Google Sites vs Blogger Review: Which Platform Does Help You Grow in 2024?

Whether you are looking to create a small web page for your temporary project or start a part-time or full-time business as a blogger, Google Sites and Blogger (aka Google Blogspot) are the top free platforms that Google offers.

Depending on your scenario, each one has its strengths and weaknesses. In this Google Sites vs Blogger review, you will find out key differences, which is better for you, and if there is an alternative to Google Sites and Blogger with better value.

Google Sites vs Blogger Review

Google Sites

Google Sites is a website-building platform offered by Google. The unique part is when you create a new site on Google Sites, the content is automatically added to your Google Drive, like your other files stored in Drive. So you can edit a Google Site together with someone else in real time and see each other’s changes. Learn more in Google Sites review.

Key features:

• Drag-and-drop page builder – Unlike Google Blogger, Google Sites lets you build up any page just like you would in Clickfunnels, LeadPages, and Wix by dragging and dropping elements to the page. Want to add a table of content widgets that automatically generates jump links? Just use the “Table of Contents” content block in Google Sites. Unfortunately, you must utilize a custom coding script to add a “Table of Content” widget on your Blogspot blog.
• Use different themes – Unlike Blogger themes, Google Sites themes can be changed on the page level, which gives you more flexibility to customize each page. Plus, you can upload a theme to a Google Sites page or create your own.
• Full Page embed – Want to embed a URL in Google Sites? It’s easier than ever before with the new Google Site.
• Version history – With the edit log, you can view which changes were made by whom and at which time so you can debug and rectify any errors.
• Embed custom widgets – Want to add widgets such as Live website chat plugins, Testimonial auto sliders, and a customized PayPal Buy Now button by using HTML widget generators such as ElfSight and Powr? Google Sites make it easy peasy.
• Save in Google Drive – Every page on your Google Sites will be saved in your Google Drive.

In addition to the above features, Google Sites sites are mobile responsive, let you use a custom domain (e.g., yourdomain.com), which is helpful for SEO on Google Sites, add a menu and announcement bar at the top of the site, and integrate with your Google Analytics account so you can track visitor activities and campaign performance.

Blogger

Blogger, which is also known as Google Blogspot, is a free blogging platform where you can create up to 100 blogs per Google account. Learn more.

Key features:

• SEO features – Blogger stands out from Google Sites regarding SEO (Search Engine Optimization) options. Find out more in this complete beginner’s guide to Blogspot SEO.
• Blogging – Google Sites is not a blogging platform. But Blogger lets you create static pages and posts. However, the page builder of Blogger is not drag-and-drop.
• The abundance of Blogger themes – Select from a wide variety of themes from the Themes section of your Blogspot blog or from a theme provider such as Themeforest. Here is a list of quality premium themes for Blogger. Plus, the Theme designer lets you customize the site’s appearance in real-time, similar to the theme customizer in WordPress. Options in the theme customizer depend on the theme.
• Edit HTML code – Want to edit your blog post or page content in HTML view or even customize the theme of your Blogger site? Blogger does not limit you on it. For example, you can change the font size of your entire site by editing the CSS in your theme code. Blogger-specific codes such as conditional tags let you personalize the site (e.g., make changes to only archive pages). Examples: Adding the Facebook comments box on post pages with the counter and displaying the contact form widget only on a static page
• Widgets management – Blogger includes over ten widget types, such as Translate and Search. You can add or remove a widget from your Layout section anytime. Also, you can add third-party widgets such as social feed widgets and real-time traffic tracker tools by using the HTML/JavaScript gadget. Check out this list of the best Blogger widgets to find out more.
• Permissions – Restrict who can view your blog and post comments.
• Add authors – Collaborate with others to publish content.
• Monetization – Integrate with Google AdSense to make money by displaying Google Ads. There is a dedicated Google Ads widget on the Layout section as well, so you can display ads not only inside blog posts but also on sidebars and headers.

Related: How to create a blog on Blogger

Differences between Google Sites and Blogger

Here are several differences between Google Sites and the Blogger platform.

• Blogger provides more SEO features than Google Sites – From crawling and indexing to subtle yet essential features such as URL redirection, Blogger stays ahead when it comes to SEO. So, if you want to start a business that utilizes SEO to drive traffic and sales, Blogger is the clear winner.
• Google Sites includes a drag-and-drop page builder – Build simple and fast-loading landing pages with a drag-and-drop page builder in Google Sites. You can use the Embed HTML in Google Sites to add a Contact Us form widget, email subscription forms created with services such as ConvertBox and Convertful, quizzes, etc., very quickly.
• Blogger includes more themes rather than Google Sites inside or outside of platforms – Overall, most Blogger themes are more advanced and premium looking than Google Sites ones. However, you can also install Google Sites templates bought or got from developers.
• Organization and ease of usage – Blogger organizes posts and pages separately, and you can edit any post anytime from your web browser or mobile app on Android and iOS. Google Sites dashboard looks similar to the Google Drive dashboard, and no mobile app is available.
• Different URL structure – Site addresses for Blogger and Google Sites will be CUSTOMNAME.blogspot.com and sites.google.com/view/CUSTOMNAME/home, respectively. Both allow mapping a custom domain name. Adding domain names in Blogger and Google Sites is pretty straightforward.
• Google Sites includes more font families, while Blogger supports a few.
• Blogger lets you back up and restore the entire site; Google Sites does not.

