Bloggers have many potential platforms to choose from. WordPress is one of the most popular. Bloggers can choose to either download WordPress (WordPress.org) and host it themselves or have it hosted at WordPress.com. These sites have similar names but their value to affiliate marketers is completely different.

I began blogging with three blogs hosted by WordPress.com. I have used many blogging platforms and found WordPress to offer a large number of features, while being user friendly. One of my first blogs was Bruce’s Money Rants. While Bruce’s Money Rants is still available, it currently is in its second incarnation. My first blog was squelched by WordPress.com.

WordPress.com was attractive because of its builders. The gentleman who created the WordPress platform also created WordPress.com (WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org, n.d.). There were several features that prompted me choose WordPress.com.

1. I already had experience with the WordPress software

2. WordPress.com advertised the availability of over 70 templates

3. Ability to add widgets and plug ins

4. Ability to track daily stats from your main dashboard

5. Having a blog that was “xxxx.wordpress.com”

My experience started out wonderfully. I developed three different blogs. One was geared towards emergency management and the other two were geared towards making money online. I focused on one of the two making money blogs. I noticed two potential issues right away. Without paying, I only had access to about 12 templates. WordPress.com also does not allow you to upload outside templates.

I was not concerned. I could still personalize through widgets, right? Not so fast, external widgets are not allowed. You are limited to the widgets WordPress.com makes available. WordPress.com also does not allow java script to be inserted in Text widgets. Greatly reducing a person’s ability to monetize their blog.

WordPress.com does allow some monetization. Small banner ads can be utilized by placing HTML into widgets. There are some downsides. Changing the ads requires manually changing the code. Not a deal breaker for me. I loved the ease of WordPress that much.

Finally, I was able to produce a look and setup I was happy with. I looked forward to the day the blog would pay to add WordPress.com’s pay services. This would allow the blog to pay for itself. I started writing a post everyday and placing links to the site. I was quickly indexed in Google. I was feeling very good.

I wrote a variety of posts. They ranged from product reviews to sites and resources that I believed would help people make money. Each post was about something that I had personally either used or read. My goal was to assist readers not peddle crap.

My next move was to register with blog directories. I searched the web and came across a listing of 50 web directories. Each directory required you to register to submit your site. I spend two days registering the site.

Doomsday soon came. I signed up with a internet marketing course called Blogging for Dollars. In my view, this course offered some very useful tips. I believed readers would find it helpful. I wrote a review post about my experience and posted it.

The next day, my blog was gone. I attempted to check the number of site visitors. I was shocked to see the blog was gone. Gone! Not just could not login or it had been suspended…no it was GONE! There was a message from WordPress.com on the screen. It read “This blog has been archived or suspended for a violation of our Terms of Service”.

My mind whirled with potential explanations. Did I plagiarize? No, I was extremely careful to cite each and every one of my sources. I had not posted anything vulgar. Well, there was only one place to look….Wordpress.com’s Terms of Service. I found a few lines that offered some insight:

1. “the downloading, copying and use of the Content will not infringe the proprietary rights, including but not limited to the copyright, patent, trademark or trade secret rights, of any third party”

2. “you have fully complied with any third-party licenses relating to the Content, and have done all things necessary to successfully pass through to end users any required terms”

3. “the Content is not spam, is not machine- or randomly-generated, and does not contain unethical or unwanted commercial content designed to drive traffic to third party sites or boost the search engine rankings of third party sites, or to further unlawful acts (such as phishing) or mislead recipients as to the source of the material (such as spoofing)”

4. “your blog is not named in a manner that misleads your readers into thinking that you are another person or company. For example, your blogs URL or name is not the name of a person other than yourself or company other than your own”

I only saw one potential problem. I had posted about products where I included an affiliate link. My recommendations were not meant to cause anyone pain or harm. They were products that I had found useful and wanted to share them with readers. My review included an offer to prove I used the product.

It is important to hear both sides of any story. WordPress.com has the right to run their site and business however they see fit. I sent a note to their tech support. All I was asking for was an explanation, nothing more. Again, it is their business. But, it would be good business to offer customers an explanation. Patiently, I watched for a return email.

Throughout the day, no answer from WordPress.com came. It was not in my spam filter. Nope, no answer there. In checking my other two WordPress blogs, I realized that my login was now suspended. Well, I guess WordPress does not believe in customer service. Just shutoff your account with no explanation. They have this right but a little customer service might avoid articles like this.

I am not writing this article out of revenge or spite. My goal is to allow other budding affiliate marketers the chance to learn from my story. WordPress is a great blogging platform. Affiliate marketers only need to be careful when trying to make money. It appears that WordPress.com wants to provide a great blogging platform…as long as you are not trying to make money.