Tag Archive for: web design

Every business needs a website nowadays. However, not all websites will achieve the same results. Your website only has three to eight seconds to catch a visitor’s attention before they leave. Therefore, it is important to ensure that you have a website that is appealing to your customers. That’s also why it’s important to go for customized websites. Let’s take a look at the advantages of customized websites.

Customized Websites are Tailored to Your Branding

A business needs to be able to show its personality. That’s one of the most effective ways to stand out as a business. Customized websites are unique in that they are tailored to blend with the rest of your branding. In addition, a customized website is given a personalized touch, which enables it to offer a unique user experience.

Customer Experience-Optimized Design

When a website is built from scratch, its design and functionality will deliver real business results. This is done by optimizing the structure and user experience to suit your particular audience. When a web design agency makes a custom website for you, they first ask about your business goals. Apart from that, they will also need to understand your customer journey regarding your unique products or services. This will help them come up with a design that will best suit your particular needs.

Full Scalability

One of the most significant advantages of customized websites is that they are scalable. As your business grows, your designer can add extra features to the website and optimize it to better suit your new needs and approach. This is also one of the most effective ways to grow your business online.

No Limitations on Functionality

A custom website can be turned into whatever you want. You can add or remove features that make it easy for your clients to navigate and interact with the website. Therefore, you will have full control of whatever happens with it.

Better SEO

If you have your website built from scratch, designers and SEO specialists will optimize it for search engines. Web developers can develop a custom-coded solution that enables better keyword integration and the addition of SEO-friendly features on the website. This will help make your site rank higher than others in search results and increase brand awareness.

Updates and security

With a custom-built website, there will be no need to wait for updates that might not come. You can always have your website updated at any time to keep up with the current trends. That means you can keep upgrading your website security as well.

These are some of the advantages of having a custom-built website. It is an effective solution that will bring lots of business to your doorstep.


If you would like to explore the option of a custom built website, please call Chris on 0722-705002 or  send us a message to make an appointment.

Looking at the latest web design trends will allow us to peer into the future of where the web is headed. This doesn’t mean you need to fully switch up your current design to adhere to the latest trends, but they’re good to keep an eye on nonetheless.

If your website has been in need of a makeover, then maybe this will be the year you finally switch things up. Contact us here at artKenya if you need help!

If anything this year bodes well for web experimentation. It seems that people are bored with the same old same old and want a new and exciting take on classic design. This doesn’t mean making sites so experimental that they’re hard to use, but instead more interesting, engaging, and unique.

Learn about the biggest web design trends of 2020 and what they mean for the future of your website. Then, contact us to help you bring these to life on your website.

Top Web Design Trends of 2020

1. Responsive Design

Responsive websites are not a new web design trend in 2020, but they’re an important enough one to still include here. As mobile usage only seems to keep going up – it first surpassed desktop a couple of years ago – making sure your website works at least as well on mobile devices as it does on bigger screens is crucial.

Visitors quite simply won’t stick around if your website provides a disappointing mobile experience, and it’s bad for SEO on top of everything else.

While you could create a separate version of your website that works well on mobile devices from the one people see on desktop, for most businesses the better option is to make one website that’s responsive.

On a responsive website, each page has all the same copy, images, and elements no matter what device you view it on, but they’re arranged differently based on the size of the screen. An image that shows up next to the text on your desktop may show up below it on a smaller screen, for instance.

Making your website responsive ensures that your mobile users get all the same information and value from your website, while still having a user friendly experience.

2. Chatbots

You’ve probably noticed in your own internet surfing that a lot of business websites now have a little window pop up at the bottom right side of the screen when you land on the website, giving you the chance to chat with a representative.

Adding a chat window like this to your website means any visitor with a question can have it answered immediately. But for many websites, having someone available to answer those questions in real time is too much of a challenge.

One possible solution: utilizing a chatbot. You can program a chatbot to answer the most common questions your customers have so that most visitors still get their answer right away. For questions the chatbot doesn’t know, you can at least program it to provide details on how best to get in touch with a live representative so your visitor still knows what to do next.

Chatbots don’t make sense for every type of website, but if you have a business website and you frequently hear a few main questions from your visitors, they can save your staff time while still providing your visitors with a good experience.

3. Animation

Autoplay videos are very much out, but that doesn’t mean your website has to be completely static. You can add some movement to your web design with some simple animations.

