WordPress.org vs. WordPress.com
WordPress is a blogging and content management software and yes, there are two types. WordPress.com is a blogging platform and your site would be hosted for free on the their servers.
With WordPress.org the software is still free, but your site is self-hosted with a paid hosting service such as HostGator for example.
This information is very important because you don’t want to spend weeks or months building a blog or website on the wrong platform for your purposes.
Both are free to use and in functionality, both platforms are very similar, but there are some very important differences.
Here are my top 5 reasons for choosing to use
Wordpress.org for your online business
over WordPress.com
- You own it. You can do anything you want with it (assuming it’s legal of course). With the .com version they own it. Your site is on their servers. They control what you can do with it and if they don’t like what you’ve done they can… take it down. Simple commercial activity can be considered spam. This means weeks, months or even years of work could suddenly disappear.
. - You can upload themes. You can choose from hundreds of themes online that you can download and use for free. You can also purchase premium themes and even design your own themes. With the .com version you have to use one of their 70+ themes. You can modify the theme, but you can’t run a custom theme. This means that your blog will probably look like thousands of others using the same theme.
. - You can upload plugins and widgets. These add functionality and can enhance the design of your site. The .org version provides unlimited flexibility and customization options. You have complete control over the look and feel of your site. You can even change the underlying PHP code if you know how.
. - You can run ads on your site. In fact, there is no restrictions on monetization. With the .com version they don’t allow you to run ads on your site because they can run their own ads on it. You can’t really blame them for that though, it’s how they keep the service free.
. - You can have your own domain name and domain email address. The standard domain name on the .com version looks like this: http://johndoe.wordpress.com. You can have your own domain name with the .com version, if you pay an upgrade fee. I think it’s $15 per year.
So the bottom line is if you just want to build a practice site, a hobby site that you don’t plan to monetize, or a special interest site on a topic that you just like to talk about then the .com version may work out ok for you. On the other hand if you are planning to build a business or become a serious blogger then I strongly recommend going with WordPress.org. For the best WordPress training online check out the WordPress Crash Course Videos link on the right hand side of this page.
John P
P.S. If you choose the .org version it is just the type of software that you’ll be using. It does not mean you would have .org at the end of your domain name.
This course is excellent, and in my opinion should cost more. It is very detailed and with 31 videos it honestly teaches all you need to learn. After this course you can do everything you need to your self and with confidence.
Thanks
That answers my question completely as to the comparison of WP.com and .org.
Thank You so very much!
I really like what I see on this site (i.e. the wordpress crash course, the video producting, Artisteer crash course as well as the clean ttractrative look of this website. Was this site built with Artisteer?
Also, do you have any wordpress crash course training videos for a little more experienced than newbies and beginners?
Patteey
Hi Patteey,
Yes, I built this site with Artisteer and no, at this time I only have the one WordPress Crash Course. I guess the Artisteer Crash Course would be considered “Intermediate” because it teaches you how to build your own themes from scratch using the Artisteer software, it still doesn’t get in to the CSS or PHP code.
John P
Hi John-
I have watched most of the WP Crash Course, and I have enjoyed it as well as I have learned from it.
I am looking forward to watching your artisteer course.
I am looking to make a membership site similar to this where I have video tutorials (on legal subjects) available to subscribing members.
I am wondering if you know of any resources that would explain the membership aspect and the protection of the video content so that it could not be viewed for free.
Bruce Paynter
Hi Bruce,
You can find the membership software I used for this site here.
As for learning everything else involved in creating and running a high quality video training membership site, I learned from Dave Kaminski.
John P
Hi,
I am considering buying the crash course, after reading the comments here, I have been left with a question. If I go to wordpress.org do I lose my .com above?
There is a word press theme attached to it now, but this is really just a test sight for me. I like the domain name, but want to change the theme and eliminate the controls that are on it.
Thanks
Maureen
Hi Maureen,
No, you won’t lose your domain name. The main difference between WordPress.org and WordPress.com is where your WordPress software is being hosted. If you are hosting your site with a company like HostGator for example you are already using WordPress.org software. You would use your own domain name (www.homeworkerusa.com) in this case.
