Small business owners, bloggers, and creators worldwide will now earn money from their sites, regardless of whether they’re using the free plan or one of the paid tiers on WordPress.com.
Previously, to monetize their WordPress.com sites, creators had to upgrade to a paid plan. Now, this new approach ensures that even the smallest of businesses, operating on a shoestring budget, can start collecting payments and earning from their work from day one. The move to unlock this feature on the Free plan transforms it into a zero-risk platform for creators, a game-changer in an increasingly competitive digital landscape.
“Starting from scratch, not starting from zero” is the new mantra WordPress.com aims to instill in creators worldwide. The goal is not only about enabling creators to generate revenue but also about empowering them to take creative risks, push boundaries, and worry less about costs, which are effectively none in this context.
Under this new policy, there are multiple ways to monetize your content on WordPress.com, regardless of your plan. Creators can offer gated, exclusive content, set up paid subscriptions at a price they choose, sell one-off items like photos, songs, or ebooks, or even provide their audience with a convenient way to tip or donate to their cause.
The Free plan isn’t merely a trial—it’s intended for long-term use. It serves as a creative sandbox that allows creators the freedom to grow at their own pace. When they’re ready to explore beyond the sandbox and wish to experiment with more customization options, plugins, and custom domains, or delve into the e-commerce world with WooCommerce, WordPress.com offers a range of affordable plans to upgrade.
To democratize this opportunity and ensure wide accessibility, WordPress.com has set up a sliding scale of transaction fees that ranges from 10% on the Free plan down to zero on the Commerce plan. The approach allows small businesses to grow quickly, choosing the right plan for their audience size and project requirements.
This transformative move by WordPress.com sends a strong message to creators across all industries: “Anyone should be able to create, share, and profit from their passions, vision, and work, regardless of their budget.”
Whether you’re an author, influencer, artist, or photographer, this change means that the power to get paid for your work is now within your grasp, and here for good. It’s a significant step in encouraging creativity, and experimentation, and ultimately fostering a more diverse online content landscape. As a small business owner or creator, this could be your chance to leverage the WordPress.com platform and create, share, and earn from your work like never before.
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