Premium: worth it?
-
I’m a beginner blogger. I started this blog for a project in a writing course, and I would like to continue using it.
My question is…Is it better to get premium now, or wait until I get better at blogging?
Thanks for the help (:
The blog I need help with is: (visible only to logged in users)
-
Volunteers are not here to sell upgrades. We are here to answer support questions. That said no upgrades of any kind are required to create a successful blog and withing less than a year the majority of those who start blogs have abandoned them. That is why I recommend blogging for awhile before considering purchasing any upgrades.
The only eCommerce capability is found in the Business upgrade bundle. https://en.support.wordpress.com/ecommerce/ See here for details of all 3 plans http://store.wordpress.com/bundles/ offered by WordPress.com.
Premium bundle details http://store.wordpress.com/plans/premium/
A free blog and free features https://en.wordpress.com/features/
A custom domain
Advanced customization
Store dozens of videos
13 GB of space
No Ads
Direct Email supportBusiness bundle details http://store.wordpress.com/plans/business/
A free blog and free features https://en.wordpress.com/features/
A custom domain
Advanced customization
50+ premium themes included
eCommerce
Store Unlimited videos
Unlimited space
No Ads
Live Chat support
Google AnalyticsNote that each upgrade bundle applies to a single blog only and is for a single year only when it is due to be renewed. There are no discounts based on non-profit status or any discriminatory factors and invoices or purchase orders are not accepted. See here for payment methods https://en.support.wordpress.com/payment/
We all pay in full for every upgrade at the time of purchase. Make sure you read the comparison very closely do you know exactly what the restrictions and limitations on WordPress.COM blogging are: http://en.support.wordpress.com/com-vs-org/
Read Important Notes Before Upgrading http://en.support.wordpress.com/domains/#important-notes-before-upgrading
-
I read all of that on my own before I decided to post here. I was hoping to get a more personal response that comes from other blogger’s experiences.
-
P.S. As you posted this in the Themes Forum you may think that purchasing a Premium bundle of upgrades includes premium themes when it doesn’t. Only the Business Upgrade includes them. However, one can purchase a paid or premium them for any blog no upgrade bundle required. See here https://wordpress.com/themes/ and read https://en.support.wordpress.com/themes/#uploading-custom-themes as well please.
-
katiemarie1989 – I moved this post into the general support forum where more folks might see it.
Your question is a good one! If you think you’d like to start building your site on your own domain name and use some of the more advanced customization features you’ll have with the Premium plan, I would say that there’s no benefit to waiting. If you’re not sure this is something you’re going to stick with, you could also wait and make the decision later. A personal decision and a tricky one to answer unless we know more about your goals and needs!
-
I was hoping to get a more personal response that comes from other blogger’s experiences.
I have ten years of blogging experience (almost 11), including 9 years blogging here at wordpress.com. I recommend only getting a domain mapping upgrade https://en.support.wordpress.com/domains/ from the get go unless you are firmly convinced that you need every one of the features that’s included in the Premium bundle of upgrades.
-
The custom domain name has more class I think and is easier to find and looks nicer on a business card
My site linked to my name is a custom domain name – and I like it – short and easy to give out
However I have a couple of other sites that don’t have custom names and that is fine – – I have friends that have sites with no custom names and they are happy with that and the fact that they don’t need to remember to renew the domain mapping and registration
The CSS upgrade is only worth a one time fee of $3.- to me (not per year – per forever) – I have one small minor tweak I might make
as noted above the custom domain is best to get early if you think you might like a custom domain in the future
it’s all personal preference – some people like to tweak the look of their site – I don’t –
the nice thing here is you can add the upgrade anytime you want
good luck
-
The CSS upgrade is only worth a one time fee of $3.- to me (not per year – per forever) – I have one small minor tweak I might make
I think you mean $30.00 and not $3.00, right? That’s only available to you because you registered your username account prior to September 1st, 2014 and it does not apply to katiemarie1989’s account.
Like you I don’t want to tweak a theme so the Custom Design upgrade is useless for me too.
As for the space upgrade I don’t need one. My main blog was commenced in August 2007. I optimize and resize all images offline prior to uploading them into the blog so I get top image quality and don’t waste my free media storage space. https://onecoolsite.wordpress.com/2012/03/26/cropper-or-proper-image-preparation/
https://onecoolsite.wordpress.com/2009/11/28/ten-free-online-image-compression-and-optimzation-programs/You are currently using 192.6 MB out of 3.0 GB upload limit (6%).
As for me when it comes to a space upgrade I don’t need one on my blog
-
either. It was founded in April 2007.
You are currently using 250.0 MB out of 3.0 GB upload limit (8%).
-
I think you mean $30.00 and not $3.00, right?
No – $3.- One Time Fee – as in – not that important to me –
There are some other upgrades that are not offered here that would be worth more to me – but just one very small tweak on a font – the new font choice for everyone is nice – but I don’t think they had the font & size I like
I will never use the Video Press either – don’t do much video and would use YouTube as it has a wider reach –
-
Okay. I also have zero use for videopress.
If you are into tweaking a theme then the bundle makes sense.
If you are a video producer then the bundle purchase makes sense.
If you are into running audio then the bundle purchase makes sense.
If you are a photoblogger then the bundle purchase makes sense.
If you do not want any ads on your blog then the bundle purchase makes sense.The intended uses of my blogs does not encompass a need for any upgrades and I have removed domain mapping and no-ads upgrades from both, as I don’t intend to blog actively any more. I’m too busy doing all the things I used to do before I fell down the blogging rabbit hole 10 years (nearly 11 years) ago.
I think the bottom line here is that whether or not purchasing any upgrade or bundle of upgrades is worthwhile depends on the intended use for the blog. What do you think? Do you agree with that?
-
I think the bottom line here is that whether or not purchasing any upgrade or bundle of upgrades is worthwhile depends on the intended use for the blog. What do you think? Do you agree with that?
Completely
A very personal decision –
It’s like the decision to have a blog / web site is also a personal one – I have lost count of the number of people that got a blog because their friends have one and told them they “needed to get a blog” – the show up in the forum from time to time and I am ask also by people if they “need a blog”
-
Great, so we are on the same page. I’ve also witnessed the same thing you have. More to the point, is that so many blogs are abandoned every year that I never ever encourage anyone to purchase any upgrade unless they are convinced they intend to blog over the long term.
-
I have also seen state and federal agencies that don’t have domain mapping – I am assuming they have no Ads and I think one probably has CSS as the theme looks a bit fancy
-
Sorry for the late reply…I am writing from a different time zone.
@timethief I wasn’t discrediting your experience. I just meant I was looking for something a little bit more personal vice a copy and paste answer. Truth be told, you through me off a little with how you opened your first comment. I never said anything about buying an upgrade from anyone =/ Thank you for taking the time to reply, though.
@kathrynwp Thank you for moving my post and for the advice.
@auxclass Half of the things you said made absolutely no sense to me, so I think that may be a good sign I should wait before upgrading.
I definitely don’t want to waste $100 before I’m sure that I am going to keep up with the blog. So, I guess I will give it a couple months and see how it goes before committing. Thank you all!
- The topic ‘Premium: worth it?’ is closed to new replies.
WordPress.com Forums 