A growing number of websites are working animations into the background or images of web pages. A good animation will draw the eye and capture a visitor’s interest, without distracting from the main information you want them to see on the page. It’s a web design trend that makes your website a little more engaging and adds some personality.

4. Microinteractions

Microinteractions take animation one step further in terms of user engagement. These are animations that respond to what the user does on the page. If you notice a website changing when you mouse over a particular spot, or an animation that’s triggered by scrolling down – those are microinteractions.

These create a positive user experience because they hand visitors power over what they see as they interact with the site. Knowing your actions shape the design in front of you is a good feeling, even if it’s only in minor ways.

Microinteractions are becoming more common around the web, making them a good web design trend to have on your radar in 2020.

5. Original Illustrations

Stock photography’s easy, but it doesn’t add any personality to your website. That’s why many website owners are now turning to original illustrations for the images on their pages.

Custom illustrations do come at a cost – artists must be paid – but they can transform the style of your website and create an entirely unique experience. Custom illustrations often feel playful, while still doing the work of communicating something about your brand.

You get to choose the colors you want to include and can craft imagery that might be hard to stage in a photo. If you can find a good artist for your website, they’re a good way to inject some extra personality into the website experience.

6. Including Social Proof

So far, most of these website design trends come with a fairly hefty price tag that may be out of reach for small businesses or websites devoted to passions rather than profit. This one is much more affordable.

Social proof is a way to convince new visitors that you’re awesome by showing evidence of your success with other visitors. For a business, it could be logos of companies you work with or testimonials from other customers. For a blog, it could be publishing the number of email subscribers you have.

You can (and should) tell other people how awesome your website is in your copy, but your words aren’t going to mean as much to visitors as proof that other people like them think you’re awesome. Find a way to work social proof into the design of your website to better highlight your value to new visitors.

7. Hamburger Menus

This is a controversial web design trend that’s commonly used on apps and mobile websites because it’s an easy way to provide a menu that takes up very little space. The hamburger icon itself is very small, and it opens up your main menu when you click on it.  As it’s become more familiar to internet users with the growth of mobile, its use has started to spill over into the design of desktop websites as well.

A hamburger menu removes the list of pages in your main menu from all the pages of your website and puts them behind the hamburger icon. If you want a website that has a very clean design, it allows you to include fewer elements on each page while still providing the navigation items your visitors need.

As mentioned though, it is a controversial web design trend. It may not be right for your audience. This is a trend you should be very intentional about considering – only use it if you have a good reason.

8. Rounder Edges

For a while buttons, windows, and containers on websites tended to have sharp corners. Recently more web designers are starting to shift their website designs toward softer, rounder edges.

This is a web design trend you can see in buttons and chat windows around the web.

Plenty of websites still maintain their sharp edges, and some use a mix of both. This isn’t a trend that’s outright replaced the former way of doing things. But if you want to keep the shapes on your website a little softer, you’ll be in line with one of the web design trends of 2020.

9. Tactile Design

Another common trend of the past was keeping web design flat. Many websites are now starting to buck the old trend by adding more shadowing and depth to the images on their pages.

Tactile design can bring the images on your website more to life for your visitors. In addition, it provides a way to add emphasis to your images. The difference is often subtle, but it changes the user experience of your website and adds a little more realism.

10. Unique Fonts

Choosing a unique font is an easy way to add some personality to your website and make it stand out a bit more. Fonts are part of a website that many visitors don’t really notice, but you can use your font choice to add some additional style to your website and draw more attention to important words.

Make sure that any font you choose is easy for your visitors to read. Style shouldn’t trump clarity here. But as long as you keep the text on your website legible for all your visitors, you can use your font choice as a way to add some extra personality to your site.

11. Asymmetry

A bold choice that’s showing up on some websites now is asymmetric design. Using asymmetry in your web design provides a unique experience for your visitors, especially as it’s still not a particularly common design choice at this stage.

This web design option definitely isn’t for everybody. Because it’s uncommon and unexpected, it might be less intuitive for some visitors. And it can complicate a website’s ability to remain responsive. But if you want to provide a website experience that’s outside of the box, going asymmetrical can do that.

12. Accessible Design

If you don’t have any disabilities yourself, you’ve probably approached web design in the past without thinking about how people with disabilities will experience your website. That’s unfortunately normal – many web designers just haven’t had accessibility top of mind in the past.

