Category: WordPress Business Strategies

Welcome to Part 5 of our WordPress Web Traffic Blueprint article series, where we show you how to grow your business online automatically using the WordPress CMS.

So far, here is what we have covered in this series:

In Part One, we explain why using an expertly configured WordPress site is the key to generating automated traffic …

(With an expertly configured WordPress web site, all you have to do to attract web traffic is publish great content on a consistent basis!)

In Part Two, we look at the setup phase. We explain the best way to start if you don’t have a web presence yet, how to set things up if you already have a website, and what to do if your website has been built using WordPress.

(In Part two we show you how to set up a WordPress website or blog on your domain)

In Part Three, we discuss the configuration phase. We explained how to configure all the settings (hosting, internal and external) that affect your site’s traffic-getting ability …

(In Part Three you learn how to configure all the settings (hosting, internal and external) that can affect your site’s ability to generate traffic automatically)

In Part 4, you learned how to set up various plugins that can help drive new visitors automatically to your site whenever you begin to add new content.

(Publish once to WordPress and automate the distribution of your content to all other channels!)

In Part 5 of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint series, we look at ways to optimize traffic generation using different tools and methods.

WordPress Traffic Blueprint – Systems

In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress website or blog, the key to generating targeted traffic consistently is having a well-defined business vision, careful digital planning, and good systems and process in place.

(Generating automated traffic is the product of a business vision, sound planning, and great systems)

Let’s briefly review the systems that will help you grow and manage new traffic.

These include:

• Marketing Systems – How you create new traffic for your business.
• Technical Systems – The systems used to ensure that your web presence remains up and running for receiving traffic.
• Business Systems – The systems used to manage and respond to new traffic.

(Use systems to grow, automate, and manage your traffic)

Let’s review the above systems briefly:

Marketing Systems

Your marketing systems consist of the processes and strategies used to drive traffic to your website. You can test your marketing systems by asking questions such as:

• What is your content marketing/online marketing strategy?
• How will you apportion your budget and resources to these channels?
• How will you create your content, sales funnels, and run your marketing campaigns?
• How will you measure the results of your online campaigns?

During the setup and configuration phase, you would have installed an analytics program (e.g. Google Analytics). If you’re just starting out, you may want to consider investing in some paid advertising to help you generate some results. If you’re tracking your marketing campaigns correctly, this should yield some actionable data, such as the keyword phrases people are searching online to find your website, which you can use to create content better targeted to your audience’s needs.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems keep your web presence operating efficiently for receiving traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your site if your site is constantly experiencing problems or your pages are taking a very long time to load.

Your systems need to handle areas like webhosting, website maintenance and support, installing, configuring, and updating software (e.g. plugins), integration, customization, troubleshooting, etc.

Your technical systems can be tested by asking questions such as:

• Who looks after my webhosting?
• Who looks after my website and keeps my site, plugins, themes, etc. maintained and up-to-date?
• Who will fix errors, troubleshoot problems, provide technical support and advice, etc. should any problems occur?

Many potential issues can be minimized if your website planning process and setup and configuration phases have been completed correctly. As with all technology, however, you will always run into many new problems. You will need the right technical systems in place to handle these.

Business Systems

Your business systems help you manage and respond to the influx of new traffic. This includes:

• Communication systems
• Resources management – human, financial
• Handling sales inquiries
• Order fulfillment
• Customer training/service
• etc.

If you intend to outsource your digital marketing and technical services, then make sure you also implement excellent systems to manage all outsourcing.

WordPress Web Traffic Blueprint – Traffic Loops

If your business objectives are clear and your systems and processes are in place, all you need to focus on is growing and optimizing a “traffic loop”.

Let’s walk through an example of how to implement, optimize, and automate a traffic loop. Take a look at the diagram below …

(WordPress can help you implement, optimize, and automate a traffic loop)

Increase Reach And Visibility Online

The first step of the process is to increase visibility for your website.

Tips

• An expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to automatically distribute your content to places like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc. The easiest way to increase your reach and visibility online, therefore, is to simply publish more content.
• As mentioned earlier, investing in some paid advertising (e.g. Google AdWords) can help generate some initial data, which you can use to create content targeted specifically to your audience.
• Repurpose your content to leverage the power and reach of different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to increase web visitors using methods like LinkedIn advertising, banner ads, Reddit, etc.

