Written By
Daren LowUpdated On
June 13, 2024
So – maybe you’ve picked a great web host and are deciding which content management system (CMS) to go for. One popular option is Joomla, an amazing platform that makes it easy to manage and build your website.
Today, we’re sharing some outstanding examples of Joomla websites to inspire you!
Table Of Contents
10 Joomla Websites We Love (And Why)
Quickly – What Is Joomla?
Joomla is one of the most widely used content management systems (CMS) in the world, and their very friendly community helps to grow the number of websites using it every day.
Aside from that, Joomla is known for its outstanding system to develop dependable websites without the need to install more extensions and plugins. So, thanks to that, you pretty much have everything you need right out of the box.
And, you can also find that Joomla has a sizable base of extensions and templates that are available and regularly verified by the Joomla Extensions Directory team, so you can develop any website and quickly integrate it with the systems you already have in place.
It’s so good that it even rivals WordPress! No wonder millions of websites use Joomla.
10 Joomla Websites We Love (And Why)
While this may be surprising for some, Joomla actually has a pretty famous clientele. Here are 10 of our favorites (and why you’ll want to take cues from them):
1. UNRIC: United Nations for Western Europe
Western Europe is serviced by the United Nations Regional Information Centre (UNRIC), which also offers information and documentation to the neighboring nations. With major partners including governments, the media, NGOs, educational institutions, and municipal authorities, they’re able to organize events and reach out to every aspect of society. On top of that, UNRIC also gives out informational items such as press kits, posters, fact sheets, brochures, and important UN reports and papers.
What makes them stand out is their simple and stylish design that can make your eyes feel at ease as you browse their website. And, thanks to Roktabs, you can immediately see the most popular or important articles featured on their page.
2. Linux: A Popular Operating Software
Made for the community, and by the community, Linux aims to be the go-to resource for accurate, reasonable, and intelligent Linux knowledge, software, documentation, how-tos, and solutions for servers, desktops, netbooks, and mobile platforms.
And, it’s pretty neat to know that they built their website using Joomla. Included on the website, you can find great Joomla extensions like Frontpage Slideshow and Community Answers. The page’s front page slideshow, which is visible in the page’s center, features the most recent Linux news or information. While this is going on, Community Answers in Linux Answer enables the Linux team to swiftly locate and respond to queries from users and visitors in many categories.
3. Harvard University: One of the Best Colleges In the World
Harvard University is one of the oldest and most prestigious schools in the US, celebrating its 350th birthday in 1986. And, on the website for the Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Science, you can find a lot of information including events, exhibition lists, details about the school, directions, parking specifics, and much more.
The website utilizes the K2 extension to produce website content for news announcements, informational posts, school images, and other purposes for both visitors and students.
4. The Hill: A Famous Media Outlet
When Congress is in session, congressional newspaper company The Hill publishes every day, focusing on business and lobbying, political campaigns, and other activities on Capitol Hill.
As a news website, it’s full of well-presented news, videos, and blogs. And, with the help of the navigation on the left side of the page and the drop-down menus at the top, you can quickly access and navigate different topics. Plus, you can also comment on the website’s page thanks to a handy plugin they use called Disqus Comment.
5. University of Notre Dame: A Well-Known Religious School
The Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) aims to spread the mission of the church, with the help of students in elementary and secondary schools. They have twelve distinct programs that have joined forces to form ACE, which aims to support and enhance the Catholic educational institutions in the US.
This website is currently by far our favorite. And no, it’s not just because Joomla 2.5 is used to operate the website, but also because it’s got a polished design and beautiful visuals. Apart from that, ACE also uses a variety of Joomla extensions on the website, including Core Design Login to show the username and password login form, Rocktabs and RokNavMenu for tabs and menus, JomSocial for social networking, and many more.
6. Guggenheim: An Architectural Icon
The Guggenheim Museum is a world-famous art gallery and one of the most relevant 20th-century architectural icons. They act as an important center for culture, a place of higher learning, and the heart of a large number of museums.
The Foundation or the main page of the website serves as the portal to the different resources they have. Navigation within the site and the Foundation itself is made easy thanks to the straightforward menu found at the left side of the page.
What’s great about Guggenheim is as you visit the other sections of their website, some navigation bars become more intricate, which is a reflection of the website’s extraordinarily extensive content and ability to let users examine each museum’s online collections. You can also see news on current exhibitions, events, and activities that are presented in an editorial format, similar to a blog.
7. iT Wire: A Great Source for Tech-Related News
iTWire is a great resource for top-tier Internet and Technology reports, information, and community news for those in the industry. This website covers all the significant areas of IT&T in Australia and throughout the world, putting technological advancements from around the world into perspective.
Like the other websites on this list, iTWire also effectively utilizes Joomla’s extensive features and functionality. For instance, they use Disqus Comments so visitors to their website can quickly leave comments on any article.
8. The Fashion Spot: The Website for Fashion Trends
The Fashion Spot is an online community centered on all things style, covering topics from trend forecasts to today’s top designers, photographers, and models. You can also find news on the latest collections, as well as fashion and beauty advice on their website too.
Like Linux, the website’s preferred method for displaying news and information is Frontpage Slideshow, which you can easily spot on their homepage.
9. eBay: One of the World’s Leading eCommerce Websites
Yup, e-commerce giant e-Bay also uses Joomla, particularly for their community portal as part of their internal analytics platform.
Basically, the Joomla CMS helps e-Bay’s staff share and grow their communities. eBay’s workers can look at community statistics, which will include all active participation in terms of content production, discussions, and document sharing. And by understanding what’s trending and what isn’t each staff member can work on making the platform bigger and a lot more community-friendly.
10. MTV Greece: A Regional Entertainment Company
On September 1, 2008, MTV Greece, the country’s version of one of the world’s most popular music television stations, went online.
You can find the hottest videos, MTV specials, popular shows, trending music videos, and fresh articles on this music website, which were designed using K2. On top of that, a custom code module shows MTV Greece’s social media pages on Facebook and Twitter.
The website is well-organized, making it super easy to obtain the music-related information you need.
Should I Use Joomla?
Now that you’re inspired by what Joomla sites look like, how can you tell if it’s the right one for you? Well, here are a few scenarios when you should use this CMS tool:
- You need something that’s free and open source
For those on a tight budget, Joomla is an amazing CMS tool that you can utilize. Just like WordPress, it’s free which makes it popular among businesses and web designers. Since it’s also open source, the source code is available for download and the software itself is yours to use any way you please.
- You need something that’s easy to use
Even though CMS platforms are often fairly straightforward to use, Joomla goes one level higher in terms of simplicity. The dashboard feature is pretty basic and easy to understand, so you can get started right away and make adjustments as soon as they are needed. There is no lengthy training involved here. Also, you can enable Joomla’s tooltips if you’re unsure of how a particular setting could work.
- You need something that’s powerful
Joomla has a lot of add-ons and features and it is often referred to as “powerful” because it can transform a basic website into a fully-functional e-commerce store, portfolio, and much more!
If all of these apply to your wants and needs, then Joomla should be a clear option for you!
Setup Your Dream Website
Websites are a crucial component of any business nowadays. It’s a great way to get recognized and gain more loyal web visitors to boost your organization.
But, tools for creating a great website can take a bit of effort, but using a smart CMS such as Joomla can make your website-building journey a lot less bumpy.
It’s one of the most popular CMS platforms – and for good reason! The possibilities are endless thanks to its extensive features, plugins, and functionality. And now that you know what Joomla is all about—and most importantly, know what a great Joomla website looks like—you can finally go ahead and start setting up your dream website! Go and look for the best Joomla web hosting providers with our review.