Google Webmaster Tools + Blogger

Time to improve Search Engine presence of your Blogger blog. Now, we will do it for Google Search Engine! What's special with Google? Well, it is most popular search engine around the world makes it special! So your presence in Google index is far more important for the business. That too making top 10 of the search result will be priority sooner. But you need not worry about it yet. Google Webmaster Tools is a vital tool each webmaster must know to handle. It was renamed as Search console, yet, still Google Webmaster Tools terms bring up search console in the SERP. No matter what it is name! Functionality remains same. 

Now login to the Search console using any of the Google Account. It is recommended to use Google account used in the Blogger.com. Still, it is your preference use any Google Account as you wish. Once logged in, you will be presented with Search console Dashboard where you could manage websites you add to Google Webmaster Tools.

Adding Website to Google Search Console:

Add a property

1. Login to your Google Webmaster Account. Now from the dashboard, click on 'Add a property' button.
2. A dialogue will open stating to enter the web address of the blog which you wish to add in Webmaster tools.
   
3. After you enter the Blog web address, Webmaster tool dashboard gets updated and list your blog in the dashboard. Now, give some time to Google to find your blog. It would take at least a day or two. And you must be good when you search your sub domain! If not found in top 10 results, it must be found in top 30. (The idea of this post not about improving SERP ranking, those who are interested in SERP must read about SEO). 

   

   Webmaster Tools Dashboard
4. That's it you are good to go with your Google SERP presence. For Google Webmaster Guide, check how to use Google Webmaster Tools

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Submit Blog to Search Engine

Did you know? Most of your blog traffic would be from search engines. If you can get your blog within first 10 results, then your blog will receive decent amount of visitors. But getting to top 10 in Search Engine Result Page (SERP) is not an easy task. You will find yourselves racing with other bloggers who blog on same passion and niche. So here comes Search Engine Optimization (SEO). But I am not going explain very complicated methods employed by webmasters. Still, you need to do some basic things to make Search Engines crawl your websites. Remember, first you have to say someone that I am on internet, so that one who hears would visit you. So, first thing is to make Search Engine visit your website .i.e, to make them crawl your blog post.

Know your Navigation Route in Search Engines

Though, submitting your blog to Search Engine is not the end, it is just a beginning of a new work. Just submitting web blog address will not make a search engine crawl your blog. It depends upon the frequency of updates and new articles you post in your blog. 

Moreover, whatever the blog post may deal with must get indexed in the search engine. But different search engine employ dissimilar methods when it comes to indexing. Google has unique highlighter feature which helps to markup each page so that you could save coding time with Schema.org. For those who are not tech savvy would able to benefit from Data highlighter feature in Google Webmaster Tools. While, the Data highlighter feature would not be available in Bing webmaster tools. So their exist no similarity and each search engine has its own unique way of indexing and ranking web pages in the internet.

No matter how good your blog is, without letting search engines know about your blog, it will not rank well in SERP. If you run a single author blog, then it is good to submit your website to Google and Bing manually than to wait for auto-index for which chances are remote.

Most other search engines do not need such submissions as they depend on data either from Google, Bing, or directory services or combination of all, to produce SERP. Example, DuckDuckGo has no separate Webmaster tool, yet you will find your blog in SERP if you submit them to Bing or Yahoo directory. To be simple, you need entry point for your blog as internet is web of pages. If you fail to get a link, you blog will stand separated.

It is not mandatory to submit your web blog through Webmaster Tools. But still, you need links to your site so that search engines may know that their exist a web blog i.e, your blog! For those who could not find a breakthrough with links, it is good to submit web blog address in various webmaster accounts manually. Moreover, you will find various options and tools at your disposal once you sign up for webmaster accounts.

Blogger + Google Adsense Integration

Spent time writing post for long time without thinking about ads. Then it is time to realize that your blog going to pay you. Google was so nice with Blogger users that it integrated Google Adsense with its popular Blogging platform. Monetizing your blog is just a click away! You will check out about earning & campaigns post which provided with clear introduction for beginners. But most of us know more about Google Adsense. History of ad network will not begin or end without Google Adsense. It is most popular ad network among any other Pay Per Click advertising. In short, it is considered as king of ad network.

Sign Up for Adsense

For anyone who has dilemma when to monetize your Blogger blog, then just follow the instructions in the earning menu of the Blogger dashboard. The 'sign up for Adsense' will be enable when six months elapse after creating your blog. You may own any number of Blogger blog, yet each blog has its own incubation period and need approval to display ads.

Signing up for Google Adsense:

1. Once the button gets enabled in your Blogger account, then just follow the on screen instructions to sign up for Google Adsense.
2. To sign up, you will be provided with two options, to use existing Google Account or create new account. It would be wise to use your Google Account which you use for the signing in into Blogger as you will find it convenient at later stages.
3.  Once you sign up, it takes some time for Google Adsense Team to approve your blog. During the waiting period, empty ad box will be displayed.
4. Once you sign up you are free to select the Ads that are to be displayed in your blog. Google Adsense will provide recommended Ad unit that adapts to responsive design.
5. Once you select your ad unit, you will be provided with the code of that ad box which you could place in your Blogger layout. 
6. To place your ad, login to your Blogger account, select the blog which was recently approved by Google Adsense-> select 'layout'-> select 'Add a Gadget' -> select 'HTML/Javascript' gadget. Now paste the code provided by Google Adsense. Your ad will start displaying.

Note: No images have been provided in this blog considering privacy of Google Adsense account. If you find any difficulty setting up Adsense to your Blogger blog then leave comment about the problem. Possible solutions will be provided at the earliest!

