I saw this little leaf in my birdbath when I was home last week. Autumn is around the corner.
I’m not ready for it yet.
I’m celebrating a little anniversary of sorts. It was one year ago today that I stationed myself at my computer, completed the necessary final steps and made the transfer from Blogger to WordPress. I was nervous. I had already designed my new site and had been ready to move about 6 days earlier, but that was the week that Riley died. Grief and tears took over for several days. Finally, needing something to focus on other than my grief, I decided to go for it. I had studied and researched and meticulously followed each and every step in the book, How to Move from Blogger to WordPress, so I felt pretty confident it would all work out.
It did. Everything went smoothly.
Here’s what I love about self-hosted WordPress:
♥ I own my content, including every photo that I have posted since the move
♥ The possibilities for design and content are endless; you can create a custom look and design due to WP’s flexibility
♥ In that same vein, there are plugins available for just about anything you can think of that give you many more options for design and content
♥ Support, via my host (24 hours a day with a real person on the other end of the phone line,) WordPress, and StudioPress (the designer of my themes), is excellent and ever-present
♥ Security. I was hacked four times on Blogger. No one could help me. The Blogger Forum was useless. Whether you feel the need or not, there are free security plugins available. There are also paid security options with companies that specialize in WordPress.
♥ If you’re interested in that sort of thing, there is much better SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
♥ In my humble opinion, a much more user-friendly way in which to write a post and add photos. I really love it. A lot.
I’m so glad I made the move; I haven’t regretted it for one instant. I didn’t use a designer. I designed this site all by myself. I’m proud of it. I learned a lot about coding, though I’m far from an expert. I like to learn new things. It keeps my mind sharp.
I know that it isn’t for everyone. Most everyone I know, however, has benefitted from the move to WP. I sure have. I never felt or experienced a loss of readers; quite the contrary, my readership grew. Since my blog is about my life, the content didn’t change, the focus of my blog and my writing didn’t change, and neither did the community that I am humbly a part of and which consists of bloggers from all sorts of blogging platforms. Variety is the spice of life!
There’s a blogging platform out there to fit everyone’s taste and/or needs. WordPress has turned out to be the perfect fit for me.
On another topic, I have a book giveaway going on this week. Scroll down if you haven’t read the post and want to enter. I really liked Mystery Girl. But I want to mention that in its world of off-beat characters and in the mystery that the protagonist is trying to solve, there are descriptions of bad porn movies – they figure prominently in the plot. Some of the language is rather graphic. I just wanted to give you a heads up, in case you’ve entered the giveaway and might find that objectionable. If you do, let me know and I won’t include you in the pool of entrants.
Just thought I should include that information!
Happy Sunday.
I agree with everything you said. Im not sure why I was so hesitant to move, but it was the best thing ever and I would encourage others to make the move. Blogger just didn’t fit with me anymore and I think a WP blog always look more professional. They both have there uses and people need to go with whatever works for them. I love WP and would do it all over again.
I would encourage others to do the same thing, Dawn, if they are leaning in that direction. It’s been nothing but positive. So glad you made the move, my friend.
Hi Claudia, I don’t have a blog but I love reading yours and a few others. I find ideas on quilting and great reviews about books. I find myself uplifted by the great ideas and the strength people have to get thru difficult times. I remind myself every day to enjoy what I have and love my life with my family. Thank -you and Happy BLOG anniversary! Doris
Oh, thank you so much, dear Doris! Have a wonderful day.
Good morning Claudia,
Happy Anniversary! That year FLEW by. I think your blog looks better than ever…keep doing what you’re doing!
xo
Lorilu
Thank you, Lorilu! I’m very happy here in my little area of the blogiverse!
Wow- It is hard to believe that it is a year already. I am so glad that you like WP. I have not been tempted to change but you never know where blogging is going to take a person. Your blog looks great and I love visiting you. I see that you still use BlogHer Publishing Network. Is that still connected to the old Blogger in some way?
Hi Diana, BlogHer has nothing to do with Blogger, though they do sound alike! BlogHer is a publishing network for women bloggers (and some men as well) that is found on Blogger Blogs, WordPress Blogs and most likely, other platforms as well. It’s not directly connected to any platform, but is a separate entity.
Seeing that Autumn looking leaf is kind of scary..not that I don’t like Autumn..I do very much..It’s the thought that Winter is not far behind that scares me..I do not like Winter in the least bit..snow..cold..slushy..grey..yuck..Not for me..Congrats on your anniversary..and wishing you many more!
I know! I love autumn, but winter, not my favorite, will be right behind it! Thanks for the good thoughts, Nancy!
Hubby and I were out for a drive…found my first turned leaf at a rest area. And the sumac has already turned too! I’m glad you are happy in your blog universe…that makes for happy readers like me. Happy Day to you too! ;)
Our maple has been dropping a leaf here and there for a week or two!
No….say it isn’t so!
It’s a big tree that’s very old, it always drops a few leaves rather early. That’s one of them in the birdbath.
Can’t believe it’s been a year since you switched! Time does fly doesn’t it?
Have a good day!
Judy
It sure does – too fast!
Claudia,
When I am back in Florida, I am going to try this. In the summer my internet is limited – very limited and expensive. By the time I read the news and take care of business, mu Gigibytes have dwindled.
I am still working on Maggie (Mable Elizabeth) playing with Featherweight. She sews like a dream.
