If you're looking to start your blog and it's confusing to decide between Blogger or WordPress, this is the only guide you need to go through. :)
I started using Blogger (Blogspot) back in 2011 which I first launched BloggingeHow. Since then, I'm in absolute harmony with this amazing blogging platform I must say. Later, I tried self hosted wordpress too.
This post goes in the roots of both the platforms and what they have to offer for your future blog. Or if you're willing to switch on to any one of these from your current blog.
Why Blogger/Blogspot?
Blogger is a cloud based blogging service. Meaning by that you don't have to install anything with Blogger to get started. You just go to Blogger.com and signup for your new blog. You set the title of the blog and give it a URL. That's how easy it is to start a blog with Blogger.com.There are many pros and cons of both the platforms. When I started Blogging, the only main reason I went with it was due to lack of money to invest. I was relying on my 1$ monthly pocket money!
Advice #1 Ask Your Pocket
So that's my next point, if you're short of money to start with, I would recommend you to go with Blogger platform.The only investment you have to do is to buy a domain name for your blog. When you signup with Blogger, it creates a free domain name URL (yourblogname.blogspot.com) and then you can later buy a domain name and set that custom domain name via Blogger settings.
If you're not sure of where to buy a domain name, you can checkout this guide that goes through detailed steps to get a custom domain name for your blog.
In this times, we can get domain names for as low as 0.99$! I wrote about that too.
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- ##check## Don't Make The Mistake I Made
- I made a huge mistake of not starting with a custom domain right from the beginning of my blogging journey. I wasted about 6 months with blogspot.com domain. I wrote a detailed post about that! Don't make that mistake.
Advice #2 No Need To Worry About Being Hacked
As Blogger is powered by Google, we have strong believe that it's fairly hard to get hacked.
As with WordPress blogs, we need to update it to the latest versions as they get released with new bug fixes and patches. We often read about how hackers exploit WordPress vulnerabilities to hack blogs. That never happened with Blogger blogs.
Advice #3 It's too Simple
Yeah! Blogger platform is too simple to understand compared to WordPress. Not that WordPress is difficult or anything, but I must say it can be overwhelming for the newbies. When I first installed WordPress on my Bluehost hosting, I was literally drowned by so much that I could do with WordPress. That shows it's power!
I'll talk about that in WordPress section.
On the other hand, you'll get everything about Blogger in maximum 30 minutes.
Why WordPress?
WordPress is known to be the king of Blogging platforms and indeed I must say it is. It's not about which platform is better, I believe these both ones have their own pros and cons and at the end of the day, what really matters is which one suites you the best. Which aspects of both can you let go and which matter you more than others.
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- ##check## In My Case:
- For example, for me, initial investment was a big deciding factor. I knew WordPress was pretty powerful back in 2011 too, but I didn't had the money to pay for hosting plan. So it was an easy decision for me.
#1 WordPress Edge: Lack Of Ability To Totally Change My Blog Post URLs.
Even though we can change the some part of the URLs but not entirely.
For example, when you publish a blog post in Blogger platform, our post title is set as our post URL too. Lets say your blog post title is "10 Best Blogging Platforms".
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- ##check## Now Blogger would make that post URL to be like
- "http://www.yourblog.com/2015/12/10-best-blogging-platforms.html"
Notice how it enters publishing date of the post in URL too which we yet don't have the ability to change. We can only change the later part of the URL.
With WordPress, we have total control of how our URLs would look like and we can set it's structure very easily.
Google prefers short to the point URLs and it helps in search engine optimization a lot. I believe this is where Blogger lacks a lot.
#2 WordPress Edge: Easy Author Management
Blogger sucks at this. Imagine you wish to enroll multiple guest bloggers on your blog like how popular blogs do e.g Mashable, CNN, BBC etc.
All these huge publishers rely on hundreds of authors that write for the company consistently. WordPress offers a signup form where new authors can make their accounts and manage their blog posts with ease.
You as an admin can give those authors different roles. You can make them editor of the articles or an absolute admin.
With Blogger, we have to send an invite to individual authors and once they accept the invitation via the email they get, then their account is made into Blogger.
Still we can add a middle man between those authors and Blog admin. We can create a system where authors or guest bloggers would write and submit their blog posts for passing quality test via Editor of the blog and once those get approved, then only the article can be published.
We can't do any of such in Blogger.
I miss this feature of WordPress aaaa lot!
#3 WordPress Edge: Massive Plugin Support
With WordPress, you don;t have to be tech savy. To do certain things on the blog, you just have to install plugins with simple click installations.Lets say you wish to add social media share button on your blog. With WordPress, you have to install the javascript your self in Blogger template Editor and only then those social share button would work on the blog.
Where as with WordPress, you just choose the best look social share plugins for WordPress and they would automatically work on the blog. That's how simply it is with WordPress.
You can checkout: 26 Most Expensive WordPress Plugins You Can't Afford
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- ##check## Point To Note
- What we need to understand is that WordPress is not just a blogging platform, it's far more than that. It's a Content Management System (CMS) that you can use to create blogs, simple static websites, or eCommerce websites and what not. Popular websites that don't have anything to do with Blogging also use WordPress as the back end software.
Where as with Blogger, it's soley a Blogging platform.
The Judgment Day � How Should You Make The Decision
I know it can be tough call to choose between the two platforms. Both are awesome and people are making living using both the platforms. It's been 4 years that BloggigneHow is powered by Blogger platform and I'm loving every bit of it.
Take in consideration the following points which will help you out make the decision.
Question #1 Can You Afford WordPress Hosting
That's the most important question that you have to ask your self. Running a self hosted WordPress blog costs about 50-60$ per year. If you can afford it, there is nothing else you need to think of. Just close your eyes and get started with WordPress. You'll appreciate your decision later on.
WordPress is worth it if you can afford it! <3
Question #2 How Serious Are You About Blogging?
Are you willing to blog for the sake of hobby and to express your self to the world? Or you wish to create a brand that would not only make you popular, but would make you a living?
If you're doing it as a hobby, I would say, simply go with Blogger as you can install custom templates with Blogger and get started. It's free and easy to use! You don't need all those powerful features of WordPress. Blogger does all the basic stuff and even more if you're willing to dive into code.
You can also check out: 35 Most Sold Premium Responsive Blogger Templates at Themeforest
Question #3 How Do You Aim To Expand Your Blog?
Will your blog be a multi author blog in the future? If yes, go with Wordpress, as Blogger would disappoint you in this regard. If you're willing to be a standalone writer on the blog and you wish to make your blog an expression of your self, then Blogger is a great choice.
Question #4 Are You Afraid Of Tweaking Template Code
Note that Blogger can do so many advance customization when it comes to template desgin BUT only if you know how to play with the template code. Notice how BloggingeHow's template is so professional looking. People believe it to be hosted on WordPress blog.
But that shows the power of Blogger. We can create as great look Blogger blogs as Wordpress. But with that, you have to have that mentality to eidt your blog tmeplate. With WordPress, you would not have to do that.
Most of the things can be managed via Plugins. If you can handle code, Simply go with WordPress.
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- ##check## Summary
- I believe it's all about your personal scenario. I hope the above questions would help you decide between the two platforms.
