Category: Traffic Generation

Welcome to Part Five of our Web Traffic Blueprint article series, where we explain how to turn a website into an automated traffic machine using the WordPress CMS platform.

So far, we have covered the following in this article series:

In Part One of this article series, we explain why using an expertly configured WordPress website or blog is the key to generating automated web traffic …

(With an expertly configured WordPress website or blog, all you have to do is post great content on a consistent basis to automatically drive more traffic!)

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 everything up if you already have a site, and what to do if your website is built with WordPress.

(In Part 2 we show you how to set up WordPress on your domain)

In Part 3, we discuss the configuration phase. We explained how to configure web hosting settings, internal settings, and external settings that affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically …

(In Part 3 we show you how to configure hosting settings, internal settings, and external settings that can affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically)

In Part Four, we showed you how to set up various plugins that can bring new traffic automatically to your site just by publishing content on a consistent basis.

(Publish content once and automate your content distribution to all other services!)

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 Web Traffic System – Traffic Optimization Systems

In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress website, the key to generating consistent traffic of high quality is having a well-defined business vision, sound digital planning, and great systems and process in place.

(Optimizing traffic is the product of a business vision, planning, and great systems)

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

These systems include:

• Marketing Systems – The processes and strategies used to drive traffic to your website.
• Technical Systems – How you keep your web presence up and running for receiving traffic.
• Business Systems – How you manage and respond to new traffic.

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

Let’s briefly review how important these systems are:

Marketing Systems

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

• What is your content marketing strategy?
• How will you apportion your budget and resources to your marketing channels?
• How will you create your content, sales funnels, and run your marketing campaigns?
• How will you measure the cost-effectiveness of your marketing campaigns?

During the setup and configuration phase, you should 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 data, such as the keywords people are searching online to find your website, which you can use to create web content targeted specifically to your audience.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems and processes ensure that your online presence remains operating efficiently for receiving traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your site if your site is down or your pages take a long time to load.

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

You can test your technical systems by questions such as:

• Who is looking after my webhosting?
• Who is looking after my website and keeping my site, plugins, themes, etc. maintained and up-to-date?
• Who will fix errors, troubleshoot problems, provide technical support and advice, etc. if you experience difficulties?

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

Business Systems

You need good operational systems and processes in place to help you manage and respond to the influx of new traffic. This includes:

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

If you plan to outsource key aspects of your digital marketing and technical maintenance, then make sure you also implement good systems to manage all outsourcing processes.

WordPress Web Traffic System – Traffic Optimization Strategies

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

Let’s go through an example of implementing, optimizing, and further automating a traffic loop. Take a look at the processes illustrated below …

(An effective traffic loop)

Increase Reach And Visibility

The first step of the process is to expose your business to as many potential users as possible.

Useful Tips & Ideas

• Your expertly configured WordPress site allows you to instantly share your content on traffic-getting sources like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. The easiest way to increase your reach and visibility online, therefore, is to simply publish more content through your expertly configured WordPress site.
• As mentioned earlier, investing in some paid advertising (e.g. Facebook ads) can help generate some initial data, which you can use to create content targeted specifically to your audience’s needs.
• Repurpose your content to leverage the power and reach of different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to get web traffic using methods like Twitter advertising, PPC advertising, email, etc.

Tools, Plugins, And Methods

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

Also, if you haven’t already, contact us to learn more about plugins that let you easily add the following to your website:

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

Build Authority And Credibility

Getting more of your content published is a great first step, but for this activity to be really 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 more people to link to it and share it around and hence more visitors.

Tips

• Focus on creating content that adds value to potential users and that showcases your expertise. This includes content that educates and informs readers, training content, case studies, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing educational guides that you can sell or distribute online.

Tools, Plugins, And Strategies

We have created an entire course on content creation that you can plug into for free here:

Also, see other posts and tutorials on this site to learn more about plugins that let you easily add the following to your website or blog:

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

Grow Influence And Engagement

At some point, you may want to consider developing “traffic on demand.” You can do this by building a list or starting an online forum or network.

With “Traffic On Demand,” all of your traffic comes from customers or subscribers – people who already know you and trust you. Your influence and credibility can be used to generate traffic with a single blog post or email.

Traffic Optimization Tips

• Encourage users to leave comments and start discussions on your site.
• Add an autoresponder newsletter and encourage people to subscribe.
• Add a paid or free membership site.
• Start or join a Facebook/LinkedIn Group.

Tools And Methods

Many solutions and WordPress plugins are available that are easy to implement and can help grow your online influence and improve user engagement. For example:

• List-Building Software (e.g. Aweber, GetResponse, etc.)
• Contact Forms, Live Chat
• Forums and Discussion Groups (e.g. bbPress, BuddyPress)
• Polls & Surveys
• Webinars (e.g. Webinar JEO)
• Comment sharing
• Add media, image galleries, etc.

Identify Problems & Provide Solutions

If you take advantage of incoming traffic to discover what problems your users are trying to solve, you can have an endless funnel of ideas for developing new products and services, all of which provide new opportunities for generating additional traffic.

Tips

• Consider creating an e-learning course.
• Publish an instructional e-book that you can sell or distribute online.
• Add e-commerce to your site.

Plugins, Tools, & Strategies

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 consider adding to your site include:

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

Analyze Data & Feedback

The final step of the process is the collection and analysis of data. By interpreting data gathered from existing traffic, you can discover new traffic opportunities.

You should have already 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 repeat the process, fine-tuning and refining your methods as you go to grow your traffic and improve your results.

In summary:

• Begin with an expertly configured WordPress site backed by good marketing, technical and business systems,
• Implement a content marketing strategy (consider also investing in some paid advertising to drive traffic and generate useful data) to increase your reach and visibility online,
• Add plugins, list-building strategies, and other solutions if needed to help build authority and credibility, and also to improve 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, now you have a blueprint that will help you automate and optimize the process of driving visitors to your web site and build a more successful business online.

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