When it comes to blogging, there are predominantly two platforms you can choose between. There is the open platform WordPress and Google’s blogging platform, known as Blogger. In the past, choosing between the two has typically been down to preference as to what works best for you. However, after the last year or so, it has come to my attention that Blogger has some serious drawbacks which should be enough for bloggers to stay away from using the platform once and for all. Here are the main drawback and reasons to stay away from Google’s blogging platform.
#1 Lack of Https:// with Custom Domains
If you do not have a custom domain, then you should have no problem with getting a ‘.blogspot.com’ URL for your website that has an SSL certificate, since Google will provide you this. The problem comes with those that are using their own custom domain for a Blogger blog, which should be everyone!
Google’s Blogger does not support custom domains with https:// (a URL with an SSL certificate). It is a necessity for websites to use an SSL certificate for better security, since Google are now penalizing websites with their SEO if they do not have one.
This produces a dilemma for bloggers. Although Blogger is run by Google, it is also causing custom domain websites from getting the best SEO possible. This is, by far, the biggest reason to stay away from Blogger.
#2 Lack of Features/Too Simplistic
Blogger, if you want to make a living from a website and develop your own features and functions into your website, is far too simple in what it can provide. Yes, you can upload and change the .xml template file and change the HTML of the website. However, if you want features such as a e-shop, forum and more, then Blogger is far too limited in doing this.
#3 You Won’t Ever Own Your Website
This does seem a little crazy. Unfortunately, it is true, though.
When using Blogger, you do not need to buy a hosting package with the likes of GoDaddy or Hostgator etc. – Google provides their own free hosting so you don’t need to. This does provide the bonus of having free unlimited hosting, it does also mean you are not in control of the hosting of your website and neither truly own the content itself, since it is not on a hosting package of yours but one that Google provides. For example, it is not your decision whether your hosting stops or continues, it is Google’s instead.
#4 Hard to Sell Website
Because of the above reasons, it is quite difficult trying to sell a website to someone, such as on Flippa. Blogger websites have not much scope for expanding them and people genuinely won’t want to buy a website if the content is not 100% theirs and on their hosting. This tends to be why people move from Blogger to WordPress and never the other way around.
