June 24, 2013

  • WordPress - Free vs Paid

     

    Since Xanga 2.0 is going to be wordpress based, let's take a look at Free wordpress(.com) vs. Paid wordpress (.org).

    @slmret shared this information on one of her posts when the campaign first started - but let's dive into this again...

     

    WordPress.com - is a blog hosting site where you can get your own blog for free.   You open an account - and the URL would be USERNAME.wordpress.com.

       -This is what you will get for free  - http://en.wordpress.com/features/

              - 3GB of space

              - NO video storage

              - No premium themes

       - Going Premium, however, you get a little more

             - Minimum cost is $30 per year to be ad-free.

             - $99 per year (to start) for added options as a premium user - http://store.wordpress.com/premium-upgrades/pro-bundle/

                        - No premium themes (for $99 bundle)

                        - dozens of videos

                        - 13GB of storage

             - Note limit of storage availability and other limitations.  If you're a heavy user of pics, video and audio on your blog - that can get eaten up rather quickly.

     

    Here's where it can get rather costly and time consuming.. with Plugins and Themes - 

     

    Plugins are the add-ons that can be applied to a particular blog.  We must remember that wordpress may update it's platform at any given time.   Themes and plugins need to work well with any new update that wordpress provides.   Having a technical support staff available to ensure that new plugins are compatible with themes, other wordpress plugins and updates - helps to ensure the smooth addition and maintenance of these wordpress sites.  (add a plug in that isn't compatible, then it's time to check user forums and other sites to find a solution - and for most of us, that's a serious challenge.)

     

    Many plugins can be found at wordpress.org - http://wordpress.org/plugins/

    Here's a few listings of top plugins that other people have reviewed:

    http://www.makeuseof.com/pages/best-wordpress-plugins

    http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2012/11/40-essential-wordpress-plugins/

    http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2268750/10-Essential-WordPress-Plugins-to-Improve-SEO-Usability

    Many plugins are free, and also a lot are already included in the free package of a free wordpress.com account.

     

    However, there are limitations on usage of some plugins - where extra charges are applied.   Kind of like when buying an app for a smart phone, they have limited functionality until you pay extra.  And these costs add up.

    As you look through these lists of plugins, make note of average cost - from free to several hundreds of dollars.   Some costs are one time fees, or donations, while others are an annual cost.

    Some of the top wordpress sites have thousands of dollars invested in them - and they have to make sales and ad revenue to keep their sites going.  Many of these sites utilize plugins that require an annual fee.

     

     

    Now, what do you get for $4 per month with Xanga 2.0?   

        - Take what WordPress has for Premium - ad free at $30 per month

        - ad onto that the equivelant of premium bundle package of themes and plugins (extra $99 per month as a starter)

        - ad onto that the extra customization and opportunity to customize themes and plug-ins with the xanga team.

        Suffice it to say, if you want to get what Xanga 2.0 is offering - but using wordpress premium as an individual - you'll be paying out over $120 per year.

        Xanga 2.0 is offering similar services - but at 1/3 the cost of wordpress premium.  (along with a lot more options from what I can see)

    Everyone who has an account on Xanga will have an account on Xanga 2.0.  The only question will be - who are the serious bloggers?

    At $4 per month, it's less than spotify premium, or even HULU premium or Netflix.       

    Will a free trial be offered?  I'm sure of it... but we just have to make it to $60,000 and the relaunch happens before extra marketing options can become available.

     

    In terms of Value added options on what Xanga 2.0 is providing - I think it's a no brainer.   Why should I move to wordpress for free, when what I want out of that platform would require me to pay well over $120 per year?   I'd rather stay on Xanga for $48 per year, with the opportunity to earn some free blogging.  Not only free blogging for me, but pass along some free blogging to some friends.

     

    There are ways to offset the cost per year as well...(as with any pay to blog service)... 

    Some of the plugins that can be added include having my own online store.   If I want ad units available - I could ad a plug in to work with advertisers.    For some bloggers on Xanga, we could benefit from such tools.

    For other plugins, I'd like to include more integration with Twitter and Facebook.   These options are very limited on the current platform.   Why not create a mobile app for just my blog, and a plugins will help out with that as well. 

     

    The opportunities that are before us with Xanga 2.0 brings Xanga to the next level - and provide the community some serious tools for all of us to use.

     

    So, as we really dive into wordpress and seeing what you get for free vs what you get via paid - one has to ask a serious question:

    "how much blogging do I really want to do?"   and "how connected to those on Xanga do I want to be?"

    For those of us who want to go to the next level in blogging as a community - Xanga 2.0 has industry standard tools available - and the community on board as part of the deal.

     

    It is said that many hands make light work.   We can work individually on our own individual blogs, or work together on a blogging community. 

     

    #WeAreXanga

     

    Just some thoughts.

     oh, as an added point of reference, the difference between .com and .org for wordpress can be found here - http://en.support.wordpress.com/com-vs-org/

Comments (16)

  • Thanks, Joel, for this information!  I am becoming concerned that, as people move to WP.com, and as people take advantage of the reduced rates, and as people use the FB Xanga page, there will not be enough people left to pledge the $48 to meet the necessary funding goals.  People who are leaving with the idea that they can always come back if they don't like WP need to make a pledge so there will be a Xanga 2.0 to come back to.  #WeAreXanga -- Let's make it work!

