Out of all 1.11 billion websites out there, about 43% use WordPress as the basis of their website. This percentage is even higher among websites that use a content management system (CMS). Nearly 2/3 of websites rely on WordPress to provide them with a CMS solution.

Furthermore, about 36% of all top 1 million websites are powered by WordPress. That’s anything but surprising, considering how easy this platform makes creating a website. Anyone, regardless of their designer or IT knowledge, can build a small but efficient website. Moreover, WordPress boosted the retail industry. Today, anyone can start abusiness within a day, spending next to nothing.

As it seems, WordPress is a cornerstone for success for millions of small businesses worldwide, and 2024 won’t be any different. So, let’s have a glimpse at the future and discuss the major trends and changes that will happen with WordPress over the next 12 months. 

Three Major releases

First and foremost, we need to address the roadmap for all changes that will happen in WordPress. In 2024, the platform will issue three core releases. First, we will see WordPress 6.5 around March. Next, 6.6 will appear around the middle of the year, most likely in July, and finally, 6.7 will arrive in early November. These dates are not set in stone, and 6.7 may come a bit early or a bit later, especially as WordPress would likely want to avoid any speculations of security issues regarding the US presidential elections. Moreover, as many renowned businesses will have to implement those changes, the releases will likely avoid major holidays, especially in the US.

The main focus for those releases will be Phase 3 of the Gutenberg project. While 6.4 laid the groundwork by extending existing features and exploring the collaborative aspects, the upcoming releases are expected to fully immerse users in collaborative web development experiences.

Designers are anticipating the introduction of the much-awaited typography management features, including a Font Library and server-side @font-face CSS generation with WordPress 6.5. This functionality will enable users to explore and manage fonts within the admin interface, offering an extensive library that is not theme-dependent but extendable for plugin developers.

V.6.6 will most probably focus on polishing outstanding features from previous releases. 

One of the main focuses of the long-awaited Phase 3 will be real-time collaboration within WordPress. Users can expect features such as real-time editing, comments, and feedback functionality, enhancing teamwork for content creation and website development. The roadmap also includes:

• Improved publishing workflows.
• Enhanced post revisions.
• An updated media and asset library.
• A search and command prompt functionality.

The best part is that these changes are primarily inspired by community feedback. WordPress will address SEO and digital marketing trends as well.

Voice Search Optimization

With more than 20% of searches in Google done vocally, unsurprisingly, WordPress will answer the call and optimize this aspect of organic traffic acquisition. Moreover, for 2024, experts are adamant that the voice search volume will increase to more than 8 billion individual searches monthly. That’s a good enough reason to consider refurbishing your SEO organization to follow the trend.

Indeed, voice-activated assistants have become part of our everyday life. The most popular in the US is Google Search, which has 85.4 million users. Next is Apple’s Siri has 81.1. million users. Alexa is third, with 73.7 million users. These numbers will only grow, as will the voice activation technology.

To answer the call and keep up with the trend, WordPress will become compatible with voice-activated search queries. By incorporating voice recognition technology, websites enable users to search for information effortlessly using voice commands. This approach aligns with the growing reliance on voice-activated devices for everyday tasks, including internet searches.

Even now, WordPress is collaborating with some of the best companies in the voice recognition industry. Over the next 12 months, however, voice search will become big. We expect many websites to integrate this type of user-friendly search. In other words, voice search is no longer a luxury. It’s a downright necessity if you want to be relevant. 

Thus, next year, developers will work tirelessly to create and perfect plugins that allow users to navigate the website through voice commands. This will enhance not only the UX of your website but also your SEO efforts. However, that is not the only SEO-friendly change in WordPress we expect in 2024.

Multilingual plugins

Multilingual plugins are not something unseen in WordPress. However, powered by AI, these handy tools will finally help your local SEO.

If you want to operate in Mexico, you must rank in the Mexican Google with Spanish keywords. So, until now, you had to work with plugins of questionable quality. Especially when the language was far less spoken – like Hungarian or Finnish, for example. Along with the plugin, you had to hire a local translator to fix the mistakes and make the language more natural. 

In 2024, with the help of AI, developers are set to finally make a multilingual plugin that will not only translate texts but will transcreate them instead. Naturally, this will increase customer trust and satisfaction, reflected in your sales. Moreover, it will open a line of communication with locals in their language, expanding your outreach.

Such an AI-powered multilingual plugin will significantly boost your SEO efforts in foreign markets. 

Dark Mode

In 2024, WordPress will finally accommodate designers, users, and programmers who predominantly work and surf during the dark hours. Dark mode is a designer solution that puts less strain on the user’s eyes in a dim environment. With most users surfing the internet after working hours and at night, most of them prefer the dark mode. Still, by now, one could add this option only through plugins. 

In 2024, WordPress will finally implement a dark mode option out of the box. This will lighten your website, increase the loading speed, and cut the need for additional plugins. More importantly, it will offer one less security breach possibility. At the same time, your users will have a much better experience translating into better Search engine rankings. 

One can wonder why WordPress took so long to add this otherwise small but highly convenient change. But it’s probably because WordPress finally decided to listen to and act upon the feedback. 

Better security with blockchains

Security has always been one of the pillars of a robust and growing business. Naturally, with every new release, WordPress enhances its security. In 2024, however, this will be a focal point in WP’s development. 

