Businesses seeking to create a website through WordPress have two options:
- With WordPress.org, businesses can self-host their website by downloading the WordPress.org software on their server. Self-hosting requires technical expertise, but you can also pay a hosting provider to handle these tasks.
- With WordPress.com, hosting is done by WordPress itself. From security updates to site backups, site maintenance is conducted in-house for you.
Many businesses have contacted us at Circle City Web Design and chose option one for several reasons:
- They want to create a message that resonates with their customers.
- They desire to create a website that makes marketing simple.
- They must utilize their time and skills to build and run their business.
- They lack the technical expertise to develop a website that creates leads.
- They want a reliable and experienced provider with 24/7 access to make changes or fix website-related issues.
Choosing Circle City Web Design is a quality choice to ensure your site can scale traffic influences and remain secure and optimized to perform exceptionally. For many businesses, their website is their first impression to potential customers and is an essential source of income and brand awareness. For more reasons why customers choose Circle City Web Design, check out this article, “10 Reasons To Choose Our WordPress Hosting and Maintenance.”
Difference #1: Renting (WordPress.com) Vs. Owning (WordPress.org)
Some users don’t want to worry about keeping their site up to date or worry about the technical aspects of maintaining a website. The updates, backups, and security is done in-house for you. Hosting on WordPress.com puts the responsibility, e.g., maintenance, on WordPress to keep it up to part, but is that a reliable option for most businesses? Not necessarily.
By choosing Circle City Web Design, you (the business owner) actually own the website through WordPress.org. The user can customize the website features to meet the business’s specific needs. They also don’t rely on a third party for server access, speed, and limitations. While owning a website through WordPress.org comes with more responsibility, it also gives the user better access, solutions, and outcomes.
| Renting (WordPress.com) | Owning (WordPress.org) |
|
|
Difference #2: Analytics
Making data-based decisions is a critical need for businesses today, and that’s where analytics comes in. Through WordPress.org, you can integrate their site with any analytics program you desire. You can incorporate several different WordPress plugins to gain further insights into your site’s performance and make data-based decisions. You can even customize your WordPress dashboard for an upfront view of how your content is performing.
On the other hand, while WordPress.com comes with built-in analytics (Jetpack), it can’t be integrated with Google’s tools unless you upgrade and pay for a business plan. Then, you’ll have to have the technical expertise to use Google Analytics, and its designated plugins.
Difference #3: Theme Support
Regarding themes, WordPress.org has no restrictions, and you can tailor themes to meet your desired needs. Furthermore, you can even create a theme from scratch!
However, WordPress.com has a limited pool of themes, and tailoring these themes to your exact preferences is limited.
By choosing Circle City Web Design, we can customize your theme and create a website that works specifically for your business.
Difference #4: E-Commerce
Let’s face it, many businesses need E-Commerce solutions to drive revenue and create a profit. WordPress.org offers popular and trusted plug-ins and tools to provide vendors with a complete suite of options for their business.
In contrast, WordPress.com is not a good option for E-Commerce because it has a strict sales policy. While users can upgrade their site by paying for a Business Plan, it’s still limited compared to WordPress.org.
Difference #5: SEO
When it comes to SEO, WordPress.org is the better option, as you’ll get access to many SEO plugins which can help you improve your SEO content and rank higher in search engines. The page loading speed can seriously impact your SEO, so self-hosting through WordPress.org can keep your page loading fast.
By relying on WordPress.com, the WordPress servers dictate your website speed with no access to SEO plugins. Themes on WordPress.com are not very SEO-friendly, and you won’t be able to access the Google Search Console.
We hope this article has given you a better understanding of how WordPress.com and WordPress.org differ and why choosing a specialist like Circle City Web Design is the best option for your business.
By partnering with Circle City Web Design and creating a website through WordPress.org, you’ll have greater control and flexibility over design and functionality. Furthermore, we’ll ensure your website is up-to-date and secure and maintain your website for you so you can focus on building and maintaining your business.
Book a FREE Consultation Now: Click Here
