Now in its second year, the State of Enterprise WordPress Survey 2024 offers invaluable input and opinions from over 100 worldwide enterprises currently leveraging the platform, which includes household names such as Amnesty International, The Times, and Princeton University.
Produced by Big Bite with support from an extensive cohort of enterprise WordPress agencies and suppliers, the survey report shares an annual snapshot of how big brands are utilising WordPress in their day-to-day operations. To provide actionable insights for the wider WordPress sector, it also explores why they chose it over other solutions and how it continues to meet their evolving needs.
Uncovering what matters most
One of the clearest takeaways from this year’s survey is that enterprises chose WordPress for the same set of key features. 96% of respondents cited extensibility as a top priority, underlining the importance of customisation and seamless integration into existing enterprise workflows. More than 9 in 10 enterprises also highlighted functionality as a standout factor, with organisations leveraging the platform’s robust tools to power everything from student portals to subscription-only news sites.
Additionally, over 90% of respondents ranked usability and performance as crucial factors, reflecting how vital speed, reliability, and ease of use are to enterprise decision-makers. Together, these factors illustrate that enterprises are not choosing WordPress based on cost alone but for its adaptability and ability to meet complex and changing needs.
Building long term loyalty
Significantly, the survey confirms that enterprise organisations continue to see strong value in WordPress. Almost three-quarters of respondents rated their return on investment as excellent or good, while roughly the same proportion confirmed plans to continue using the platform long-term.
This sentiment is reflected in the growing number of enterprises that have relied on WordPress for five years or more – 75% of respondents this year, up 16% from 2023. This trend reflects the platform’s ability to evolve alongside businesses, supporting their shifting goals and technical requirements over time.
The findings also show that enterprises are increasingly confident in WordPress’s ability to stand on its own, with 55% of organisations now using it exclusively as their CMS, which is up 17% year-on-year. This indicates a shift toward viewing WordPress as a comprehensive, standalone solution for managing enterprise-level digital experiences.
Embracing open source
Another standout theme is the significant increase in enterprise contributions to WordPress open-source projects. According to this year’s survey findings, enterprise participation rose from 38% in 2023 to 61% this year, highlighting the growing commitment of large organisations to the platform’s development.
Contributions to core code, plugins, and other projects not only strengthen the platform but also foster a sense of shared ownership within the community, and this positive trend demonstrates how enterprises are moving beyond simply using WordPress to actively shaping its future.
For many organisations, contributing to open-source is also a way of ensuring that WordPress continues to meet their specific needs, and by playing an active role in its evolution, enterprises can help steer the platform in directions that align with their long-term strategies. As more brands recognise the value of open-source engagement, we expect to see this trend continue in the years ahead, ultimately benefiting both individual contributors and the wider WordPress ecosystem.
View the full results of the State of Enterprise WordPress Survey 2024 at www.soewp.com.