Is anyone using wordpress.com: The free one.

[madison_avenue]

Is anyone using wordpress.com the free blog platform. If you are, how does your site rank using it, does google like this platform?

Is any form of monetization strictly a no no? What sort of linking out is acceptable, can you put an aweber form on?

Are the mods lenient or is it easy to get your site banned, I have had one or two problems with squidoo lens'. If you are sensible can you keep your site under the radar.

Are there any advantages with using this platform or would you advise staying away?

[John Burton]

As far as I am aware, you can set up a sales page on wordpress.com no problem. However, your domain name will be mysite.wordpress.com - hardly giving a professional impression. I would recommend getting your own domain and host and installing Wordpress on there.

John Burton

[Eric Lorence]

No ... the WP mods are NOT lenient on blatant sales blogs.

Setting up a "sales" page there will probably get you banned.

Affiliate links will probably get your site banned too.

I wouldn't go with wordpress.com for this.

Hosting is cheap enough, and wordpress installation is easy enough to just host your own.

$10 for the domain, and $6-7 per month hosting.

[la dominatrix]

There are the ghosts of a lot of blogs littering this site, where people have worked hard for several months and in some cases years with a free blog and then they have their blog pulled down for an infringement of TOS. There is no way any sensible person should consider a free blog. Hosting costs next to nothing if you cant afford it and want to get started pm me and I will set you up free hosting for six months on my resellers account.

There is no strings attached to this you get free hosting for six months and then you can transfer it elsewhere or pay me the going rate
La dominatrix

[bgmacaw]

Originally Posted by la dominatrix

There is no way any sensible person should consider a free blog.

Google on 'make money online' if you want to see 'sensible'.

As to the question at hand, WordPress.com is good for a personal blog or supporting blog where you don't want to spring for a domain. No monetization is allowed, including affiliate links. No blatant linking schemes are allowed. Content must be original and somewhat decent in order to avoid being banned.

Since it is so tightly moderated, Google loves WordPress.com blogs. If you take the time to develop one you will have a strong source for links you can use to boost your domains or SEO network.

[madison_avenue]

Thanks for all the replies guys. Very helpful

bgmacow

Google on 'make money online' if you want to see 'sensible'.

Are we talking oil filters!

Since it is so tightly moderated, Google loves WordPress.com blogs. If you take the time to develop one you will have a strong source for links you can use to boost your domains or SEO network.

There may be a way you can leverage this, it work both ways. With limited work and
commitment a WP may be useful to have, always on the understanding it can be banned at anytime, so operate it accordingly.

What about an aweber link which is subtly placed on page which does not look like a sales page?

Can we create multiple accounts by giving different email addresses?

I have normal hosting, I am looking at WP as part of a wider strategy.