Carol
Don’t you love your Featherweight? I am thrilled with Mabel and her sewing skills!
if im reading a really good book I just turn the page at that sort of thing lol
Leaves falling already and some kids already back to school. Fastest summer in history (mine at least )
Hope all is going well with the plays
Good to know, Sue, about the book. All is going well with the plays – we move onstage on Friday of next week!
Congratulations and they should pay you for this super testimony about WordPress! You certainly created an attractive look here. I’m sure this will give some the encouragement to try this if they’ve been leaning that way.
Good luck in the week ahead with your work!
If only they WOULD pay me, Dewena! But I’m happy to share what I know and love about WP. Have a great week, my friend.
Happy anniversary to you and your wonderful blog. xo Laura
Oh, thank you, Laura! xo
Happy Anniversary! Your blog looks amazing – I’ve always loved the design. I had someone move me & do my design – I just know myself and my limitations. There are all kinds of blog designers out there and my move wasn’t uber expensive. So people just need to shop around (like with anything) if they want to make the move but don’t feel comfortable with doing it themselves.
I didn’t have a drop in readership either. People come and people go. You can’t get hung up on that.
You’re right, Manuela, There are lots of blog designers out there with a wide range of pricing and if a blogger is wary of designing her site, she certainly has other options readily available.
I totally agree with your thoughts on people coming and going. I no longer read that kind of stat because it ultimately doesn’t matter. xo
Happy Anniversary…I started my blog on WP and have been happy with it for the last 3 yrs.
Good for you, Donna! I don’t regret my time on Blogger, but it sure would have been easier if I had started on WP!
Happy Anniversary, Claudia. I enjoy the variety you write about on your blog. I can’t believe next weekend will be Labor Day weekend already!
Oh my goodness, it’s going to be Labor Day? NO!!!! Not yet, I’m not ready for it!
Hi Claudia, I’m so confused! I am trying to decide where to go/what to do… with my blog. I know you switched to WP but you don’t have WP in your address–and I know that is because of “hosting.” I’m a fairly intelligent, highly educated person but I can’t seem to get the whole idea straight. I really need a course on basic computer and website information. I love the look of your blog now. It’s so fresh and clean! I am also concerned about my pictures as blogger likes to upload from picasa and now that site always tries to get me to post my entire album on google+! There’s too much emphasis on coordinating all of google’s social sites when I do my blog now. Ugh! Can you hear the frustration here? I just want a nice little friendly blog where I can be a little creative and share some of my adventures. Not trying to change the world or impose my will or repeat ideas which have been said much better elsewhere by more talented writers and philosophers! Wow–I feel a little better after my venting so thank you for letting me get that out. I guess that’s what friends are for, and that is the best thing I have found in blogging–friends–people with similar interests who understand and care! And your quilt is truly lovely. The colors are beautiful. Linda
There are two kinds of wordpress sites. WordPress.com is like Blogger – a free blogging site that has limitations. WordPress.org is self-hosted, so you have to have your own domain name. But, I also had my own domain name over at Blogger. With self-hosted WP, you’ll never see wordpress in the address.
I share your concerns with all of the google linking and coordinating. A while back, when I was still on Blogger, I joined Google+, but I quickly backed off because there seemed to be such an emphasis on coordinating everything. I think Google has enough power already, thank you very much! I also have a real problem with Google’s push to have someone ‘verify’ that they are the author of their blog, which involved a complicated process of linking everything through a Google/gmail address. No and no. I’m not doing it. And why do I have to verify that I am the author of this blog? Ridiculous.
The fact that my Blogger photos are in Picasa and have to stay there irritates me. That’s part of the reason I moved to a self-hosted WP site. xoxo
Happy Anniversary Claudia! I don’t have a blog, and truly can’t even begin to imagine having one. I’ll continue to read my favorites everyday and give thanks that you are dedicated enough to maintain your blog to entertain people like me. I hope you get to go home over the holiday weekend!
Not sure whether I will be able to Donna – It’s not really a holiday for me – we work 6 out of 7 days a week and Monday is our day off anyway. Plus, we’re moving onstage this Friday. We’ll see!
I like the look of WP blogs better than Blogger, but that’s not enough to convince me to switch over because I’d have absolutely no idea of what I was doing. If I ever start working outside the home again and have more disposable income, then perhaps I will pay someone to do it for me. One thing I’m confused on is how you and some others above are talking about their Blogger pictures being in Picasa. I don’t use Picasa at all…all my photos are simply uploaded from my Picture Library on my computer.
Blogger uses Picasa. So any photo you upload to Blogger for a Blog post is stored in Picasa. I never used it directly either. Doesn’t matter. If you use photos on your blog posts, the photos will be automatically stored by Blogger/Google in Picasa. And that’s where they stay. If you eventually decide to move to another platform and you transfer all your old posts, you cannot delete your Blogger account and information because all of the photos (which will still be stored in Picasa even though you are on WordPress) will be lost.
xo
Claudia
I’m more confused now, lol. Say that I had my blog moved to WP and all my old posts from Blogger were transferred over to this new WP blog…would the photos transfer over too, or just the posts? Or, none of them? I know I can’t delete an old Blogger account/blog, but that doesn’t bother me.
No, your photos would also move over to your WP blog, but they will always be linked to Picasa. All the photos I have posted since I moved to WP are housed here on this site and I have complete control over them. All the photos from my Blogger days are still officially stored in Picasa, but you can see them here.
Does this make it clearer?