Google Sites Strengths	Blogger Strengths
Drag-and-drop page builder	SEO
Save changes on Google Drive	CMS (Content Management System)
Build sites together with team members	Permissions
Version History	Edit HTML

Essentially, the Google Sites vs Blogger comparison comes down to this simple question: Do you need a blog or website?

Google Sites vs Blogger: Use-cases

Google Sites are great for building internal project hubs, team sites, and public-facing websites.

For instance, you can build up a simple portfolio web page to showcase your works and create an opt-in page for list building, etc,

The ability to add third-party plugins to your Google Sites makes the platform more useful, as you can use comparison table widgets, opt-in forms, etc. Check this list of best Google Sites widgets for more details.

See a demo site from here: https://sites.google.com/view/restauranthq/home.

On the other hand, Blogger is great for starting a blog for free.

You can structure blog posts with headings, add videos and images, and increase blog posting frequency without worrying about cyber attacks on your site because it is hosted on Google’s secure servers.

One of the critical differences between Blogger versus Google Sites is you can power up the site by creating custom widget areas and adding unlimited widgets.

With Blogger, you can create a well-performing blog that scales with you.

Google Sites vs Blogger: Making Money

Many Blogspot users make money in various ways:

1. Google AdSense
2. Affiliate marketing
3. Paid product reviews
4. Offering customized services
5. Banner ads

Find more in-depth tips and tricks in this ultimate guide to making money on Blogger.

Since Google Site is a landing page builder, there are multiple ways to make money online:

1. Design opt-in landing pages – Use Google Sites pages as landing pages for list building. Since Google Sites does not provide an A/B split testing feature, you might have to use a website URL rotator such as ClickMagick to optimize the lead funnel. Manage your email list with a quality service provider like Aweber and earn money from the email list by offering targeted offers on the back-end. Here is a list of DFY (Done-for-You) email templates for affiliate marketing.
2. Use as a bridge page – Utilize Google Sites to create bridge pages to promote affiliate offers through paid advertising methods such as Google Ads, social ads, solo ads, and native ads. Use conversion boosters such as targeted exit popups (use ConvertBox to create those) and countdown timers.

To learn more, check out the article on How to use Google Sites for Affiliate Marketing.

FAQs on Google Sites vs Blogger

Alternatives to Google Sites and Blogger

In this Blogger vs Google Sites review, you found vital features and differences between each platform. But those are not the only services that let you create a site online.

1. Tumblr – A free micro-blogging platform with characteristics of a social media site such as sharing, liking, etc., Allows you to have one primary blog and unlimited secondary blogs, and post content in different formats (photo, text, quote, video, etc.), add a custom domain, password protect the site, optimize for search engines and build a follower base. Learn more. However, SEO features are very poor compared with Blogger.
2. WordPress (Self-hosted) – #1 choice for most professional bloggers. Upgrade your Google Site or Blogger blog with new limitless ways. Compared to Google Sites and Blogger, the downside of a self-hosted WordPress site is that you have chosen a good host, such as WPX, which costs money. Learn more.
3. Shopify – Start your eCom shop and blog without worrying about maintenance and technical aspects. Blogger and Google Sites are not perfect for the eCom business model, so Shopify is a great alternative.
4. Brizy – One of the most uncomplicated page builders we have used. Brizy lets you create landing pages, blogs, and membership sites efficiently. Check this Brizy review and Brizy pricing guides for more details.
5. WordPress.com (Hosted) – The hosted version of WordPress CMS. You might have to pay fees to use some features.
6. Wix – One of the easiest-to-use page builders and a great competitor to Google Sites. Learn more in the Wix vs Google Sites review.
7. Medium – An excellent content publication service. However, it does not provide features for editing themes, SEO tools, etc.

Conclusion on Google Sites vs Blogger Review

Google Sites and Blogger are two popular services offered by Google to publicize content. Google Sites is inclined to the website building side, while Blogger is a blogging platform.

The drag-and-drop page builder and custom domains in Google Sites allow you to create branded landing pages without having to pay for premium landing page builder software. Check these Google Sites examples to find which type of sites people create using Google Sites.

On the other hand, Blogger is a perfect place to start your blog. All content is hosted on Google, and both services offer free SSL, integrations with your Google Drive, and access to other Google services such as Image Search and YouTube.

Additionally, Blogger enables you to make money online in various ways, not limited to AdSense.

Essentially, both are great tools for beginners to get started. There is no entry cost; only a Google account is needed to start.

So, what is your favorite pick? Google Site or Blogger?