But that’s beginning to change. One of the web design trends of 2020 is working to make websites more accessible for everyone. Design magazines and blogs have started to provide tips for more accessible web design.

Designing an accessible website requires broadening your perspective and doing a little work, but when you commit to it, you open up your site to an audience that was left out before.

13. Data Visualization

“Big data” has been a buzzword for a few years now and businesses in all industries have seen the growing influence of data on the tools and latest trends that shape how we do business. Perhaps it was only a matter of time until the influence of data made its way to web design as well.

Many websites are now incorporating data visualization into their design. In some cases it becomes a part of the main website, in others they launch a separate site to highlight valuable data they’ve created.

In either case, data visualization becomes a part of the story the brand tells and the visual identity they have on the web.

14. Bold Colors

A lot of the web design trends for 2020 are about standing out and this is no exception. Many websites are employing color schemes that are bright and bold. Bright colors provide a distinctive experience that make your website more memorable.

You can use your color choices strategically to draw attention to parts of the website you most want people to see.

This is another website design trend that isn’t for everyone. Some brands will be better served with more subtle colors, but if you’re looking for a way to make your website stand out and really get attention, making bold color choices could do the trick.

15. Floating Navigation

Most of the websites you visit have their navigation in the same place: across the top of the website. Some websites are experimenting with different options though. We already talked about the hamburger menu option, but another possibility is floating navigation.

Floating navigation stays visible even as you scroll down the page. It provides a unique experience, but also offers the practical benefit of keeping all the navigation options present and visible no matter where your visitor is on the page.

You can see an example of what that looks like on the Anchor and Orbit website. As yet, it’s not a particularly common web design trend. But for any website owner looking for another way to stand out, it makes your website a little more distinctive.

16. A Focus on User Experience

Offering your visitors a solid user experience should be at the top of your list. Today’s web users demand an enjoyable user experience above all else.

If your website is confusing and hard to use you’re not only going to be annoying your visitors, but you’re going to cost your business a lot of money.

This is doubly true if you’re directly selling anything through your website. The act of finding a product, adding it to the cart, and completing the purchase should be entirely seamless.

In the past it seemed like web design trends and most websites would neglect the journey of the user and instead placed a focus on having a trendy design. No matter how “cool” your website looks, there’s really no point unless it’s converting your visitors and they’re actually enjoying their experience.

As competition online continues to grow more fierce, expect those websites that place a focus on user experience first to have long and successful futures.

17. Clean and Clear Design

Having plenty of whitespace has been an important web design trend for years. However, recently it’s grown in its importance and application.

The biggest reason whitespace continues to be a dominating trend is because it makes your website much easier to use. By incorporating a lot of whitespace into your design you’re not bombarding your visitors with too much information.

It also gives you the room to focus on important areas of your site. Or, direct your visitor’s attention to areas that are the most beneficial to them.

Having plenty of whitespace is a central tenet of minimalist design. Minimalism will continue to be a dominating trend well into the future. By having a minimalist design you make it easier for your users to find what they’re looking for.

As you’ll soon learn below other trends like increased use of video and scrolling-based websites both enhance this minimalism trend.

18. A Large Focus on Mobile

Today more people access the internet from their mobile devices than they do from a laptop or standard computers. This means that your design must offer a stellar mobile experience. Offer a poor mobile experience or a site that doesn’t function properly on a mobile device, and you’re going to lose a lot of your users.

If you haven’t gone responsive yet, here’s another thing to consider. Most users will start their search journey on their mobile devices.

Plus, sites that aren’t mobile-friendly won’t rank as well in the search engines. So, not only will your site receive less traffic from the search engines, but any traffic that you will receive will have a difficult time actually using your site.

Making your website mobile-friendly isn’t so much a “trend” as it is an essential web design best practice. The most effective way to embrace mobile devices is to upgrade your site to a responsive web design. With a responsive web layout your site will automatically adjust to the screen size it’s being viewed upon.

19. Embedded and Integrated Video

Video is exploding in popularity online. All signs suggest that video is the future. Even social media networks like Facebook and Instagram are doubling down on video content. Plus, YouTube is already the second largest search engine in the world.

If you haven’t embraced video, it’s not too late. In fact, one of the emerging web design trends is embedding video into your website.

