Design help
-
Hello, I’ve been using wordpress.com for two years now. I just opened a self-hosted site with Bluehost and I hate it. It’s way too complicated for me. I think I’m going to get a refund. My questions:
1. can I upgrade on wordpress.com and still get some of the feel of a wordpress.org blog?
2. does the premium themes on wordpress.com allow plugins?
3. can i add a copyright note on wordpress.com?
4. i’d really like for my blog to have a main/home page like this one: http://nikitatmitchell.com/ are there themes with this option on wordpress.com?The blog I need help with is: (visible only to logged in users)
-
1. Answer – possibly. It depends on your CSS editing skills.
The only themes we can use are those found here > Appearance > Themes
This is a multiuser blogging platform. All blogs wearing the same theme are using the same underlying template and we cannot access the underlying files and edit templates or themes. http://en.support.wordpress.com/themes/editing-themes/There are two free themes, Sandbox and Toolbox designed to allow maximum flexibility for CSS editing and creating new “skins”. Toolbox is more modern and includes a lot of support for CSS3 and HTML5, so it is really only limited by your skills and knowledge.
As you have CSS editing experience the upgrade will allow you to stylize the appearance of themes you find here > Appearance > Themes, but will not allow you to change the functionality, by editing the underlying template. It does not allow you to remove footer links to the theme designer or to WordPress.com. Also note that CSS is theme specific, so you cannot use the CSS stylesheets from other themes with the themes at WordPress.COM. http://en.support.wordpress.com/custom-design/custom-css/
2. There is no FTP access to free hosted WordPress.COM blogs and we cannot install individual plugins or third party themes into them. Those found on the internet are for WordPress.ORG installs which run on different software. There are no upgrades including purchasing a premium theme that provide FTP access.
http://en.support.wordpress.com/ftp-access/
http://en.support.wordpress.com/plugins/
http://en.support.wordpress.com/themes/adding-new-themes/3. You can add a copyright notice in a text widget and place it in your sidebar. If you wish you can even have copyright page like I do. Neither is required of course as legally speaking copyright is vested in the author without posting any notice at all. Can you hack the footer of a free hosted theme and stick one there? No.
4. Yes. That’s just static front page and we can do that on any theme here.
However, consider what it does. It compels all return visitors to click through the same blah, blah, blah every time they visit your blog to read your new content. Static front pages are traffic killers that also suck when it comes to SEO. Read about that here > Better Blogging at WordPress.com: Pages and Posts
-
Addendum to 3 above
If you have the custom design upgrade and put an copyright notice in a text widget then it can be positioned by use of CSS editing. -
Ahhh! I see. Well, I don’t want to lose traffic. So I guess I can just update my About Me area and make it fancy. Or choose a layout that can display my about me section on the main page as well as blog posts.
I just wanted to get a “website” feel on my blog but I suppose I can achieve that with CSS and adding pages to my blog.
I think I will stick with wordpress.com. I’m not advanced enough for wordpress.org.
Thanks a million!
-
Last question. So you’re saying because I have a free wordpress.com blog, I cannot purchase the paid premium themes? If I can purchase one, is purchasing the $30 custom design necessary?
And lastly, what is the difference between the $99 upgrade and the $30 custom design?
-
Last question. So you’re saying because I have a free wordpress.com blog, I cannot purchase the paid premium themes?
You may purchase a Premium theme – all blogs are free at WordPress.COM – the upgrades cost you.
If I can purchase one, is purchasing the $30 custom design necessary?
No – the Custom Design is to let you change the look of your blog beyond what is allowed with many themes (many themes have the ability to load a custom header for instance)
what is the difference between the $99 upgrade and the $30 custom design?
The $99 upgrade includes the $30 Custom upgrade and several other things – the bundle saves you money if you need all the upgrades in the bundle – but check the individual item totals if you don’t need the full package
-
-
Note that the ONLY purchased themes you can use here are the WP.COM premium themes, not a theme from elsewhere.
- The topic ‘Design help’ is closed to new replies.
WordPress.com Forums 