WordPress Direct - Who has used it?

jtran2009 · 03-16-2009, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by naonline

I use it. It's too early to say whether it's worth the monthly subscription but they do offer some great additional software and plugins. Wordpress itself isn't the most user friendly of apps but WP Direct allows fast blog creation if you want to test a niche. Their support is excellent as well. I'm sure there is a free trial option if you want to test it.

Anything you want to know, please ask.

I did the 30DC and I am a relative newbie so I take slight offense at the implication that we are a "lucrative market". i.e, easy pickings!

Nick

I just completed the 30 days Challenge and yes, I think we are easy pickings. I am thinking about getting a membership for the WPD because they have discontinued many of the features for the free accts.

anteck · 08-16-2009, 01:42 AM

I've just been looking at this.

What has totally turned me off is that they charge a monthly fee, and then offer either 33% of 50% revenue. I'm not sure what that is, perhaps just from adsense, but i think its an insult to charge a monthly fee and then try to profit off ads you may be running.

Noobies are usually easy pickings. Nothing against noobies, but the lack of experience is taken advantage of by offers like this. Keep your eyes peeled and your ears open, and look deep into any offer!

cypherslock · 08-16-2009, 10:29 AM

You can just check and see what plug-ins they use. And then download and install/configure them.

LA Grouch · 08-16-2009, 08:07 PM

By far, your best bet is to set up a good paid host like HostGator, for under $10 a month, and use Wordpress directly through the Control Panel.
There are a ton of free SEO ready Themes to choose from and hundreds of free plugins that will do pretty much anything you need.
If you don't know much about WP, go to my blog and grab the free WP manual. It wil walk you through installation - setup - and optimization.

Plus, once you are with HostGator (get the "baby" account) you can host unlimited domains, so there is plenty of room for growth.

zehron · 08-25-2009, 06:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anteck

I've just been looking at this.

What has totally turned me off is that they charge a monthly fee, and then offer either 33% of 50% revenue. I'm not sure what that is, perhaps just from adsense, but i think its an insult to charge a monthly fee and then try to profit off ads you may be running.

I noticed the same thing and have to say that's what turned me off about WPD. If you get a Gold membership you get to keep 50% of the revenue. Lower level memberships and you get to keep less. I had already set up my Wordpress blog before starting the 30dc, so didn't switch over to WPD.

I am curious though, if anyone knows more about what kinds of revenue you share with the WPD folks. Is it just splitting adsense revenue, or do they get to keep some of what you sell through affiliate offers?

Kuma · 08-25-2009, 08:52 AM

The Silver Acct of WPD offers 3 software packages from Autoincomemaker (wordpress answers, youtube2wordpress and rsswordpressposter) and wpshoppingposter.
The Gold Version additionally offers veoh2wordpress (autoincomemaker) as well as wordpressplrposter and wordpressezineposter.
If these products justify the monthly price tag you have to decide for yourself.
There are however a number of alternative plugins either at no cost or at for a one-time payment. Among them are the smart you tube plugin (used to be free) as well as the Yahoo Answers Autoposter. These two probably will probably take care of most of your needs but if you´re not satisfied yet you might check the wp robot at WP Robot - Premium Wordpress Autoposting Plugin where you can select your plug-ins of choice for one single payment.
Has anybody any more alternatives ?

txconx · 08-25-2009, 09:09 AM

They charge a monthly fee AND take revenue share? If I wasn't put off them before, I am now.

I tried them for about a week last year during the 30DC and that was about all I could take. I am already proficient at Wordpress and have my own reseller hosting account. I took at look at their plugins and most of them are available free. And for the ones that aren't, you can buy them for less than it's going to cost you to stay on the WPD platform.

Add in that many of their themes seemed to be in German, for some inexplicable reason. I got tired of editing themes to English. (I've also seen people selling WPD web sites, complete with German theme, not translated. What's up with that?)

I wouldn't even recommend it for newbies. Learn about hosting and Wordpress and save yourself time and money.

bobbergie · 08-26-2009, 04:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anteck

I've just been looking at this.