Video is an incredibly engaging medium. How many times have you continued to watch a video, just because it started playing on the site you’re on? And we’re not talking about annoying video pop-ups either that you can’t seem to turn off, no matter how hard you try.

Instead, we’re talking about creating intentionally engaging videos that act as an actual part of the design of your site. Instead of standing out they play an integral role in keeping users on your site and informing them about your products and services.

These don’t have to be incredibly long videos either. Think of them as moving design elements whose goal is to intrigue and capture the attention of your visitors.

Adding videos to your website and content can also have the added effect of improving your site’s search engine rankings. Google has user engagement metrics which act as indicators of a quality site. Sites where users spend more time will be given a higher ranking, as these metrics suggests a site is very high quality.

20. Broken Grid Layouts

You might already be familiar with grid layouts. A grid is essentially a hidden series of horizontal and vertical lines that your website’s elements will adhere to.

You can see the classic grid at work on most existing websites. You have the logo in the upper left-hand corner, and the navigation menu extending across the top of the screen, along with any other elements arranged below it in an orderly manner.

But, with a broken grid layout, you’ll see elements that make the grid seem broken. There will be overlap of design elements, along with text and photos that don’t adhere to the traditional grid. Usually, this is done to give emphasis to certain elements of your website.

However, to be effective with a broken grid layout it needs to be done intentionally. Otherwise, you run the risk of having a website that simply looks confusing or jumbled. The worst is a website that ever-so-slightly breaks the grid. Upon first glance, it might not look like something is wrong, but you and your visitors will get the feeling that there’s something off about the website.

Beyond the broken grid there’s also been an increase in the use of fluid and more comfort inducing shapes. With more natural and free form shapes you can induce a different feeling in your users when they land on your site. Instead of the purely rigid and geometric designs of days past, those pushing the edge of web design are introducing more natural shapes.

21. Nostalgic Design Elements

The 80s and 90s are back in full force, and we’re not just talking about shows like Stranger Things and books like Ready Player One.

A previous web design trend that’s been in place for years has put an emphasis on flat and modern design, creating minimalist websites that look like they were born in the future. But, just like fashion moves in a circular fashion, so do our web design trends.

This doesn’t mean you should create a 90’s site that looks like the first rendition of a Geocities page. Instead, you should take design cues from previous generations as a whole.

This means embracing color schemes and taking typography cues from generation’s past. By embracing the past you can create a new and wholly unique design. Since the web didn’t really exist back then in the state it does now, you can create designs that haven’t been seen on the web before.

If this web design trend speaks to you, consider implementing color schemes from times past. Or keep an eye out for a cool old-school font you can use for your headers or your logo.

22. Sites that Encourage Scrolling

If you’ve had your website online for any time at all, then you’re probably aware of the term “above the fold”. This means that all of your important graphic design and branding elements should be above the fold of your site, so it’s the first thing your website visitors will see without having to scroll.

It seems that web users of the past used to hate scrolling down the page with their mouse, trackpad, or thumb.

But, today’s web users are much different. Most website visitors don’t mind scrolling in the slightest. This trend could be rising due to apps like Instagram, which actively encourage scrolling down the app. Combine this with the preference to access the web via mobile devices, and you’ve got a scrolling match made in heaven.

As a result, this gives you more real estate to work with when designing the style and layout of your website. Instead of trying to cram everything into the space above the fold, you can utilize your entire screen. This allows you to create more logical and enticing pages that hook your visitor’s attention as they scroll further down your screen.

In accordance with making sites more scrollable, you’ll also want to think about implementing thumb-friendly navigation. When people are using their mobile phones to navigate a website they take many different actions and interact with the website in a different manner.

One of the easiest ways to ensure your site is in alignment with this growing trend is to include a hamburger navigation menu. This allows users to more easily select the page they want to visit.

23. Intentional Data Collection

Most websites will collect some form of data. Today, with the recently introduced General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the collection and storage of data have become even more important.

This has led website owners to evaluate how they go about collecting data and being more intentional with the kind of data they’re collecting.

For example, if you have an intake form on your website do you really need their location data or even their phone number? Or, maybe you currently integrate with Facebook as a login alternative. Although this saves you time, it might not lead to the best impression for your company.

No matter if it’s a contact form, email signup form, or even having tracking cookies on your site, you’ll need to be very transparent about the data you’re collecting, why you’re collecting it, and what you’re doing with it.