On the other hand if you are not paying for hosting and you are hosting your site on the WordPress.com servers there are rules and restrictions you would need to comply with and you wouldn’t be able to use your own domain name as listed above.
Since your site (www.homeworkerusa.com) is not being hosted on the WordPress.com servers, I believe you would find my course very helpful. It would show you how to change your theme, add pictures, videos, ads, plugins for added functionality such as adding Twitter or Facebook to your site for example, etc.
Hope all that made sense,
John P
Hi John ! thinking of buying the wo.org crash course and understand that crash course for Artisteer come free as a bonus – kindly confirm. Have my own .com domain name and planning to build sites with wp.org after learning from your crash course and propose to host those sites at the free hosting I get at chrisfarrell membership. Kly adv if this sounds ok.Many thanks
Hi PkP,
Yes, the Artisteer Crash Course training comes as a free, unadvertised bonus for WordPress Crash Course purchasers. Artisteer helps you create WordPress themes without knowing any code.
Just wondering….what version of Word Press does your video tutorials cover? Version 3?
Hi Linn,
Yes, the course was completely updated after WordPress 3.x came out.
John P
I discovered your Artisteer Crash Course after days of frustration trying to figure out how Artisteer works. I found I got a bonus! If I purchased WordPress Crash Course you included the Artisteer Course. Although it took me a few days to figure everything and follow each video I understand SO much more……I wish I would’ve discovered these long ago as I’m the kind of do-it-yourself person. The courses are both easy to understand and execute, well worth the $ (actually you could probably charge quite a bit more). I do have one question though, I’d like my website (static) to open to my blog page thus having both sites together. I have friends who’ve done this and I haven’t spent much time to try and figure out how to do it, thought I’d ask you first.
Thanks again for your great videos!
Debbi
Hi Debbi,
Thank you for the kind words about the Crash Courses. I sent you an email to help with your question.
John P
I found this is interesting I want to own and become affiliate. Yes I would go with WordPress.org and never go back. My question is : Are these crash course videos in physical products? or in the form of digital information that I keep on my computer?
Thanks,
Sid.
Hi Sid,
The WordPress Crash Course is an online video training course. After becoming a member you have unlimited access to the member’s area and the training videos. I may turn this into a monthly membership site in the near future, but if you purchase now you will be locked in with no monthly fees, ever.
John P
This site saved my life. I am not a tech guy at all. But with this site open and wordpress.org open side by side it was very,very easy to accomplish.
Best tech investment for me this year. THANK YOU!
Thanks Charles, I’m so glad you found the course helpful!
I honestly think you are a GREAT! And I LOVE your kind voice. I bought the WP course many months ago. Unfortunately… I must have ADD! I have jumped around chasing shiny things since and got into the dreaded information overload syndrome.
Now I am focused! And am ready for 2011. Thanks to you, you also steered me to Mr. Chris F. a blessing there too.
Thank you John and have a safe and happy Holiday
Jill,
Thanks so much for the kind words. I’m glad you’re focused now and I wish you great success in 2011. I’m also looking forward to seeing your WordPress site when you’re ready.
John, Will start the 2011 year out by re-viewing your series of videos and refresh my techniques…double-checking ALL I can. Thanks for the work on the course. HAPPY NEW YEAR wishes to you!!!
I have been trying to understand WordPress for over a year. I’ve purchased books, looked at YouTube, you name it, I’ve tried it. Thank you so very much for excellent videos at a reasonable price. Finally, I see light at the end of the tunnel, and I can now get this blog up and running. Thanks again.
Thank you Suzanne, it was my goal to make a course that would make learning WordPress fast and easy and it’s students like you who make it worth the effort.
I am hosted with Powweb. I did not no the difference between the .org sites and the .com versions of WP.
Is there a way I can tell wich one I am working with? Currently I have it sort of hidden in a directory like
www .?????/wordpresssite. This is so that I can work on it and learn without the site being open to traffic.
