As a web developer with over 15 years of experience building sites on WordPress, I‘ve seen firsthand how it can scale to meet the needs of any size website. From small personal blogs to major enterprises, WordPress is the go-to choice for building websites.
In fact, WordPress now powers over 43% of all websites on the internet.
In this post, I‘ll highlight over 40 of the biggest brand names that rely on WordPress and explain why it‘s become so popular. I‘ll also give you a friendly beginner‘s guide to launching your own WordPress site.
Contents
Why WordPress Works for Both Big Brands and Small Blogs
So what makes WordPress such a great fit for both global enterprises like CNN and Sony as well as humble personal blogs?
Here are the key reasons WordPress rules the web:
Easy Content Management
The WordPress dashboard provides an intuitive way to manage all your site content in one place. You can quickly create new posts and pages, add images and videos, modify menus, and manage comments without any coding.
For big brands publishing hundreds of news articles per day, this content workflow is invaluable. And for bloggers sharing a few posts per week, it‘s a user-friendly system.
Search Engine Optimized
WordPress sites can be optimized to rank well in Google and other search engines. This is hugely important for big media sites dependent on search traffic.
WordPress makes it easy to create SEO-friendly permalinks, meta tags, image alt text, internal links, sitemaps and more. Premium SEO plugins like Yoast also integrate tightly.
Built-In Mobile Responsiveness
Over 50% of website traffic now comes from mobile devices. WordPress themes are built mobile-first, adapting sites to look great on all screen sizes.
Forbes, Time, Wired, and other major publications rely on WordPress‘s mobile optimization to engage readers.
Scalability and Performance
The biggest websites in the world run on WordPress without performance issues. Automattic (the company behind WordPress) uses advanced cache and object caching techniques to ensure sites are fast.
For high-traffic brands, WordPress seamlessly handles spikes in visitors without slowing down. For smaller sites, it scales up as you grow.
Open Source Flexibility
WordPress is open source software with a huge developer community. Brands can fully customize WordPress core code and plugins as needed.
Thousands of free themes and plugins make adding features like ecommerce, forums, social networking, and more a breeze.
Robust Developer Resources
Resources like official documentation, forums, millions of existing sites and open source code allow developers to quickly build complex, custom WordPress sites.
This enables enterprise brands to add advanced functionality beyond out-of-the-box features.
Top-Notch Security
WordPress powers over 41% of the internet. With so many sites relying on it, security is paramount. The WordPress core development team works around-the-clock to patch any vulnerabilities.
Premium hosting like WP Engine offers enterprise-grade security, firewalls, backups, and 24/7 monitoring to keep high-profile sites safe.
Notable Brands Powered by WordPress
Now that you know why WordPress is so popular across segments, let‘s look at over 40 high-profile brands using it and how they‘ve built out their websites.
Media and Publishing
1. Time
Time has been around for nearly a century as one of the most recognizable magazine brands. Their WordPress site publishes news 24/7 around politics, health, science, entertainment, and more. Videos and podcasts engage today‘s audience.
2. Variety
For over 100 years, Variety has been covering breaking news in Hollywood and the entertainment industry. Their WordPress website reports on celebs, movies, TV shows, music, awards, reviews, and industry events.
3. Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone transitioned from print magazine to digital publisher. Their WordPress site has constantly updated music and culture news along with archival content dating back decades, resonant with their audience.
4. Vogue
As the world‘s most influential fashion magazine, a stylish, engaging online presence is key for Vogue. They use WordPress to offer glimpses into the glamorous world of high fashion.
5. TechCrunch
TechCrunch reports the latest tech startup, business, and gadget news. WordPress powers their site with a clean design, highlighting their logo. Sidebar menus and footers drive engagement.
6. HuffPost
HuffPost covers the latest news, opinion, entertainment and lifestyle content tailored for digital audiences. WordPress lets them rapidly publish content from over 4,000 contributors.
7. Forbes
Forbes has expanded from financial news into various business, investing, and technology topics. WordPress allows Forbes to frequently update their site through 1,200+ contributors.
8. Wired
For over 25 years, Wired has reported on how emerging technology and science impact culture. Their WordPress site balances their bold, futuristic brand with practical news content.
Ecommerce
9. Shopify
As a hosted ecommerce platform, Shopify relies on WordPress to power their blog showcasing inspiring stores, retail trends, and seller resources to engage their merchant audience.
10. Etsy
Etsy connects creative sellers with buyers seeking unique handmade and vintage items. Their WordPress-powered blog shares stories of its global maker community.
11. Gear Patrol
Gear Patrol covers products like tech gadgets, watches, outdoor gear, headphones, and more for discerning guys. Their WordPress blog emphasizes high-quality photos and gift guides.
12. Bonobos
As an online menswear retailer focused on fit and comfort, Bonobos‘ WordPress blog builds its brand identity with tips on style, grooming, travel, fitness, food, music, and cocktails.
Technology and Software Companies
13. Meta
Meta (formerly Facebook) uses WordPress for their Newsroom site sharing corporate announcements, statistics, executive posts, downloads, and more for media outlets.
14. Microsoft
Microsoft powers their News and Stories site with WordPress, providing corporate news, product spotlights, executive profiles, CSR efforts, and jobs/career planning.