When thinking about any forms you have on your site think about what’s the minimum amount of necessary information you can collect.

Sites that place an importance on user privacy will not only ensure their sites stay compliant with the latest privacy guidelines, but will also be the sites that create a strong and trusting visitor relationship.

What These Design Trends Mean for Your Website

By keeping up with the latest web design trends you can help predict where the online world is going. If your website is a crucial part of your business, then it’s important to stay up to date with what’s currently going on online.

Today’s web users are savvier than ever, and spend more time online than ever before, with the advent of smartphones and the advancement of the mobile web.

Spend some time analyzing the trends above to see how you can apply any of them to your website, or where you can enhance your existing design.

The quickest way to lose your visitors’ trust is to have a website that looks old and out of date. That doesn’t mean you need to adopt every single trend above, but instead see how you can bring your website into the future and in tune with the kind of website your users expect to see.

Hopefully, you have a better idea of the trends you’ll start to see across the web this year. Whether you’re going to undergo a redesign or not, these trends are important to think about now and into the future.

Ready to put these trends in web design into action? Get started with simply contacting us. We’d be happy to discuss your project with you today with tomorrow’s graphic design trends in mind.

At first, “design by committee” sounds like a positive thing, similar to collaboration. However, the term refers to design teams that have a difficult time compromising or making wise decisions. That results in a low-quality product. Design by committee occurs when there are multiple people – clients, design team members and/or stakeholders – with their own agenda and whose feedback has equal importance.

Design teams have to work together to turn out a product with a unified vision. Non-designers should stay out of important design decisions unless you’re surveying consumers who will be using the product. Even then, consumers aren’t always correct. There will also be people present in the meeting room who chime in just so they can contribute.

Problems with Design by Committee

Feedback is usually unhelpful when it comes from people who don’t have design experience. For example, even if someone has a good point about aesthetics, they may not understand how their suggestion decreases functionality. You shouldn’t let a client with no knowledge of design tell you how to do your job, and the same goes for non-design team members.

Furthermore, even though clients want to serve their customers, they often lose sight of that and worry about aesthetics or budget. To target user needs, the design team should be in the driver’s seat. They’ll keep the project on task when the client forgets why they’re doing what they’re doing.

Without focus, the design team can spend their time fixing problems that aren’t actually problems and following the advice of inexperienced people. This is the slippery slope of design by committee. They never get to focus on the aspects of the project that should take priority. This uses up the budget and the team members’ time when designing and when testing out flawed designs.

The final product will be of low quality, and when it’s criticized, no single person can be blamed. Instead, people will continue to point fingers until everyone looks like they failed. This causes a rift in the team and an unclear way to fix the issue so it doesn’t occur again.

6 Tips for Avoiding Design by Committee

You can still collaborate with the team while avoiding design by committee. Better communication means that team members will know which parts of the design process they are (and are not) included in, and misunderstandings will be avoided.

1. Get everyone on the same page from the start
Everyone should understand the goal(s) of the project, how information and suggestions are communicated, and the different ways that the client’s needs will be met. Also, if you see any eventual roadblocks, discuss them now instead of waiting.

Respectfully and clearly explain to the client that your team’s main goal is to find the best way to deliver a message and that if you come across feedback that prevents that from happening, you won’t be able to act on it. Also clarify that you’ll be collecting feedback from the audience. User testing is an excellent way to gain helpful feedback from the people who will be using the product.

2. Define team member roles
When each team member knows what their job is and what’s expected of them, they’re less likely to cross boundaries. While feedback from different team members, regardless of their role, will be considered, they’ll know that their suggestion may not be taken. You’ll also create a hierarchy when it comes to decision-making.

Every team should have a team manager who gathers feedback. The team manager also has the final say about what feedback is worthwhile and if it should be acted on now or later. Before presenting that feedback to the team, the manager will refine the feedback to be clear and actionable. To do all this, the team manager must have advanced design experience and in-depth knowledge of the product and market.

3. Create a process for providing feedback
Corral feedback so that it doesn’t come from too many places at once or threaten to take too much attention away from the project. Instead of letting anyone and everyone send an email or a Slack message when they have an idea, set designated times for sharing thoughts. There are many collaboration tools that let team members work and communicate in real-time. From there, the team manager will consider the feedback before taking action. Concerns that arise outside of designated times should be reported directly to the team manager.

