With Video: How to Set Up your Blog
Free, Easy to use, offers access to HTML code
Unlike many free blog services Blogger lets you change the HTML code in your templates allowing you to customize your blog. Since blogger is so preferred there are numerous free, open source templates available form other sites you can choose from.
Images
Inserting images is easy. It has only a few preset sizes, but you can change the image size using your photo editor and import the size. You can import images from either a URL or from a file on your computer.
Text Box (content)
The text box is simple to use and includes an HTML mode. It also includes spell check and a Preview setting.
You can insert images, links and it includes a blockquote tool as well as choice of fonts.
I really like the design tools; however it may take practice to learn the basic HTML needed to add links, edit backgrounds, etc.
Promotion / Tracking
Blogger is owned by Google, which means you blog is automatically submitted to the Google blog directory.
Unfortunately, blogger offers few tracking options. In order to obtain visitor counts, or other stats, you have to add a widget or other third party tracking application.
Ease of Use
Simple to use. Posting is straightforward for beginners, yet ability to manipulate the HTML code is perfect of the more advanced.
Technical Help / Support
A lot of documentation offered to help you set up your free blog: FAQs, tutorials, user forums and a searchable knowledge base. Because of its popularity, you can find a lot of advice from third part services.
Custom Domain
Blogger offers two free publishing services: hosting on Blogspot (author.blogspot.com) and hosting on your own custom domain (www. authorname .com). You can change the publishing option at any time, and your content will remain unaltered regardless of which option you choose. More here: http://www.google.com/support/blogger/bin/static.py?page=ts.cs&ts=1233381
Summary
Blogger is a good blog tool. Free service, automatically submits your blog to Google blog directly. It is a good service for the beginner, but offers enough incentive for more advanced users.
How to Create a Blog by BloggerHelp:
Resources
Create Blog:
http://www.blogger.com/create-blog.g
Set Up Custom Domain:
http://www.google.com/support/blogger/bin/static.py?page=ts.cs&ts=1233381
Help Forum:
http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/blogger?hl=en&utm_source=HC&utm_medium=leftnav&utm_campaign=blogger
Help Articles:
http://www.google.com/support/blogger/?hl=en
Video Tutorials:
http://www.youtube.com/BloggerHelp
Comment:
Blogger offers a great platform for blogging: Easy to use, and “free”. However, to determine which is best for you, open a free account and test drive the services.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.
