Category: Traffic Generation

Welcome to Part Five of our Website Traffic Blueprint article series, where we explain how to drive visitors automatically to your website using WordPress.

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

In Part One of this series, we explained why using an expertly configured WordPress website is the key to automating traffic to your site …

(With an expertly configured WordPress site, all you have to do is publish content on a regular basis to automatically start generating traffic!)

In Part Two, we look at the setup phase of the automation process. We explain the best way to start if you don’t have a website yet, how to set everything up if you already have a site, and what to do if your existing site is built with WordPress.

(In Part two we show you how to set up a WordPress web site on your domain)

In Part Three, we focus on important configuration decisions. We explained how to configure web hosting settings, internal settings, and external settings that can affect your site’s traffic-getting ability …

(In Part Three we show you how to configure all the settings that can affect your site’s traffic-getting ability)

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

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

In this section of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint series, we look at ways to optimize traffic to your website using different tools and methods.

WordPress Web Traffic Blueprint – Systems

In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress website or blog, the key to generating successfully on a consistent basis is having a clear business vision, sound digital planning, and great systems in place.

(Generating consistent traffic is the product of having a clear business vision, planning, and excellent systems)

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

These systems include:

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

(Systems help you grow and manage your traffic)

Let’s briefly review the above systems:

Marketing Systems

Your marketing systems consist of the processes and strategies used to drive traffic to your business. Your marketing systems can be tested by asking questions such as:

• What is your content marketing/online marketing strategy?
• What resources and portion of your marketing budget will you allocate to these channels?
• Who will create and optimize your content, sales funnels, and run your marketing campaigns?
• How will you track conversions and measure the results of your online marketing 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 (e.g. Facebook ads) to help you generate some actionable data, such as the keyword phrases people are searching online to find your site, which you can use to create web content targeted specifically to your audience’s needs.

Technical Systems

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

Your technical systems include handling areas like webhosting, website maintenance and support, installing and updating software (e.g. plugins), integration, customization, troubleshooting, etc.

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

• Who is looking after my server?
• Who will look after my website and keep my site 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 done correctly. Like all technology, however, you should expect to face new problems. You will need the right technical systems in place to handle these.

Business Systems

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

• Communication systems
• Managing human and financial resources
• Handling leads and sales enquiries
• Order fulfillment
• Customer service/training
• etc.

If you intend to outsource your digital marketing and technical services, then make sure you have excellent systems in place for managing 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 do is to develop a “traffic loop”.

Let’s walk through an example of implementing, optimizing, and automating a traffic loop. Take a look at the diagram below …

(An effective traffic loop)

Increase Reach And Visibility Online

Step 1 of the process is to increase visibility for your business.

Tips

• Your expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to automatically publish your content on places like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, 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 you generate actionable data such as the keyword phrases people are searching online to find your site, which you can use to create web content better targeted to your audience’s needs.
• Repurpose your content to leverage the power, appeal, and reach of different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to get more visitors using methods like Pinterest advertising, YouTube, forum signatures, etc.

Tools And Strategies

We’ve covered a number of useful tools, plugins, and strategies in earlier sections of this article series.

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

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

Build Authority And Credibility

Getting more of your content out there is great, but to make this activity more effective, your content also needs to build authority and credibility with your audience.

Publishing higher quality content improves your chances of getting more views from social sharing and hence more visitors.

Useful Tips

• Create and publish content that will add value to users and showcase your expertise. This includes content that informs and educates readers, training content, case studies, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing educational guides or special reports that can be sold or distributed online.

Plugins, Tools, And Methods

We have created a comprehensive email course on content creation that you can plug into for free here:

Also, if you haven’t already, look for 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 growing a list or starting a community.

With “Traffic On Tap,” all of your traffic will come from customers or subscribers – people who already know you and trust you. Your influence and credibility can be used to generate new traffic with every post you publish or email broadcast you send out.

Useful Tips And Ideas

• Encourage visitors to leave comments and start discussions on your site.
• Add an autoresponder newsletter and encourage people to subscribe.
• Add a paid, free, or ‘freemium’ membership site, online forum, or social community.
• Create or join a Facebook/LinkedIn Group.

Plugins, Tools, And Strategies

There are many solutions and WordPress plugins that are easy to implement and can help increase your influence and improve engagement. For example:

• Autoresponders (e.g. Aweber, MailChimp, etc.)
• Contact Forms, Live Chat
• Forums & Social Communities (e.g. bbPress, BuddyPress)
• Polls and Surveys
• Webinars (e.g. Webinar JEO)
• Comment sharing
• Add media, video galleries, etc.

Identify Problems & Provide Solutions

If you take advantage of incoming traffic to listen to what problems your visitors are trying to solve, you should have no problem coming up with ideas for new services, products, and solutions, all of which provide new opportunities to generate additional web traffic.

Useful Tips

• Consider creating an online training course.
• Consider publishing a special report that can be sold or distributed online.
• Add an e-commerce store to your site.

Tools & Methods

If you plan to provide services and products online (as opposed to just providing information), ask us about plugins that let you easily add the following to your site:

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

Analyze Data & Feedback

The final step of the process is the collection and analysis of data. Learning to gather and interpret data from existing traffic lets you discover new ways to create additional traffic.

Hopefully, by now you have already installed an analytics tool like Google Analytics on your site. Make sure you understand the metrics and features and can interpret the data.

WordPress Web Traffic System – 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 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 methods as necessary to help build authority 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 information has given you a blueprint that will help you automate and optimize the process of driving visitors to your WordPress website and build a more successful business online.

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