What is WordPress?
WordPress is a free software and platform for blogs and websites. It is content-driven and works well if you have a website or blog with lots of text-based content on it. Multimedia is supported on this platform, but it is usually not the best for e-commerce enabled sites (sites where you sell something directly from your website). WordPress is the number one software choice for bloggers and companies with blogs.
What is WordPress.com?
WordPress.com is the FREE place to put your blog or website online. The distinction is that when you sign up with WordPress.com, your website’s URL will contain the words “wordpress.com” (e.g. wordpl.wordpress.com) . You dont have to worry about private hosting because the site is hosted by WordPress itself.
To use WordPress and start your blog IMMEDIATELY, just sign up for a free account at www.wordpress.com and you’re good to go.
Whats is WordPress.org?
WordPress.org is also FREE, but instead of hosting your site on WordPress, it just gives you the WordPress software to download and install on your own web servers or buy third-party hosting.
To set up a blog or website on WordPress.org you must:
1. Buy a domain name (e.g.www.wordpl.net)
2. Buy a hosting package or host the site on your own web servers
3. Install Wordpress
4. Customize WordPress
In return you get a website that has its own unique domain (e.g. www.wordpl.net)
The Differences between WordPress.com and WordPress.org
|
Wordpress.com |
Wordpress.org |
| Good place to start your own website if you have no previous knowledge or experience setting one up | Good place to start your own website or blog if you have some experience using FTP or Control Panels |
| No costs associated with this | Although the software itself is free, you must pay for domain, hosting, and any premium themes or added-on customization or plug-in you want for your site |
| Retains the phrase “wordpress.com” in your URL | Your site’s URL does not contain any mention of wordpress |
| Is Ok for novice bloggers to use | Is better for serious bloggers to use |
| Offers limited or no monetization aspects | Offers unlimited monetization |
| You cannot place ads on your site to earn from | You can place as many ads on your site as possible; therefore more avenues to make money |
| You can place limited affiliate links | No restrictions in placement or number of affiliate links |
| You have to abide by the wordpress.com rules | You own all the content and can use the site in whatever legal way possible |
| You can customize it using free, but limited themes | You can use free themes or pay for premium themes; its your call |
WordPress.org obviously takes more time, more technical know-how and costs more (due the costs associated with buying domain names, hosting packages, premium themes, etc). But the rewards can be great, especially if you wish to earn from your website.
Which WordPress platform will you choose to start your blog today? Have any interesting experiences with setting up WordPress and want to share? Lets discuss!
Dec 29, 2009Nice article and was delighted to have found a Pakistani blogger. I guess I was alone but never expected to find a learned person like you.
10:39 am
Awesome blog, and blog post.