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Okay, big news for everyone with a WordPress blog, including people with a free blog on wordpress.com!
You can now turn *any* WordPress blog into a Fediverse server which can be followed from Mastodon etc.
I've updated the instructions on how to do this at:
➡️ https://fedi.tips/wordpress-turning-your-blog-into-a-fediverse-server/
Just to repeat, this is now available to ALL WordPress blogs including free tier ones. The free tier has slightly different instructions, but effect is same.
FediTips has moved!
My sites are powered by WordPress but they're not blogs.
The Fediverse compatibility is for WordPress blogs, i.e. sites that post regular new articles rather than a single set of static pages.
Expert Plus 🍀
@feditips I wonder why doesn't your website haven't entered Fediverse yet.
TechyDad
@feditips I've been thinking of writing short stories and novellas and releasing them for free. I don't like the idea of posting them to some service where I won't control my data, though. This is good news. I could spin up a WordPress site, post my stories there, and link it up with the Fediverse to increase visibility.
(I actually have a WordPress site I was going to use for this so I might add this plugin to test it out.)
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I don't know, but guess you could try?
Sparky
@feditips@mstdn.social does it include an obscure piece of half-capable WordPress blog that is hosted on a Plesk server
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If you copy and paste the URL of a blog post into your Mastodon search box, you should see the post appear if it is converted.
However, bear in mind servers will only notice any kind of Fediverse post if at least one person on that server has followed the account at time of publication or shared the post.
Jürgen Hubert
@feditips I switched it on for my own blog.
But are only new posts shared as an ActivityPub post, or are older posts converted as well?
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@weirdwriter @socialaudiodescription.com
Good point.
I am not sure, but will take a look and update the article if I find out.
Will reply again when I know more.
Robert Kingett backup
@feditips Did they explain how to change our name? Like our fedi name? For example, right now, SADC shows up as @socialaudiodescription.com
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Okay, I'm not sure what kind of hosting you have, but on the plugin for independently hosted sites you can change the blog's main address by going to Settings > ActivityPub > Settings > Change Blog Profile ID
I don't have a wordpress.com account so I'm not sure if that differs, or if changing the name is possible?
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Yeah, it looks like the name change is only available through blogs that use the plug-in?
It's good you highlighted this, it should save confusion for other users.
Robert Kingett backup
@feditips Thanks! I will do that on my own website, but for SADC we have the lowest paid plan, so WP COM won't let us change unless we upgrade to the business plan, but thank you though! That pointed me in the right direction!
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By the way, can I ask if you get new block types added to your lowest paid plan?
If you try creating a new post are there any blocks available called "Fediverse followers" or "Follow me on the Fediverse"?
Mother Bones
@feditips Shoot I'm going to have to do this with my work blog aren't I
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Ok, thanks. Guess this is another feature that is only on the plug-in?
It looks like because the free/lower tiers don't have plug-ins, wordpress.com have done a simplified feature set with the most essential functions but left a lot of the plug-in's options out.
The WebFinger plugin optionally improves the federation side of things, but I am not a developer so I don't know exactly what it does. Also, I don't know whether its functionality is included in the free/low tier system?
Robert Kingett backup
@feditips Nope, not from what I can see, nope, and no sharing buttons and otherwise either! I'll add our SADC handle to the contact page soon so people can find us. On my personal website I have much more control. I didn't see anything on the Fedi tips page also including their recommended WebFinger plugin. Have any idea what that is? If they recommend we install that too on our own websites, might be worth explaining it in FediTips or at least link to the WebFinger plugin.
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It's possible that they've built this into the free/low tier behind the scenes.
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I'm not sure... I would assume they will see it as replies?
Would be interested to hear!
R Scott Jones
@feditips so replies to posts are logged as comments on wp. What happens with replies (on wp) to those comments? Does the commenter see the reply their own fedi feed?
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Thank you! 🙏
Mastodon Migration
The profile picture and description are picked up from the WordPress icon image and description entered in Settings >>> General
Martin Dougiamas
@feditips Anyone know how to set the profile picture, header etc for the account?
There's no obvious way yet in the ActivityPub plugin.
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Did you follow all the steps in the link?
Irina
@feditips I must have done something wrong because I can't get it working! I have the ActivityPub plugin but it doesn't generate a feed, just irrelevant search results (I called the feed blog@valdyas.org and it gives all mastodon posts with "blog" somewhere in the text). Help?
Mariner
So where do I actually put this copied address. I found on my wordpress blog.....
khunkai.org@khunkai.org
??
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Put it in the search box on Mastodon and the account's profile will appear.
Or if you include @ at the start you can mention it in posts and people will be able to click on it there.
For example try clicking on @khunkai.org and you'll see your blog's profile, which you can follow.
FinchHaven sfba
That #wordpress is the new feature that is going to save #Mastodon and the #Fediverse is the lastest hot-techy-take
So far all I've seen is:
1) people talking about how their blog is now "on" Mastodon -- but with only words
2) people talking about how their blog is now "on" Mastodon and posting a link that is no different than any link to any web site anywhere
3) a very few people talking about how their blog is now "on" Mastodon and posting a link that takes me to their blog, where I can read but cannot comment because it's not connected back to Mastodon in any way except by my 'back' arrow
I've seen one case where apparently I *could* comment but I did not -- mostly because the content was pretty uninteresting
So there's a long, long way to go before Wordpress "saves" Mastodon, to put it mildly
IMOO, of course
YMMV...