15. Mozilla
Mozilla relies on WordPress for their company blog. They share information on internet health, new Firefox features, privacy standards, open source projects, awards, and partner integrations.
16. Yelp
Yelp‘s WordPress blog caters to consumers with restaurant recommendations, menus, local business spotlights, and event listings. A separate section offers advice for businesses.
17. HubSpot
As an inbound marketing and sales platform, HubSpot uses WordPress for an educational blog on attracting visitors, converting leads, and guiding them through the buyer‘s journey.
18. Hootsuite
Hootsuite provides a social media management system for businesses. Their WordPress blog offers tips on launching campaigns, engaging audiences, saving time, measurement, and growth.
Music, Movies, and Entertainment
19. Sony Music
Sony Music, one of the "big three” record labels, showcases their artists through a WordPress site with news, events, albums, videos, and related Sony brands.
20. Disney
Through their WordPress site, Disney‘s book publishing arm promotes their latest young reader titles from Marvel, Pixar, Disney Princesses, Frozen, and more.
21. PlayStation
PlayStation‘s WordPress-powered blog shares announcements, game guides, developer stories, accessories, fan art, and trends in the PlayStation community.
22. Star Wars
The official Star Wars blog uses WordPress to drive hype for new movies, series, games, books, merch, theme parks, and events coming from the legendary sci-fi franchise.
Celebrities and Public Figures
23. Gwyneth Paltrow
Lifestyle site Goop, founded by actress Gwyneth Paltrow, relies on WordPress to publish stories on health, fashion, beauty, travel, decor, and recipes.
24. Kobe Bryant
NBA legend Kobe Bryant used WordPress to create the Mamba League, a youth sports league, and highlight his Sports Academy for developing young athletes.
25. Malala Fund
Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai uses WordPress for the Malala Fund site, which furthers education opportunities for girls and advocates for their rights.
26. Serena Williams
Tennis icon Serena Williams‘ WordPress site provides news, photos, videos, and products to keep fans updated between tournaments and matches.
Government and Non-Profits
27. The White House
The official White House website runs on WordPress, highlighting the U.S. President‘s agenda, executive orders, briefings, news, and blog. Content is updated regularly by staff.
28. World Health Organization
The WHO relies on WordPress to rapidly publish reliable information on health emergencies, outbreaks, campaigns, statistics, and healthcare access through their newsroom.
29. UN Environment
UN Environment uses WordPress to highlight ecological initiatives, climate change, pollution, green financing, sustainable development, and environmental protections.
30. Amnesty International
Human rights organization Amnesty International uses WordPress for their media center featuring press releases, news items, feature stories, opinion pieces, and multimedia resources.
Education and Learning
31. Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School utilizes WordPress for their newsroom sharing the latest announcements, accomplishments, research, events, thought leadership pieces, and more from the prestigious institution.
32. Khan Academy
Non-profit Khan Academy relies on WordPress to publish articles on learning hacks, productivity tips, education trends, life skills, student advice, and developments from their team.
33. TED Blog
TED Talks has inspired millions through ideas shared on their main stage. Their WordPress blog continues the learning and discussion year-round.
34. EdX
MOOC provider edX powers their blog with WordPress to share the latest developments in online education, partnerships, research, and tips for career advancement.
How Can I Create My Own WordPress Website?
Seeing these examples of big brands using WordPress for key company sites shows how it can work for any kind of website.
For 15 years, I’ve helped clients from musicians to attorney’s offices build their own WordPress sites quickly and easily.
Here’s an overview of how to get your own site up and running:
Step 1: Get a Domain Name and Web Hosting
Your domain (e.g. yoursite.com) will be your website’s address on the internet. Web hosting provides the storage and servers needed to publish your site‘s files online.
I recommend Bluehost for beginners. It‘s affordable (starting at $2.75/month), user-friendly, and expertly optimized for WordPress:
Step 2: Install WordPress
Through your hosting dashboard, you can install WordPress with a few clicks. There are automated tools that migrate any existing content as well.
Alternatively, I offer an installation service starting at $250 to handle this technical step and any configuration like security plugins.
Step 3: Pick a Theme
WordPress themes control the design and layout of your site. Pick one that matches your brand and site goals from the thousands of free and paid options.
I recommend generating 5-10 professional designs from a service like Penji or working with my design team to create a custom theme from $2,000.
Step 4: Add Pages, Posts and Media
Start publishing! WordPress lets you easily create pages, blog posts, add images and videos, and modify navigation menus through the admin dashboard.
I train new users for $500 so you master WordPress fundamentals like creating effective content, SEO, and site management.
Step 5: Install Plugins
Free or paid plugins allow you to add advanced functionality like contact forms, galleries, ecommerce, appointments, social media, and more.
I charge $250 for a first-time plugin setup and configuration, choosing the optimal ones for your goals. Ongoing management starts at $100/month.
Step 6: Promote and Grow Your Site
Drive traffic, engage your audience, and track growth through social media, email marketing, SEO, content creation, and advertising.
My marketing packages start at $1,500/month for an effective blend of promotion strategies tailored for your niche.
Congratulations – you now have a professional WordPress website that can grow with your goals! Let me know in the comments if you have any questions. I‘m always happy to help fellow beginners.
