The Blogger platform has been around for many years and offers its own set of pros and cons. If you are considering setting up a blog to promote products and services you will want to make sure that you choose the best platform right from the start.
Blogger may or may not be the best choice for your business based on your long-term and short-term goals. You need to find out the good and the bad of any blogging platform so that you can make an informed choice.
Here are the most important pros and cons of Blogger for business that you need to know:
Blogger Pros
- Free to use
- Fast setup
- User-friendly platform
- Google integration
- Exclusively for blogging
- High security level
Blogger Cons
- Limited customer support
- Lack of versatility
- Limited blogging features
- Older blogging platform
- Difficult to sell ad space
- Owned by a third-party
A blog that has been properly set up and maintained has the potential to raise your business to the next level. It is the place where you will distinguish your brand and proudly display the best features of it.
Find out whether Blogger would be a blogging platform that would meet the needs of your business.
Use Blogger for Business Website
Blogger is Google’s platform for blogging and when it first came it opened the doors to blogging for both recreational and for business purposes. It provides everything required to get a blog started and growing.
It has been constructed with a one-size-fits-all approach with everything required to manage a basic blog.
You are provided with all of this convenience for free and the system is very easy to understand. You do not have ownership of your blog, however, since it is parked on a Google platform.
This means that you do not ultimately have control over your business blog but you may want to consider that as a type of trade-off for the convenience it offers.
Pros of Blogger for Business
Blogger is a well-established platform that has proven itself through the test of time. It is a set-and-go platform and it is the easiest blogging platform available on the Internet. Here are some of the pros of using this resource for your business:
Free to Use
In terms of cost, you really can’t beat the price. Blogger is completely free and you can set up your own blogging website on the subdomain “blogspot.com”.
Your blog will come with a preinstalled SSL certificate, which provides it with high security, and there are no hidden costs involved with setting it up or upgrading it.
Fast Blogger Setup
If you already have a Google account that you are currently using you’ll automatically have a Blogger account as well. A Google account is bundled with a Blogger account for your convenience.
This means that you don’t have to go through a complex registration cycle when you want to start a blog. It has already been done for you.
Blogger is extremely user-friendly in terms of getting started and if you have been using YouTube or Gmail you won’t have to sign up for it. Simply head over to Blogger and then sign in using your Google password and username.
If you don’t have a Google account yet, you’ll need to get one to get started. This will only take a few minutes and the signup is very straightforward.
Once you’re signed in you’ll see the interface, which is pretty much self-explanatory. The layout is easy to understand and you can set up one blog or many.
Since this is a blogging site and dedicated only to blogging, you won’t have to deal with any other distractions or systems that have been put in place for other purposes.
One thing you should understand about Blogger, however, is its minimalist approach to blogging. For many, this is a plus point and the simplicity is what makes it so appealing. You don’t have to do a lot to get started and it only takes a few minutes to begin creating your blog.
User-Friendly Setup
How to Configure a Blog on Blogger
Simply click on the “Create New Blog” button and then choose the following:
- Your display name
- Blog title
- Theme
- Blog address
Once you have done this your blog is set up. The next thing you’ll need to do is configure the settings, edit the layout and then start adding posts.
There are building elements for changing the design layout and you are able to customize various individual elements in the theme using the Blogger theme editor. From that point on, you can just keep adding posts and you don’t have to worry about changing any of the settings.
Google Integration
Blogger is owned by Google and it has been integrated to be a part of the overall Google experience. For example, it’s easy to add Google advertising to your site.
The ability to put ads on a blog has been built into the Blogger system, just as you would expect since it belongs to Google. As well, your images are stored by Google Photos so they are always instantly available to you.
You will have a built-in Google connection with Google AdSense and you can use Google AdWords to promote your new blog.
There are definitely advantages to having your blog directly linked to all of the perks provided by Google and this integration simplifies the whole process of blog creation and monetization.
Exclusively for Blogging
As mentioned above, Blogger was initially developed exclusively for blogging and this remains in place today. There are many different publishing platforms available on the Internet that attempt to offer a number of different options besides blogging.
Many of the platforms that aren’t solely devoted to blogging are trying to offer too much and as a result they become confusing and don’t provide a great blogging opportunity.
Blogger has never attempted to become more of a social network like others and has never tried to compete against WordPress as a full management website system.
It hasn’t incorporated any of the features that you would see in Twitter, for example such as real-time messaging. It has stayed true to its very core and this has helped to maintain its simplicity factor.
At the same time, however, blogger offers the types of features that you would expect in a basic blogging platform. RSS is still supported and people are allowed to leave comments.
The main focus is on the latest blog posts that have been added and for many, this is the most important aspect of setting up a blog. Blogger remains simple and committed to publishing the content on the Internet that you want to share with others.
High Security Level
Google Blogger provides not only a robust platform for blogging but a high-level of security as well. There is no need to create a backup for your blog, secure it or worry about managing the resources on a server.
At the same time, you don’t have to put any attention on the speed of your blog either. You can expect a top speed along with the security features that have been built into this blogging platform.
