WordPress (Photo credit: Adriano Gasparri)
Hi
Does anyone know if WordPress has any rules about linking a WordPress blog to an externally hosted website? I know you can link to social media sites like Facebook et al, but I seem to remember – in the dim recesses of my mind from when I first started blogging – that I read the story of someone who had their WordPress blog shut down for linking out to an externally hosted website they had.
Does anyone know if that is a rule? Can you only link the external website to WordPress and not the other way round, and even I you can’t link out can you promote the website on WordPress or is that a no-no too?
I am soon to launch an externally hosted author website for my novels and would like to connect it to this blog somehow but will only do it from that website to here, rather than vice versa, if such rules exist.
Am I right to be cautious or is my mind playing tricks with me, making me jump at phantoms?
Any advice would be very much appreciated!! Oh, and I won’t take offence if there is an accessible set of rules I just don’t know about that someone can refer me to – I can be a bit vague about details at times so could easily have missed the (expletive deleted) obvious about this!! 🙂 🙂
Cheers
Helen V
helenvalentina 
I have no idea but would love to know the results when you get answers
It could be my mind playing trick with me, but I thought I did hear of someone getting shut down for doing this, so I want to be sure. I love my wordpress blog and don’t want it shut down!! 🙂
I think wordpress gives you an opportunity to remove a post before they delete/shut down your site. They are usually quite fair.
Thank you! Do you know if they frown on promoting/linking to externally hosted websites?
I don’t think they mind. Many blogs do that, such as linking to etsy, etc.
no clue
Yeah, I read the ToS and I don’t recall anything like that. However, first offense should be a warning.
Now mind you, mostly paid attention to copyright information. I do know a lot of people will link to Amazon for that purpose.
Thanks …if I recall correctly, which I may well not, they didn’t mind other social media sites or places like amazon, it was linking to another personal website hosted outside of WordPress that was the issue. I might see if I can hunt down the ToR as you suggest. 🙂
I have a pal with a wordpress blog that is linked to our writers’circle website and has been for quite some time without issue. I would suggest, if in doubt, check it out! Contact wordpress directly and check the FAQ. Good luck and best wishes (and keep us posted, pun intended). 🙂
Thank you! I spent some time yesterday checking out the ToS and FAQs etc – I think I was confusing linking to external websites with the ‘make money blogging’ referral/affiliate links etc which are not allowed, so I think it’s all cool. There was nothing I could find to suggest just linking to another normal website would be a problem, so I think your friends experience is a good representation of what is allowed. 🙂
good, pleased to hear it 🙂
It would appear to be allowed and even encouraged Helen, Timethief is a blogger I consult when I need WP matters clarified so read this link http://en.forums.wordpress.com/topic/directing-readers-to-other-worthwhile-websites-etc?replies=6
I know that WP has a Codex for linking to Blogger (who could be classed as a competitor). If still in doubt, follow Timethief and put your question to her.
Thanks Mike, that’s very re-assuring. I did check the ToS etc and couldn’t find anything related to my fears, but did see some prohibitions about linking to those ‘make money blogging’ affiliate sites so I suspect that is what I remember – someone who was banned for that. 🙂