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Resolving Jetpack Stats Commercial Classification Errors

33 threads Sep 10, 2025 Plugin → Jetpack

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Many WordPress site owners using Jetpack Stats have encountered a frustrating issue: their personal, non-commercial blog or website is suddenly and incorrectly classified as "commercial." This reclassification blocks access to the free stats plan, prompting users to upgrade to a paid plan. This guide explains why this misclassification happens and outlines the steps you can take to resolve it.

Why Was My Site Flagged as Commercial?

Based on community reports, the automated system that classifies sites can sometimes make mistakes. However, several common triggers frequently cause a site to be flagged:

  • Ad Scripts in Site Code: The most common reason is the presence of advertising-related code, even if ads are not visibly displayed. This includes scripts from Google AdSense or other ad networks. These scripts can be remnants from old plugins, themes, or experiments and might be present without the site owner's knowledge.
  • Affiliate or Product Links: Links to Amazon, Flipkart, or other retailers, even if just for informational purposes, can be interpreted as commercial activity.
  • Promoting Services or Solicitations: Mentioning books you've authored (with or without links to stores), promoting a school or organization, or having a "Hire Me" page can be seen as commercial promotion.
  • Automation Errors: Sometimes, the classification is simply an error on the automated system's part with no clear trigger from the user's side.

How to Dispute the Classification and Regain Access to Free Stats

If you believe your site has been misclassified, follow these steps to request a manual review and resolution.

Step 1: Conduct a Self-Audit of Your Site

Before requesting a review, carefully check your site for any of the common triggers listed above.

  • Scan for Ad Scripts: Review your site's source code. Look for any references to scripts from googlesyndication.com, googleadservices.com, or other ad networks. Check your theme files (especially header.php), active plugins (like Google Site Kit), and any custom code sections.
  • Review Your Content: Temporarily remove or clearly disclaim any affiliate links, product mentions, or promotional content about your services or books.
  • Ensure Site Accessibility: Make sure your site is publicly accessible and not blocking visits with security plugins or server errors, as support must be able to review it.

Step 2: Request a Manual Review

The primary way to resolve this is to request that a human review your site. To do this effectively:

  • Create a new thread on the appropriate support forum.
  • Clearly state that your site is non-commercial.
  • Explicitly list that your site has no ads, no products for sale, no business promotions, and does not solicit donations.
  • Provide the full URL of your site.

Step 3: Follow Up and Complete the Process

If a support representative manually reclassifies your site as non-commercial, they will often instruct you to complete the process by visiting a specific URL to "certify" your site's status.

  • You will typically need to go to: https://wordpress.com/stats/purchase/your-site-url (replacing "your-site-url" with your actual domain).
  • There, you should see an option to select a free, non-commercial stats plan and check boxes confirming your site's non-commercial nature.
  • Important: You must be logged into the correct WordPress.com account that is connected to your Jetpack-enabled site for this link to work. If you encounter errors, double-check your login credentials.

What If My Request Is Denied?

If, after a review, your site is still deemed commercial, the representative will usually explain why. Common reasons for upholding the classification include:

  • The presence of active ad code.
  • Overt promotion of products, services, or a business.
  • Soliciting advertisers, sponsors, or donations.

In these cases, you will need to remove the commercial elements to qualify for the free plan or consider upgrading to a paid stats plan.

By understanding the common causes and following the steps for a manual review, most users can successfully resolve incorrect commercial classification issues and restore access to their website statistics.

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