4. Control the type of feedback that’s welcome and considered
Design teams need to work on behalf of the client and take their feedback to heart. However, professional designers are professionals for a reason, and they shouldn’t be required to compromise if it’s going to make the product inefficient. Steer what clients and team members provide feedback on, and manage expectations about what type of feedback will and will not be considered.

For example, product design should always align with the client’s guidelines and requirements. If a team member makes a suggestion that’s against the requirements, it will be immediately rejected. It can be harder to establish these boundaries with clients who are unfamiliar with the design process, which is where mockups, prototypes and wireframes come in handy. These tools can bridge the gap in communication, and the client will be able to see concepts that are difficult to explain.

5. Know how to present your design to the client
Avoid unhelpful client feedback by presenting the product to them in the most effective way. For example, if you put together a wireframe, the client will be able to see how the product functions. If you can, avoid presenting the client with several options. You know which design is best, and giving them too much to look at gives them control they shouldn’t have while making more work for you. If you’ve agreed to present options, present no more than three, and make it clear which one you think is strongest.

6. Regularly refer to the project’s parameters
To separate helpful feedback from unhelpful feedback, continually revisit the project’s goals and guidelines. Ask yourself, the client and the team questions like:

  • Does the design reflect the brand’s personality?
  • Is all of the necessary information included in the design?
  • Have we included any information that isn’t necessary and that’s complicating or cluttering the design?
  • Is this feedback coming from the individual’s personal preference or will it actually help meet the client’s objectives?

Wrapping Up

The products you make may be for your clients, but the work you put out is yours. It’s a reflection of your abilities and expertise, and you need it to be great to be successful. Clients hire designers for their expertise, and sometimes saying “no” to a client is doing what’s in their best interest, even if they don’t realize it yet.

Avoiding design by committee isn’t about ignoring the advice of everyone else involved in the project. It’s about collecting and deciphering that advice in a way that improves the project instead of muddles it. It’s also about relying on your expertise to guide you to make the best choices. Design teams should listen, consider and discuss feedback; make the decision that’s best for the project goal; and be ready to explain and defend that decision if questioned.


Read this and more articles here.  Artkenya uses the DIVI theme and page builder on some of our projects.

WordPress powers one in every four websites you visit online. Huge, right? It’s safe to say WordPress is no longer just a blogging tool – it’s by far the most popular content management system online and we’ve got the numbers to back it up.

If you’ve ever had trouble convincing clients WordPress isn’t just for bloggers, here are 13 facts that proves its dominance – and are worth sharing at your next client meeting.

1. WordPress Powers 25.5% of the Web

WordPress’ remarkable growth isn’t slowing down any time soon. WordPress hit 20% usage just two years ago and if that trend is set to continue, we could see WordPress reach its next milestone, 30%, in 2017.

In October, 29.7% of all new sites used WordPress.

2. WordPress Powers 30.3% of the Top 1000 Websites

If you don’t think that figure is impressive, consider this: using a standard CMS is not very common among the top 1000 sites, and more than 90% of them are using custom solutions. That 30.3% has some weight behind it now, huh?

Drupal comes in second with 19.7% and Adobe Experience Manager this with 11.8%.

There's no questioning WordPress' dominance.
There’s no questioning WordPress’ dominance.

3. WordPress is the Most Popular CMS

Among the 300+ content management systems that web technology survey service W3Techs routinely monitors, WordPress dominates with a whopping 58.7% market share.

It’s worth noting that 57% of websites don’t use any identifiable CMS, so there’s still a lot of room for WordPress to further make its mark.

4. WordPress is the Fastest Growing CMS

Every 74 seconds a site within the top 10 million starts using WordPress. Compare this with Shopify, the second-fastest growing CMS, which gains a new site every 22 minutes.

5. WordPress Powers Some of the World’s Biggest Brands and Names

These include Sony, Microsoft, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Time Magazine, The New Yorker, Mashable, TechCrunch, Coca Cola, Mercedes Benz, Samsung, Star Wars, PlayStation, General Motors, NFL, Bloomberg, MTV, Facebook, eBay, Google, LinkedIn, Flickr, NASA, and TED.

Then there’s Jay Z, Beyoncé, Katy Perry, Justin Timberlake, Kobe Bryant, The Rolling Stones, Malala Yousafzai, Sylvester Stallone, just to name a few.

