Parents' Guide to

WordPress.com

By Amanda Finkelberg, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Slick source for blogging; watch out for adult content.

Website https://wordpress.com/
WordPress.com Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this website.

  • Users can key text directly into fields on the site to create a blig post.
  • Users can make posts with a mobile device using the app.
  • The tool makes publishing blog posts fairly simple.
  • Users can monitor blog activity.
  • Kids can post comments or read ones people have left regarding their posts.

Community Reviews

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age 15+

Based on 3 parent reviews

Joseph2018
Joseph2018 Adult
July 12, 2018
age 14+

Just fine

I Use the wordpress to make an website:https://www.asiteoneworld.com But i find the wordpress always work out.

This title has:

Too much consumerism
Julian W.
Julian W. Adult
February 17, 2018
age 13+
See all 3 parent reviews

What’s It About?

WORDPRESS.COM is the current gold standard for DIY blogging, geared primarily toward pretty tech-savvy adult users. But teens can definitely use the basic features to choose a free theme to customize the look of a page; post blog entries with text, photos, or video; approve comments; and manage a blog. Multiple posters can write for the same blog within the app, and they can also use the Reader tab to follow blogs or search for ones on subjects of interest from within the app.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3):
Kids say (3):

Easy blog setup and account activation lets kids start blogging quickly, but mature content may be too much for some. Customization options in WordPress give more tech-savvy students the ability to create more elaborate sites, and a great step-by-step tutorial helps newbies get their first posts online with only a limited set of options. The WordPress app can be an easy way to update and add posts when away from the computer. The updated layout is very user-friendly, giving kids the option of posting in WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) format or HTML. Photos and videos are very easy to post using the Quick Post feature with no uploading required. Users also can post by using voice-recognition dictation, which is pretty fun and easy.

Controlling posts and customizing content, however, can be quite complicated. Users may find the dashboard menu options overwhelming. Also, be advised that many of the upgrades for customization cost money. Overall, this is a great choice for blogging and self-expression, if used wisely by mature teens who want something solid with a lot of options for control -- but know they'll have to put in the work to have the site look exactly the way they want it.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Have a talk with your teens about validity and blogging using WordPress. Whose opinion can you trust? What makes someone an expert?

  • Help your teens come up with a topic for their blog and then brainstorm ideas for post topics. Make a schedule to help them stay focused -- for example, Picture Mondays and Poetry Wednesdays.

  • Spend some time with your teens looking at blogs in your community. Comment on, share about, and get involved in a discussion on someone else's blog. Talk about online conversations and how they're different from real-world ones. Refer to our Social Networking Tips for guidelines.

  • Have a talk with your teens about validity and blogging. Whose opinion can you trust? What makes someone an expert?

  • Help your teens come up with a topic for their blog and then brainstorm ideas for post topics. Make a schedule to help them stay focused -- for example, Picture Mondays and Poetry Wednesdays. Or spend some time with your teens looking at blogs in your community. Comment on, share about, and get involved in a discussion on someone else's blog. Talk about online conversations and how they're different from real-world ones. Refer to our Social Networking Tips for guidelines.

Website Details

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