Category: Traffic Generation

Welcome to Part 5 of our Website Traffic Blueprint article series, where we explain how to turn a site into an automated traffic generating machine using the WordPress CMS.

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

In Part 1 of this series, we described the traffic automation process, and explained why using an expertly configured WordPress website is the key to generating automated traffic …

(With an expertly configured WordPress site, all you have to do to generate more web traffic is add great content on a regular basis!)

In Part 2, we look at the setup phase. 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 website has been built using WordPress.

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

In Part Three, we focused on the configuration phase of this process. We explained how to configure all the settings (hosting, WordPress and external) that can affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically …

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

In Part Four, we discussed ways to automate traffic to your website with plugins.

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

In Part 5 of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint article series, we look at ways to optimize the traffic-getting process with different tools and strategies.

WordPress Traffic System – Systems

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

(Optimized traffic is the result of having a clear business vision, sound 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 strategies used to drive new traffic to your website.
• Technical Systems – The systems used to ensure that your web presence remains optimized for receiving new traffic.
• Business Systems – The systems used to manage and respond to traffic.

(Use systems to grow 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 create new traffic for your website. You can test your marketing systems by asking questions such as:

• What is your content marketing strategy/online marketing strategy?
• How will you assign your marketing budget and resources to these channels?
• How will you create your content, sales funnels, and run your marketing campaigns?
• How will you test and measure the ROI of your 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 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’s needs.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems ensure that your web presence remains optimized for receiving traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your website if your site is down or your web pages are taking a long time to load.

Your technical systems include handling 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 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. should anything go wrong?

Many potential problems can be minimized if your website planning process and setup and configuration phases have been completed correctly. Like all technology, however, new problems will always arise. Your technical systems need to be able to handle these.

Business Systems

You need good operational systems and processes to help you manage the influx of traffic. These include:

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

If you intend to outsource areas of your digital marketing and technical maintenance, then make sure you also implement great systems for managing all outsourcing.

WordPress Traffic Blueprint – Traffic Optimization

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

Let’s go through an example of how to implement, optimize, and further automate a traffic loop. Take a look at the chart below …

(An effective traffic loop)

Increase Reach & Visibility Online

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

Useful Tips & Ideas

• Your expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to instantly share your content on social media accounts 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 some initial actionable and intelligent data, which you can use to create web content targeted specifically to your audience.
• Repurpose your content to leverage the power and reach of different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to attract visitors using methods like Pinterest ads, social media, forum signatures, etc.

Tools And Strategies

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

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

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

Build Authority And Credibility

Getting more of your content out there is great, but to make this more effective, your content also needs to be building authority and credibility with visitors.

Publishing better quality content improves your chances of getting it shared around and viewed by more people and hence more traffic.

Useful Tips And Ideas

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

Tools, Plugins, And Methods

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

Also, if you haven’t already, 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 Recognition

Grow Influence And Engagement

As your business grows, you may want to consider developing “traffic on tap.” You can achieve this by building a list or starting your own community.

With “Traffic On Demand,” all 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 every blog post you publish or broadcast you send out.

Useful Tips & Ideas

• 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 an online group on Facebook.

Tools, Plugins, & Methods

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

• List-Building Software (e.g. Aweber, MailChimp, 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 Needs/Problems & Provide Solutions To These

If you take advantage of incoming traffic to listen to what your visitors are searching for, you can have an endless funnel of ideas for new services and products, all of which can provide you with new opportunities for generating new streams of traffic.

Tips

• Create a free or paid e-learning program.
• Consider publishing an educational guide that you can sell or distribute online.
• Add an e-commerce store to your business.

Plugins, Tools, And Methods

If you plan to provide products, services, and solutions online (as opposed to just providing information), look for plugins that let you easily add the following to your website or blog:

• 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 to collect and analyze data. Learning to gather and interpret data from existing traffic allows you to discover new ways to generate content that can bring you additional traffic.

You should already have installed an analytics tool (e.g. 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 process over and over again, 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 traffic and generate useful data) to increase your reach and visibility online,
• Add plugins, list-building strategies, and other solutions as necessary to help build authority and credibility, and also to improve engagement with users,
• 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 article has given you a blueprint that will help you drive more visitors automatically to your website and build a more successful business online.

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