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@FinchHaven @bitpickup @pfefferle
This is not Mastodon's project, it's not made by anyone connected to Mastodon, nor is it designed to "save" Mastodon.
This is an independent Fediverse platform which is compatible with many other Fediverse platforms.
mʕ•ﻌ•ʔm bitPickup
Hi, just read you piece about the #wordpress #fediVers conector via #activityPub by @pfefferle and automattic.
I like it and first of all that it exists but it's important in the introduction to point out the limitations.
From the fediverse I'm used to real interaction and from what I could see/test there is no two way communication possible.
The fediVerse can comment on blogs but the blog response isn't federated into the fediVers and that contact.
Is that still the case?
#WP
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When you go to Settings > ActivityPub > Settings what is the account address shown for "blog profile ID"?
Is this what you tried to edit? Did you click "save changes" after editing it?
Irina
@feditips Yes, even installed WebFinger now, but it still does the same thing.
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@FinchHaven @bitpickup @pfefferle
I don't follow hype, I follow the actual platforms themselves.
FinchHaven sfba
"These aren't VC startups trying to build up hype machines ready for the stock markets, these are FOSS projects patiently improving their functionality over years."
Wow
Apparently you've missed the hype I've seen
Or you're following the wrong hashtags
Or you have an entirely different definition of 'hype'
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Hmm... I'm not sure what to suggest in that case, sorry!
Normally I'd ask the developer @pfefferle if he has any ideas but I think he's a bit overwhelmed at the moment!
Sometimes some blogs have not been able to federate, and I'm not sure what has gone wrong. Perhaps something related to the way the hosting company functions?
Irina
Username is "blog@valdyas.org" (which gives all the mastodon posts with "blog" somewhere in the text) and profile URL is https://valdyas.org/irina/fo3/@blog (which gives no results at all). Yes, I did click "save changes". I edited it in the "settings" page, and it showed up in the "welcome" page like this.
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Do you mean the Webfinger plugin?
I'm not completely sure on how necessary it is, I am not a developer. Sorry 😞
Accounts only show up on Mastodon searches if someone on that server is following them, or if they have been interacted with by someone on your server.
So, if you want to get your blog noticed in searches it's a good idea to tell people on Mastodon etc its address and encourage them to follow the blog.
beforewisdom :vegan:
How can you tell if you need the second plugin?
Do you need to make a new post for your blog to show up in a Mastodon search?
Do you need to wait ( how long? ) for your blog to show up in a Mastodon search?
PKPs Powerfromspace1
@feditips 👏👏👏
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It is an open standard so there's nothing to stop other blogging platforms from including ActivityPub.
Hopefully ActivityPub becomes a standard option on blogs the same way RSS did.
House Panther :verified:
@feditips While cool that we have another #ActivityPub platform, I'm no fan of #wordpress. #Ghost does much better as a publishing platform. Maybe the #ghostdevs will consider ActivityPub #integration. Until then, I can always include links in my toots.
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Even if you have just one account, there will be two separate addresses for the account and the blog as a whole.
It might be that one account works better than the other, so it's worth trying both?
Irina
@feditips @pfefferle There's only me writing on this blog so the author address would do the same thing. Will try that if waiting until it federates doesn't work, thanks!
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Fair enough, but just in terms of being an option on the blogging software? As in plugins etc?
ShittyKopper
@feditips@mstdn.social @housepanther@masto.goblackcat.net Hopefully ActivityPub becomes a standard option on blogs the same way RSS did.ActivityPub is way too complex compared to RSS to be as ubiquitous. Anybody with a vaguely template engine shaped tool (hell, static site generators even) can create an RSS/Atom feed while ActivityPub effectively requires a backend server that's running near constantly / every X minutes (with permanent writable storage) for anything that's not a toy example for a quick blogpost.
Following an RSS feed is "just download this file every few hours and check if there's any new changes to it on your end". AP can't get that simple no matter how much you try (before it stops being widely compatible* AP, of course)
*: some AP projects may support outboxes, but none of the major ones like masto do afaik.
Leisureguy
@feditips Correct procedure for Wordpress.com:
1. From dashboard, Tools → Marketing → Connections (in menu on the page)
2. Click the Connect button next to Mastodon.
3. In the new window that opens:
a. Sign in to your Mastodon account.
b. Approve the connection to WordPress.com by selecting Authorize.
4. After returning to WordPress.com, another pop-up window will confirm the account you want to connect to. Select Connect.
The instructions you offer don't work.
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No, that's not this feature.
This is not about linking a Mastodon account.
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Interesting, thanks for info.
How do you have comments set on your blog, is it possible that setting is affecting it somehow?
Uwe Küchler
@feditips @rscottjones
I tested this on my free tier WordPress.com blog: comments on the WordPress side do *not* get federated. Commenters on WordPress.com and Mastodon thus cannot interact.
Suboptimal, but still better than nothing.
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Ahh, okay, yup. Yeah, that's not great but hopefully it is improved in the future.
I wonder if the Friends plugin affects that behaviour?
Uwe Küchler
@feditips @rscottjones
I'm not aware of any setting that would affect comments going *out* of WordPress. Especially not my own comments.
All that's coming *in* needs my approval, but that shouldn't affect what's going out.
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I've had mixed reports on whether the comments are supposed to go in the other direction, I'm going to do some experiments and then do a new post about it.
benny
@feditips will I be able to answer to comments? Can the Fediverse comments replace the standard Wordpress comments?
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