  • @slmret - Most of the people I'm connected with on WP have made their pledges to Xanga. We're just getting a leg up in case Xanga 2 doesn't materialize.

  • I know that for me, personally, I won't want or need a bunch of plug-ins on my blog in 2.0. I just want a decent amount of photo storage and that's about it. But, I like that there will be all these options for people who do love plug-ins and all sorts of other things.

    Thanks for the info! Sounds really interesting.

    I hope to pledge sometime later this week. :)

  • @slmret - I get concerned as well.   Facebook and other social media outlets are great tools to keep the community together.   Like @Roadkill_Spatula shared - many people who are creating WP accounts are doing so as more of a backup plan - and also to get acquainted with wordpress.   

    These are reasonable decisions considering the current situation.
    @Marica0701 -  I think you'll really like what Xanga 2.0 will offer, and I even think some WP plugins may work well for photos, etc...  :)

    We just have to reach the goal for the fundraiser, then we can move towards  the next phase, working with Xanga team to make the site even better. :)

  • WordPress is a terrible price gouger.  The pricing of their services is way out of line and the whole 'themes" are worse than Xanga.  $99 a year?  I can have an entire website for less than that with unlimited traffic and everything I wanted to show.  There are free blog templates out there.

    Hope people like reading in a 640x480 viewing screen with lots and lots and lots of negative space, because that's what it provides.  I hate the idea of Xanga going WordPress as opposed to what it is now.

    Think I'm over reacting?  Hardly.  Check anything at WordPress will prove it.  I moved my archives over there just to have it saved somewhere else, but it's not as nice as current Xanga.

    By going to the WordPress option, Xanga is actually going to be limiting the users on what they can and can't do.  Who gives a damn about the images and storage space?  There's a reason for free services such as Photobucket to link to.  There's also no "pulse" and the "Freshly Pressed" is really limited on what you end up seeing.

  • @Sunrie - I think my viewing area is considerably bigger than 640x480. It depends on the theme. But the WP prices are steep. Not a good place for a photoblogger, for sure.

    As far as I know, the new Xanga won't just be a subset of WP but a new blogging platform built on WP software, which is used by many other companies as well. It doesn't have to look like WP at all.

  • dude your not even at $30,000 yet. "where almost there" yeah you had two weeks to be almost there......Three Weeks left in the campaign. at this rate you will need $10,000 a week to relaunch xanga. im sorry but you are looking like GOP supporter right now.....this is almost embarassing....my other friend gave up as well.
    http://yourkbear.xanga.com/774082632/sinking-in/

  • @Sunrie - yes, wordpress is a lot more expensive.  But we can all work together to bring what we want to the table.   Much of the prices for photo plugins are from those people who designed those plugins.   We can work on our own plugins for Xanga, that will be much less. :)   If you're up to being a BETA tester in this area, this option may work for you.

    @Roadkill_Spatula - "As far as I know, the new Xanga won't just be a subset of WP but a new blogging platform built on WP software, which is used by many other companies as well. It doesn't have to look like WP at all."  - you hit the nail on the head, sir.
    @Jeremy_Sheer - it ain't over till it's over.  21 more days to this campaign.  Historically speaking campaigns of this nature have a lull in the middle of it... which is where we are at. :)

  • @Jeremy_Sheer - On a humorous political note - I'm an independent conservative. :)

  • @Roadkill_Spatula - Thanks -- I'm glad to hear that! 

  • How much blogging do I really want to do? I'll tell you: I just need a place for words. That's it. I don't need a fancy theme, or photo or video storage of any kind (I never stored these things on xanga anyway, I always linked to them from external places). I'm broke, broke, broke and even $4 a month is an expense I cannot justify- and I simply do not have the time for any of the 'volunteering' that would supposedly earn you free blogging credit. I staked my claim over at wordpress and I rather like it there because it's all I need: a free place for words. Even if someone else bought me a year's membership, I think I would turn it down, because I'd just be in the same place when the year ran out. If xanga is still here on the 16th of July, it will have to be without me.

  • Thanks so much for this post (as well as all your work on the other posts in this series). When The Xanga Team made the announcement, I did a quick check over at WordPress (though I didn't investigate it quite as thoroughly as you have here), and for my needs (e.g. - I wanted the no ad option, plus enough storage space for posts & photos), I could see that what Xanga 2.0 was offering would be a really good deal at $ 48/year. I'm hoping Xanga 2.0 becomes a reality; I've pledged to keep two of my blogs going here.

  • @naphtali_deer - me too!  :)

  • on a hysterical note, a TARDIS being launched into space for the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who is fully funded. LOL and xanga tanks LOL
    http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/573935592/were-putting-a-tardis-into-orbit-really

  • @Jeremy_Sheer - LOL

  • This was very helpful information. I sincerely do not have 48 dollars. I'm not happy with the free wordpress. But it's just all I have to work with for now =/

    Do you know if I can take my wordpress domain back to xanga should my financial situation change? I love love love the name I landed on wordpress.

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