Is the WordPress Market Share Declining and What to do about it?

Join Matt Cromwell and Amber Hinds for a critical two-part discussion on WordPress market share position.

Part 1: WordPress Market Share Analysis

Joost de Valk (Yoast SEO, Emilia Capital) and Noel Tock (Human Made) examine the WordPress market share. Is it really declining? How do we measure it? We'll delve into factors such as changes in the overall market landscape, emerging competitors, and evolving user preferences. Analyzing both raw data and underlying trends, we'll discuss whether WordPress' apparent stabilization signifies a peak or a new phase of sustained growth.

Part 2: Strategizing for the Future

Miriam Schwab (Strattic, Elementor) and Rich Tabor (Automattic) explore solutions. What can product businesses do to adapt to a declining WordPress market share? How can digital marketing strategies be leveraged effectively? What role does enhancing customer experiences play? Can utilizing AI and big data analytics uncover new business opportunities? How important is fostering customer loyalty? Should product offerings be innovated regularly? How can user engagement be optimized? By exploring these questions, we'll uncover strategies to help WordPress businesses not only maintain but also increase their market share, ensuring long-term growth and success.

Here's some resources for you to read in advance:

• Noel Tock's Market Share research presented at WordCamp Asia 2024
• Joost's CMS Market Share analysis which is continually updated.

Show Notes

We had a great conversation and the live chat was really lively! Thanks everyone for being there.

The WP Minute was there, and they did a great write-up of the episode.

The folks at Search Engine Journal also did a nice write-up.

The Repository newsletter did some excellent follow-up commentary about the Marketing Consortium idea that we discussed as well.

Alex Standiford (WPPT Guest) was there live, asked some great questions, then posted this great follow-up about the importance of focusing on why people choose WordPress in the first place, and it's not because of features!

Best Advice

Like every episode, we wrapped it up with asking each person what their best advice is for product businesses listening to this conversation. Here's a quick summary:

• Miriam wants everyone to focus on creating excitement around WordPress and around WP products.
• Rich kept it short and sweet: "Focus on building beautiful simple experiences"
• Noel said we all need to start competing with the rest of the world, get out of the WordPress bubble.
• Joost wants everyone to try a new plugin every week for inspiration and motivation. Maybe check out Shiny New Plugins for a start!
• Amber wants us all to contribute at Contributor Day at least once a year.
• Matt wrapped it up recommending every product owner to write a "Why WordPress is perfect for {your product purpose}". He cited GiveWP's article called "Why WordPress is the Best Platform for Online Fundraising"