Writers and Using Google Blogger
Why should I use Google Blogger?
For many years, Living a Life of Writing has been on the Google Blogger-based platform, and it is serving its purpose, but at this point there is discussion between the writers on this website as to our next step. It used to have it site as a blogspot site, and grew from there.
We’ve talked about the reinvention of a writer, but what about the reinvention of a blog?
There are some pros and cons to moving a blog of this age and size around- it was nearly seven years ago when Living a Life of Writing began. Not only are we dealing with some considerably non-technologically inclined writers, but we also have to take a leap of faith and answer the question: should we move? Google Blogger has been good to this blog for many years, but it’s beginning to feel a bit small, we want to push ourselves and grow as bloggers and writers, but also find better ways to share the blog. Not in terms of scope, but in terms of added functionality.
Should a growing blog continue on the blogger platform? For the most part, more and more bloggers are using the WordPress platform, and comment on how easy it is to use the WordPress site to grow and how one can build a professional looking blog.
This is where Google Blogger can fail people- everyone who has a small bit of website knowledge can tell it’s a blogger platform. For those who have read Living a Life of Writing for a long period of time, there have been changes, many of them in regards to what we publish or how we publish a post.
I have personally read many books on the topic of how to make money blogging
Some of the more web-based design has been a lot harder to come by since the writers here aren’t as advanced, but there are many who say it’s easy to come up with a professional looking template on WordPress.
The benefit of Blogger is this particular blog has been around for a long while, and most people have links to this site. Although according to many website owners, it is a simple means of forwarding to a new site with some re-directs. Re-directs it seems are a great way to continue to link between old and new. There are benefits to this. All this can be very technical, and a writer who isn’t as technologically inclined will be worried about making a website work.
Google Blogger is designed with a writer in mind who is looking to create something with a lot of content, who gets some readers commenting, but who doesn’t care to take it to the next level. Readers are savvy and want to see the most professional looking website possible.
Blogger is a good platform, it is free and it comes with a variety of templates to choose from, and for a person who wants to focus on their writing it is a good choice. This is not a great platform for those who are looking to build something that will keep readers coming back long term.
Blogger is a basic blogging platform. It’s a great starting place for new writers, and we encourage people to use it, but if a writer is truly thinking long term, there are other more professional platforms to choose from. Blogging though isn’t about where you are now, but where you will be. The next stop is WordPress where you can customize more and change the layout of your blog with ease. There are two types of WordPress platforms out there, and the one most people choose is: wordpress.org.
This being said, the WordPress platform will push your limits and increase your learning curve.
Is Google Blogger a good choice?
For many writers the answer will be yes, but while it means less work, it means more effort to earn money on the part of the writer with a blog which is not always as web-friendly in design.
A writer’s life is about testing limits you place on your writing, and there are limitations to Blogger and its ability to give the best it can to a writer who needs to push his blog to the next level.
There are limitations to each typeof site out there, but the basic fact remains a good blog no matter where it is, will do well.
16 Comments
Paul
Blogger is a basic platform, I prefer WordPress. Will you use that?
Anonymous
I've liked your blog for a long while, and I will follow it no matter where you publish it. I'd say you're almost too big for blogger- what with you and Morris and Jordan- great publishing team of bloggers.
James
Rebecca- google blogger is a good choice, but you're needs are growing! keep up the good work. I prefer wordpress myself. I use wordpress.com, and I don't make anything because it's com and not org.
Rebecca A Emrich
Paul, James and Anon- I think this calls for a blog post on wordpress… are you up for that? yes I'll take this all into consideration for writing.
Steve Johnson
I've converted a few blogs from Blogger to WP.org, and it's quite an undertaking to make sure the permalinks don't change. Also, if you're using Blogger's native RSS URL, then the new WP.org RSS will break everyone's subscription to your feed.
With respect to earning income, success has nothing to do with Blogger or WP. Instead it has everything to do with your sales and marketing savvy. I've published a Blogger blog that pulled in $72,000 a year, and another that does $24,000.
If you have a lot of traffic, consider that Blogger offers free hosting and unlimited bandwidth. WP.org requires you to buy hosting, and likely higher bandwidth. Blogger also has a lot of built in security measures that you dont really see. WP.org requires you to install and manage security entirely yourself.
We get a lot of customers that hire us to build websites for them, and after explaining the pros and cons of Blogger vs WordPress, a few choose Blogger for the reasons I outlined above.
With respect to better looking templates, there are many Blogger templates on Themeforest that rival the presentation and stylings of WordPress.
Steve Johnson
I've converted a few blogs from Blogger to WP.org, and it's quite an undertaking to make sure the permalinks don't change. Also, if you're using Blogger's native RSS URL, then the new WP.org RSS will break everyone's subscription to your feed.
With respect to earning income, success has nothing to do with Blogger or WP. Instead it has everything to do with your sales and marketing savvy. I've published a Blogger blog that pulled in $72,000 a year, and another that does $24,000.
If you have a lot of traffic, consider that Blogger offers free hosting and unlimited bandwidth. WP.org requires you to buy hosting, and likely higher bandwidth. Blogger also has a lot of built in security measures that you dont really see. WP.org requires you to install and manage security entirely yourself.
We get a lot of customers that hire us to build websites for them, and after explaining the pros and cons of Blogger vs WordPress, a few choose Blogger for the reasons I outlined above.
With respect to better looking templates, there are many Blogger templates on Themeforest that rival the presentation and stylings of WordPress.
Rebecca A Emrich
Steve- excellent points there, and something to think about. Great points of interest- well said, and a good point of view to take into consideration.
R May
I prefer the blogger platform myself, and in your case, I would recommend going back and updating some of your older posts.
It's very likely you'll make a lot of money if you were to market your blog better. It;s great where it is. I've followed it since before it was living a life of writing- when you called it 'living a writer's life' so I would consider how much you'll lose by moving to word press.
Anonymous
wordpress is a great platform, but you'll lose a lot of premalinks if you move. In this case, seven years, and you've got the people here. Stay where you are improve a blog first.
Philip
Themeforest for blogger is the way to go. I'd stay if you have the choice. I've made money on both wordpress and blogger- nearly $50,000 a year- and if you have a good blog- you'll just need to update the template
Rebecca A Emrich
Points taken and received, thanks for pointing this out R May, because it's one of the thing we are doing.
Anonymous
When you gonna push this blog to next level? You on social networking sites, but this blog is okay- needing more, wishing for more.
Michael
I have worked with both plattforms for a while now. I was starting with WordPress some years ago and got used to it :). In the meantime I can't imagine working with another plattform when I have the possibility to chose. When asked I usually recommend WordPress (right now I'm working on a new website based on this cms for one of my clients – Epluse).
But there other plattforms like Typo3, Joomla or Drupal as well. If you want to build a larger plattform, you should have a look at these plattforms as well. I have to admit that I don't like Blogger, especially the backend is very old school in my opinion … But this is just my two cents ;).
Best regards
Michael
Lois
I've used the blogger platform for many years, and I've had success with some blogs and not others, I guess it depends on your topic too.
Rebecca A Emrich
Michael and Lois- there are definite side benefits to all of these as well, and so far, blogger is good to me, although next blog I create will probably be on wordpress.com
Shira Garnett
I agree…….