OVERVIEW
WordPress.com is a blogging platform that is owned and hosted online by Automattic. It is run on a modified version of WordPress, an open source piece of software used by bloggers.
This website provides free blog hosting for registered users and is financially supported via paid upgrades, “VIP” services and advertising.
The site opened to beta testers on August 8, 2005 and opened to the public on November 21, 2005.
It was initially launched as an invitation-only service, although at one stage, accounts were also available to users of the Flock web browser.
As of February 2017, over 77 million new posts and 42.7 million new comments are published monthly on the service.
Registration is not required to read or comment on blogs hosted on the site, except if chosen by the blog owner. Registration is required to own, or post in, a weblog. All the basic and original features of the site are free-to-use.
However, some features are not available in the free plan: install PHP plugins, customize theme CSS, write JavaScript, domain mapping, domain registration, removal of ads, website redirection, video upload, storage upgrades
Some notable clients include CNN, CBS, BBC, Reuters, Sony, Fortune.com, and Volkswagen. It is estimated that more than 30% of internet bloggers use WordPress as their publishing platform.
In September 2010, it was announced that Windows Live Spaces, Microsoft‘s blogging service, would be closing, and that Microsoft would partner with WordPress.com for blogging services
WHY WORDPRESS.COM HOSTING ?
WordPress.com is the easiest place to get started.WordPress powers 31% of the internet.Wordpress commenced as a blogging platform and WordPress.com inherits the high-quality blogging features.
They simply have the excellent blog aspects of any website builder.Wordpress has cultivated an ecosystem of third-party plugin creators.
WordPress.com lets you set up any of those plugins. These plugins extend performance dramatically— there are plugins for everything: podcasts, membership systems, maps and more.
But here’s the thing: in order to configure almost each plugin, you have to leave at the back of the pleasant WordPress.com interface and enter WP-Admin.
WP-Admin is the interface for WordPress— it’s the unfriendlier interface, and averting it was the purpose WordPress.com used to be designed with a exclusive interface from the start.
Even common elements— such as forms— have to be configured in WP-Admin.
The basic version of WordPress.com is free, and they offer plans for premium features and support.
WordPress.com keep your sites free by offering upgrades for things like Plans and custom domains, as well as products like anti-spam software Akismet and VIP hosting partnerships with major media outlets.
Whether you’re a blogger or a website owner, they know you have many places where you can pitch your online tent.
If you’re a current user, thanks for choosing WordPress.com— they love having you around.
If you’re looking to build your online presence and haven’t decided where to drop anchor, give wordpress.com a try. WordPress’d love to become your home on the web.
Create your website everywhere and anywhere
You can Start a website on your mobile phone and update it seamlessly from any device. Choose from a wide selection of responsive themes that look great everywhere.
WordPress provides everything needed to present an excellent website.
They are good in continually updating technical software abilities but especially helpful with personal guidance on how to create new ideas and ways of presenting them.
Power your business website with unlimited premium and business theme templates, Google Analytics support, unlimited storage, and the ability to remove WordPress.com branding.
Build a unique website with advanced design tools, CSS editing, lots of space for audio and video, and the ability to monetize your site with ads.
Boost your website with a custom domain name, and remove all WordPress.com advertising. Get access to high quality email and live chat support.
- Custom Domain Name
- Jetpack Essential Features
- Email & Live Chat Support
- Unlimited Premium Themes
- AdvancedDesign Customization
- Unlimited Storage Space
- Remove WordPress.com Ads
- Simple Payments
- Monetize your site
- VideoPress support
- Jetpack Search
- Attend live courses
- SEO Tools
- Install Plugins
- Upload themes
- Google Analytics Integration
- Remove WordPress.com Branding
Hosting, security, backups, and spam protection are all included. Pick from more than 300 themes, activate our powerful features inspired by the best plugins, and get a custom domain with a plan.
Choose from hundreds of beautiful designs and customize them for your business site, blog, or portfolio.
