Category: Traffic Generation

Welcome to Part 5 of our WordPress Web Site Traffic Blueprint article series, where we show you how to turn your website into an automated web traffic machine using the WordPress CMS.

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

In Part One, we describe the traffic automation process, and explain why using an expertly configured WordPress website or blog is the key to automating traffic to your website …

(With an expertly configured WordPress blog, all you have to do is add new content regularly to automatically begin bringing traffic!)

In Part Two, we discuss the setup phase of the blueprint. We help you understand the best way to start if you don’t have a website yet, how to set everything up if you already have a website, and what to do if your site has been built using WordPress.

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

In Part 3, we discuss the configuration phase of the blueprint. 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 Three you learn how to configure all the settings (hosting, WordPress and external) that can affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically)

In Part 4, we explained how to set up various plugins that can bring new visitors automatically to your website or blog when you begin to add web content on a regular basis.

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

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

WordPress Web Traffic System – Traffic Optimization Systems

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

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

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

These include:

• Marketing Systems – The processes and methods used to drive traffic to your website.
• Technical Systems – How you keep your web presence operating efficiently for receiving traffic.
• Business Systems – The systems and processes used to manage and respond to traffic.

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

Let’s review the above systems briefly:

Marketing Systems

Your marketing systems consist of the processes and methods used to drive new traffic to your website. 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 budget will you apply to these channels?
• Who will create and optimize your content and marketing campaigns?
• How will you track conversions and measure the ROI 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 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.

Technical Systems

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

Your technical systems need to adequately handle technical areas like webhosting, site 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 will look after my server?
• Who will look after my website and keep 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 occur?

Many potential issues 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 to arise. You will need the right technical systems in place to handle these.

Business Systems

Your business systems and processes help you manage and respond to 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 areas of your digital marketing and technical maintenance, then you will need to put systems in place for managing all outsourcing.

WordPress Traffic Blueprint – Traffic Loops

With clear business objectives and great systems in place, all you need to do is to focus on implementing your “traffic loop”.

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

(Implement and optimize a traffic loop)

Increase Reach And Visibility

The first step of the process is to get your business exposed to as many members of your target audience as your time and resources will allow.

Useful Tips And Ideas

• An expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to automatically publish your content on places like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, 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 you generate some initial data, which you can use to create content better targeted to your audience.
• Repurpose your content to leverage different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to attract more web site traffic using methods like Facebook advertising, podcasts, forum ads, etc.

Plugins, Tools, And Methods

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

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

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

Build Authority & Credibility

Getting more of your content out there is a great first step, but for this activity to be really effective, your content needs to be building authority and credibility with users.

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

Useful Tips And Ideas

• Create and publish content that adds value to potential visitors and that showcases your expertise. This includes content that educates and informs readers, training content, user reviews, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing a special report or PDF guide that can be sold or distributed online.

Tools, Plugins, & Methods

If you need ideas for posting content on your website, then subscribe to our email training series on growing your business with content marketing here:

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

• 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, community, or even your own social site.

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

Useful Tips

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

Tools And Strategies

There are many solutions and WordPress plugins that 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, image galleries, etc.

Identify Needs & Provide Solutions

By taking advantage of incoming traffic to discover what users want, you can have an endless funnel of ideas for new products, services, and solutions, all of which can provide you with new opportunities for generating additional traffic.

Useful Tips

• Consider creating an e-learning program.
• Publish a special report that can be sold or distributed online.
• Consider adding e-commerce to your site.

Tools, Plugins, & Strategies

If you plan to provide products, services, and solutions online (as opposed to just providing information), learn more about plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your WordPress 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 to collect and analyze data. By learning to interpret data gathered from existing traffic, you can discover new opportunities to create additional traffic.

You should already have installed an analytics tool (e.g. Google Analytics) on your website. Make sure you also learn how to interpret the data.

WordPress Traffic Blueprint – Summary

All you have to do once you implement the above strategies is repeat the process over and over again, 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 solutions as necessary to build authority, trust, 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 WordPress web site and get better results online.

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