WordPress.com Plugin Pages Now Include Download Links for Self-Hosted Sites
WordPress.com has recently made an update to its plugin pages, providing a download link for WordPress.org plugins listed in the .com directory. These plugins, which are scraped from WordPress.org, are available for free on self-hosted sites but can only be used on WordPress.com with a paid subscription.
The addition of the download link comes after concerns were raised by developers about WordPress.com plugin listings outranking WordPress.org on Google Search in some instances. During discussions on this matter, developers were surprised to learn that their plugins created for WordPress.org were also listed on WordPress.com but could only be accessed with a paid subscription. In response, Patchstack updated its readme file to ensure that WordPress.com users and visitors are aware that the plugin is available for free in the official WordPress plugin repository. However, this response may no longer be necessary with the inclusion of the download link.
The update to the plugin pages has been well-received by developers, with some expressing a preference for a direct link to the actual plugin page where they can see and participate in reviews. However, it is worth noting that the omission of a link back to WordPress.org may be intentional, as it keeps users on the .com site and encourages them to upgrade to paid plans in order to use plugins.
Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg has also weighed in on the matter, stating that WordPress.com users should be able to search Google for the listings. He believes that this provides an SEO benefit without negatively impacting plugin authors.
In addition to the update, developers have also expressed an interest in knowing the percentage of their active installs that come from WordPress.com compared to WordPress.org and other hosting platforms. While there are currently no reports available for this data, Mullenweg acknowledged that it could be interesting and worth exploring in the future.
Mullenweg also expressed his support for plugins being duplicated and distributed by every host and site on the planet, stating that it provides more distribution to unaltered plugins. He believes that this is a positive outcome for the WordPress community as a whole.
When asked if WordPress.org could extract data for known plugin distributors like WordPress.com, Mullenweg confirmed that it would be possible if allowed by their privacy policy. He also mentioned that obtaining plugin information from crawling sites is a fairly simple task.
Overall, the addition of download links for WordPress.org plugins on WordPress.com plugin pages is a positive step forward. It addresses concerns raised by developers and provides a more seamless experience for users looking to access these plugins. With this update, WordPress.com continues to improve its platform and cater to the needs of its users and developers.