If you purchased a WordPress theme elsewhere? No problem: the WordPress.com Business plan lets you install any theme you’d like.
Reach a wider audience and find new readers. Sync your content to Facebook and Twitter and connecting with millions of people using WordPress.com.
WordPress.com offers a full range of e-commerce options
WordPress.com offers a full range of e-commerce options, from one‑click payment buttons to a fully customizable online store.
Create an online store
WordPress.com gives you all the tools you need to publish content and sell products from the same platform.
Create a powerful online store and install more plugins to help you customize products, attract customers, and increase your sales.
Add an online store to your business website with the ability to sell and ship physical products.
Also includes installation of custom plugins and themes, real-time concierge support, Google Analytics, and unlimited storage. Get started with WordPress.com Business.
Sell anything, anywhere
Try the most flexible WordPress ecommerce solution on the market, powering more stores than any other platform.
Sell everything from physical goods to memberships to subscription boxes, and deliver it up the street or across an ocean.
With WooCommerce, you have the freedom to create a beautiful store that meets your needs. The only limit is your imagination.
Start taking payments in seconds
Whether you want to sell baked goods to your neighbors or accept donations for a local organization, WordPress.com makes taking payments a breeze.
WordPress.com Simple Payments button allows you to take credit or debit card payments from any page with minimal setup.
Build a powerful website with the ability to accept payments or donations with Simple Payments.
Also includes advanced design tools, lots of space for media files, and the ability to further monetize your site with ads. Get started with WordPress.com Premium.
Best for Dedicated Ecommerce
Purchase your own server space from one of wordpress.com recommended hosts.
Install the WooCommerce plugin, its extensions, and custom plugins or themes. Get WordPress self-hosted and WooCommerce extensions.
Powerful statistics
Keep your finger on the pulse of your blog’s activity with website statistics. Colorful charts and graphs help you understand what your readers like and how they found you.
All-in-one hosting
Enjoy website design, domain registration, hassle‑free automatic software updates, and secure hosting on servers spread across multiple data centers.
Optimized for growth
WordPress.com has built‑in SEO, social media integration, and sharing features. Plug into our high‑traffic network and reach new readers.
WORDPRESS.COM FEATURES
Build an audience
Use their social media syndication, sharing buttons, SEO tools, and insightful site statistics to increase your traffic and monitor your growth. Start with $100 in ad credits, on wordpress.com.
A secure website you can count on
Your site will always be available, secure, and automatically backed up. Anti-spam protection is built in to every WordPress.com site.
Do more with features
Add extra features to your site like advanced galleries, forms, email subscriptions, polls, sophisticated comments, and much more.
Create a robust website
… or a blog, or a combination of both. Personal blog, portfolio, business site — it’s up to you.
Custom domains
Add a custom domain to carve out your own space on the web, and manage it right from WordPress.com.
Mobile-friendly
Create a mobile‑friendly site with a click, or choose from a selection of responsive themes that look great everywhere.
Blog
iOS & Android Apps
iOS and Android apps let you check analytics, write blog posts and respond to comments.
Membership System
You can install ‘Buddypress’, a popular WordPress membership system plugin.
Buddypress will blow the water out of any membership system from a website builder— it gives you the tools to build a full social network for example.
Plus there are extensions that let you customize Buddypress. It will require you to wade into WP-Admin.
Multi-lingual
There is a Google Language translator plugin you can add— but I do not count that as multi-lingual. There isn’t a built-in way to manually write different language versions that I could find.
Retina Ready
Images displayed sharp and crisp on retina and high resolution devices.
Newsletter
There is a ‘Mailchimp and sendinblue for WordPress’ plugins that lets you connect to Mailchimp and create sign up forms.
Restaurant Menu
I couldn’t find a plugin for restaurant menus— but I’m sure one exists somewhere.
