Blogger vs Wordpress; Choosing for Dummies

                       

             VERSUS

              

     I am not a techno-savvy geek who keeps up on all the latest gadgets, lingo and electronic breakthroughs.  I am a simple blogger who blogs for the fun of writing.  I love my computer and my cell phone, but easily get over-whelmed by all the latest social media outlets; what's in, what's out, what's hot, what's not; should I tweet, am I squared, maybe I'm a +; is my link in, or maybe I should just bolt!  UGH!!!  Who can keep up!

     That being said, I have read with great interest the recent debates and questions about Blogger versus Wordpress.   These, so called, discussions can get quite heated.  People seem to take one side or the other and are quick to diss the other, claiming true loyalty to their chosen platform.  Having only used Blogger and being very satisfied with it, I became very curious as to why the opinions on the two seem to stir so much controversy.  I set out on a mission to make my own not-so-scientific, but informed opinion and decide for myself if there really is a place for both in this rapidly growing world of bloggers.

     I found no shortage of blog post on this subject.  Afterall, we bloggers are a wordy bunch and ever at the ready to give our opinions.   Many posts were in-depth, filled with technical jargon that only  Bill Gates clones could have understood.  Some leaned more toward the intermediate, slightly geeky, professional, or semi-professional blogger.  Only a few were written in plain english for us homebodies who love to blog just because we can.  No matter what the technical level, the one common thread I found in all was the use of analogies.  What better way to explain or illustrate a point.

     Finally, my research has come to an end and I am ready to astound you with this common person's conclusion on the Blogger versus Wordpress controversy.  Are you ready for this?

Both Blogger and Wordpress have a useful and necessary place in the blogging arena!

     To demonstrate my point, I, too, have an analogy.  For any male readers out there, I apologize.  This analogy is geared more toward the female blogger.  What female doesn't understand a new purse?

     Just imagine you are Anne Hathaway's character in the movie The Devil Wears Prada.  You have two events to attend and you are trying to decide which of your 2 favorite purses is the correct one for each event.    The first purse is the brown leather slouch bag that your sister gave you for your birthday.  It is so comfortable and roomy and you especially love it because it didn't cost you a penny.  The second purse is the Gucci that you bought for your first work related cocktail party.  Both have a place and a purpose, both hold your essentials, so, how do you decide which is the proper one for each event?

     First event:  A work related, black tie social, attended by famous people and prospective clients.  Both purses match her dress color, but which purse will complete her high-society, designer persona necessary to keep her job, and her income?  Of course, only the Gucci fits in this situation.

     Second event:  Meeting her friends for dinner and laughs at the local bar, casual, informal, very layed-back.   Her purse is important to her but not really necessary to impress anyone else as far as making or breaking her career.  Of course only the comfortable brown bag for this situation.

     Okay, you may be asking yourself, what do purses have to do with blogging?  Here's the way I see it.  If you intend to make blogging into a career with a steady income, write for a news source or organization with specific content or syndication; or, even if you just want the extra freedom and security of self-hosting and can afford the cost, then, by all means, go for the Gucci of blogging platforms (Wordpress).  Just be sure you go with the paid self-hosting as opposed to the free Wordpress.    

     On the other hand, if you are a blogging for fun but it doesn't make me any money blogger like me, the comfortable ease of Blogger is perfect.  With the exception of a few sponsored post that I wrote for companies through an online blogger advertising website, my blog does not make me a dime.  I cannot afford to pay the fees and costs of a self-hosted site just to write for a hobby.  I did splurge on buying my domain name through blogger, but that is the extent of what I can reasonably pay to write for fun.   

      Blogging as a career is a thriving, exciting, growing and fast-paced path.  It is not for all of us.  Many bloggers in this confusing online world are like me and just want an outlet for our writing.  We want to make a few new friends who relate to the things that are important to us.   Because of health, or other personal reasons, we are no longer active in the business world and we are not looking to climb the career ladder.  We are still an important voice that deserves to be heard.  Like both Blogger and Wordpress, there is a useful and necessary place for all of us.

Until next time...that's my view.

Kat