Blogging | The Great Platform War: Blogger Myths Busted

There has been a war between Blogspot bloggers and WordPress bloggers for as long as blogging as we know it has existed. Fun Fact: I was once kicked out of a facebook group for making the comparison like this:

The Blogger/WordPress war is a lot like politics and religion. Each side thinks they are right and won't listen when facts are brought up. WP users are hardcore and often use cult tactics to brainwash Blogger bloggers into coming to their side. Although not all WP-ers are like that I have actually been told by one successful blogger that the only reason she switched was "peer pressure". In the end your blogging platform is a personal choice and should not be judged. WP users are not an elitist group and having a WP blog does not make you a better blogger. Blogs fail because the blogger behind it failed, not because the platform failed them or because they didn't switch to WordPress. This "war", for lack of a better term, is childish and immature and bloggers should really stop with the debates that only make them look like Bush v. Kerry all over again.

As a blogger on Blogger I could write a novel on why I refuse to switch to WordPress. But I will save that for another time. Instead, today's post is going to debunk, or myth bust, a few things about the Blogger (Blogspot) platform. So if you are thinking about switching, I hope this will help you make a firm decision based on facts and not what you heard on the playground.

Ready? Get clicky wit it!

· You DO own your own content. 

Google based blogs actually have what some may call an unfair advantage. Google really liked people who give them support and so the absolute last thing Google wants is to rip off your work. It’s been passed up and down the blog grape vine that Google owns any and all content you share on your Blogger blog. This is simply not the case. In fact, you can read the Google terms and conditions regarding this exact fact and they will spell it all out for you. Google doesn’t own any of your blog content. Plan and simple. Get it straight from Google.

· You DO have just as many customization options.

Word Press users love to talk about all the customization they have in their blog. What they leave out is the setup of said customizations. WP has widgets galore and as such, this myth that you cannot customize your Blogger blog was born. Being a blog designer, I know this first hand. With a little HTML/CSS/Java/JQuery knowledge (or a designer who has knowledge >wink wink<) and some basic tech skills, you can easily write your own customized widgets directly in your blogger layout (or, occasionally, your template).

Have you even seen some of the blogs out there? I mean, take a look at mine right now. Go on up to my navigation bar and open the "home" option in a new window. Yeah. I'm a Blogger blogger and my "blog" looks just like an actual website. Why? Because I put in the time and effort to learn how. You can too. All it takes is some searching and researching. Or you can hire a designer (shameless plug) to do it for you.

· Blogger blogs are just as “big kid” as Word Press blogs.

Many current WP users started out with Blogger. They are often overheard telling people that they made the switch because they wanted to be taken more seriously by partner companies for ads, sponsorships, etc. The truth is that I could name five “top” bloggers off the top of my head that make big money working with brands and bringing in sponsors left and right. Notice I stated that I could. But I can’t here because I could get sued. If you want to know the easy way to find out who is on what, simply right click the webpage and view age source. What you find might surprise you. 

The best way to be taken seriously as a blogger is to make sure you aren't appearing amateurish. Get a domain name to start with. Even .wordpress users will tell you that!

· You CAN get big time ads and sponsors.

This is probably one of my favorite my favorite myths to bust. Why? Because as I stated above there are many top bloggers out there who are still on Blogger. But more than that, I love busting this myth because I so enjoy the look on people’s faces when I tell them how much money Blogger users actually can make. And because Blogger is free, they put less back into their blog (hosting fees anyone?) and thus end up saving money. It’s astounding, really, all you can do when working with brands. Just remember – it isn’t your platform that gets picked for sponsors. It’s you!

All of this factors into the bigger picture and why you are currently reading this post. You need to choose between Blogger and WP. In the end, the choice is yours. I can’t sing Blogger praises loud enough. I only design for Blogger. I think WP users are snobby. Please don’t sue me. But choosing your blog host is a lot like choosing a car. Hondas aren’t right for every family. Not everyone should own a minivan. But before you decide, let me just say one quick thing about Blogger: It is entirely free. And if you are marketable, good with code (or able to hire a designer, another shameless plug) and want to work with brands, your possibilities become endless. And your wallet will stay fat.

Start the Discussion:

Are you thinking of switching platforms? Why or why not?

What questions do you have about the Blogger platform?

Happy Blogging!