The Low Down On A WordPress MU Blog
When WordPress.org releases its new version – 3.0 in a few months time it will include WordPress MU because the two systems are merging together.
Currently there are three WordPress options available for users:
WordPress.com – where WordPress itself hosts your blog
WordPress.org – where you download the software and host WordPress on your own server
WordPressMU - WordPress MU is WordPress for multiple users and you can download the MU software and host it on your own server.
You are probably already familiar with WP MU although you have not even know it. WordPress MU is the blogging platform that WordPress.com uses. If you have a blog with wordpress.com you are already a WP MU user 
Why You Should Consider Using WordPress MU
WP MU means WordPress multi user so you can have one install of WordPress and multiple users. This means that you can have unlimited blogs and unlimited users all off the one installation of WordPress.
It gets better though …
You can also set different themes, plugins and user permissions for each blog installed with WP MU.
This is just the way that WordPress.com works. You are allowed to use certain themes and plugins because WordPress as the mother blog has set those permissions and rights for the baby user blogs.
This gives you total control. If you are a control freak like me that’s a good thing! Not only does it give you control but WordPress MU makes it possible for you to expand your blogging empire dramatically on one install.
The Good
You can’t beat that one install. Not only is it one installation but it is one upgrade so this makes managing and maintaining a blogging network a lot easier and more manageable for users.
It has all the features that you know and love already with WordPress.org plus a few more
The ability to add other blogs so easily makes it easy for you to think of creative ways to do business on the internet
It’s great for users, they don’t need to have technical know how and learn all the mumbo jumbo to get their blog on your WP Mu site because you can control the themes and plugins that they can have installed. The procedure is as simple as signing up for a blog at WordPress.com
The Bad
Of course, with multiple users, you may have to set some rules in place in case users use your blog network in a way that you did not intend
There is not as much information on using WP MU as there is on WordPress.org but this will, no doubt, change with the merger with WordPress.org
If you are hosting multiple blogs and allowing anyone to sign up for a blog – then you better talk to your web host – these babies can suck up your bandwidth
The baby blogs work just the same as WordPress.org so generally all themes and plugins that you normally use on your self hosted blog will work with a WP MU blog BUT the mother blog will need a wp mu theme, and not all themes are compatible with WP MU. Also, to fire up your mother blog and give you more options and functions you may wish to install some specialized WP MU plugins.
The Ugly
Not really ugly but … currently it does take a little more effort to set up a WP MU blog than just clicking in Fantastico for instance. Don’t get me wrong … it’s not hard but you do need to be fully awake when you are doing it. And, yes, this is a manual install so you do have to do some ftp This will probably change though with the release of WP 3.0
Getting Creative
A lot of people like to have an install of WordPress with a ton of domains and directories for other related parts of the site. You don’t need to that when you use WP MU you can acheive the same thing – one install, multiple blogs, different themes, plugins, users and permissions if you want without that hassle.
Some examples off the top of my head how you can use WP MU
- social network combined with Buddy Press and you can have your very own niche Facebook
- An authority blog – with different sections for authors, different topics
- newspaper
- store front with different blogs for stores
- membership sites – different blogs for members
- blog with forum without bothering with a subdomain, directory etc
WP MU blogs In the Wild
Here’s some examples of WordPress MU blogs you may already know
Blogs
Stores
Newspapers
Universities
Networking
Media
and many, many others
Next time, I’ll show you how to do a wordpress MU install and give you a tour of the WP MU dashboard.
Enjoy
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My name is Leanne King and I'm an Australian internet marketer and WordPress fantatic. I share my knowledge of WordPress here on my blog, through my products, private coaching and in private forums. In my spare time I like to develop products for WordPress users that are easy to use.
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