Firstly, WordPress will strongly encourage administrators to fortify their accounts with stronger passwords and Two-factor authentication (2FA). The method with a unique code is the most likely solution here. 

Automatic updates will also play a pivotal role in the security landscape of WordPress in 2024. Recognizing that an up-to-date platform is crucial for fending off potential vulnerabilities, developers will emphasize the importance of keeping WordPress installations current. Automatic updates will promptly apply all security patches needed to fortify the platform against emerging threats.

Enhanced monitoring capabilities will be another cornerstone of WordPress security in 2024. Website owners will be equipped with tools to actively monitor and detect potential security breaches, allowing for swift responses to mitigate risks. This proactive approach to security aligns with the WordPress community’s commitment to continuous improvement and staying ahead of evolving threats.

Furthermore, the integration of blockchain technology is poised to revolutionize WordPress security in 2024. Recognizing blockchain’s decentralized and tamper-resistant nature, developers will explore ways to incorporate this technology into the platform. Blockchain’s inherent characteristics protect against hacking attempts and unauthorized access, reinforcing WordPress as a secure choice for website owners.

This reaction from WordPress comes as no surprise in the age where cyber threats are at an all-time high. So, seeing the developers at the world’s foremost CMS platform taking it that seriously is quite a relief. 

Headless WordPress will rise

Another feature that’s bound to get more attention in 2024 is the Headless WordPress. Headless WordPress represents a decoupled version of the popular content management system, where the backend or management aspect is detached from the front end, allowing developers to create and manage the frontend independently using their preferred frontend framework as a standalone application.

This approach has already gained some traction due to its deconstruction of the traditional WordPress frontend experience. Instead of relying on conventional WordPress themes and PHP, a headless setup employs JavaScript and APIs to access the WordPress backend, retrieving content to display on the frontend. This not only provides increased flexibility for developers but also can enhance performance. 

The improved performance is a result of offloading processing to the frontend, reducing the server load and delivering content faster and more efficiently. Frontend developers benefit from increased freedom to use tools and technologies that best suit their needs, leading to better user experiences optimized for speed and usability.

We expect this feature to gain even more attention in 2024 and to see some plugins and themes designed explicitly for Headless WordPress setup.

AI integration will be at the forefront

Still, if there is something that will certainly get the spotlight next year, it’s without a doubt the AI. With 97% of smartphone users interacting with an AI daily, it would be a genuine surprise if WordPress did not put effort into integrating it into their systems. 

There were such notions back in 2023 as well, but WordPress is adamant that they will introduce their AI only when it’s ready. So, 2024 seems like a good year. After all, Google, Microsoft, and all other tech giants are scheduling releases of AI products for 2024, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if WordPress follows suit. 

One of the AI features we expect to see first in WP’s system is some sort of content enhancement tool. Using such tools, you might be able to generate blog posts or other content based on first-hand data from your website. Naturally, there are still some questions on whether Google will stop punishing AI content in its ranking. Furthermore, as seen by Chat GPT, AI has a long way to go before it can autonomously create an appealing and interesting text.

One thing, however, that will most probably be at the forefront of WP development is AI-powered chatbots, which will enhance the e-commerce experience infinitely. Naturally, such implementation into the core WordPress system will significantly boost any website’s appeal. Especially since it will reduce the need for additional plugins, thus improving the website’s speed and security. 

So, it will be a genuine surprise if WordPress does not introduce at least an AI-powered chatbot to its core abilities. 

Sustainability at the heart

Finally, WordPress, just like most giant tech companies in the West, has pledged to fight climate change. Thus, all WordPress changes will have sustainability at their core. Moreover, the CMS leader will double down their work in providing environmentally conscious solutions to all WP users, regardless of their needs. 

Optimizing code, reducing resource consumption, and improving site speed will be focal points in WordPress development. These efforts aim not only to create more efficient websites but also to align with the global shift towards eco-friendly practices. As the digital world becomes increasingly environmentally conscious, WordPress is poised to adapt, meeting the demand for sustainable web solutions.

One significant trend that will contribute to WordPress’s sustainability initiatives is Green Web Design. This approach considers a website’s environmental footprint and energy efficiency throughout its development process. By reducing energy consumption and harmful carbon emissions, Green Web Design aligns with sustainability goals and enhances the website’s UX and performance.

Streamlined design, featuring clean and minimalistic layouts with efficient navigation, will be emphasized to reduce site load times and power consumption. Light colors and themes, known for consuming less power on displays, will be pushed forward. Additionally, reducing data consumption through minimal data usage designs will contribute to sustainability efforts by lowering energy usage on servers and user devices.

This may sound like a small effort, but in fact, such a reduction will reduce a lot of carbon emissions in the long run. This corresponds with the ever-growing demand for sustainable solutions and lowering users’ carbon footprint in any way possible. 

WordPress will remain the best

2024, WordPress will remain a global website building and CMS leader. As such, they will stay at the forefront of developing new features and changing the entire digital landscape. So, if you want to be part of their evolution, all you need is robust hosting, which will seamlessly integrate WordPress into your website. HostArmada is just that. We offer lightning-fast website loading speed, robust security, and 99.9% uptime. Check out our plans and choose the one that best suits your needs. After that, you can experience WordPress on your own with a few mouse clicks.