2021 WordPress Trends from Top WordPress Influencers

Powering close to 40% of all websites on the web, WordPress continues to be the most popular, user-friendly CMS for site development. A trusted platform for millions of users, the open-source software maintains its top position through continual development and evolution via committed volunteers. 

These volunteers, who have created a vibrant WordPress community, have ensured year after year the platform continues to grow, establish, and meet website best practices across the industry. They help shape and set trends.

So, what are some WordPress trends we’ll see in 2021?

We reached out to top WordPress influencers and volunteers to learn what they predict we will see within the world of WordPress this year. Of course, they all had their own ideas for what 2021 will look like, but most mentioned the continued rise of easy-to-use block editors and page builders to help users get online even faster. 

Continue reading to learn more about trends you may see this year from WordPress and the WordPress Community. 

Ankit Pahuja, Security Evangelist at Astra Security

Organization: Astra Security

2021 WordPress Trend Predictions:

17 years ago, WordPress was a CMS, now it’s a movement! WordPress powers about 40% of all websites in the world. If you go ahead and calculate the exact number based on the current total websites in the world (which is ~1.7 billion), WordPress websites would be around 680,000,00! Huge, right.

WordPress is also home to a huge class of agencies, hosts & plugin developers who are making millions of dollars every day, thanks to WordPress. Big companies like Salesforce have invested generously in WordPress recently. That means, we can expect the future to be even brighter for WordPress and businesses built on it. In 2021, we should expect WordPress to get more and more enterprise-ready, focusing massively on its Gutenberg builder.

Further, WP focusing more on JavaScript technologies can be foreseen as groundwork for the next decade. Where ‘managed solutions‘ with ‘complete suite’ will be the key.

Scott Wyden Kivowitz, Chief Community Officer at Imagely

Organization: Imagely

2021 WordPress Trend Predictions:

I believe that as the block editor grows, we’re going to see more themes and plugins do incredible things with it on new levels. Way beyond what we’re currently seeing. I also think that we’ll begin seeing other page builder plugins using blocks so the transition from block editor to page builders and back are more fluid and less damaging. Finally, I believe by 2022 we’ll see WordPress making up 45% of the Internet as more companies begin creating SAAS (Software as a Service) offerings for their WordPress products.

Gordan Orlic, CTO at WebFactory Ltd

Organization: WebFactory Ltd
Twitter: @webfactoryltd

2021 WordPress Trend Predictions: 

As the shift to doing business online and from home continues, all WordPress related business will continue to see steady, often strong growth. Major WP releases will continue to push full site editing, “blocks everything,” and Gutenberg in general. As we have seen over the past couple of years, this will by no means be the death of 3rd party editors. Quite the contrary. They will continue to thrive as many are still heavily opposed to the “Gutenberg way of thinking.”

Anybody doing anything with or for WooCommerce should double-down on their efforts. Not only because the economy is moving online more than ever but because Woo still reigns supreme as basically the only serious WP e-commerce solution.

Kyla, WPExplorer

Organization: WPExplorer

2021 WordPress Trend Prediction: 

I see a lot of presets (templates, cards, layouts and other ready to use features) in our future. Having tons of options in a theme or plugin is appealing, but when it comes down to it most folks just want something quick and easy. Presets are just that.

Allie Nimmons, Community Manager at WP Buffs

Organization: WP Buffs
Twitter: @allie_nimmons

2021 WordPress Trend Predictions: 

Moving into 2021 I think we’re looking at a potential boom of new ideas and implementations. So much has been stewing in people’s minds during quarantine. And as the world opens up again, I think people will find new motivation and inspiration to launch new things. I think as WordPress gets more specialized and Gutenberg gets more advanced, we will start seeing expansions in the kinds of services people offer (custom blocks as a part of your website project?) 

Accessible websites and online experiences have become more and more important in 2020 and I think that will extend into 2021. I’m interested to see how many hosting companies continue to build on the idea of managed hosting. Are we looking at managed multisite hosting, managed hosting for educational websites, managed membership sites, etc? 

All in all I’m excited to see the things in 2021 that involve talented individuals using WordPress to bring people together, because we are in sore need of that now.

Mike Demo, Lead Hand Shaker & Open Source Evangelist

Organization: Web Ventures
Twitter: @mpmike

2021 WordPress Trend Predictions: 

We will see more no-code solutions take center stage. Page Builders and Gutenberg is only part of that as people are looking to get basic sites online as easily as they make holiday cards online. Tools like BoldGrid, Elementor, and Beaver Builder will grow but so will plugins like WP Ultimo to help people make WAAS (Website as a Service) sites. LMS systems will continue to grow with even schools like the Fashion Institute of Technology of NYC using WP Engine to host some of their education content (Powered by Yellowbrick).

Democratize Publishing is the mission statement of the WordPress project. I think we will see WordPress being used by many groups across the spectrum to share their voice. However, in the wake of AWS canceling Parler and other right-ring groups, I think we will see more niche-hosts that have less restrictive terms of service will get launched.  

Lastly, I think we will see more WordPress focus B Corporations like WordPress did with .org. The tech world is having a moment on the overall public good. For example, Mozilla launched the “Unfck the internet” campaign. We have a responsibility to use the web for amazing change and good. (ie the Biden Presidential Inauguration National Day of Service focuses on ways to volunteer remotely in your community).

With WordPress, the possibilities are practically endless. Learn more about the block editor, page builders, plugins, and more on our WordPress Education Channel.