Most of the Bloggers will find difficulty getting approval of Google Adsense Team. It is true, that Adsense Team is serious about Blogger blogs that display ads from Google Adsense network. If you find difficulty getting Adsense team approval for your blog, mention them in comments, most of the problem which prohibit your blog from getting qualified for Adsense program would be silly. So you will find easy way to get approval for Adsense team in no time once you fix them up.

WordPress Blogging Platform

WordPress.org

For beginner, it is good to start with Blogger platform. At some point, if you realize that having a self hosted blog is important, then it is time to move on. Most popular blogging platform is WordPress. It is an open source blogging platform which you could customize to your needs and necessities. But you need a hosting account or dedicate a computer machine. Either of the choice, you are going to use WordPress Content Management  System (CMS) for your blog. Well, if you have to start with WordPress, then visit wordpress.org not wordpress.com. Both of them are different!

Difference between wordpress.org and wordpress.com:

Making it Black and White

It would be obvious to observe similarity between the two web address. Yet, both of them are different. Wordpress.org is Open Source project website where you could download the source code of the CMS, while wordpress.com is a website which implemented wordpress open source project act like Blogger service. In wordpress.com, you can create your own blog as we do in Blogger.com. So, if you wish to create your self hosted web blog, then start from wordpress.org.

To make it simple, wordpress.org has provided preferred hosting service who will provide one click install for WordPress. Bluehost, Dreamhost, Laughing Squids are the recommended WordPress hosting service.

WordPress.com is no less, it provide premium service for a cost. You can own your own domain name for your blog in wordpress.com. So, it is your choice when it comes to selecting the right platform. But it is highly recommended to own a self hosted web blog than wordpress.com. Practically, wordpress.com premium account will charge you little bit more than hosting service. Yet, you will find no hassle of blog management with wordpress.com. All you have to worry about is just writing good quality content for your web blog. The truth is each way has its own merits and demerits.

My personal opinion is it would cost less to own a self hosted blog than purchasing premium package from wordpress.com.

What if you don't find one click install?

It is fine to have other hosting services, but WordPress.org will not guarantee you with one click install. Unlike bluehost service, in which you could setup web blog in 20 minutes, other hosting services need you to upload the WordPress source code to the root of the web host.

Plugins:

The thing which made WordPress a buzz is plugins. For WordPress, you will find wide array of plugins that you might find it difficult select from the choices. Large number of web developers develop WordPress plugins. WordPress developer is most sought after job for any freelancer. 

For almost anything you will find plugin to get your job done in WordPress.

Moreover, you will have find more by yourself with your WordPress blog. To try blogging experience in WordPress it is good to start with wordpress.com.

Self Hosted Web Blog

Do you have a minute? If yes, it is good enough to confess that you need at least 5 minutes to know about hosted web blog. When it comes to hosted web blog, anyone might think that I am doing WordPress marketing. Since, it is been top Content Management System (CMS) in internet web blog history, anyone who wish to start a blog will be tempted to own a WordPress hosting! Now, the question is what is hosted web blog? Time to find out.

What is Self Hosted Web Blog?

Self Hosted web blogs are either self-hosted from home or hosted through a service provider. Unlike, Blogger where you depend on Google for the service, hosted web blogs are self-dependent. It means you own your blog completely and have control over all the aspects of your web blog. You are at the liberty to decide your own policy and terms. Especially, plugins! Most blogging platform fall short when it comes to plugins. In a hosted blog, you can control the level of plugins and could install & manage your own hand coded extensions. In simple words, it is like you own your house for good unlike renting it.

Owning a Blog is not having WordPress

So now, owning a self hosted web blog is not all about WordPress. WordPress is one among the CMS in Internet history. You will be provided with lot of other CMS to manage your blog. But WordPress gained popularity as it was open source and let developers to create and install own plugins. The repository of plugins made WordPress popular to stand of the crowd. Yet, if you wish to use some other CMS, then you are good to go. The point is WordPress blogging platform is not a must have if plan for a hosted web blog!

If you are planning to setup own blog, then it is good to check with other CMS such as joomla, Drupal and so on. A simple web search going to bring a lot of information than any book could do. Most of the CMS installations are just a click away. So it worth to give it a shot.

Advantages of Owning a Web Blog:

Well, it most advantageous to own a web blog for yourself rather than using using third party service if wish to exercise full control over your blog. The following are the few advantages of self-hosted web blogs:

• Full control over the blog functions
• Personalized blog experience
• Getting trust from visitors about your seriousness in blogging
• unrestricted plugins. If you could, you can create your own
• No more black outs for policy violations

Though the above list is short, self hosted web blogs are way better than depending on third party services. Some blogging platform provide services as like to make it appear as self-hosted blog, still those services would not let you the above activities.

I am not advocating here to own a self hosted blog. But none can deny reality! Self-hosted blogs are far better than free or hosted blogging services.

Drawback of self hosted web blog:

Everything comes with a price! None could deny the fact that every best thing will have its own pitfalls. Similarly, you might encounter few problems when own a self hosted web blog!

• Hacking attempts! You have to take Guardianship of your blog. You must protect it from attacker trying to gain access to your blog machine. Pulling it down might wipe out entire blog forever.
• You need to be good webmaster. Though, every blogging platform promises one click installation, yet you will need some technical knowledge to understand the working and customization of your blog. 
• Spams! Well internet history wouldn't be complete if we miss out spams from the index. As self hosted blogger you have to take care of spammer who will otherwise push links forever in your comment area. A blog with spam comment links is not good for business.

Though, the list mentioned here is short, most of the pitfalls could be sorted out with less effort but with a premium price. Most hosting service providers offer package for safety and security of your blog. Either you can purchase the package as a whole or take care for yourself. As always, it is a self hosted web blog, you have the control to what to be done.