Why WordPress powers most of the web

I recently found myself among 1,700+ marketing professionals, developers, and business leaders at WordCamp Europe in Basel, Europe's largest WordPress gathering. While the technical sessions and Swiss hospitality were impressive, what struck me most were the corridor conversations: B2B companies discussing how WordPress has become central to their digital transformation strategies.

This isn't just about websites anymore. It's about building scalable, future-proof digital experiences that drive measurable business growth.

Nearly 44% of all websites run on WordPress

WordPress now powers 43.6% of all websites globally, representing over 500 million websites worldwide. However, the real story lies deeper in the enterprise adoption numbers. Among websites using a content management system (CMS), WordPress holds a commanding 62.7% market share, nearly two-thirds of the entire CMS market.

For B2B decision-makers, these numbers signal something critical: WordPress has evolved from a blogging platform into a proven enterprise solution.

Companies across industries, from energy and healthcare to technology and manufacturing, are choosing WordPress not just for cost savings, but for strategic competitive advantages.

The platform's growth trajectory tells a compelling story. WordPress' market share has increased 16.3 percentage points since 2017, growing from 27.3% to 43.6%. This isn't gradual adoption; it's systematic migration from legacy systems to a more flexible, cost-effective platform.

A community of 100k+ contributors to learn from

At WordCamp Europe's Contributor Day on Thursday, I watched over 600 volunteers dedicate their time to improving WordPress: fixing bugs, translating interfaces, building new features, etc.

This wasn't just impressive volunteerism; it's a business asset that no proprietary platform can match. Over 100,000 contributors actively improve WordPress worldwide, creating a development ecosystem that provides several strategic advantages for B2B companies:

• Rapid innovation without vendor dependency: New features and improvements arrive continuously, driven by real user needs rather than corporate roadmaps.
• Global security monitoring: Thousands of developers reviewing code means vulnerabilities get identified and patched faster than most proprietary alternatives.
• Knowledge ecosystem: A vast network of developers, consultants, and agencies who can support your growth without vendor lock-in.
• Long-term stability: No single company controls WordPress, reducing the risk of sudden strategic changes or discontinuation that plague proprietary platforms

Less dependencies, more autonomy: Meet the Gutenberg project

The most significant development in WordPress's recent history isn't happening in boardrooms; it's happening in the editor.

The Gutenberg project has fundamentally transformed how businesses build and manage their digital presence, solving a critical B2B problem: the ability to create sophisticated content without depending on developers for every change.

For B2B marketers managing complex sales cycles, this shift from technical dependency to marketing autonomy has profound implications. Teams can now create landing pages, campaign microsites, and lead generation experiences that previously required significant development resources. 

WordPress is also leveraging AI for your benefit

At WordCamp Europe, WordPress announced a new AI team focused on improving daily workflows for developers and content creators.

Rather than integrating AI directly into WordPress core, this initiative aims to streamline common tasks and enhance productivity. This is exactly what B2B teams need for efficient content operations.

Countless plugins to complete your martech ecosystem

One conversation in Basel particularly resonated: a B2B SaaS company explaining how WordPress's plugin ecosystem had replaced multiple expensive software subscriptions. 

With over 60k free plugins in the WordPress directory alone, plus thousands of premium solutions, businesses can build sophisticated marketing technology stacks at a fraction of traditional enterprise costs.

This ecosystem provides B2B companies with:

• Marketing automation integration: Seamless connections to HubSpot, Salesforce, and other CRM platforms through battle-tested plugins
• E-commerce capabilities: WooCommerce powers 5%  of the e-commerce platform market, making it a viable B2B commerce solution
• Performance optimization: Enterprise-grade caching, CDN integration, and speed optimization tools
• Security enhancements: Professional-level security solutions without enterprise licensing costs

WordPress is focusing on building experiences aligned with new buying habits

Now, the most strategic announcement at WordCamp Europe wasn't about technology.

It was about talent development.

WordPress Campus Connect, a new global program partnering with universities, signals long-term investment in platform capabilities and developer training.

For B2B companies planning their digital future, this commitment to education and skill development reinforces a key point: choosing WordPress means betting on a platform that's preparing for sustained growth and that’s acknowledging that nothing’s set in stone, especially when it comes to meeting evolving buying habits.

Not just a website platform, but a strategic choice

After three days in Basel, surrounded by thousands of professionals building their businesses on WordPress, one insight became clear: successful companies aren't using WordPress as just a website platform; they're using it as integrated business infrastructure that connects with their sales processes, marketing automation, and customer success initiatives.

The businesses winning with WordPress share common characteristics:

• Strategic integration: Their WordPress implementations connect seamlessly with existing business systems and workflows
• Content-driven growth: They leverage WordPress's content management strengths to support complex B2B buying journeys
• Scalable architecture: Their implementations can grow with business needs without requiring platform migrations
• Cost optimization: They achieve enterprise-level functionality at significantly lower total cost of ownership

The WordPress evolution represents a broader shift in how B2B companies approach digital infrastructure.

Instead of expensive, inflexible enterprise solutions, forward-thinking businesses are choosing platforms that offer enterprise capability with startup agility. For B2B companies evaluating their digital strategy, WordPress offers something increasingly rare in the technology landscape: a platform that becomes more valuable over time, backed by a community committed to continuous improvement, with a proven track record of adapting to market changes.

Ready to explore how WordPress can accelerate your B2B growth strategy? At Valve, we've helped B2B companies transform their digital presence using WordPress as the foundation for measurable business growth. Our approach combines strategic planning with technical expertise to build WordPress solutions that drive revenue, not just traffic.

Contact our digital strategy team to discuss how the right platform choice can transform your B2B marketing effectiveness and operational efficiency.

—

Featured image credit: Chiharu Nagatomi