In short: WordPress is the world’s most popular website platform: according to W3Techs it powers about 40 % of all websites and nearly 6 in 10 sites with a known CMS. A WordPress website is flexible, SEO-friendly, multilingual and yours to own. One condition: it needs regular maintenance.
If you are looking for a new website, you will almost certainly hear the word WordPress. Why this platform? Why do both small businesses and big media companies trust it? Here is what makes a WordPress website a good choice, where its weak spots are and how to manage them.
How popular is WordPress?
According to W3Techs, in October 2026 WordPress powered about 40 % of all websites in the world. Among sites with a detectable content management system its share is almost 59 %. No other platform comes close. WordPress was launched in 2003 and is developed by an open-source community.
Why is WordPress so popular?
1. Open source and ownership
WordPress is free and open source (GPL licence). Your site, data and code belong to you. You can change host or developer without changing platform. On closed platforms such as Wix or Shopify you depend on a single vendor.
2. Easy content editing
With the block editor you change text, images and pages without coding. A team member learns everyday content editing in a few hours.
3. Tens of thousands of plugins
The WordPress.org directory has around 60,000 free plugins: forms, booking, multilingual content, SEO, memberships, e-commerce. There is a ready solution for almost every need, and it can be customised.
4. SEO-friendly
Clean URLs, Yoast or Rank Math, structured data, fast caching and multilingual SEO are well solved in WordPress. A properly built WordPress site does well in Google and in AI search. See also our SEO services.
5. Multilingual
In Estonia you often need Estonian, Russian and English. WPML or Polylang let you translate every page and give Google the right language signals (hreflang).
6. Grows with your business
A simple website can later become an online store (WooCommerce), a booking system or a customer portal. You do not have to start from scratch each time.
7. A large developer community
Because WordPress is so widespread, you can always find a developer for it – in Estonia too. You are never held hostage by one partner.
8. Constant development and AI
WordPress is updated several times a year, and recent versions add interfaces for AI tools. Read what is new in WordPress 7.2.
WordPress weak spots – and how to avoid them
- Security: its popularity makes WordPress a favourite target. Nearly all hacked sites were not updated. A good example is vulnerability CVE-2026-119977, which was attacked right after the fix came out.
- Too many plugins: each plugin is extra code. Choose reliable ones and remove what you do not need.
- Speed: a heavy theme and plugins slow a site down. The fix is speed optimisation and good hosting (how hosting affects SEO).
Regular WordPress maintenance solves all of these. You can also check your site yourself – see our WordPress Site Health guide.
When is WordPress not the right fit?
If you need a complex business system – ERP, CRM, a large database or a real-time application – custom software development is the better choice. A company website, blog, portfolio or online store, however, is an ideal job for WordPress.
Frequently asked questions
Why is WordPress the most popular website platform?
It is free, open source, easy to use, very flexible thanks to plugins and backed by a large developer community. About 40 % of the world’s websites run on WordPress.
Is a WordPress website secure?
Yes, if it is updated and maintained regularly. Most hacks happen because of an outdated core, plugins or PHP version.
Is WordPress good for SEO?
Yes. Clean URLs, SEO plugins, structured data and multilingual support make WordPress a strong SEO platform when the site is fast and well built.
Can I manage a WordPress site myself?
Yes. Text, images and pages are edited in the block editor without coding. Technical updates are best left to maintenance.
Want a WordPress website that is fast, secure and visible on Google? See our WordPress development service or contact us.
