Recently I’ve heard that using the free WordPress.com services is amateurish and to counteract the notion that it is foolish to use WordPress.com’s services, I have started this blog! I really like using WordPress and have written a one document instructional guideline on how to set up and run a free WordPress.com blog.
I have been using WordPress.com since 2012 and am a multiple blogger.
Right up until this year I never paid a cent for any of my blogs, but now I’m at the stage where I am running some of my WordPress blogs on paid plans, for the benefits they provide. Here are some details for anyone interested.
https://starstruckworld.wordpress.com Paid Personal Plan
https://facinatingamazinganimals.com Paid Personal Plan
The reason why I’m paying the Personal Plan for some of my blogs now is because the Personal Plan removes all advertising from the websites (so they look more appealing or may be more memorable). Yes this blog you are reading right now is about having a totally FREE WordPress.com blog / website, and for transparency I have noted that just this year after having used WordPress.com for 6 years, I am now happy enough with it, to pay around $60 AUD per blog a year for a Personal Plan for some of my blogs.
The Personal Plan provides twice as much storage space for a blog, but the reason why I’m now using it for the 4 blogs above is because I have been running these blogs for quite a long time and now want to go the next logical step – which is to remove advertising from them, which MAY bring more traffic / visitors to them (or just make them advert free).
To find out what Plans are available with WordPress.com, click on Plan in the blue dashboard of your blog.
If you would like to know what THEMES I’m using for these blogs, you may need to get a copy of my WordPress Guidelines at this blog HERE . You might find this information elsewhere on this blog.
YES the adverts showing face lifts and skin cream that appear on the free WordPress blogs may not give your website a “good look” at first glance, but I believe that once you find a “niche” for your blog and / or you share or even actively market your WordPress blog (to friends / family / via the many social media outlets ) that your blog will receive a lot of attention and even if it is considered AMATEUR by some, so what ?
We all started off as amateurs, didn’t we?
It is a credit to Matt Mullenweg and his company Automattic that I like WordPress so much that I am now on some paid plans. But that doesn’t mean that YOU reading this should rush and buy a Plan for your WordPress.com site. Start FREE then discuss with other bloggers, and learn from other bloggers, then decide whether you’ll move to a Paid Plan with WordPress.com or go to a self-hosted WordPress site.
If you are running a business then by all means go for a “self-hosted WordPress site” through a web hosting company and the software from WordPress.org. My Guidelines will still help you learn how to set it up apart from how to use the plug-ins, because the basic software is the same used with WordPress.com or downloaded from WordPress.org.
Thank you WordPress!
You may see advertisements on this blog. This is because this blog uses the free WordPress.com platform. If you don’t like the ads, just brush them away like you would with an annoying bug.
WordPress Beginners 
🙂 I would like to state that there are professionals who use WordPress.com as well as WordPress.org.
I know that certain self-hosted bloggers have a way of pointing out the downsides of a free blogging plan.
Now, even though my blog is a personal one, I would feel insulted if someone referred to me as an, “Amateur.”
Do have yourself a great day!
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That is what I was trying to get at, by saying I’ve heard others say that amateurs use the WordPress.com platform, and I feel insulted by it too. Hope you read my post right, if not then I didn’t communicate what I wanted to say very well.
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🙂 You did a great job at putting your point across.
It is just that some of those people who blog on WordPress.org tend to think that they are better than those who use WordPress.com.
Now, I would like to reiterate, that some of them do use WordPress.com and WordPress.org.
Have a great day!
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Thank you Renard 🙂 I see that some diversify, using both platforms. It is not right for those who use WordPress.org to think lesser of those who use WordPress.com, especially when some use both.
My guidelines or help with using “WordPress” is directed at blogs or sites run on the free WordPress platform. I have seen that most of the assistance with WordPress on the internet is for blogs run with web hosting companies which use the software from WordPress.org.
I appreciate your comments. Best wishes, Celine
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