{"id":16920,"date":"2010-12-30T20:48:27","date_gmt":"2010-12-30T15:18:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/?p=16920"},"modified":"2026-10-15T13:30:47","modified_gmt":"2026-10-15T08:00:47","slug":"thank-google","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/12\/thank-google\/","title":{"rendered":"Google Tools for Bloggers: Our Thank You List, Updated"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>In December 2010 I invited bloggers to thank Google for the free <strong>Google tools for bloggers<\/strong> that made blogging fun and profitable. Many of those tools have since been renamed or retired, so this updated list keeps our original thank-you and shows what each tool is called today and what to use now.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Quick answer:<\/strong> The core Google tools for bloggers today are AdSense for earning, Google Ads for promotion, Search Console for SEO health, Google Analytics for traffic, Blogger for free hosting and Google Workspace for domain email. Google Site Search and Google Related Links have been discontinued, and Webmaster Tools is now Search Console.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-16922\" src=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/GoogleDoodle.jpg\" alt=\"Google Doodle logo celebrating the holiday season\" width=\"500\" height=\"208\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/GoogleDoodle.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/GoogleDoodle-150x62.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/GoogleDoodle-300x124.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_89 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6ad8f502244e2\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"ez-toc-cssicon\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #1a202c;color:#1a202c\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #1a202c;color:#1a202c\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6ad8f502244e2\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/12\/thank-google\/#Google_tools_for_bloggers_then_and_now\" >Google tools for bloggers: then and now<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/12\/thank-google\/#1_Google_AdSense\" >1. Google AdSense<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/12\/thank-google\/#2_Google_AdWords_now_Google_Ads\" >2. Google AdWords, now Google Ads<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/12\/thank-google\/#3_Google_Site_Search\" >3. Google Site Search<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/12\/thank-google\/#4_Google_Apps_now_Google_Workspace\" >4. Google Apps, now Google Workspace<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/12\/thank-google\/#5_Google_Related_Links\" >5. Google Related Links<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/12\/thank-google\/#6_Google_Webmaster_Tools_now_Search_Console\" >6. Google Webmaster Tools, now Search Console<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/12\/thank-google\/#7_Blogger\" >7. Blogger<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/12\/thank-google\/#More_Google_tools_bloggers_use_today\" >More Google tools bloggers use today<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/12\/thank-google\/#Thank_you_Google\" >Thank you, Google<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/12\/thank-google\/#FAQ\" >FAQ<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/12\/thank-google\/#What_are_the_best_free_Google_tools_for_bloggers\" >What are the best free Google tools for bloggers?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/12\/thank-google\/#What_happened_to_Google_Webmaster_Tools\" >What happened to Google Webmaster Tools?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/12\/thank-google\/#Is_Google_Apps_still_free\" >Is Google Apps still free?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/12\/thank-google\/#Is_Blogger_still_available\" >Is Blogger still available?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Google_tools_for_bloggers_then_and_now\"><\/span>Google tools for bloggers: then and now<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Here are the seven tools I thanked Google for in 2010, with what has happened to each one.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Google_AdSense\"><\/span>1. Google AdSense<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/adsense.google.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Google AdSense<\/a> was the main income source for millions of blogs, including ours, and made blogging profitable even for new bloggers who struggled with traffic and CPM ads. If you got big enough, Google sometimes sent gifts too, like branded <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2007\/12\/google-gifts-usb-memory-cards-to-adsense-publishers\/\">USB memory cards<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2006\/11\/google-gifts-digital-photo-frame-to-top-adsense-publishers\/\">digital photo frames<\/a>. AdSense is still running and still a common first way to monetize a blog.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Google_AdWords_now_Google_Ads\"><\/span>2. Google AdWords, now Google Ads<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>AdWords let bloggers reach readers with target keywords for a few dollars, and we used it many times to get visitors for a few cents. It was renamed <a href=\"https:\/\/ads.google.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Google Ads<\/a> in 2018. Back then you could find <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2008\/07\/google-adwords-coupon-code\/\">AdWords promo codes<\/a>, and big advertisers got gifts like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2006\/05\/google-mini-fridge-gift-for-top-google-adwords-users\/\">Google mini fridges<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Google_Site_Search\"><\/span>3. Google Site Search<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>We used Google Site Search as better, more targeted search than WordPress&#8217;s own, with AdSense for Search adding extra income. The paid Site Search product has been discontinued. Its free cousin, <a href=\"https:\/\/programmablesearchengine.google.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Programmable Search Engine<\/a>, still lets you add a Google-powered search box to a site.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Google_Apps_now_Google_Workspace\"><\/span>4. Google Apps, now Google Workspace<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Google Apps gave your domain branded email: our name@quickonlinetips.com address was powered by Gmail. Google Apps is now <a href=\"https:\/\/workspace.google.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Google Workspace<\/a>, a paid service for new users.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_Google_Related_Links\"><\/span>5. Google Related Links<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>We were invited to try this Labs tool and found it the fastest, most accurate related-links widget, good enough to replace our WordPress related-posts plugins. It no longer exists; today most blogs use a related-posts plugin or the feature built into their theme.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"6_Google_Webmaster_Tools_now_Search_Console\"><\/span>6. Google Webmaster Tools, now Search Console<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>This was, and still is, the most important tool for any site owner, showing how Google sees your site, crawl errors and links. It became <a href=\"https:\/\/search.google.com\/search-console\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Google Search Console<\/a> in 2015. See our list of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2023\/01\/free-google-seo-tools\/\">free Google SEO tools<\/a> for more.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"7_Blogger\"><\/span>7. Blogger<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Blogger<\/a> was a lifeline for bloggers. We started on blogspot before we <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2006\/03\/moved-from-blogger-to-wordpress\/\">moved from Blogger to WordPress<\/a>. It is still free and still running.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"More_Google_tools_bloggers_use_today\"><\/span>More Google tools bloggers use today<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/analytics.google.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Google Analytics<\/a>:<\/strong> see where readers come from and what they read.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/trends.google.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Google Trends<\/a>:<\/strong> spot rising topics to write about.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/pagespeed.web.dev\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">PageSpeed Insights<\/a>:<\/strong> check how fast your pages load.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Thank_you_Google\"><\/span>Thank you, Google<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Google had just sent us New Year greetings, and it felt like our turn to say thanks. So many years later, these tools are still a big part of how blogs are built, found and paid for. How has Google changed your blogging life? Tell us in the comments.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQ\"><\/span>FAQ<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_are_the_best_free_Google_tools_for_bloggers\"><\/span>What are the best free Google tools for bloggers?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Search Console, Google Analytics, Google Trends, PageSpeed Insights and Blogger are all free. AdSense is free to join and pays you.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_happened_to_Google_Webmaster_Tools\"><\/span>What happened to Google Webmaster Tools?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>It was renamed Google Search Console in 2015 and is still free.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_Google_Apps_still_free\"><\/span>Is Google Apps still free?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Google Apps became Google Workspace, which is a paid subscription for new customers.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_Blogger_still_available\"><\/span>Is Blogger still available?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Yes. Blogger is still free to use at blogger.com.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In December 2010 I invited bloggers to thank Google for the free Google tools for bloggers that made blogging fun&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":16922,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16920","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-google"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16920","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16920"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16920\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":67067,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16920\/revisions\/67067"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16922"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16920"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16920"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16920"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}