WordPress.com, or self hosted WordPress blog – what should I choose?
I am continuing the series of answers to questions that were asked in my pre-Christmas post. You can ask your questions to be added to the series by commenting on this or any other post.
Today’s question:
Hi, I’m new to blogging. I want to set up my own blog through WordPress. It seems that having them host it (i.e. WordPress.com) is simpler, with less troubleshooting. However, I also would like to use plugins (i.e. WordPress.org) but beyond that, I have no technological aspirations as of now. My biggest obstacle is that the tech stuff scares me if I hosted it myself. Any advice? Thanks.
It is easy to set up a blog at WordPress.com as you create an account and pick your theme. There are some downsides to it though.
You do not control the blog as it belongs to WordPress.com and they have some restrictions on using their service for affiliate marketing. You cannot add any plugins only those that they have and finally you don’t own the blog.
If I create a blog on my own domain and build up the traffic I have a saleable asset. Does not happen when someone else owns the domain.
Creating a blog using WordPress has become much easier with the latest versions of WordPress and there are tutorials like my WordPress Made Easy that will walk you through exactly how to do it in a step by step fashion.
There are services like Alex Syseof’s Expert WordPress that allow you to automate the installation and save a lot of time.
Now that being said there are some skills that you should cultivate to install and maintain a WordPress blog on your own domain like FTP but these are skills that you really need to learn and understand as an online marketer whether or not you use them to install a blog or not.
Finally you can always outsource the installation. You can go to any of the outsource sites or use my team to install your blog for you.
With the ease of adding plugins and themes through the dashboard on the latest versions of WordPress the pluses outweigh the minuses for your money making sites to own the domain.
Now that does not mean that you cannot use both to create a network around you money making blog along with other sites like Hub Pages and Squidoo. But that is a post for another time.
As always your questions and comments are appreciated and solicited.
About the author
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Mike Paetzold got started blogging in 2003 and has become an expert on using WordPress. He has become known as The WordPress Guy. After being an under ground niche marketer using his blogs he has surfaced to share some of the ways he uses blogs to enter various niches profitably. Get the details at Profitable Blog Steps |
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Disclaimer: Some of the links mentioned within this post or posts it may lead to are my affiliate links and in such case I will get compensated for recommending those products. However, I will never recommend something that I don’t personally believe in and I welcome your questions and feedback.
9 comments
Andre Arnett on January 3, 2010 at 11:54 am
These are some really good services including your own that I find very helpful for installing and maintaining blogs. It is good to know there are people like yourself who we can turn to to get that additional help if we should get stuck or need a question answered.
Andre Arnett´s last blog ..Good Organization Could Help You Write Your Article
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Richard Perkins on January 3, 2010 at 3:02 pm
Hey Mike,
This is a very good question. I personally choose to go for the self hosted WordPress for the same reason the asker of the question mentioned. I am a customising fool so I knew I was not going to be happy unless I had full control of my site including plugins. There are sooooo many good plugins out there I just had to play with some of them!
It does take a little more work do get a self hosted solution up and running but most hosts offer WordPress as a auto installed script. Using a tool like Fantastico is probably the easiest way to get your script installed and running and as far as FTP I also think most hosts offer a online file manager eliminating the need for learning to use FTP. Even a free host I use has a site builder and file manager making it much easier than the old days of setting up a website.
Oh man the old days…(reminiscing)… I don’t have the energy to talk about the old days with permission problems, server names, database management, SSH and everything that goes with it made me bounce my head off the wall a couple of times I guarantee that. I think those days are gone for a simple user that opens a hosting account and uses the auto install tool the hosting service provides to install WordPress. One word of advise is to make sure the hosting service you buy space with offers auto install tools. I know most do but make sure you read what you are getting and compare with other hosts.
If you try this option and it is just too overwhelming then it is easy enough to get help. Between people like Mike and thousands of forums and information sites around the world specifically targeted at WordPress you are sure to find the answers you need to solve any problems that may arise. I have frequented many of forums looking for answers. Since I am also a Linux user I am no stranger to asking for help! lol.
Anyway it is a personal choice of whether you want to go for a quick solution with limited options or go for the gusto. The gusto takes a little more work but the results are very rewarding. For a small hosting and domain registration fee it may be worth your time to give this option a try and remember if you need help just ask.
Richard Perkins´s last blog ..Some Basics About Traffic Exchanges
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Valentina on January 3, 2010 at 3:38 pm
I began blogging on Blogger – a free service much like the WordPress one. I have since switched to a paid version of WordPress and can not recommend it enough. Yes, you have to build a few tech type muscles, but it is worth every bit of time and effort. Granted I am using one of those services that does the heavy lifting for you to start with however, bit by bit I am getting better at the tech stuff too – and, to Mike’s point, I own the blog.
best………..valentina
Valentina´s last blog ..Blog Income Life December Review
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Joel Osborne
Twitter: JoelOsborne
on January 3, 2010 at 7:36 pm
It does depend on what the main reason is for the blog. If it’s a personal type blog than a WordPress.com blog would be fine. But as a business blog, it needs to be a self-hosted. But like you touched on, you can still use the free hosted services to build up your network of web sites.
Joel Osborne´s last blog ..Niche Site Club Review
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Lonnie Minton on January 3, 2010 at 10:06 pm
Mike as always you have provided a great answer to a question that one of you readers asked. I agree with your advice about Alex Syseof’s Expert WordPress. This automated blog installation service is great and does save a lot of time. It is a good asset to have, beginner or not.
Lonnie Minton´s last blog ..Skyrocket Your Affiliate Marketing Efforts With Private Label Rights
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R.Brian Burkhardt
Twitter: yourfuneralguy
on January 4, 2010 at 10:05 am
I use both wordpress.com and wordpress self hosted blogs. A little known fact about wordpress.com is that their service gives you extra exposure in the word press community-more traffic. That Traffic can be transferred to other blogs.
But their is a price to pay. What you can say and do at a wordpress.com blog is limited. Marketing for example is limited.
Their blogging rules are tougher than those that apply to a word press self hosted site. If You say something controversial or break their blogging rules your post can be deleted.
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Kenneth Samuels on January 5, 2010 at 2:39 pm
I like most began on blogger then migrated to WP and to this day still utilize both platforms, I love the flexibility of wordpress but the link juice from blogger is second to none, for obvious reasons. (Google owns blogger). Each has it’s own unique set of offerings it’s apples and oranges in comparison.
Build website traffic
Kenneth Samuels´s last blog ..How to Build Website Traffic in 2010
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FreeThemeLayouts on January 6, 2010 at 7:16 am
nah, upon seeing the title I didn’t bother reading the entire post. All i can say is: choose SELF-HOSTED. Dude, you’re not getting anything in wordpress.com not unless if you’re a teen wanting to make a celebrity fansite and just don’t care about what’s going on…
FreeThemeLayouts´s last blog ..Apollo WordPress Theme
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Luca Di Nicola
Twitter: rsonline
on January 6, 2010 at 3:16 pm
Hi Mike,
I agree that self hosted WordPress is the way to go to build your brand. I’m one of those people that like to do things myself but am not really fast at it. I have learned a lot from your blogs and have done not too bad a job. Having said that the busier I get the less time I have to install and tweak my blogs so the resources you share will come in handy. Thanks
Luca Di Nicola´s last blog ..How to Create Effective Goals for 2010 and Beyond
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