We get asked this question all the time: "Why do you use Blogger instead of Wordpress?" Sure, Wordpress gives you pretty much unlimited freedom to do anything you'd like with your site, there are thousands of plugins, you can self-host, and with server-side code (PHP) and a database (MySQL), the sky is the limit.
But we see that as the problem. Unlimited potential often means unlimited potential to get lost, screw something up, or fail to secure something. And to be blunt, the vast majority of Wordpress sites don't need to be done in Wordpress, but they're paying for hosting, hopefully spending time with security patches, and worried about their site's uptime because they believe it's necessary.
For most of them it's not necessary. Your site could have been in Blogger and you wouldn't have those problems.
Reason 1: is able to fulfill majority of needs
You can make a list of the things that the majority of websites and blogs need, and almost all of the (90%+) can and have been done in Blogger. A simple Google search will find you a tutorial for how to do just about anything in Blogger. A contact form, a slideshow, 5 pages of text with images, a blog functionality with social sharing buttons? Piece of cake.
Reason 2: it's free
No strings attached (so long as you don't violate the Terms of Service by being a spammer or posting prohibited content), no subscription fees, no registration fees, no upsell fees. Free.
Reason 3: high level of customization
Beyond thousands of free templates for download from 3rd party websites, you can use the customization tool to transform your template without knowing CSS. And if you want to go in and edit your template, you have full access to the HTML, CSS, Javascript and underlying Google template code.
Reason 4: free hosting from Google
And not just free hosting, but 99.999% uptime hosting! Should your website get a lots of traffic, or even a very sudden surge of traffic, rather than your hosting company getting mad at you and shutting down your site, or your site getting extremely slow to load, your Blogger site will keep serving at peak performance. With hosting like this you don't need to worry about getting too popular.
Reason 5: integration with Google product suite
Google+, Google Places, Picasa Web, Picasa Creative Kit, Google Drive, Google Docs, FeedBurner, Google Webmaster, Google Analytics, Google Merchant... all of them are continually being improved, and continually being more and more closely integrated into a cohesive product suite. And with Google Apps for Business it makes it easy to manage everything in one place. Don't think of Blogger as a standalone website management tool, but the part of a suite of tools that can be used to extend your site and business.
Reason 6: managed security
Do you know how to update your CMS and implement security patches? Do you plan on staying current on them? If you're using Wordpress, you'd better stay informed before your site gets hacked. But if you're using Blogger you have nothing to worry about.
Reason 7: custom domain pointing
Adding a custom domain to your Blogger site costs you nothing besides the purchasing of your domain, and you can purchase that domain at any registrar that you choose.
Reason 8: show up in search results faster
Did you know that Blogger sites are added to the Google search index within 24 hrs of you creating your Blogger site? And did you know that it can sometimes takes weeks or even months before your Wordpress site is indexed? Faster indexing means your site can start getting traffic even sooner.
Reason 9: search engine benefits
One of the main reasons that people seem to swear by Wordpress is the perceived SEO benefits, not through Wordpress itself, but through the add-ons that give it better SEO. With Blogger's recent addition of search engine preferences the playing field has been leveled. With the faster indexing, advantage goes to Blogger.
Reason 10: easy to use and understand
This is subjective, but even by its detractors, Blogger is considered the easiest blogging platform to use, mainly because the interface and editor are so easy to use. Compare below if you'd like, but we tend to agree.
Add onto this that you can create a new blog in minutes, don't have to understand FTP or follow installation instructions, don't need to purchase a hosting service, don't need to tinker with code, don't need to manage passwords (beyond your own Gmail password)... well, it's just easy.
But we see that as the problem. Unlimited potential often means unlimited potential to get lost, screw something up, or fail to secure something. And to be blunt, the vast majority of Wordpress sites don't need to be done in Wordpress, but they're paying for hosting, hopefully spending time with security patches, and worried about their site's uptime because they believe it's necessary.
For most of them it's not necessary. Your site could have been in Blogger and you wouldn't have those problems.
Reason 1: is able to fulfill majority of needs
You can make a list of the things that the majority of websites and blogs need, and almost all of the (90%+) can and have been done in Blogger. A simple Google search will find you a tutorial for how to do just about anything in Blogger. A contact form, a slideshow, 5 pages of text with images, a blog functionality with social sharing buttons? Piece of cake.
Reason 2: it's free
No strings attached (so long as you don't violate the Terms of Service by being a spammer or posting prohibited content), no subscription fees, no registration fees, no upsell fees. Free.
Reason 3: high level of customization
Beyond thousands of free templates for download from 3rd party websites, you can use the customization tool to transform your template without knowing CSS. And if you want to go in and edit your template, you have full access to the HTML, CSS, Javascript and underlying Google template code.
Reason 4: free hosting from Google
And not just free hosting, but 99.999% uptime hosting! Should your website get a lots of traffic, or even a very sudden surge of traffic, rather than your hosting company getting mad at you and shutting down your site, or your site getting extremely slow to load, your Blogger site will keep serving at peak performance. With hosting like this you don't need to worry about getting too popular.
Reason 5: integration with Google product suite
Google+, Google Places, Picasa Web, Picasa Creative Kit, Google Drive, Google Docs, FeedBurner, Google Webmaster, Google Analytics, Google Merchant... all of them are continually being improved, and continually being more and more closely integrated into a cohesive product suite. And with Google Apps for Business it makes it easy to manage everything in one place. Don't think of Blogger as a standalone website management tool, but the part of a suite of tools that can be used to extend your site and business.
Reason 6: managed security
Do you know how to update your CMS and implement security patches? Do you plan on staying current on them? If you're using Wordpress, you'd better stay informed before your site gets hacked. But if you're using Blogger you have nothing to worry about.
Reason 7: custom domain pointing
Adding a custom domain to your Blogger site costs you nothing besides the purchasing of your domain, and you can purchase that domain at any registrar that you choose.
Reason 8: show up in search results faster
Did you know that Blogger sites are added to the Google search index within 24 hrs of you creating your Blogger site? And did you know that it can sometimes takes weeks or even months before your Wordpress site is indexed? Faster indexing means your site can start getting traffic even sooner.
Reason 9: search engine benefits
One of the main reasons that people seem to swear by Wordpress is the perceived SEO benefits, not through Wordpress itself, but through the add-ons that give it better SEO. With Blogger's recent addition of search engine preferences the playing field has been leveled. With the faster indexing, advantage goes to Blogger.
Reason 10: easy to use and understand
This is subjective, but even by its detractors, Blogger is considered the easiest blogging platform to use, mainly because the interface and editor are so easy to use. Compare below if you'd like, but we tend to agree.
Add onto this that you can create a new blog in minutes, don't have to understand FTP or follow installation instructions, don't need to purchase a hosting service, don't need to tinker with code, don't need to manage passwords (beyond your own Gmail password)... well, it's just easy.
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