Category: Traffic Generation

Welcome to Part Five of our WordPress Web Site Traffic Blueprint article series, where we show you how to drive traffic automatically to your website 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 automating traffic to your site …

(With an expertly configured WordPress site, all you have to do to begin attracting traffic is post fresh content on a regular basis!)

In Part 2, we discussed critical setup decisions. We explained 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 website was built with WordPress.

(In Part 2 we show you where to set up a WordPress web site on your domain)

In Part Three, we focused on the configuration phase of the blueprint. We explained how to configure hosting settings, WordPress settings, and external settings that can affect your site’s traffic-getting ability …

(In Part 3 we explain how to configure all the settings (hosting, WordPress and external) that affect your website’s traffic-getting ability)

In Part 4, you learned how to set up various plugins that can bring web traffic automatically to your website or blog when you begin to add content.

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

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

WordPress Web Traffic Automation Blueprint – Systems

In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress website, generating traffic successfully on a consistent basis is achieved by having a clearly-defined business vision, careful digital planning, and good systems and process in place.

(Generating regular traffic is the product of having a clear business vision, planning, and excellent 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 methods used to create traffic for your business.
• Technical Systems – How you keep your digital presence optimized for receiving new traffic.
• Business Systems – The systems used to manage and respond to new traffic.

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

Let’s review the importance of the above systems briefly:

Marketing Systems

Your marketing systems consist of the processes and methods used to create traffic for your business. Your online marketing systems can be tested by asking questions such as:

• What channels will you use to generate traffic (e.g. blogging, video marketing, etc)?
• How will you assign your marketing budget and resources to these channels?
• Who will create and optimize your content and run your marketing campaigns?
• How will you measure the results of your online 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 intelligence. 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 site, which you can use to create web content better targeted to your audience’s needs.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems ensure that your online presence remains up and running for receiving new traffic. There’s no point driving traffic to your website if your site is experiencing problems or your pages are taking a very long time to load.

Your technical systems need to adequately handle technical areas like webhosting, site 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 will look after my server?
• 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. if any problems arise?

Many potential problems can be minimized if your website planning process and setup and configuration phases have been done correctly. As with all technology, however, you should expect new problems. Your technical systems need to be robust enough to handle these.

Business Systems

You need good business systems in place to help you manage the influx of new traffic. These include:

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

If you intend to outsource your digital marketing and technical support, then make sure you have implemented great systems for managing all outsourcing.

WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Traffic Loops

If your business objectives are clear and your systems and processes are in place, all you need to do is to implement a “traffic loop”.

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

(An effective traffic loop)

Increase Reach And Visibility

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

Traffic Tips

• Your expertly configured WordPress site allows 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 online.
• As mentioned earlier, investing in some paid advertising can help generate data, which you can use to create content targeted specifically to your audience’s needs.
• Repurpose your content to leverage different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to increase more visitors using methods like LinkedIn ads, solo ads, joint ventures, etc.

Tools & Strategies

See previous sections of this tutorial series for a number of excellent tools and methods we’ve already covered to help you reach more potential users.

Also, contact us to learn more about plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your website or blog:

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

Build Authority & Credibility

Getting more of your content published is a great first step, but for this activity to be really effective, your content also needs to build authority and credibility with your audience.

Publishing better quality content improves your chances of getting it shared on other sites and hence more traffic.

Useful Tips & Ideas

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

Tools, Plugins, And Methods

If you need help coming up with great topics for content that you can post on your website, then subscribe to our email training series on growing your business online with content marketing here:

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

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

Grow Influence And 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 Demand,” all of your traffic will come from customers or subscribers – people who already like you and trust you. Your influence and credibility can be used to generate traffic with a single blog post or email broadcast.

Tips

• Encourage visitors to leave comments and start discussions on your site.
• Add an email training course and encourage people to subscribe.
• Add a paid, free, or ‘freemium’ membership site.
• Create or join an online group on LinkedIn/Facebook.

Plugins, Tools, & Methods

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

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

Identify Needs & Provide Solutions

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

Traffic Tips

• Consider creating a free or paid online training course.
• Consider publishing a special report that you can sell or distribute online (e.g. sell on on the Amazon Kindle book store.
• Consider adding e-commerce to your business.

Tools, Plugins, And Methods

If you plan to provide solutions online (as opposed to just providing information), ask us about plugins that let you easily add the following to your WordPress website or blog:

• 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. Gathering and interpreting data from existing traffic gives you the opportunity to discover new opportunities to create content that can generate you additional traffic.

You should have already installed an analytics program like Google Analytics on your site. Make sure you also learn how to interpret the data.

WordPress Web Traffic Automation System – Summary

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

In summary:

• Start with an expertly configured WordPress site backed by solid 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 if needed to help 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, now you have a blueprint that will help you drive more traffic automatically to your WordPress web site and build a better business online.

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