WordPress.com’s VIP service hosts many of these brands and names. WordPress.org also showcases some of the Fortune 500 companies that use the CMS.

6. There Have Been 143 versions of WordPress to Date

This figure includes both major and minor (security, maintenance etc.) releases.

Volunteers all over the world contribute to the WordPress project, ensuring it is regularly and continually updated to improve both its functionality and security. WordPress 4.4 alone had 471 contributors.

The latest version, WordPress 4.4, has been downloaded more than 6.5 million times since it was released just three weeks ago.

7. WordPress is Available to Download in 57 Languages

WordPress can deliver your content to visitors worldwide in a variety of languages. If English isn’t your native tongue, you can download WordPress in Bengali, Danish, Esperanto, and Icelandic, just to name a few of the translations on offer.

If the language you prefer isn’t available, it probably will be soon – the WordPress translation team has almost finished translating the CMS into 12 other languages, with even more translations underway.

According to W3Techs, 37.3% of English language websites use WordPress, while usage numbers are between 38% and 40% for Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish and Turkish sites, and they reach 51.3% for Bengali and 54.4% for Bosnian.

If the language you prefer isn’t available, it probably will be soon – the WordPress translation team has almost finished translating the CMS into 12 other languages, with even more translations underway.
If the language you prefer isn’t available, it probably will be soon – the WordPress translation team has almost finished translating the CMS into 12 other languages, with even more translations underway.

8. There Are 42,000+ Plugins for WordPress

And that’s just the plugins you can download for free. There are more than 100 premium plugins on our site, another 4000+ hosted over at CodeCanyon, any many developers release their own plugins for free on GitHub or on their personal websites.

With many thousands of plugins available, there’s no end to how you can extend and expand the functionality of WordPress.

9. Tuesday is the Most Popular Day for Downloading WordPress

According to WP Central, users are more likely to download WordPress on a Tuesday than any other day of the week. Saturday is the least popular day.

10. WordPress.com Gets More Monthly Visitors Than Apple

On average, WordPress.com receives visits from 35,910,572 people each month, compared to less than half that number, 16,837,476, at apple.com. To put it into perspective, that’s the population of Canada inundating WordPress.com monthly to start new blogs, write new posts, or visit existing sites.

11. WordPress Developers Earn $50 an Hour

In his 2012 State of the Word, WordPress co-founder Matt Mullenweg revealed 6,800 self-employed people had built more than 170,000 sites personally, and charged a median hourly rate of $50. If each site took only 3 hours to make, that’s $29.5M of work at the average hourly rate. Combine that with data from the 2014 State of the Word, which showed a quarter of the people who filled in the annual WordPress Survey make a full-time living off the CMS.

Over at Quora, WordPress contributor Mark Jaquith puts the $50 figure into perspective, saying a “WordPress consultant” could be someone who can copy-paste some basic theme modification for $30-$60 an hour, to someone who can code a plugin from scratch ($80-$150 an hour), to high-end consulting on performance, security, scaling and deployment ($200+ an hour).

Freelancer, a popular outsourcing marketplace, lists 739,794 WordPress developers worldwide and reports 393,250 projects have been completed, worth $71,020,304.

Upwork lists “WordPress” as one of its top skills, with an average project cost of $194 and an average project duration of 5+ weeks.

According to SimplyHired, the average salary for “WordPress jobs” is $40,000.

12. 18 New WordPress Posts Every Second

In an average month, bloggers who use WordPress.com or have Jetpack installed on a self-hosted setup post 53.1 million new posts. That’s 1.7 million new posts every day, 71,000 every hour or about 1000 every minute.

All up, bloggers produce 43.5 million new comments each month.

Traffic-wise, more than 409 million people view more than 20.3 billion WordPress.com pages each month.

WordPress.com regularly publishes traffic stats.
WordPress.com regularly publishes traffic stats.

13. WordPress Takes Care of 80-90% of Google’s Crawling Issues

According to Matt Cutts, the former head of Google’s web spam team, sites built with WordPress are capable of ranking higher in search results because the CMS takes care of 80-90% of Google’s crawling issues.

That’s most of the hard work done so you don’t have to worry about the small things and you can get on with creating quality content for your site.

Do you share any other WordPress stats and facts with clients? Have we missed any of your favourite stats? Let us know in the comments below.