Can you add audio/video to a WordPress.com blog?

I am glad you asked. YES and NO
As you know I am a fan of WordPress.com sites for community groups and blog beginners. However, let’s not forget that “hosted” blog platform does not punch as much power as a “self-hosted solution like WordPress.org. But allow me to answer the question that I presented.

The NO Answer

YOU cannot upload audio and video without paying for an upgrade.

WordPress.com provides 3000mgs (3Ggigs) of space. That means you can upload pdf’s, powerpoints, documents, jpg, jpeg, png, gif’s (for images) without payment, absolutely free.

The YES answer

If you want to add 5 gigs to your existing 3mgs of space you need to purchase that space at $20 for the year.

If you want to purchase 15 gigs of space it will cost 50 dollars.

If you want to add 20 mgs gigs of space it will cost you 90 dollars.

Then, and only then, will you be able to upload the following files:

mp3, m4a, ogg, wav) and videos (avi, mp4, mpg, mov, wmv).

You can pay for your upgrade only by using PayPal.

In Additon

You can go to Youtube , for example, and copy the URL option. Then go to the Media button and add the url to the post. However, it will only give you a link that when you click will take you directly to the Youtube site away from your own site.

Or

Here is a little trick

Go to your PROFILE page and click on the option to disable the visual editor. Then you can embed the code for the video to play directly on the site.

Go and try it.

Hope this helps. I enjoy my WordPress.com and WordPress.org blogs. I think that the upgrades are reasonable and a great option.  However, by the time you need  the additional functions many of you might be ready to transfer to  WordPress.org and find good hosts that will provide the space and bandwidth to maintain your blog’s needs.