Congratulations on taking the first step to join the world of bloggers. Like many things in life, there are many options. WordPress Vs Blogger – Which One Is Better?
When it comes to running a successful blog, it all comes down to starting with the right blogging platform.
Now the reason I say this is because it’s a lot of work to switch platforms and will more than likely affect your SEO rankings which takes time to build.
Since you’re starting from zero, why not start with a platform that you will be a part of for many years to come?
In this article, I will focus on comparing the difference between WordPress and Blogger. I’ll be providing you with the pros and cons for both to help you make a better decision.
Note: I know I’m using WordPress, but the decision is yours to make. Just because I prefer WordPress does not mean that you have to use it as well. Just wanted to put it out there.
Comparing WordPress.com and WordPress.org
We’ll start off by talking about WordPress and I’d like to compare both WordPress.com and WordPress.org.
The major differences between the two are pretty much who will be hosting your website online.
With WordPress.org, you are getting an open source software that you can install from a web hosting service provider like Hostgator.
WordPress.com, on the other hand, will host the website for you. The price point ranges from FREE up to $45.00 per month. They offer plans for different needs. Here’s an image I took from their website:
The nice thing about hosting with WordPress.com is that you’ll be working with the company who created WordPress.
If you are just looking to get your feet wet, I highly recommend using their most basic version which is completely free!
Unfortunately, it does come with limitations such as limited themes to choose from and it doesn’t allow you to install plugins.
Alternatively, you can sign up for my recommended platform (Wealthy Affiliate) which also includes their version of free web hosting plus training courses to teach you how to make money online from zero.
Coming Up, Blogger.com By Google
Blogger.com is a well-known blogging platform provided for anyone who wants to get started. It is absolutely free to create your own blog using Blogger.com.
However, by creating a blog using Blogger.com, you don’t actually own it. Your website, in the end, is owned and operated by Google. Therefore, they hold the rights to your website.
If they decide to shut you down, they can do it and there’s nothing you can do about it. This is something to consider when choosing a blogging platform.
The Pros And Cons Of WordPress (Platform, Not Web Hosting)
Do you see yourself blogging for a very long time? If that’s the case, you will reap the benefits of choosing WordPress as your CMS (Content Management System).
WordPress gives you the ability to customize your blog to your standards. Are you tired of using the free themes provided to you? No worries, there are many vendors that offer premium themes at a price.
Right now, I’m operating Smart Affiliate Hub using the Genesis Framework and their child theme known as Essence Pro (Not An Affiliate Link).
On top of designing your blog with amazing themes, WordPress also comes with a huge directory of plugins that you can use to take your blog to the next level.
Unlike Blogger.com, WordPress is an open source, so your website belongs to you.
However, WordPress is not perfect. First of all, WordPress is not the best in terms of security. So it’s important that you make use of WordPress Backup Plugins to save a copy of your website in case you need to restore it to a previous point.
Secondly, it does cost money to upgrade your blog with themes and plugins. Even though it’s a good thing that you can customize your blog, but if you’re not careful with your spending.
You can quickly spend hundreds, maybe even thousands of dollars on things you might not actually need.
The Pros And Cons Of Blogger.com
The nice thing about using Blogger.com is that you don’t have to worry about any hidden fees. It is absolutely free and extremely easy to use.
Not only that but since it’s owned and operated by Google, you can blog worry-free knowing that the security aspect of your blog should be taken care of by the most popular website in the world; Google.
The problem with Google Blogger is that they don’t provide you with many options when it comes to customizing your blog with themes.
In the future, if you decide to switch platforms, it can require a ton of work. Here’s an article I found on isitwp.com that teaches you how to switch from Blogger.com to WordPress.
Keep in mind, to reduce the damage on your SEO rankings, it is important that you redirect your Blogger.com URL’s to the new URL for WordPress or whichever platform you ended up switching to.
And again, Google owns the right to your website. So they have the right to shut you down or if they decide to remove blogger.com entirely, you’re out of luck as well.
Your Time Is Valuable
I don’t plan on blogging for a while and go ghost on it. My time is far too valuable to waste and I’m sure your time is equally valuable.
That’s why it’s absolutely critical that you choose a platform that you can depend on for long-term.
Both WordPress and Blogger.com are great options since they have both proven themselves that they are capable to withstand the test of time.
Again, Blogger.com is owned by Google, the giant with amazing security. The biggest downside to using them as your platform is not having the rights to your blog and your content.
While WordPress is an open source and you as the owner owns the right to it. That’s why WordPress has grown to become one of the most popular CMS (Content Management System) on the internet.
Personally, I wouldn’t want to jeopardize my time on a platform that I don’t own the rights to. But that is up to you to decide. How much is your time worth to you?
It All Boils Down To What You Prefer
When it comes to choosing the right platform, it can be a daunting task. But let me ask you this since we now know the pros and cons of both WordPress and Blogger.com. It’s safe to ask ourselves the following questions:
How much control do you need to have over your website? If you don’t care for control and just want a simple platform to blog then Blogger.com will work just fine.
However, if you want to customize your blogs such as the layout, design, or even function then WordPress is the clear winner here.
How important is having support to you? I know this is a weird question, but some people simply don’t care for support seeing as they are able to find most solutions on Google.
On the other hand, there are people like myself who may require hand-holding. Blogger.com offers minimal support, so you’ll probably have to do your own research for a solution.
WordPress however, offers online documentation, forums, chatrooms, and more. You can find experienced WordPress users online for support within the various channels.
In Conclusion
Both WordPress and Blogger.com are amazing platforms. They are both free to use and have proven themselves to withstand the test of time.
Personally, I recommend using WordPress since it is easier to scale. In fact, as of 2018, around 75,000,000 websites on the internet are operated using WordPress.
Free is not always great. Yes, it’s a great starting point. Both WordPress.com and Blogger.com offers a free service, but if you want to scale up your blog. You have the option to upgrade to higher-tiered plans with WordPress.com.
Smart Affiliate Hub is operated using WordPress, so naturally, I’m going to recommend WordPress instead of Blogger.com. I use it and I trust it.
So if you decide to use WordPress as your blogging platform. I strongly recommend that you sign up for Wealthy Affiliate.
It is absolutely free to join plus they will provide you with 2 free websites along with training courses to teach you how to make money online.
Other than that, I hope you gained a lot of knowledge from this short article. I hope this helps you make an informative decision.
Regardless, I’d like to congratulate you for joining the blogging community. If you need help with anything, please don’t hesitate to ask by leaving a comment down below.
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