Monday, April 6, 2009

Moving From Blogspot to Wordpress

When I started blogging last January, I had created two blogs, one in Blogger, one in Word Press. Both with the same name. Somehow the blogger blog was where the first few posts were published, and then it went on to become an online home :)

Life changed. The world became blog tinted. The Word Press Blog was abandoned. Blogger had me blogaddicted :)

I guess this was because Blogger is easier to use.

Recently when Solilo and Chirag convinced Indyeah, and Indyeah convinced Hitchwriter and Hitchwriter convinced Ordinary Guy and OG convinced Smitha - maybe not in that exact sequence ;) I did not need any convincing :) Roop, Nimmy, Nita, Charakan, Reflections and many other blogging friends had complained that they were finding it difficult to comment, specially from their cell phones. And then I read this helpful post by Destination Infinity where he mentions how he has two blogs one on Blogger and another one on Word Press and he updates both with the same content.

Everybody said Word Press is better than Blogger but I didn't like the idea of leaving behind older content, specially all the discussions and comments. When I read that the content from the first blog, with all the comments, could be imported with one click of a button, to a new blog, the decision was made.

It turned out to be the easiest thing to do. After consulting Hitchwiter, Ajit, Chirag, Destination Infinity and Solilo (THANK YOU!) a copy of all the Blogspot blog content- all posts and all comments were easily imported to the Word Press Blog.

One difficulty was the header from the first blog could not be used for the new blog (size difference). Creating a new one sounds like a lot of fun, so no problem there either.

Copying the blogroll is easy if we follow Chirag's tips in this post. (I am yet to do this.)

I am yet to sort all the categories, and try all the exciting options available in Word Press, this is my first post on WP, (Started writing it on Blogspot, imported to WP - yes 142 drafts were imported too!)

How does Word Press compare with Blogspot?

1. Word Press is great for comments threading , comments editing, moderating, replying to comments.

2. Writing posts is easier too, with an extra interesting option of strike through :) I always wanted this. There are many other features too. Still enjoying the surprises :) It's as good as using Microsoft Word.

3. Then there are BLOG STATS .

Blog stats look like this. (This means we do not need widgets like Feedjit, Live Traffic Feed in WP, but I read somewhere that these widgets can be added to Word Press too)
Blog Stats Summary Tables

Total views: 49

Busiest day: 24 — Monday, April 6, 2009

Views today: 24
Totals

Posts: 216 (imported from Blogger)

Comments: 9,750 (imported from Blogger)

Categories: 255

Tags: 0

4. You can also see Referrers and Search Engine Terms the same way.

5. Categories are another feature that make it easier for blog readers to look for what interest them. Like I found some readers were interested in reading only Family posts or only Gender related posts, Blog Spot does not have Categories - and I missed that.

6. Word press also lets you choose who can see your blog, in case you wish to have a blog for just your family, or a group of like minded people you have that option!

7. I think what might be easier in Blog Spot is it is easier to use and decorate :) You can add a wider range of fun widgets.

8. The ease of importing, the the excitement of redecorating a new home are tempting, but the biggest charm that Word Press has is the ease of replying to comments. Blogging is interactive, and being able to respond to comments was important for me.

Do you think this move will be good idea?

18 comments:

Mampi said...

If you are considering a move, then sure it is a good idea. I am yet to go back to your old posts of about 15 days. Like a faithful reader, I am gonna read every single word, but somehow the move .... well it sure has to be for the better.

Bud-Wiser said...

Oh.My blogroll is not giving your latest feeds..Its still showing "Justified under certain circumstances?" as your last post. I don't know whats wrong. Ok Bye bye.:-)

Anonymous said...

Yay...welcome to wordpress :)

Masood said...

Go for it, IHM. I've been considering a move too. See you there! :)

Iya said...

nahi... i cant access wordpress from office !!! all u guys are so mean...

D said...

I've been mulling over similar stuff for myself as well but as you said, blogspot is so much easier. And for some reason, Wordpress does not accept single letter display names and I don't want to be anything but 'D'.

Anonymous said...

absolutely !!!!

welcome aboard super star !!!!

Anonymous said...

absolutely !!!!

welcome aboard super star !!!!

Gauri Gharpure said...

few months after i started on blogger, the comparison b/w wordpress arose. I tried there, but somehow felt it a little difficult and more technologically demanding to work there.. you are a master of all the widgets, technology, writing tools and everything tht goes --and am sure the move will prove a great decision! all the best..

Anonymous said...

It is a permanent move. Right?

Sunita Mohan said...

Hmmm.... I dont know... Wordpress drives me nuts! True, I started with Blogger so I'm more comfortable with it. Then like you, I heard a lot of bloggers raving about how much better Wordpress is and I tried making a blog there. Total failure! And I just didnt like the way it looked.And I just couldnt find the thingamajigs that help you manipulate your blog. So I'm sticking with Blogger. If you're going over to the other side bed and bedding, let me know how you've adapted okay?

Indyeah said...

((((Hugs)))didnt see any new updates:((
I am coming to WP right now:)))
yippee!!:))
(((Hugs))muah!

Indian Home Maker said...

@Mampi It will be easier to respond to comments, basically. I really wanted that comfort. Please don't forget me when I am on WP!

@Chikki This sometimes happens to me also, some blogs take time to update...
Now I will be here,
https://indianhomemaker.wordpress.com/
I hope this one updates better, and I really hope to see you there too :)

@homecooked Thank you, will see you from WP now :)

@Masood See you there! :)
Hey, you already moved, ... I saw!


@Iya There must be some way ... please can't imagine you not around... you have twitter there? Can you read in reader and comment by email... let me talk to others I am sure some way will be there.
:(

@D The name bit can be annoying unless you consider a name like DEE? But I didn't really find WP difficult to use D. It's fun because there are so many options, you can import your stuff there, and then play with the setting - keeping it private (only those you choose will see it or no one)- and only if you really, really like it, then you declare it your new home. No harm trying:)

@hitchwriter I am so excited hitchwriter :)

@Gauri Gharpure Yes, but although it is not as simple as Blogger, it isn't difficult either.I am technologically kind of zero, just asked Hitchwriter, Ajit, Solilo, Smitha, Indyeah, Chirag and Destination Infinity - Gauri it was fun : )

@abhishek Yes :) WP headers are different ... your colourful multi'face'eted 'head'er is really funny :)
I also look forward to making a new header for my new address :) Now I will visit you from there only ...

@Sunita .. I had similar experiences! At first I thought it was tough, last year just when I had started, but now it didn't seem difficult at all.
I will definitely keep you posted about my experience with WP :) Be here or be in WP, I will have you in my reader, and we'll stay in touch :)

Reema said...

Yeyyy!! welcome to Our World :)

kanagu said...

that's great IHM.. :)
Welcome here :)
And the way you have presented the pros and cons of both is very interesting :)

Imp's Mom said...

the same reasons why I started Imp's blog there :D

The fact that I cant change my template only header on WP has kept me from moving my blog there...

Usha Pisharody said...

This did not show up on my dashboard, so I did not visit.. :(

But yes, you have put across so well, so succinctly what it means when one compares both blogger and wordpress.. :)

Biju Mathews said...

"...WORDS are powerful. Words are Statements. Words are Promises. Words are Hate speeches.

Words are also Apologies. Apologies are hope, apologies are a new beginning...." Great words and thoughts!!