What has totally turned me off is that they charge a monthly fee, and then offer either 33% of 50% revenue. I'm not sure what that is, perhaps just from adsense, but i think its an insult to charge a monthly fee and then try to profit off ads you may be running.

Noobies are usually easy pickings. Nothing against noobies, but the lack of experience is taken advantage of by offers like this. Keep your eyes peeled and your ears open, and look deep into any offer!

Just to clarify... the 33% and 50% are not revenue shares. They are what they pay affiliates (customers who sell their product) for sales. You get to keep 100% of your revenues.

-Bob

txconx · 08-26-2009, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobbergie

Just to clarify... the 33% and 50% are not revenue shares. They are what they pay affiliates (customers who sell their product) for sales. You get to keep 100% of your revenues.

-Bob

Thanks for clarifying, Bob.

Pufferf1sh · 09-11-2009, 11:56 AM

I have also used WPDirect through the 30DC. Through the challenge you can get one site installed for free, and this is pretty helpful. You get all the SEO plugins, an easy to use interface plus an excellent support service for nothing. All great for a newbie, but later on you see it for what it is. Stepping up to the paid service is a massive jump and certainly not cheap, especially if you are a newbie and not seeing much profit coming in. The more you read, the more it is clear that good original content and a long term strategy is the way to go, and so paying big bucks for automated content is certainly not worth it in my opinion. Also, as the newbie starts to think about site number 2, they have to decide whether to upgrade on WPDirect or to start doing their homework about wordpress or other platforms. Personally, I think it is much, much better to learn the ropes using the actual wordpress software and install plugins yourself. WPDirect starts to seem limited and when you start thinking about details such as managing blog pages and going for specific themes it just seems too restricted.

Nevetheless the free trial of one site installed is probably worth a go for the newbie, and if you want to give the automated content modules a go then you can always cancel the service if it doesn't work out.

Michelle E · 11-06-2009, 06:18 PM

I am still on the trial and have just got notification that my trial is to end.
I do think it is good for newbies who don't know how to build their own website or blog, and maybe for knocking out blogs very quickly, but I have had to go to wordpress anyway to edit my blog to my visual satisfaction, the placement of text and images were not working correctly in wpd at the time.
They may fix that, but I don't see the point of paying for something that I have to overide to edit on the original platform for free!
I used a recommended theme from wpd and posts did not display properly, I have now changed the theme (nothing else) and it now displays perfectly.
So my conclusion is that unless you are a complete noob, why pay? and actually if you are a complete noob... can you afford it?
Just my thoughts, not having a go..

08-16-2009, 01:42 AM	#52
anteck Living The IM Dream... Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Australia Posts: 76 Thanks: 17 Thanked 9 Times in 8 Posts Social Networking	Re: WordPress Direct - Who has used it? I've just been looking at this. What has totally turned me off is that they charge a monthly fee, and then offer either 33% of 50% revenue. I'm not sure what that is, perhaps just from adsense, but i think its an insult to charge a monthly fee and then try to profit off ads you may be running. Noobies are usually easy pickings. Nothing against noobies, but the lack of experience is taken advantage of by offers like this. Keep your eyes peeled and your ears open, and look deep into any offer!

08-16-2009, 10:29 AM	#53
cypherslock Always be learning War Room Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. Posts: 1,940 Blog Entries: 2 Thanks: 344 Thanked 397 Times in 295 Posts Social Networking Contact Info	Re: WordPress Direct - Who has used it? You can just check and see what plug-ins they use. And then download and install/configure them.

08-16-2009, 08:07 PM	#54
LA Grouch Active Warrior Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 40 Thanks: 0 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts	Re: WordPress Direct - Who has used it? By far, your best bet is to set up a good paid host like HostGator, for under $10 a month, and use Wordpress directly through the Control Panel. There are a ton of free SEO ready Themes to choose from and hundreds of free plugins that will do pretty much anything you need. If you don't know much about WP, go to my blog and grab the free WP manual. It wil walk you through installation - setup - and optimization. Plus, once you are with HostGator (get the "baby" account) you can host unlimited domains, so there is plenty of room for growth.

