WordPress.org – A Good Idea?
ByAre you new to WordPress? Beginners often get confused about the differences between WordPress.org, WordPress.com, and installing WordPress on their own domain and hosting account. Beginners are often drawn to the “easy” aspects of using the .org and .com versions. With them, they can skip some of the install/setup issues.
However, under no circumstances do I suggest using those sites for your main web site. In my opinion, when a beginning marketer opts to use those sites because they aren’t willing to take the time to learn how to build a “real website”, they probably are not that serious about the process. Worse still, using them to avoid a $4.95 a month hosting fee further shows the lack of seriousness for the business.
The .org and .com methods of WordPress are fine as supplemental marketing methods. But again, they should not be used for your main site.
Building sites with those versions is no different than creating a site using Squidoo or HubPages. Much work is required to market a site properly. With those sites (which you don’t own), it’s a lot like putting work into a rent house. Why would you to do that?
As I said, they are fine for supplemental marketing, but your main site should be self-hosted using your own domain. Besides the fact that you don’t really own the .org site, using it brings many limitations. For example, there are many scripts and plugins you will need down the road which won’t work on the free sites.
Most of all, you want a site that is YOURS so you can build value with. If beginning marketers only knew how good they have it now days compared to times past (with respect to building web sites), they would be all too glad to learn the simple process of registering a domain, buying hosting, and installing WordPress within the hosting account. (It really is easy!)
Once WordPress is installed in your own hosting account, you can then work with it just like on the free WordPress sites. Plus, you get the benefit of building value into YOUR OWN SITE and having the ability to use all the cool plugins, scripts, and features available for WordPress.
I know I will have some who suggest that taking the “easy” route may enable a few to begin marketing who otherwise would not. I agree with that. However, I still believe that those who look for shortcuts in the beginning won’t be on the short list of success later on.
I agree with you on WordPress.org as a great beginner’s site. Also, unlike many other hosted blogging platforms, WordPress.org is much simpler to move later if you want to self-host AND you can control redirecting better for SEO. I did a piece on it a while back here: http://blog.search-mojo.com/2010/02/16/choosing-a-blog-host-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/
Steve,
I am not following you. Are you indicating that using both WP.com and WP.org are for beginners not serious about their website presence? At first I thought you meant just WP.com, but then you mention .org along with it:
“However, under no circumstances do I suggest using those sites for your main web site.”
and
“The .org and .com methods of WordPress are fine as supplemental marketing methods. But again, they should not be used for your main site.”
I agree if one is using WP.com, but disagree with WP.org being for beginners and non serious businesses and believe it is a great platform for many small businesses serious about their website presence.
Just confused as to what you are referring to.
Angela
Hi Angela, I believe that a persons “main” web site should be developed on their own hosting account with their own domain. It may be fine at first, but as the business develops, they will need the more robust features that only a self-hosted site can provide. Sure, you could move it at some point. But with how easy it is now to create WP sites on your own host, it just makes more sense to me to begin there with beginners.