This means that your focus can remain on providing the best content possible while also working on promoting your blog to continually increase the revenue from it. For many bloggers, not having to worry about security or speed is a big advantage over the other blogging alternative platforms.
Cons of Using Blogger for Business
When you are looking at the pros and cons of using Blogger for business, it’s easy to see that Blogger has a lot of advantages but it also comes with several disadvantages that are important to consider.
While it does have many great features to offer and is used by many of the top blogs that are currently operating on the Internet, the features are very limited. This is especially true when you look at the different alternatives available for running a blog.
Almost all of the complaints about Blogger relate to the need for support and more customizable features. Many bloggers reach a point where they have outgrown this platform and it can be difficult and extremely time-consuming to transfer all of the content since it must be done manually.
Here are the most important cons of using Blogger:
Limited Customer Support
Blogger only offers limited support to its customers. There is a user forum available and documentation for the platform but they are both very basic. When it comes to support, you have limited choices.
There is no one-on-one support offered to customers since Blogger is a free service. You are able to use the “Help” option, however, if you have a question that you need answered.
This can be found in the admin panel. There are also support tutorials available there that will hopefully answer your questions.
The product has been built so that you won’t have many problems using it but as with any type of platform, there are usually some issues that come up.
If you do have a specific question and can’t get an answer through the help option on blogger you can look through support forums, use Google search or try do-it-yourself troubleshooting to work your way through the issue.
Lack of Versatility
As you explore the pros and cons of using Blogger for business you’ll quickly find that a lack of versatility is another issue. As mentioned above, the focus of Blogger is only on blogging and this places serious limitations on its versatility.
You won’t be able to incorporate a home page or even a landing page onto the site. You’ll be limited only to providing posts that appear in reverse chronological order.
The only workaround for this is by using the redirect manager, which is complicated and difficult to use by the average layperson.
The things that you will be able to add through the built-in gadgets feature on Blogger include a contact form, subscription links and advertising.
You’ll have to use these features exactly as they are provided by Google though and there are no alternatives that can be used instead. Most businesses require more versatility in order to create a successful business blog.
- Blogger Templates
If you want to create something that looks different from the other thousands of Blogger sites that are currently on the Internet, you’ll need to turn to a different platform.
You’ll need to use the templates provided and you can’t use any other third-party templates at all. Although you have the ability to change the layouts to a certain degree along with the colors, your choices are very limited.
- Permalink Structure
Another huge problem with using Blogger is the permalink structure cannot be personalized. The URL of your posts will always show the date when the post was published and this cannot be changed.
This can be extremely damaging when you are trying to work on search engine optimization. When you use other platforms you can structure the URL to show the title of your post, which is crucial when it comes to SEO.
- Spam Comments on Blogger
There is also an issue in terms of managing spam comments. They cannot be managed on Blogger so you are going to have to spend a long time reading through all of them before deciding whether to delete or approve them.
This is very time-consuming especially when you consider that business blogs usually get a ton of spam comments.
This small range of options in terms of templates and customization features is one of the main reasons why people look elsewhere for another blogging platform to use. Many turn to WordPress since it provides a virtually unlimited range of customizable features.
Limited Blogging Features
When you use Blogger as a platform for a business blog there are limited features available. For example, you are provided with a basic blogging layout and you don’t have any control over the order in which your content is displayed.
As well, you cannot create different content types such as portfolio pages, gallery pages etc. The layout can’t be changed if you want to add different content and you don’t have the ability to add opt-in scripts.
You will also have difficulty making your content look unique since you are unable to integrate most third-party apps into the platform. You’ll need to use the Blogger WYSIWYG function only. If you’re looking for a website that you’ll be able to manage fully you won’t get that on this platform.
In general, if all you are looking for is a traditional business blog then these problems won’t be an issue for you. You’ll be able to produce a blog easily with a lot of convenience but without the ability to customize it.
If you are looking for a long-term business blog that is going to serve you well into the future, you may very well find that at some point you will reach a ceiling using Blogger and will want to explore other options.
Older Blogging Platform
Blogger was first launched on August 23, 1999 by Pyea Labs. It was then purchased in February, 2003 by Google. It can be considered to be an old-school blogging platform, which can be considered to be either good or bad depending on your needs.
We have not seen any new updates in quite a while and you shouldn’t expect any changes in the near future based on what we’ve seen in the past.
Difficult to Sell Ad Space
If you are planning to start a blog for monetization purposes, it’s best to opt for other platforms. Many brands won’t advertise on a Blogger business blog since they don’t really take them seriously.
If you are looking to make a lot of cash with your blogging by offering advertising space to companies, this is an important aspect to consider when choosing a blog platform.
When you use Blogger for business blogs, there isn’t as much potential for growth as there would be if you owned your own blog. You are hosting your site using a third-party and it’s obvious to others that you are aren’t putting a lot of time and effort into the creation of the blog.
If you aren’t taking your blog seriously enough to give it a strong foundation, how can another company take your business seriously? It would be best to look elsewhere for a different platform if blog monetization is one of the main goals for your website.