Thanks
Bob
Hi Bob,
Yes, there is a way that you can tell if you have a WordPress.com site. In the address bar of your browser your site URL will be something like http ://DogTrainingPro.WordPress.com if you have a WordPress.com site. If you are using the .org version you can have your own domain name like this…
http ://DogTrainingPro.com
I have bought a lot of garbage in my quest to become a monetized blogger, and I’m pretty smart with a graduate degree. This is utterly the most worthwhile course I have ever purchased online, bar-none. It is fully worth over $200. Forget WordPress for dummies and the youtube marketer junk tutorials. Buy this course! M R Williams MD
Hi,
I always thought creating a blog using WordPress would be super-technical work. But your videos made the whole work so easy. I wish I’d found you earlier John !
After I learned the basics I created my first site using WordPress and Artisteer, for my offline client within a few hours.
It’s so cool how you demonstrate the use of both WordPress services and Artisteer software. This is the best WordPress course I’ve seen for such a small price.
Best Regards from France,
Philippe
I can only agree with all the others.
A great investment and a great price! How can anyone lose?
I would recommend this course to anyone interested in learning WordPress!!!
Kevin
Hey John
I am just going to echo the thoughts of everyone else thats commented on the fantastic job you have done of this course. I bought the course and watched it fully,you explain things so easily and completely.I would again just like to thank you on providing such a high value course at such an affordable price.Cheers Mark
Thanks again, everyone, for all of the nice comments you’ve left here about the WordPress Crash Course. I really appreciate it and I’m glad that so many people have found the course to be helpful.
John P
Hi John,
I am so glad I got your WordPress Crash Course. I have just about finished going through your videos, chomping at the bit to start building my website. Thank you very much, for sharing/offering us this knowledge. WOW!!! : )
Sandra D.
Hi John,
I have been thinking long time to create my site but I could not do any thing. I purchased many rubbish products and was tired and so frustrated. But my site is now ready to go out to the world. I used Artisteer as well and people are just amazed. I am so proud of my self and for your hard work to put this incredible system together. Thank you so much. You saved my life. I am so exciting to create another one.
Happy artist
when I get into conversations with people who are thinking of building a web site but just need some honest and good advice I always tell them about Crash Course Training. I always tell them it has been the best money I have ever spent on the internet. I really love what John has done and highly recommend his work.
Impressed.iainmacc
I have learned more from six video lessons of the WPCC than I have from several years of spending money on misleading info. Thanks John.
Finally! An end to my frustration with WordPress! After viewing John’s videos & then going back through them & taking notes, I was able to get my site up & running. I can now continue to refine it. Before finding CrashCourseTraining, I had abandoned my project because I was so tired of being frustrated & feeling like the village idiot every time I tried to work with WordPress. True, there are forums out there, but it’s so overwhelming, & often you get led down a rabbit hole. Now I even feel comfortable adding widgets & code! His videos are brief, focused, and clear–and that’s coming from someone who has spent almost 4 decades as a college teacher. This course is definitely worth the cost & more! Thanks, John!
P.S.–I do wish Artiseer were more compatible with MACS.
Great video’s! I was searching the net for the perfect training video’s and WPCC seems to fit all my needs.
Ability to follow along side by side on one monitor with two browsers open while the video where still clear & watchable (very important to hands on learning), how to create an actual website besides just listening to lecture (learn by doing) and clear step by step details from the instructor.
Great job!
John,
It has been awhile since I purchased your program. However, I have recently started using it and am so delighted to have it. Your method of site construction, teaching methods, slow and easy listening moderator voice, in general it is one of the most satisfying and fun learning programs I have ever encountered.
Your style of presentations is BY FAR the best and easiest, from which to learn, that I have ever used. Congratulations on your ability to get into the head of a “student” and realize that the content has to be presented “SLOWLY” and one step at a time. YOUR PROGRAM IS EXACTLY THAT.
I can’t put into adequate words the satisfaction I have in going through each module, again and again, and learning something new each and every time. You should be soliciting new outlets for your talent and ability to teach far better than 98% of all “self help” programs out there. I am so very grateful and excited to use your program to construct a number of blogs and sites for my wife and I. We love your work. Thank You, Thank You and AGAIN, I THANK YOU.
Anthony P and Stephanie