Preface
Note from the author:Â This article is a 2024 update and modification of a 2020 publication. (you can read it here).
This updated post details WordPress’s increased popularity. We’ve also added information about the types of websites that Sullivan Solutions can create with this versatile CMS — our primary development platform.
While we have removed previous content about WordPress Maintenance, we have updated that information and published it in a separate article to better describe our hands-on processes.
WordPress is the Top CMS in 2024!
WordPress now powers 43.1%¹ of the internet in mid-2024 — an increase of 8.1% from the initial publication of this article in 2020. Of all sites built with any CMS (content management system), about 62.9% (compared to 60% in 2020) are WordPress.
WordPress continues to be the platform of choice.
2024 WordPress CMS Statistics
| CMS | % 2024 Marketshare |
|---|---|
| WordPress | 62.9% |
| Shopify | 6.1% |
| Wix | 3.8% |
| Squarespace | 3.0% |
| Joomla! | 2.5% |
| Drupal | 1.5% |
| Adobe Systems | 1.5% |
| Weebly | 0.6% |
Other CMS platforms not included in the table above have <1% share to include: PrestaShop, Google Systems, Webflow, Bitrix, OpenCart, TYPO3, Duda, and Tilda. Â
The remaining 37.1% of sites without an identifiable CMS may use a custom or proprietary system. Those sites without identifiable CMS are generally coded using programming and markup languages such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. However, even at the enterprise level, where custom-coded websites used to be the norm, WordPress and other CMS are often selected for all or part of the website. It’s not uncommon for an enterprise to have multiple websites that might focus on specific business silos, services, or brands. Â
The above statistics of 62.9% include websites also running on WordPress.com, a commercial hosting service that uses a modified version of the WordPress CMS. Years ago, when one referenced “WordPress,” it was often assumed to be a WordPress.com blog.
WordPress.com is a simplified website builder that lets users create websites readily, but it has many limitations on design and functionality.
In contrast, the full WordPress.org system is independently hosted and enables full control over site customization. That’s what we use here at Sullivan Solutions for our site and those we design and develop for our clients. The WordPress open-source CMS is installed using a client-subscribed hosting service (or a server they own and maintain with an IT department). Costs and resources vary according to the hosting provider and their plans and services — whether shared servers, cloud-based servers, VPS (Virtual Private Servers), or dedicated servers. With the WordPress core installation, Sullivan Solutions controls the theme and plugins installed to create the optimal website representing the client’s brand with all functionality required to meet business goals.
WordPress and WooCommerce together drive e-commerce.
In 2024, over 93.7% of WordPress sites with an online store use WooCommerce². The base version of WooCommerce is free, but other “extensions” (free & premium) are used to customize and expand features and functionality. The WooCommerce system is intuitive, out-of-the-box, and straightforward to install and understand. The performance is excellent when deployed by knowledgeable developers, and with the platform’s popularity on top of core WordPress, a wealth of technical expertise is available. Given the number of installations, it’s also not likely to be abandoned as a platform; the WordPress.org plugin repository states over 5M installs of WooCommerce (Woo). WooCommerce.com – an arm of “Automattic” —is the for-profit organization that built WordPress.com and continues to contribute to the ongoing development of WordPress and other open-source projects. There is an enormous repository cataloging free and premium extensions for Woo with extensive documentation, technical developer tools, and support for licensed premium extensions.
Ecwid, WP-Commerce, and Easy Digital Downloads are other WordPress e-commerce plugins used with WordPress but have a small percentage of the market share. Mechanisms can also integrate other standalone e-commerce platforms (like OsCommerce) with WordPress. This is helpful to know for those who have existing OsCommerce stores but would like to incorporate within a WordPress website for more brand visibility, marketing tools, and other functionalities available in a business website.
What other types of sites can be built with WordPress?
Use your imagination. Many types of websites can be created, and we can combine WordPress with WooCommerce and other plugins to create a tremendous variety of bespoke websites. This is just a sample of types, but our developer has tremendous experience with these variants. It’s also possible with many site types to customize everything from login screens to the standard WordPress dashboard (limiting visibility by role or user) and even simplify adding a post from a front-end form after logging in. In many cases, several website types can have functionalities combined into one site with mixed public vs private access.
Membership Websites—free or paid membership access to protected information, services, or products. One might have part of the website public with a private section requiring authorized access. Information can be restricted to roles secured through membership, integration with document systems, or access to external Google Drives or DropBox Folders.
Client Portals—This can be a twist on a membership site where a business can provide access to centralized information for all and custom information unique to each client and cannot be seen by others.
Learning Management Systems (LMS)—again, from publicly free instructional materials to complex courses suitable with quiz/exam scoring and results for certifications. LMS might integrate with WooCommerce Paid Memberships or Subscriptions to control access to all or part of the course materials.
Portfolio Websites—perhaps for photographers or artists wishing to display their works, integrate with an online store to provide access to digital downloads, or order framed art (integrating WooCommerce). Usually, images displayed on websites are optimized so they can be downloaded quickly, but there are also options to provide access to high-resolution, full-size photos and digital art.
Commercial Blogs—As a traditional “digital magazine” or a monetized blog as part of a business website, the possibilities are quite endless and could again include a paywall or C2A to obtain premium content. Content delivery after completing a form with delivery of a download link on a confirmation page or with a link in an email.
Discussion Forums—creating a custom discussion forum (possibly membership-based) with a unique focus that the organization can control fully without the constraints of existing social media platforms like Facebook Groups or Reddit, where privacy is more of an issue.
Documentation & Support Sites—hypothetically, the use case might be for a software developer or a product manufacturer to provide after-purchase access to technical how-to documents (possibly sorting by model number) and an online ticket support site (possibly including a chat module).
Donation Website—for an organization such as a nonprofit, some use third-party donation sites while others create their own with WordPress plugins (e.g., a form plugin with a payment gateway or PayPal that has a donation tool).
Multisite Networks—A single WordPress installation can be configured as a network, allowing numerous sites to be created. Sites can use subdomains (e.g., store.domainname.com and support.domainname.com) or subfolders (e.g., domainname.com/store/ or domainname.com/support/), or an individual site can have different domains (easily mapped). This is a powerful utilization of the CMS and can be attractive when an organization wants subsites to have different visual designs (or even branding) along with functionality and even public vs private. Truly, creativity marries technical with limitless possibilities.
Job Boards—With the specific plugins, WordPress can create job directories and provide an interface for businesses to post job listings. This could be a standalone site or be integrated into a business website or multisite network (e.g., jobs.domainname.com or domainname.com/jobs).