Blogger Blogs and Google Ranking

[zaggernaut]

Guys,

As the title suggests, I have been arguing back and forth about the usefulness of Blogger blogs for building minisites, such as, Amazon stores ( product review sites), or, Clickbank sites etc. I would like to know from those who have actually experimented with Blogger,-

• Can you rank Blogger blogs in top 10 at all? I mean do they climb up and get there. Keeping in mind competetion and all other SEO parameters.
• Can they outrank normal sites? I know this sounds stupid but I have been shown proof that even Google sometimes prefers normal self-hosted sites. True?
• Keepin in mind the free factor- Is using Blogger blog a wise way to start your Amazon( or any other) affiliate career?

[skyla]

Blogger blogs can definitely rank high, but it is the free aspect you should be concerned about. Many people have lost their blogs overnight for no apparent reason.

I would suggest you make your main sites on your own domain. Then create linking sites to this page so if you do lose one then you have others in your back up. Use hub pages, squidoo, weebly etc

Tim Gorman has a great explanation of this is in his article marketing books.

[zaggernaut]

Originally Posted by skyla

but it is the free aspect you should be concerned about. Many people have lost their blogs overnight for no apparent reason.

I have heard that a lot of times. Its almost an urban legend, says Google.

Anyone here a victim of this?

[David Bryant]

You should always buy your own domains, and secure your own hosting for your sites. Putting your business at the whim of another in this way could be detrimental to you in the future.

Discussing the validity of ranking a Blogger blog is really a moot point in this scenario. However, yes, you can effectively rank a site/page on Blogger just as effectively as you could any other site considering the limitations you may have with Blogger concerning SEO.

Even though the above is true, start your business with your business's security and flexibility in mind, and invest in your own domains and hosting - you won't regret it.

[Hamida Harland]

It's possible to rank in the top 10, but like with any site you'd have to put effort into getting it there, ie building backlinks and promoting it. And like skyla said, you could alot of work into your site, only to end up having it deleted by Google.

I think the main reason we don't see more blogger blogs in the top 10 is because people aren't willing to put the work into building a Blogger blog as it's too risky.

Can they outrank normal sites? Probably, but it's not something I would try for the above reasons. I think Google probably do prefer self hosted domains, but if you're in a niche with poor competition then you could be in with a chance.

I don't think free platforms are ever a good way to start your affiliate marketing career. Your sites will always be at the mercy of someone else. Blogger, Squidoo, Hubpages, Wordpress - your site can be removed at any time.

[Richard Van]

Originally Posted by zaggernaut

I have heard that a lot of times. Its almost an urban legend, says Google.

Anyone here a victim of this?

Well if Google says it's a legend that's because Google own Blogger

Look up Myob and ask him. He had hundreds but has something like 20 left.

It's been documented on this forum many times.

Believe me, it happens.

[RyanAndrews]

There is no evidence that a blogger site (subdomain) is any different from any other domain. So the question only comes down to what you invest your effort in.
With those 3rd party blogging systems, could you set up a 301 redirect if you change your mind? Probably not.

[zaggernaut]

Originally Posted by Richard Van

Well if Google says it's a legend that's because Google own Blogger

Look up Myob and ask him. He had hundreds but has something like 20 left.

It's been documented on this forum many times.

Believe me, it happens.

Good enough for me to believe. I understand the number one reason Blogger blogs get deleted is due to spammers and black hatters abusing the resource which otherwise could be a really good option for newbie IM guys.

Not trying to build a case against spending upon domain and hosting.

[Kevin Kuriakose]

Originally Posted by zaggernaut

Can you rank Blogger blogs in top 10 at all? I mean do they climb up and get there. Keeping in mind competetion and all other SEO parameters.

Yes of course. You can rank blogger blogs. I have done it myself.

Can they outrank normal sites? I know this sounds stupid but I have been shown proof that even Google sometimes prefers normal self-hosted sites. True?

Yes they can outrank normal sites, even authority sites. The great example was a blogger blog ranking number one for the keyword "make money online" few months ago.

Keepin in mind the free factor- Is using Blogger blog a wise way to start your Amazon( or any other) affiliate career?

Unfortunately NO. Google can delete your blogs for any reason, even if you are "white hat". Most of my blogger blogs have been deleted for silly reasons like, I need to prove to them I am not a robot and such.

So I stopped using these kind of web 2.0 sites like blogger, hubpages etc. where I don't have much control and they can delete it at anytime. Why should I provide my quality contents to them and promote them when I can get a hosting and domain, and build up my own sites, where I have the complete control.

Thanks.

[Richard Van]

Originally Posted by RyanAndrews

There is no evidence that a blogger site (subdomain) is any different from any other domain. So the question only comes down to what you invest your effort in.
With those 3rd party blogging systems, could you set up a 301 redirect if you change your mind? Probably not.

There is countless amounts of evidence.

Here's one nice big piece of evidence for you. You buy a domain and you own it, when you build a Blogger blog, Google own it.

What more evidence do you need? Google shift the goal posts every 5 minutes.

Zaggernaut - I understand the number one reason Blogger blogs get deleted is due to spammers and black hatters abusing the resource

Actually, all the people I know who lost their blogs were not doing anything like that at all.

They are useful though and are easy to use but I don't want to put any time into something that may vanish and that I don't control.

[affilcrazy]

I pretty much have to agree with what has already been said, although I have just personally experienced the "urban legend" of disappearing blogger blogs!

As others have mentioned, many people have had their blogger blogs simply vanish into thin air, and one of my blogger accounts (which had a total of 46 blogs) went AWOL on Monday...No explanation, no idea, no nothing!

I have read numerous discussions on the "best" web 2.0 properties to rank in the SE's, although I would always suggest that you try and test for yourself, as opposed to taking someone else's word for it.

I have had pages of a blogger blog rank in the top 3 of Google for some fairly highly competitive keywords, but it was always down to the off-page SEO that I performed. For me, my best ranking web 2.0 properties have always come from Squidoo...but that's just me and my opinion.

The one thing you should always remember is that you do not own any of these web 2.0 properties, and are therefore at the "mercy of someone else" (Thanks Hamida). I, unfortunately, found this out for myself this week. I remember John (Zeus66) having a fairly long thread on this forum that discussed the use of blogger blogs and Amazon promotion, and I found it extremely enlightening...and very workable.

Just remember that all your work can simply disappear in a flash. There are, of course, ways in which you can test out your own websites for FREE through free domain names and free hosting. Even if you wish to go the paid route, you can be up and running for as little as $20 or under.

Cheers
Partha

[andreiseo]

U can rank high with blogger it's very well rated by Google, but u need to do serious seo on it, now it depends on your competition on your niche. Good luck

[Richard Van]

Originally Posted by andreiseo

U can rank high with blogger it's very well rated by Google, but u need to do serious seo on it, now it depends on your competition on your niche. Good luck

No, it's owned by Google.

but u need to do serious seo on it

Naturally, I'd expect people to do some "serious" SEO on any site.