Often WordPress users start out with using WordPress.com before they make the switch to self-hosted WordPress platform. Like many others, we too started out using WordPress.com before we decided to make a switch. There are many deciding factors that can sway users to switch from WordPress.com to self-hosted WordPress or vice-versa (Full comparison of Self Hosted WordPress vs. Free WordPress.com). One of the most asked questions we get from our users who switch is how do they get the same features as WordPress.com. Often users get used to of the widgets, stats, and bunch of built-in features that doesn’t come bundled with the self-hosted WordPress platform. Well just because you switched doesn’t mean you cannot have those features. In this article, we will show you how to get WordPress.com features on self-hosted WordPress blogs by using a plugin called Jetpack.
First thing you need to do is install and activate Jetpack. When you activate it, you will see a big notice on your dashboard saying connect to WordPress.com.
Yes this does mean that you have to have a WordPress.com account. When you click on the button, it will take you to the authorize screen where you need to enter your login credentials.
Once you connect, then you will be all set to use Jetpack on your site. When you click on the Jetpack menu, you will see a list of all the available features.
Jetpack includes:
WordPress.com Stats – Simple, concise site stats with no additional server load to your server. We use and recommend using Google Analytics.
After the Deadline – An artificial intelligence based spell, style, and grammar checker.
Sharing – allows your users to share your content anywhere on the web.
Subscriptions – allows your users to subscribe to your posts and comments to receive a notification via email. There are other alternatives available for this option. You can use Feedburner or you can setup an email newsletter.
Gravatar Hovercards – show a pop-up business card of your users gravatar profiles in comments.
WP.me Shortlinks – When using WordPress.com, you have the luxury to use wp.me shortlinks for your articles. On self-hosted WordPress blogs, shortlinks look like: yourdomain.com/?p=123. However, there are options that lets you have your own custom branded short urls in WordPress like ours: wpbeg.in.
Shortcode Embeds – Allows you to easily embed videos, and more from sites like Youtube, Vimeo, and Slideshare.
Beautiful Math – Use the famous markup language to quickly create beautiful mathematical expressions and equations.
Extra Sidebar Widgets – Easily add images, twitter updates, and your site’s RSS links to your sidebar.
Jetpack is great for users who want the freedom of WordPress.org while keeping some of the features of WordPress.com. If you are looking to switch, don’t forget that we are always available to help you switch from WordPress.com to self-hosted WordPress.org as part of our Free WordPress Setup.
If ever I install Jetpax and connect it to WordPress.com what will happen to my self hosted Wp. then? Will it be deleted? I only found it out using tablet I got afraid to connect it so I didnt finalized it yet. Can I use same? I mean keep using self hosted Wp. with my PC and wp.com with jetpax installed on my tablet and smartphone?
does anyone know how to add the follow wordpress button onto my website? I have done it with bluehost or isnt it possible?
Please help! So I signed up for Bluehost for WordPress yesterday and when I logged into Bluehost, it indicated that WordPress is already installed.
So how do I know if Bluehost installed wordpress.org or .com?
On my dashboard on WordPress, the bottom says “created by WordPress” and when I click on that, wordpress.org comes up
But my confusion is I am reading this about installing the jetpack and I would need a .com address. Does it mean I already have one and not .org?
Maybe I am better off not doing my own website – I am brand new to this and really need the basics..any help is most appreciated!
If your going through a host, then you have WordPress.org.
Wordpress.com can’t be installed, it isn’t self hosted, whereas .org is self hosted.
You’ll need to create an account on WordPress.com and use it with Jetpack.
You can create a WordPress.com account without creating a blog on it.
So glad I found this as it explains how a self hosted site I’m about to help someone with has email blog subscription. It had been puzzling me as I haven’t got into the back-end yet!
Thanks for writing another really helpful article
Is it possible to add nofollow to the link URL on the image widget?
If you are talking about jetpack’s extra sidebar widgets feature which has an image widget, then no you can not add a nofollow. Perhaps you should add a text widget and manually add your image with a nofollow link.
Is there a way to get the “Like This” button that I see on wordpress.com hosted blogs on a self hosted blog? Is this included in JetPack? If so, where? Thanks.
From our understanding, No because that feature is integrated with WordPress.com eco-system (i.e is only available for WP.com users).
Has anyone figured out a way of embedding the WP.me shortlinks in your template file so they show up on the front end (for example below the post content). I have created a custom share bar and would like to have auto generated shortlinks of each post show up in this bar for visitors to use whenever they choose to do so. And yes I also have the usual suspects in the bar (twitter, facebook, etc.) but still want to provide the shortlinks. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks!
This article should help: https://www.wpbeginner.com/wp-themes/how-to-display-wordpress-shortlinks-in-your-theme/
Is it good to use email subscription from WP jetpack?
What are the pros and cons?
What are the options we have to deal with our subscribers?
Is it better than feedburner?
@mrahmadawais The best option is to use MailChimp or Aweber, so you have all of your email list at one spot.
One tiny bit of advice (if this is even related)… if you ever change your mind and try to unassociate your .com account from your self hosted blog, BEWARE and maybe coordinate with the .com folk. I had some issues and had deleted my .com blog and in the process, due to the API connectivity/permissions between the .com and self hosted blog, my self hosted blog appeared to become deleted! (nice heart stopper, but once the .com folks helped me out, my self-hosted blog came back. creepy!)
-Brusimm
This does not make any sense. Are you suggesting that having Jetpack installed and then deleting your .com blog deleted your self-hosted blog?
One very important feature which I want to get is the FOLLOW Button
Can you please advise me How can I get the Follow Button on my Jetpack running WordPress (self hosted) site
@AMANP I heard rumors that it will be added in Jetpack in the future.
@wpbeginner
Just got a follow plugin for jetpack
when i activated a Follow Button appeared on my blog & it uses the inbuilt email subscription module from jetpack
but again i dont have control over subscription managment system of jetpack
@AMANP This is why we always use MailChimp (a third-party system, where we have full control).