WordPress hosted VS downloading your own blog

3ukman · 03-12-2009, 08:31 AM

Can you actually install plugins to the hosted version of WordPress at wordpress.com or do I have to download my own wordpress blog for that ?

And which approach is generally preferred ?

Adam Jetson · 03-12-2009, 08:42 AM

3ukman,

If you really want to "pimp your blog" at any time in the future, then
get it set up on your own domain right from the start (unless you really
need the hand-holding/hands-off approach of having it hosted for you).

With most hosting accounts these days (certainly with CPanel with Fantastico
nstalled) it takes just a few seconds, and using Worpress itself is easy
(with infinite help through Google).

You'll then get full control of your own blog to do pretty much whatever
you want with it, whenever you want.

Best,
Adam

PatriciaJ · 03-12-2009, 09:00 AM

I don't think you can add plug ins other than what are already there in your dashboard and that varies according to what theme you use.

I much prefer the full control of self hosting on my reseller account because I can add whatever plug ins I want and tweak the designs better, if traffic increases I can increase size and bandwidth to match.

Also having had a blog about Suduko pulled on Tumblr that was doing rather well through my article marketing efforts I'm leary of anything but self hosting now.

R Hagel · 03-12-2009, 09:07 AM

I agree with the previous posts -- you should absolutely host your blog on your own domain. You never know what a third-party host might decide to do in the future. They could just take their site down (and your blog with it). Or they could have an unrecoverable crash or something (get hacked with no backups).

Who knows.

You may consider hosting "lesser blogs" on third party hosts (perhaps for links or more exposure), but host your main blog on your own site. And then, yeah, you can easily add all the plugins and whiz bang tools you want.

Micheal Perkins · 03-12-2009, 09:12 AM

Self hosting is the way to go. I had a blog a couple of years ago that was hosted on wordpress. Luckily I had not done much with it, but they decided I violated their terms somehow. I don't remember what I did, but it was nothing I had not seen on self hosted blogs.

So think about what will happen to your business if you use wordpress hosting for you blog and 2 years down the road, they shut you down for some reason. I asked at that time if they could reinstate my blog because the mistake I made was honestly and innocent mistake. They said no, that I would just have to start over.

So, if you want to be serious about this and try to build a business and make money, you need to treat it seriously. Hosting on your server gives you much more control, and you can use any plugin that someone comes up with.

Just my 2 cents.

To your success,
Mike

Steadyon · 03-12-2009, 09:23 AM

It depends how big you want your blog to be, but host your main blog or blogs on your own hosting account.

But have a number of other mini blogs on the free hosts such as wordpress and blogger etc.

Search the forum for lots of further data on this.

03-12-2009, 08:31 AM	#1
3ukman Active Warrior War Room Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 54 Thanks: 3 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	WordPress hosted VS downloading your own blog Can you actually install plugins to the hosted version of WordPress at wordpress.com or do I have to download my own wordpress blog for that ? And which approach is generally preferred ?

03-12-2009, 08:42 AM	#2
Adam Jetson HyperActive Warrior War Room Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: , , United Kingdom. Posts: 133 Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts	Re: WordPress hosted VS downloading your own blog 3ukman, If you really want to "pimp your blog" at any time in the future, then get it set up on your own domain right from the start (unless you really need the hand-holding/hands-off approach of having it hosted for you). With most hosting accounts these days (certainly with CPanel with Fantastico nstalled) it takes just a few seconds, and using Worpress itself is easy (with infinite help through Google). You'll then get full control of your own blog to do pretty much whatever you want with it, whenever you want. Best, Adam
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03-12-2009, 09:00 AM	#3
PatriciaJ Senior Warrior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Yorkshire, UK Posts: 1,219 Thanks: 160 Thanked 310 Times in 240 Posts Social Networking Contact Info	Re: WordPress hosted VS downloading your own blog I don't think you can add plug ins other than what are already there in your dashboard and that varies according to what theme you use. I much prefer the full control of self hosting on my reseller account because I can add whatever plug ins I want and tweak the designs better, if traffic increases I can increase size and bandwidth to match. Also having had a blog about Suduko pulled on Tumblr that was doing rather well through my article marketing efforts I'm leary of anything but self hosting now.
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03-12-2009, 09:07 AM	#4
R Hagel Copywriting and More... War Room Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Where it's cold, USA Posts: 3,222 Thanks: 1,401 Thanked 1,886 Times in 703 Posts	Re: WordPress hosted VS downloading your own blog I agree with the previous posts -- you should absolutely host your blog on your own domain. You never know what a third-party host might decide to do in the future. They could just take their site down (and your blog with it). Or they could have an unrecoverable crash or something (get hacked with no backups). Who knows. You may consider hosting "lesser blogs" on third party hosts (perhaps for links or more exposure), but host your main blog on your own site. And then, yeah, you can easily add all the plugins and whiz bang tools you want.
	You can save two Warrior's lives: KimW and Ken Strong Our truest life is when we are in dreams awake. ~Henry David Thoreau

03-12-2009, 09:12 AM	#5
Micheal Perkins HyperActive Warrior Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Missouri Posts: 201 Thanks: 5 Thanked 30 Times in 26 Posts Social Networking	Re: WordPress hosted VS downloading your own blog Self hosting is the way to go. I had a blog a couple of years ago that was hosted on wordpress. Luckily I had not done much with it, but they decided I violated their terms somehow. I don't remember what I did, but it was nothing I had not seen on self hosted blogs. So think about what will happen to your business if you use wordpress hosting for you blog and 2 years down the road, they shut you down for some reason. I asked at that time if they could reinstate my blog because the mistake I made was honestly and innocent mistake. They said no, that I would just have to start over. So, if you want to be serious about this and try to build a business and make money, you need to treat it seriously. Hosting on your server gives you much more control, and you can use any plugin that someone comes up with. Just my 2 cents. To your success, Mike

03-12-2009, 09:23 AM	#6
Steadyon Gone fishing War Room Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Florida, USA and Sussex, United Kingdom Posts: 650 Thanks: 103 Thanked 88 Times in 68 Posts	Re: WordPress hosted VS downloading your own blog It depends how big you want your blog to be, but host your main blog or blogs on your own hosting account. But have a number of other mini blogs on the free hosts such as wordpress and blogger etc. Search the forum for lots of further data on this.