social media platforms.

Check Name is Available on Social Media
There are millions of Blogspot blogs on the Blogger platform so you may need to get creative to find a blog name that works in your particular niche. You can use a free blog name generator to help you get ideas. One thing I have found helpful before setting up a new blog is to check the availability of the name I want to use on other platforms as well. Tools like namecheckr.com can be useful to check whether your chosen name is available on Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest, Reddit, Instagram and other major social media services.

Check Domain Name is Available if Creating a Business Blog
Also important if you are creating a business blog is to check whether the domain name for your proposed blog name is available. If you are intending to use a custom domain name rather than the Blogspot subdomain (Blogger gives by default) then you will need to make sure it is available. To check whether the domain name can be used simply do a search in your browser using a search term like domain name search. There are lots of sites that offer free domain name search in the hope of selling you a domain name in the process.

• Naming your blog requires some thought as this is the URL address visitors will use to access your site.
• Long names are difficult to remember and are therefore best avoided.
• Choose a name that is short, memorable and is associated with your blog topic or blog niche.
• Try to choose a name (title) that has at least one of your keywords in it. For instance I chose Blogspot Blogger Guide because it described the purpose of my site and also covered two critical keywords: Blogspot and Blogger.

Create a Blogger Blog with a Google Account or Create One

If you already have a Google Account Sign In and Navigate to Blogger

You can use your existing Google gmail account to create a blog in Blogger provided you are signed in. Simply navigate to Blogger.com. As mentioned previously you will be able to directly access lots of other Google services from within Blogger that you may already be using like Google Photos, Google Drive, Gmail, YouTube and so on.

If you don't already have a Google Account Create One at Blogger.com

If you don't have a Google Account or you want another one for Blogger you will need to create an account. Simply direct your browser to Blogger.com and click on Create Your Blog from the main page and then click Create Account in the window that opens up. Follow the prompts to add a name for a new gmail account and a password. When set up you will be returned to the main Blogger screen and prompted to enter your blog name.

Steps to Create a Free Blog at Blogger.com

Once you have a Google account follow the steps below to start your free Blogger blog and get blogging.

1. Create a New Blog
   Click on the orange Create Your Blog button on the Blogger.com home page.






2. Name Your Blog
   In the next window enter the chosen name of your blog as you want it to display to your readers. This is the name that will appear in the header of your blog. Include spacing and title case for clarity for example Blogspot Blogger Guide. Click Next.





3. Subdomain vs Custom Domain
   In the next popup window enter your desired blog name into the box provided. Assuming you are using the default Blogspot subdomain (yourblogname.blogspot.com) rather than your own domain name (yourblogname.com). Click Next.
   
   Blogger checks the availability of the URL and will inform you that the subdomain is available. Go ahead and click continue to complete sign up but first make sure that you have entered the correct name and without any spelling mistakes.
   
   
   
   If your chosen blog name is not available you will have to come up with an alternative. With so many blogs on the Blogger platform now some of your desired names may be already allocated but if you persevere you will find something that closely matches the title you are after.
   
   Note: If you have to enter multiple names then it is worth clicking the back button to change the blog name that will appear in the your blog's header before completing signup.



4. Confirm Display Name
   On this screen you will be asked to confirm the display name you want to show to your readers. Enter the name you want displayed and then click Finish.


5. Complete Sign Up and Go to Dashboard
   When Blogger.com has confirmed your blog address or URL eg yourblogname.blogspot.com and you have completed the sign up process you will be taken to the area of Blogger known as the Dashboard. You will see a menu on the left-hand side from which you access everything you need to customize your blog to you own specifications.
   
   
   
   
6. Default Blogger Theme
   The next step involves choosing a Blogger Theme. By default your blog will have the Contempo Light Theme. To view your blog and its theme click on View Blog link which appears at the bottom of the left-side menu.
   
   If you want to change this template to another Blogger theme go back to the dashboard by scrolling to the bottom of the page and clicking on the Powered by Blogger link. Or you can get there by clicking on your profile and then the big Blogger icon.


7. How to Choose a Different Blogger Theme
   To choose a different Blogger Theme go to Theme in the left-hand menu. Scroll down and you will see all the default themes Blogger has available. Bear in mind that only the newer Blogger themes are responsive so it is probably better to select one of these such as Contempo (other color options), Soho, Emporio, Notable.


8. View New Blogger Theme
   When you see a theme you like click on it once. You can now see how it will look by clicking on the Preview. If you like the Theme click on the back arrow and then Apply to change themes.











9. Create Your First Post
   To create your first post click on the new Post button on the left-hand menu in the Dashboard. The blog post editor will pop open and you can draft your first blog post. It is advisable to set a few settings on your blog before beginning your posts. These are discussed in my next article: How to Set Up a Blogspot Blog at Blogger.com.
   
   
   
   
   

In this Blogger tutorial for beginners I discussed how to start a Blogspot blog at Blogger.com including tips on creating a Google Account for Blogger, naming your Blogspot blog, walking you through the sign up and sign process and choosing a Blogger theme.

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Benefits of Blogging with Blogger.com