Your Blog is Owned by a Third-Party
Creating a blog on a third-party platform is limited by the company that owns the platform. In this case, it’s Google. The analogy can be made between starting a blogger blog and renting a home.
When you rent a place you do not have ownership of it and are bound by the rules and regulations of the landlord. When you own your own home, you have the freedom to create with it.
The same goes for a blog. You are limited by Google’s Terms and Conditions if you are using the platform and also by the features offered. If you do something against the rules, Google has the right to shut down your site.
Here today and gone tomorrow. This can be done very quickly and as a business owner it can create havoc for your brand.
There are many third-party platforms that offer better features for customization along with the ability to make a business blog your own. Wix, Squarespace, WordPress.org and Weebly are four examples of these types of platforms where you are better able to create a unique site.
The problem with these sites and others like them is they are owned by third parties as well. You still don’t have complete ownership of your blog.
When you take the time and effort to create a blog that features your own domain name and use a hosting platform that you pay for, you’ll be able to take advantage of all the benefits of complete blog ownership. This is huge and may in fact be the make-break point of your business success.
Blogger Websites – Google Ownership
Google has created and then suddenly discontinued a number of its established products including the following:
- Google Glass
- iGoogle
- Google Apps for Teams
- Google Reader
- Google+
Will Blogger be next? This is certainly an unknown and is something that is not predictable. Google is constantly changing things up and nobody knows what is next on the agenda.
The only thing you can know for certain is that by creating a blog on Blogger you are taking a chance that the platform may be discontinued at any time.
Blogger is not now, nor has it ever been, a top priority for Google. There is always the threat that it will be shut down and this is one of the biggest reasons why many people do not choose to host a blog on this platform.
As far as the pros and cons of using Blogger for business goes, this should be the most important point to consider.
Blogger vs. WordPress
Blogger and WordPress are the 2 most popular platforms for blogging to be found on the Internet. They both allow you to create blogs easily but they are very different.
According to BuiltWith usage stats, of the 1 million top sites in the world, 38% of them have been built using WordPress and 95% of them are blogs. About 1% of the top 1 million sites have been built using Blogger.
WordPress is by far the winner in terms of the number of blogs built using that platform.
WordPress began back in 2003 but since that time it has been updated continuously to add more value to users. It is an open source software that is available free of charge and it can be used to create as many blogs as you want.
You will need a hosting plan and a domain name to get started but as stated above, this will give you ownership of your blog.
Although it isn’t as easy to set up a blog for business using WordPress as it is with Blogger, it is still quite simple. If you are setting up a blog for the long-term, the time and effort put into establishing a solid foundation is well worth it.
There are beginner guides that show you how to set up a WordPress blog in a step-by-step format and in most cases it won’t take any longer than 30 minutes.
Once you have installed and have the program running on your hosting plan, you’ll be able to choose a blog theme and choose the best features for your site. In the end, you’ll have a blog that looks exactly how you want it to look.
While the convenience of setting up a Blogger site may be tempting based on the convenience and ease of the setup, it’s much wiser to make the time investment and set up a WordPress blog instead.
WordPress gives you a better chance of optimizing your site for SEO purposes and monetizing it through direct brand advertising by different companies.
The Future of Your Blog
There have not been any major updates made on the Blogger platform for a long time. The future of your blog depends on Google and it could be shut down at any time based on the decisions made by the company.
WordPress, on the other hand, is open source and its future does not depend on any company.
WordPress management is maintained by a community of users and developers. As the most popular management system for content in the world, WordPress has a future that is reassuring and bright.
Why Choose WordPress?
WordPress has proven itself over time and continues to be updated to provide users with the best blogging experience possible.
Any type of website can be created using the WordPress platform including directory sites, e-commerce sites and much more. A blog can be a part of these websites as well.
There is a vast range of plug-ins available for WordPress so that it can be customized to your liking. The number of themes you can use, both paid and free, are virtually unlimited.
You can find different themes with formats and layouts that would perfectly reflect the tone of your business website and even these can be customized as you want.
Once your WordPress blog has been set up it’s easy to add posts to it regularly. Any person can learn how to create posts on this platform. You can add images and opt-in forms with the touch of a button and managing comments is a breeze.
Pros and Cons of Blogger for Business – Final Thoughts
Blogger is the perfect platform for individuals that are using a blog as a sort of diary of events for personal interest. For this purpose, it is invaluable.
It is a great starting point for people that are just starting out on the Internet and want to learn the basics of blogging through trial and error. Blogger certainly has a place but not so much in the business world.
It is not the best choice for a business blog since the cons heavily outweigh the pros. Businesses that are serious about bringing their brands up to the next level need to use a blogging platform that is more robust. That is where WordPress fits into the equation.
A business blog should never be created with limitations in place. When you are serious about creating the best blog possible for your brand, it’s time to look at the advantages of building a solid foundation right from the beginning.
This is how great websites, brands and businesses are able to experience massive success.
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