Plugins, Tools, And Methods

See earlier sections of this tutorial series for many useful tools and strategies we’ve already covered to help you reach more potential users.

Also, contact us to learn more about plugins that let you easily add the following to your site:

• Share your posts online,
• Run contests, offer discounts or downloads for shares/likes,
• Add user generated content, feeds, etc.
• Publish and distribute content online in other media formats (e.g. videos, PDF guides, infographics, etc.)

Build Authority & Credibility

Getting more of your content published is great, but to make this more effective, your content needs to build authority and credibility with visitors.

Publishing authoritative content not only helps to establish your credibility, it also improves your chances of getting it shared on other sites and hence more traffic.

Traffic Ideas

• Focus on creating and publishing content that will add value to your audience and showcase your expertise. This includes content that educates and informs readers, training content, case studies, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing a training guide that you can sell or distribute online (e.g. sell on on the Amazon Kindle store.

Plugins, Tools, And Methods

We have created a complete email email-based training course aimed at helping you come up with limitless content for your web site:

Also, contact us to learn more about plugins that let you easily add the following to your WordPress website:

• Legal Pages
• Testimonials
• Customer Support (e.g. Helpdesk, Live Chat, etc.)
• Ratings
• User Reviews
• Badges/Certificates Of Trust

Grow Influence & Engagement

As your business grows, you may want to consider developing “traffic on tap.” You can do this by growing a list or starting a group.

With “Traffic On Tap,” your traffic comes from an audience of customers or subscribers – people who already know you and trust you. Your influence and credibility can be used to generate traffic with every post you publish, forum post you add, or broadcast you send out.

Tips

• Encourage commenting and discussions on your site.
• Add an email training course and encourage people to subscribe.
• Add a paid or free membership site, online forum, or social community.
• Start or join an online group on Facebook/LinkedIn.

Plugins, Tools, And Strategies

There are many solutions and WordPress plugins that can help grow your online influence and improve engagement. For example:

• Autoresponders/Email Newsletters (e.g. Aweber, MailChimp, etc.)
• Contact Forms, Live Chat
• Forums and Discussion Groups (e.g. bbPress, BuddyPress)
• Polls and Surveys
• Webinars (e.g. Webinar JEO)
• Comment sharing
• Add media, video galleries, etc.

Identify Problems And Provide Solutions

If you take advantage of incoming traffic to listen to what problems your visitors are trying to solve, you can develop new services and products, all of which provide new opportunities for generating additional traffic.

Tips

• Create a free or paid online training program.
• Publish an e-book that you can sell or distribute online (e.g. sell on on the Amazon Kindle store.
• Add e-commerce to your site.

Plugins, Tools, And Methods

If you plan to provide services and products online (as opposed to just providing information), then some of the more useful plugins you may want to add to your site include:

• Membership Site plugins (e.g. Wishlist Member, S2 Member, etc.)
• e-Learning Courses (e.g. Courseware)
• Event Registrations (e.g. EventEspresso)

Analyze Data & Feedback

The final step of the process is to collect and analyze data. By learning to interpret data gathered from existing traffic, you can discover new traffic opportunities.

You should already have installed an analytics program like Google Analytics on your site. Make sure you can also understand the data.

WordPress Web Traffic Blueprint – Summary

All you have to do once you implement the above strategies is rinse and repeat, fine-tuning and refining your methods as you go to grow your traffic and get better your results.

In summary:

• Start with an expertly configured WordPress site backed by good marketing, technical and business systems,
• Implement a content marketing strategy (consider adding some paid advertising to drive traffic and generate useful data) to increase your reach and visibility online,
• Add plugins, list-building strategies, and other methods as needed to build authority, trust, and credibility, and also to increase engagement with visitors,
• Promote any new solutions, products or services using your existing channels and strategies to generate additional streams of traffic,
• Analyse your data and your results, automate your processes wherever possible, and begin the cycle again.

Hopefully, this post has given you a blueprint that will help you automate and optimize the process of driving traffic to your web site and get better results online.

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