Plugins?

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  thedigitalartsexperience · Member · May 1, 2015 at 4:09 pm

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  I started with a wordpress hosted site, but then my organization purchased a domain from GoDaddy. I followed the instructions for mapping the domain and all is good now. I also purchased the LMS plugin but there is no actual “Plugins” menu on my sidebar? As far as I was concerned, we can only use plugins if we are hosting our own sites? Did I miss something here, and what do I do to actually use this plugin I purchased?

  daelearning.com

  The blog I need help with is: (visible only to logged in users)

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  timethief · Member · May 1, 2015 at 4:11 pm

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  There is no FTP access and no blogger installed plugin capability on any free hosted WordPress.COM blogs and there is no upgrade you can purchase here that changes that reality.
  http://en.support.wordpress.com/ftp-access/
  http://en.support.wordpress.com/plugins/

  WordPress.COM and WordPress.ORG are completely separate and have different username accounts, logins, features, run different versions of some themes with the same names, and have separate support documentation and separate support forums. Read the differences here http://en.support.wordpress.com/com-vs-org/

  If you want FTP access and to install plugins or third party themes into a site then you will have to hire a web host http://wordpress.org/hosting/ and set up your own WordPress.org install. WordPress.org offers free software that you can install on a web server. You can upload and install themes and plugins, run ads, conduct ecommerce and edit the database.

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  thedigitalartsexperience · Member · May 1, 2015 at 4:17 pm

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  Hmm, That is extremely confusing. So did I just throw all of my money away? Is there perhaps a way to transition my .com wordpress site into a .org site? I have my own domain already.

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  timethief · Member · May 1, 2015 at 4:33 pm

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  Hi there,
  Below is a summary of steps to take to move content and your domain to WordPress.ORG self hosting.

  WordPress.com and WordPress.org are completely separate.
  http://support.wordpress.com/com-vs-org/

  1. Hire a web host http://wordpress.org/hosting/

  2. Set up a WordPress.org install and equip it with a theme and plugins.
  http://wordpress.org/themes/
  http://wordpress.org/plugins/
  http://jetpack.me

  3. Export your content out of your WordPress.com blog http://en.support.wordpress.com/export/ and import it into the install.

  4. Purchase a site redirect upgrade from wordpress.com
  http://en.support.wordpress.com/site-redirect/ or if you have domain mapping then update the nameservers https://en.support.wordpress.com/domains/move-domain/
  https://en.support.wordpress.com/domains/move-domain/#change-name-servers-to-point-the-domain-outside-of-wordpress-com

  5. Transfer subscribers and stats. See http://en.support.wordpress.com/moving-a-blog/moving-your-subscribers/

  6. Set your wordpress.com blog visibility to private. To change blog visibility to private go to > Settings > Reading scroll to Blog Visibility and choose option 3 . See the guide here http://en.support.wordpress.com/settings/privacy-settings/

  Alternatively you can purchase a Guided Transfer and Staff will do the move and set up for you http://en.support.wordpress.com/guided-transfer/

  NOTE: WordPress.com and WordPress.org have different log-ins and run different versions of themes with same names. If you don’t have a username account at WordPress.ORG click http://wordpress.org/support/ and register one on the top right hand corner of the page that opens, so you can post to the support forums there and receive advice from WordPress.ORG bloggers.