08-25-2009, 08:52 AM	#56
Kuma HyperActive Warrior War Room Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Sunny places Posts: 144 Thanks: 21 Thanked 7 Times in 6 Posts Contact Info	Re: WordPress Direct - Who has used it? The Silver Acct of WPD offers 3 software packages from Autoincomemaker (wordpress answers, youtube2wordpress and rsswordpressposter) and wpshoppingposter. The Gold Version additionally offers veoh2wordpress (autoincomemaker) as well as wordpressplrposter and wordpressezineposter. If these products justify the monthly price tag you have to decide for yourself. There are however a number of alternative plugins either at no cost or at for a one-time payment. Among them are the smart you tube plugin (used to be free) as well as the Yahoo Answers Autoposter. These two probably will probably take care of most of your needs but if you´re not satisfied yet you might check the wp robot at WP Robot - Premium Wordpress Autoposting Plugin where you can select your plug-ins of choice for one single payment. Has anybody any more alternatives ?

08-25-2009, 09:09 AM	#57
txconx HyperActive Warrior War Room Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 371 Thanks: 56 Thanked 52 Times in 49 Posts Social Networking Contact Info	Re: WordPress Direct - Who has used it? They charge a monthly fee AND take revenue share? If I wasn't put off them before, I am now. I tried them for about a week last year during the 30DC and that was about all I could take. I am already proficient at Wordpress and have my own reseller hosting account. I took at look at their plugins and most of them are available free. And for the ones that aren't, you can buy them for less than it's going to cost you to stay on the WPD platform. Add in that many of their themes seemed to be in German, for some inexplicable reason. I got tired of editing themes to English. (I've also seen people selling WPD web sites, complete with German theme, not translated. What's up with that?) I wouldn't even recommend it for newbies. Learn about hosting and Wordpress and save yourself time and money.

09-11-2009, 11:56 AM	#60
Pufferf1sh Active Warrior War Room Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 69 Thanks: 10 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts	Re: WordPress Direct - Who has used it? I have also used WPDirect through the 30DC. Through the challenge you can get one site installed for free, and this is pretty helpful. You get all the SEO plugins, an easy to use interface plus an excellent support service for nothing. All great for a newbie, but later on you see it for what it is. Stepping up to the paid service is a massive jump and certainly not cheap, especially if you are a newbie and not seeing much profit coming in. The more you read, the more it is clear that good original content and a long term strategy is the way to go, and so paying big bucks for automated content is certainly not worth it in my opinion. Also, as the newbie starts to think about site number 2, they have to decide whether to upgrade on WPDirect or to start doing their homework about wordpress or other platforms. Personally, I think it is much, much better to learn the ropes using the actual wordpress software and install plugins yourself. WPDirect starts to seem limited and when you start thinking about details such as managing blog pages and going for specific themes it just seems too restricted. Nevetheless the free trial of one site installed is probably worth a go for the newbie, and if you want to give the automated content modules a go then you can always cancel the service if it doesn't work out.

11-06-2009, 06:18 PM	#61
Michelle E Warrior Member War Room Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 18 Thanks: 3 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: WordPress Direct - Who has used it? I am still on the trial and have just got notification that my trial is to end. I do think it is good for newbies who don't know how to build their own website or blog, and maybe for knocking out blogs very quickly, but I have had to go to wordpress anyway to edit my blog to my visual satisfaction, the placement of text and images were not working correctly in wpd at the time. They may fix that, but I don't see the point of paying for something that I have to overide to edit on the original platform for free! I used a recommended theme from wpd and posts did not display properly, I have now changed the theme (nothing else) and it now displays perfectly. So my conclusion is that unless you are a complete noob, why pay? and actually if you are a complete noob... can you afford it? Just my thoughts, not having a go..