Category: Traffic Generation

Welcome to Part 5 of our WordPress Web Traffic Blueprint article series, where we explain how to automate traffic to your website using the WordPress CMS.

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

In Part One of this series, we provide an overview of the traffic automation process, and explain why using an expertly configured WordPress website is the key to generating automated traffic …

(With an expertly configured WordPress website, all you have to do is add web content regularly to generate more traffic!)

In Part Two, we look at critical setup decisions. 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 site is built with WordPress.

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

In Part Three, we look at the configuration phase. We explained how to configure all the settings (hosting, internal and external) that can affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically …

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

In Part Four, we looked at ways to automate the traffic system with plugins.

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

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

WordPress Web Traffic Automation System – Systems

In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress website, generating consistent traffic of high quality is the result of having a clear business vision, careful digital planning, and great systems and process in place.

(Generating automated traffic is the result of having a clear business vision, planning, and systems)

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

These systems include:

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

(Systems help you grow, automate, optimize, and manage your traffic)

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

Marketing Systems

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

• What is your online marketing strategy?
• How will you apply your marketing budget and resources to these channels?
• Who will create and optimize your content and run your marketing campaigns?
• How will you track conversions and measure the cost-effectiveness 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 to help you generate some initial 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 site, which you can use to create web content targeted specifically to your audience.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems keep your digital presence operating efficiently for receiving new traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your website if your site is experiencing problems or your web pages are taking too long to load.

Your systems need to handle technical areas like webhosting, website 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 server?
• Who is looking after my website and keeping 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 issues can be minimized if your website planning process and setup and configuration phases have been completed correctly. Like all technology, however, you can expect new problems. You will need the right technical systems in place to handle these.

Business Systems

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

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

If you plan to outsource your digital marketing and technical maintenance, then you will need good systems in place for managing all outsourcing processes.

WordPress Web Traffic Blueprint – Traffic Optimization

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

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

(WordPress can help implement and optimize your traffic loop)

Increase Reach And Visibility Online

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

Useful Tips & Ideas

• An expertly configured WordPress site allows you to automatically syndicate your content to sites like Facebook, Twitter, GooglePlus, 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. pay-per-click ads) can help generate data, which you can use to create web content targeted specifically to your audience’s needs.
• Repurpose your content to leverage different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to get website visitors using methods like Facebook advertising, solo ads, StumbleUpon, etc.

Tools, Plugins, & Methods

See earlier sections of this article series for a number of useful tools, plugins, and strategies we’ve already covered to help you reach more potential users.

Also, ask us about plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your website:

• Share your posts online with others,
• Run contests, offer discounts or downloads for shares/likes,
• Accept user generated content, feeds, etc.
• 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 to make this activity more effective, your content needs to be building authority and credibility with users.

Publishing higher quality content improves your chances of getting more people to share it with others and hence more visitors.

Useful Tips & Ideas

• Focus on content that will add value to potential visitors and showcase your expertise. This includes content that informs and educates readers, training content, user reviews, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing educational guides that you can sell or distribute online.

Tools, Plugins, And Strategies

We have created a complete email series designed to help you never run out of great content for posting to your site:

Also, if you haven’t already, ask us about plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your WordPress site:

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

Grow Influence & Engagement

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

With “Traffic On Tap,” most of your traffic comes from an audience of existing customers or subscribers – people who already like you and trust you. Your influence and reputation can be used to generate new traffic with a single blog post or email broadcast.

Tips

• Encourage commenting and discussions on your site.
• Add an email newsletter and encourage people to subscribe.
• Add a free, paid, or ‘freemium’ membership site.
• Start or join an online group on Facebook.

Plugins, Tools, & Methods

Many solutions and plugins are available that are easy to implement and can help increase your influence and improve user 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/Problems & Provide Solutions To These

If you take advantage of incoming traffic to find out what your visitors need, you should have no problem developing new products and services, all of which provide new opportunities to generate additional traffic.

Useful Tips And Ideas

• Consider creating a free or paid e-learning program.
• Consider publishing PDF guides or special reports that can be sold or distributed online (e.g. sell on Amazon.
• Add e-commerce to your site.

Plugins, Tools, And Methods

If you plan to provide solutions online (as opposed to just providing information), learn more about WordPress plugins that let you easily add the following to your site:

• Membership Sites (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. Learning to interpret data gathered from existing traffic allows you to discover new opportunities to generate additional traffic.

Hopefully, by now you have already installed an analytics program like Google Analytics on your site. Make sure you can also understand the data.

WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Summary

All you have to do once you implement the above strategies is repeat the same process, 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 (with some paid advertising to drive initial traffic and generate useful data) to increase your reach and visibility online,
• Add plugins, list-building strategies, and other methods as required 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 automate and optimize the process of driving traffic to your website and build a more successful business online.

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