Donations
You can install ‘Give’, a 3rd party donations plugin. It includes donor management and powerful donation forms (with suggested amounts, goal-matching and more).
No website builder can come close to matching the features of it. Because it is a 3rd party plugin, there are many features that are have to purchased as an ‘Add-on’ that you will pay for separately.
Like most WordPress.com plugins, you will have to wade into the WP-Admin to use ‘Give’.
Podcasts
‘Blubrry’ is a WordPress plugin you can install to add a podcast feed to your website.
Has multiple audio players, embeddable subscribe widgets and more. Like most WordPress.com plugins, you will have to wade into the WP-Admin to use ‘Blubrry’.
Audio Player
‘Compact’ is a plugin that can embed an audio file into posts and pages.
Hundreds of themes
Choose from hundreds of customizable themes, with new additions weekly.
Editor
Editor is fast, intuitive, and saves your work every few seconds, so you never miss a word.
Upload or embed media
Drag-and-drop images into posts and pages. Create designer-worthy photo galleries. Embed audio, video, and more.
Mobile and desktop apps
Update your site from anywhere with mobile and desktop apps for iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, and Linux systems.
WordPress.com Support
Support is available 24/7 via email and our community forums. For folks with a paid plan, Happiness Engineers are available via live chat for real‑time assistance.Fast, friendly support.Get expert help.
The Support Team are there 24/7 to help us, contact them, talk to them, their live chat is phenomenon, immediate interaction and quick response to your needs, give them a chance to support and help you out.
They are good listener and maintained high level of professionalism in all they do, and easy to get along with even if you need 5 hours chat they are ready.
WordPress Support is EXCELLENT while we’ve been setting up our new site.
Helpful, patient, friendly, knowledgeable – I can’t say enough good about them. They’re the best. Every single one I’ve talked with has been 5-Star, without exception.
Plugins
On WordPress.com, they include the most popular plugin functionality within our sites automatically.
Additionally, the Business plan allows you to choose from many thousands of plugins, and install them on your site.
Built-in plugins
- WordPress.com stats (our version of Google Analytics)
- Essential SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
- Security scanning
- Advanced galleries (tiled, mosaic, slideshows, and more)
- Social Media (add social media buttons to your posts and pages)
- Form builder (contact forms)
- Extended Customizer
- Extended Widgets (Flickr, Eventbrite, Google Calendar, Twitter, and more)
- Akismet (advanced anti-spam security)
- Backup & Export (24/7 backup of your entire site)
- Importer
- Extended Shortcodes (video, audio, and more)
- Infinite scroll
- Related posts
- Email subscriptions (follow button)
- Advanced Commenting (comment likes, user mentions, notifications, and more)
- Markdown
- Likes (for Posts)
- Embeds (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and more)
Included with Premium
- Custom Design (custom fonts, CSS editor, and more)
- Video Uploading
Included with Business
- Advanced SEO
- Google Analytics
Using other plugins
In addition to the built-in plugin functionality, WordPress.com Business allows you to install other plugins.
With many thousands of plugins available, you can enable your site to do almost anything.
A few popular plugins include:
- WooCommerce, for an online store
- Yoast, for even more SEO options
- Polylang, for multi-language sites
- WP Booking System, for booking properties online
Plugin Requests
Uploading custom plugins is only supported with a Business plan, not with our other plans, but if there is a plugin whose features that you feel would benefit users on WordPress.com
PRICE
Price range starts from $4/mo to $25/mo .
CONCLUSION
Overall, the WordPress.com network welcomes more than 409 million people viewing more than 15.5 billion pages each month.
WordPress.com users publish about 41.7 million new posts and leave 60.5 million new comments each month.
There are a lot of aspects about designing and keeping a blog running smoothly.Wordpress is the best website/blog software!
I used WordPress in the past but tried another site for my new company and went right back to WordPress.
The integration and ease of use gets better and better and the templates and themes are great.You can use WordPress.com for your blogging.
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