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Benefits of WordPress.org vs WordPress.com

  1. danithedreamgirl
    Member

    I'm at the point where I want to have more freedom with my blog design and the ability to place ads on my page or use 3rd party ad services, i.e. Social Spark. If I make the switch to WordPress.org, will I be able to do these things??? I like the thought of changing things on my blog like fonts and custom headers without upgrading to a custom design with wordpress.com... Lastly, what is the cost to have my site transferred over to wordpress.org? I purchased my domain name for a year...any help would be great!

    The blog I need help with is danithedreamgirl.com.

  2. raincoaster
    Member

    Yes, if you make the switch to WordPress.org you will have the scope to do those things. The ability? Is up to you. I personally don't tackle theme hacking, because I don't find it easy, but I could do it if I wanted on my externally hosted blog.

    You can change the custom header on virtually any theme here for free already, though.

    The cost of transferring it? Free if you do it yourself; then you only pay for the hosting. The guided transfer is $99, but if your skills are not up to handling the export and install, you shouldn't really be taking that step anyway.

  3. airodyssey
    Member

    @raincoaster: It's $119 now (yeah, it went up quite a bit after the upgrade was launched)
    http://en.support.wordpress.com/guided-transfer/

  4. dreamsburnred
    Member

    WordPress.com;

    -free hosting
    -no setup or technical stuff
    -no ads allowed
    -locked down

    WordPress.org

    - you are responsible for hosting, setup, domain name, and tons of other stuff
    -freedom to do what ever you want.

    Note: WordPress.org is not a host it's a site where you download WordPress to your new host (e.g hostgator).

  5. danithedreamgirl
    Member

    I didn't know that I could change the custom header on my theme...I can change the text and background, but I can't put up a design-heavy header can I?

    Also, with wordpress.com would I be able to have a designer update the look of my blog with the proper html coding? Or are there strict parameters?

    Would I still be able to keep my blog name Danithedreamgirl.com?

  6. raincoaster
    Member

    You can put up a custom header in more than 80% of the themes here. I'm not familiar with the one you've chosen, though. You can go to Dashboard->appearance->Themes and filter the search so you get just themes with custom headers.

    With WP.com you can pay a competent designer to do CSS coding ONLY, not normal theme hacking, and only if you have the paid upgrade.

    You can apply a custom domain name to a WordPress.com blog with the upgrade which I think is $12 a year. If you host externally, you CANNOT use a Whatever.Wordpress.Com address, but have to get your own URL.

  7. justpi
    Member

    Mystique supports header images. You upload the image in Appearance > Header. For best results, create an image in the exact dimensions the theme specifies.

  8. isadz
    Member

    Instead of transfer one should manually copy and paste all the stuff along with url from here to the wordpress.org. Is this fair to do?

  9. auxclass
    Member

    @iphonist1 - you can copy and paste if you want but much much better to use the Export / Import feature - much easier and the whole site (or what you have selected to be transferred)

  10. raincoaster
    Member

    Transfer is EASY. Uless there's something bizarre about your transfer, you'd be foolish to copy/paste.

  11. isadz
    Member

    Why foolish?
    When I'll copy and paste my stuff from here to WP.org after deleting it from WP.com then my blog visitors will be referred to WP.org. As url will make them to go. Export/import is preferable though.

  12. raincoaster
    Member

    Because it is many times the amount of work, and almost certain to introduce errors: both code errors and flaws that hurt SEO.

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