Blogger
Description
Blogger and in extension Blogspot (that was bought by Blogger) is an open source tool owned by Google, which serves as a free platform for creating one’s own blog to publish articles and personal posts to as much a restricted population as the blogger chooses. It is one of the oldest, more established, free tools of its kind and its strong suit is its strong security. credentials owning to the fact that it uses the powerful security of the Google platform, thus allowing the user to free himself from the worries of backup/server resources or security, problems that can be found in the open source paid platform WordPress. In terms of appearance it provides limited options of color schemes and templates using building tools.
Key functionality
· Compatibility: Accessible through web browsers (not mobile applications).
· Package: The blogger is a proprietary tool provided with a multitude of interconnected tools from Google such as Gmail, Google Drive thus streamlining continuity and connectivity.
· User accounts: Blogger users need to register in Google’s gmail in order to have access to it.
· Simple: Easy to use, build and customize readymade layouts and templates without prior coding knowledge.
· Secure: Blogger takes advantage of Google’s robust security apparatus, so no backups or hacking should be of a major worry.
· Support: Templates and Layouts are created by Google as well as other bloggers and within the Blogger forums most queries can be solved by the community.
· Followers: Depending on the security settings it can restrict it to his co-authors, choose their followers (by providing them with a unique link) or make it public.
· Post privacy options: Users have a wide varieties of tools when choose who can have access to their posts, from public to private to blog authors and specific readers, the person can remove readers if he/she so choses to.
· Explore: The author has the ability to make the blog searchable in the blogger and the search engines.
· Private messaging: Private messages through the Blogger platform can only be made through a contact form to an email.
· Facebook Connectivity: Facebook connects very easy just by downloading a simple plugin, with some technical issues still existing.
· Twitter Connectivity: Twitter connectivity is easy but for a small problem of thumbnails.
· Instagram Connectivity Instagram functionality is not very easy as it requires multiple steps. Information can be found in blogger forums .
Who uses the tool
Gender
Age groups
Platforms
Privacy and user data
The app collects the following types of information from all users:
- This tool can be used by agreeing to the Terms and Conditions of anyone with a Google account (email address) without more requirements (other than those already provided)
- The tool allows the user to open or restrict her settings to as wide or constricted populations is she pleases
- The user who wishes to use it for commercial purposes needs to sign-up with Google AdSense which has different Terms and Condititions. This tool allows the user to show ads through the blog.
- People who only want to read blogs need a google address.
- Push notifications and trackers used
Basic information received when subscribe into Google
- Name
- Email address and password
- Birthday
- Gender
- Phone number
- Country
The app uses this information to:
- help users to efficiently access their information after they sign in;
- remember information so users will not have to re-enter it during their visit or the next time they visit the Service;
- provide personalized content and information to users, which could include online ads or other forms of marketing
- develop and test new products and features
- monitor metrics such as total number of visitors, traffic, and demographic patterns
- diagnose or fix technology problems
- Push notifications may be used to personalize preferences.
- Even you transfer your blog to a different platform the data remain backed up in Google for an undefined amount of time.
Using the tool for PROMOVET
Advantages
- This tool is for the more text heavy writers like teachers who want to present thorough arguments
- Blogger is a good tool for activities supported by the project that involve or promotes the use of a blog – by the educator, by students, or by both. It can be used as part of the instructional material by the educator, or it can be used as part of an assignment (in-class or at home) for individual students or as group work
- It is free, simple, and easy to use, thus not necessitating high ICT competence from the part of the students, which is as additional advantage for PROMOVET.
Disadvantages
- As the tool is owned by Google, it can stop updating/upgrading its templates or shut it off completely like its former services Google Reader, Google Adsense etc.
- It is quite hard to transfer your data to other hosts although not impossible. The most important loss is the loss of SEO (Search Engine Rankings – i.e. subscribers, followers).
- Microblogging with less or no text in mobile devices is currently gaining market share on traditional blogs
- The main disadvantage does not necessarily relate to PROMOVET per se, as this is a challenge acknowledged by Blogger users. This relates to the fact that because Blogger is one of the more traditional blogs, it does not provide for additional features, such as having a homepage, or promoting content via social media tools. It is a simple platform that hosts posts in a chronological order.
