Need help? Check out our Support site, then


WordPress.com Forums » Support

I want something...

  1. animelovers411
    Member

    Hello,

    I have been looking and learning about WordPress lately and I might want to take the step from having a wordpress.COM account , and transfor it to a wordpress.ORG account. Meaning I might want to buy my own domain and hosting service (hostgator) but I am not so sure about this step ... Things Im confused about:

    1. Transferring my blog from free host to self-hosted

    2. The true cost of it all

    3. If this process is going to be very long and drawn out...

    Could you guys give me some tips and some help on this topic.. I am sorry if you guys get a lot of these topics but I just am not clear about this system and would like some guidence in any way to help me... Also

    Is this step worth it?

    Is it worth spending money on having/owning a blog? or should I just stay with my wordpress.COM blog?

    The blog I need help with is animelovers411.wordpress.com.

  2. thesacredpath
    Member

    1. You can export your content from here and import it into the new self-hosted site.

    2. Realistically you are looking at anywhere from $10 to $25 per month, all costs considered. This can go up or down depending on your requirements.

    3. It does not have to be long and drawn out, but with the web, you never know what gremlins might be lurking in the shadows. From the time you sign up for your domain name and hosting till you can install the wordpress software and take the skeleton of the site live is typically about 24 to 48 hours. Virtually all hosts have wordpress installation scripts through the cPanel that allow you to do the initial install almost painlessly. Transferring content, if all goes well, might take an hour or so unless you have a lot of posts in which case the export file might have to be broken up into chunks.

    Although self-hosting a wordpress site is far easier than it used to be, there are additional responsibilities. You are responsible for all installations, all upgrades, all backups and all troubleshooting. If something goes wrong, you have to figure it out and fix it.

    Why are you thinking you need to go self-hosted? What do you think that offers you, or what do you need, that is not available here?

  3. timethief
    Member

    Your answers to thesacredpath's two questions are important.

    Is it worth spending money on having/owning a blog? or should I just stay with my wordpress.COM blog?

    If your primary motivation is to monetize a blog then do be aware that many bloggers have discovered that they make little more than pocket change over and above their hosting and associated costs. Literally millions of people downloading and installing Adblock plus on their Firefox browsers each month, and fewer and fewer people are seeing ads. Setting up a self-hosted WordPress.org install

  4. animelovers411
    Member

    As of right now I am just trying to gain some knowledge on which would be the best way to go when trying to earn some money online. I love blogging, But I am now wondering maybe you have to "spend money to make money" when it comes to making money blogging.

    I truly love wordpress.com and wordpress in general, but if I wanted to sell an ebook, or affiliate products, or services I might need a self-hosted blog to do this.. So that is my motivation behind getting a self-hosted blog..

  5. thesacredpath
    Member

    Raincoaster makes here living (or tries to make her living blogging) and she now has a day job as she wasn't able to make it - advertising or not.

    Don't count on making money on blogging, that is your best way to approach things and then if you do make a little pocket change, never, ever come to depend on it. Alway take it as like finding change under the cushions of the sofa.

  6. raincoaster
    Member

    No, I don't have my day job, because they lost a customer and laid me off.

    If you are a good enough writer to write for magazines, you may be able to succeed as a blogger. If you are not that good at writing, you won't be able to.

    The average blogger who monetizes his/her blog makes less than $200 per year. In fact, most make less than $50.

  7. animelovers411
    Member

    Oh .. I see.. So your saying that its not worth paying for a host and domain? Because making money blogging is very difficult?

    I guess Im trying to determine if I should take the step to start paying for a hosting and domain, To take my blogging business more seriously? or will it be a little bit of a waste of money each month?

  8. raincoaster
    Member

    That is correct. If you're good enough to be a professional writer, you're better off writing for print.

  9. animelovers411
    Member

    I think I am going to take your advice on this one! It just seems everyone I talk to believes that having your own self hosted blog on wordpress opens up more chances to gain some money while blogging about the stuff you love ... or your niche..

    Im completely torn it seems between using a free hosting/domain or a self hosting/domain...

  10. raincoaster
    Member

    Unless you are a professional marketer or professional writer, you're going to lose money. Trust me on this.

  11. raincoaster
    Member

    Let me ask you this: Why did you get into blogging? If you went into it to make money, maybe you should consider something more lucrative, like babysitting. If you went into it to express yourself and build a community, then don't concern yourself with commercialization at all.

  12. animelovers411
    Member

    So you currently use a free hosted website? Are making earnings through affiliated programs such as amazon,ebay, click bank? Because I dont think on a free hosted site you can put up adsense ads and stuff..

  13. animelovers411
    Member

    I got into blogging because I love to write and about my personal, hobby (Anime and Manga), I wanted to show and improve the anime community.. I have realized that my motivation has turned more toward "Earning money writing about my hobby" But I just wanted another supply of money coming in from my "hobby".. I do want to make my voice be heard and provide people with great content but I feel that success is shown from how much you have earned with the site.. As of blogging with this site over a year I felt it was the right step to start earning from my content and "hobby" That is why I have been considering having a self-hosted blog in order to give me the chance to earn from my "hobby"/blog..

  14. raincoaster
    Member

    I have both kinds of sites. I have, actually, four kinds of sites: a free one hosted here from which I make no money, free ones hosted here where I run Ad Control and/or accept registrations for workshops for money, paid hosting ones on which I run my own ads, and independently hosted ones to which I am paid to contribute.

    What nobody tells you about those affiliate programs is, you have to be approved, and in most places it's not easy.

  15. animelovers411
    Member

    Free hosted ones that run AD Control and Accept regristrations? I dont know about that I didnt think wordpress.COM could do that.. Could you explain a little more on what they would be?

    I also looked at your blog btw I love the theme and the overall feel of the place I do have one question did you map your domain? It didn`t have WordPress.com at the end of the domain? and if you did was that worth doing? if its 17 dollars a year and all.. Im sure it gives you creditably but yet it still doesnt give you that free chance to open a buisness with your wordpress.com blog right? Arent you still restricted with wordpress.com?

  16. raincoaster
    Member

    I'm busy getting my blogging done; you do realize you're coming perilously close to asking for the kind of support I charge good money for, right?

    Answer the question I asked about why you're blogging in the first place, and look up Types of Blogs and Domain Mapping in the support docs. Then, if I have time, I'll return and answer this question.

  17. animelovers411
    Member

    Ok.. Well thank you for your time and your information was very helpful!

    I will ask my self why I want to blog in the first place and take a look into more kinds of blogs.

    I hope you have a good day! :) Thank you for the help!

Topic Closed

This topic has been closed to new replies.

About this Topic

Tags