WordPress isn’t anything new. As one of the top platforms for websites around the world, WordPress is behind a surprising number of websites you know and love.
Unfortunately, there are a lot of misconceptions about the platform — ones that keep businesses from choosing it, often resorting to other options that inevitably lead to a slew of problems, especially when it comes to SEO and CMS.
So much more than a solution for “small to medium-sized businesses” only, WordPress is not only capable of handling major high traffic websites – it’s one of the reasons why those sites get so much traffic.
Holding its grip on an impressive 60% of the online market share, WordPress sites can be customized to fit nearly every business’s needs, including those of 54 of the top 100 companies listed in Inc. 5000 (and even that number has grown over the last few years).
While there is never a one-size-fits-all solution for businesses, there are smart decisions, especially when it comes to building a website.
Below are some of the best WordPress websites so far this year, giving you plenty of examples of how versatile the platform can be — whether you’re a publicly-traded company or a mom-and-pop shop.
We hope you enjoy the creativity and possibilities showcased in each one!
The 15 best WordPress websites of 2024
www.daybreaker.com : Interactive and instantly engaging, this WordPress website connects people from around the world who are looking for a unique opportunity to dance at daybreak – rather than in bars and clubs at night. Beautifully designed from top to bottom, the Daybreaker website is even more impressive in its functionality, integrating convenient and SEO-friendly features, like quick links for tickets, social media videos and #realnews testimonials from authorities, like NBC and GQ.
www.thepioneerwoman.com : A one-stop shop for fans of the well-known “Pioneer Woman,” this website shows the versatility and bandwidth of the top WordPress websites. Filled with recipe pages and cooking videos, as well as a popular blog known as “Confessions,” Ree Drummond’s website handles thousands of visitors each month, connecting them with an online community of people who share their same interests: cooking, family, pets, and the “good old pioneer life.” Easy to navigate and quick to load, this WordPress website is a great example of how clean websites can loo – even when they’re loaded with tons of content.
urbansouthern.com : The beauty of the Urban Southern website compliments the luxury leather bags that it sells, giving its primarily female customer-base an aesthetically pleasing and refreshingly simple experience. Making smart use of white space to separate sections of content, the entire Urban Southern website focuses on making the sale. In addition to the bags, the Urban Southern WordPress site features a blog that, instead of talking at length about leather and leather bags, focuses on lifestyle, filled with blog titled “One New Way to Bring More Delight to Your Life” and “The Tidying Up Phenomenon – And How to Live that Way.”
www.thepioneerwoman.com : Part of the ESPN world, The Undefeated explores sports and culture, publishing articles and videos that attract a diverse audience from around the world. An extraordinarily-designed online magazine, The Undefeated uses the WordPress platform to organize its content, giving its users a seamless experience that directs them from one article to the next.
www.janegoodall.org : The Jane Goodall website wears a lot of hats. Not only does it take donations from visitors around the world, but it also publishes content regularly and offers an online shop. Robust and yet visually stunning, the WordPress site is a stellar example of what intelligent, yet restrained, design can do. One of the most interesting features of the site is its double menu, offering two layers of options for users and helping to direct them quickly to where they want to be.
www.vogue.in : India’s Vogue website’s use of WordPress epitomizes the versatility and capability of the platform. From luxury ad spots, to a massive library of online content, Vogue’s website manages to reflect the high-end vibe of the magazine – no gloss necessary. Beautifully organized and visually interesting, the website demonstrates what the future of online content consumption can – and should – look like.
www.cuny.edu : Another massive website powered by WordPress, The City University of New York (CUNY) features an impressive number of links on its rather short homepage (96 altogether, but who’s counting?). If any business or organization has ever doubted WordPress’s CMS, then this university’s website is a great place to change minds.
momofuku.com : The group behind some of the world’s most sought-after restaurants, the Momofuku website is uniquely designed using WordPress’s custom capabilities. Opting for a side-bar menu, rather than a top menu, the Momofuku website lets the stunning photography of their various locations and dishes take center stage. Handy features, like a reservation button and links to employment, make the site as functional as it is beautiful.
methodhome.com : Featuring a fun selection of brand videos above the fold of its homepage, the Method website instantly engages visitors, making them feel instantly like they are part of the club. Using unique images that move and shift as you scroll, this website harnesses all of the power WordPress offers, demonstrating just how fun effective website design can be.
www.slowfood.it : While it might be in Italian, the Slow Food Italia website is too good not to list. Managing to incorporate targeted ads for users in a non-invasive way, the beauty of this WordPress website (aside from the bold and fun-loving color blocking) is its ability to offer a taste of everything they have to offer right on the homepage – pun intended! Scrolling from top to bottom, there’s a great chance the website will entice you to click somewhere, ensuring that visitors stay on long enough to become a fan.
www.pixiesmusic.com : Intentionally not your average WordPress site, the band the Pixies uses their online presence to give fans everything they want, including merchandise and upcoming tour dates. Interestingly enough, the band also has a podcast, which is featured in the menu of their site and conveniently link to subscription sites like Apple and Spotify.
www.sacballet.org : Like so many big websites, the Sacramento Ballet’s site needs to be able to organize a lot of content for a wide array of visitors. From those interested in joining the company, to tourists wanting to get tickets to a show, the website utilizes WordPress to keep everything visually attractive while also easy to find. Bold buttons, including “Donate Today” and “Get Tickets,” keep visitors who are ready to take action from getting frustrated and leaving.
www.rosettabooks.com : An independent publisher based out of New York, Rosetta Books has been in business for nearly two decades. Their website, which uses the WordPress platform, conveys their experience and professionalism, but without resorting to a boring or difficult-to-use design. One of the most important features on the site is the search bar that lets uses look for authors or titles – and helps with SEO to boot.
izod.partnerbrands.com/en : Known internationally for its performance sportswear, IZOD’s website is another example of how well WordPress’s CMS really works. In addition to allowing the brand to constantly update based on season, trends and new products, the IZOD site demonstrates that organization doesn’t have to be boring. Fun and youthful, you can get a taste of who and what IZOD stands for in one quick scroll of the homepage. And, when visitors online have a reputation of bouncing from one site to the next incredibly quickly, making a great impression almost instantly is key.
ohsheglows.com : With more than one million followers and counting, the Oh She Glows website features popular recipes and articles for the health-conscious foodie crowd. Known for stunning photography and fun personal anecdotes, the website also integrates paid advertising to help further monetize each visitor. In addition to the main homepage and recipe pages, the website shows how important well-designed landing pages are, using them to help sell the Oh She Glows Every Day cookbook and the Oh She Glows app.
Currently, there are over 75 million websites on the internet that use WordPress for their website design. Since there are 172 million websites in total on the internet, that means (nearly) ⅔ of website owners trust WordPress to make their sites look the best and function properly.
If you had the time to browse through the 75 million active WordPress websites, you would see there’s no limit to what WordPress can do.
If you can dream it up for your site, WordPress can make it possible. However, since you don’t have the time to look at EVERY site, that’s why we compiled this roundup of the best WordPress websites today.
All of the above websites go to show that no two WordPress websites have to look the same — or look the same! No matter what look and feel you envision for your site, a WordPress powered website can make it possible.
If you need help with a WordPress design or bringing your website vision to life — so that you too can be one of the best WordPress websites — contact the experts at Freshy today.
As an expert WordPress web design agency, we know how to create exactly what you’re looking for!
