Category: Traffic Generation

Welcome to Part 5 of our Website Traffic Blueprint article series, where we show you how to drive visitors automatically to your website using the WordPress CMS.

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

In Part One, we provided an overview of the traffic automation process, and explained why using an expertly configured WordPress site is the key to automating traffic to your site …

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

In Part Two, we focused on critical setup decisions. We helped you understand the best way to get started if you don’t have a web presence yet, how to set everything up if you already have a site, and what to do if your existing website has been built with WordPress.

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

In Part 3, we look at important configuration decisions. We configured hosting settings, internal settings, and external settings that affect your website’s traffic-getting ability …

(In Part 3 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 Four, we discussed ways to automate the traffic-generation process using a number of WordPress plugins.

(Publish once, automate the rest!)

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

WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Systems

In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress website or blog, the key to generating consistent traffic of high quality is having a well-defined business vision, careful digital planning, and great systems in place.

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

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

These include:

• Marketing Systems – How you create new traffic for your website.
• Technical Systems – How you keep your web presence optimized for receiving traffic.
• Business Systems – The systems and processes used to manage and respond to traffic.

(Systems help you grow and manage your web traffic)

Let’s briefly review how important the above systems are for traffic:

Marketing Systems

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

• What is your content marketing strategy?
• What resources and portion of your budget will you assign to these channels?
• How will you create your content, sales funnels, and run your marketing campaigns?
• How will you track conversions and measure the cost-effectiveness of your 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 data, such as the keyword phrases people are searching online to find your website, which you can use to create content targeted specifically to your audience’s needs.

Technical Systems

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

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

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

• Who is looking after my webhosting?
• 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. should any problems arise?

Many potential issues can be minimized if your website planning and setup and configuration phases have been completed correctly. Like all technology, however, you will run into new problems. Your technical systems need to be robust enough to handle these.

Business Systems

Your business systems help you manage traffic. This includes:

• Communication systems
• Resources management – human, financial
• Handling sales enquiries
• Order fulfillment
• Customer training/service
• etc.

If you plan to outsource your digital marketing and technical support, then make sure you have implemented good systems to manage all outsourcing processes.

WordPress Traffic Blueprint – Traffic Loops

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

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

(Implementing, automating and optimizing your traffic loop)

Increase Reach And Visibility

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

Tips

• An expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to instantly share your content on social media accounts like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. The easiest way to increase your reach and visibility online, therefore, is to simply publish more content on your site.
• As mentioned earlier, investing in some paid advertising can help generate some initial actionable data such as the keywords people are searching online to find your website, which you can use to create content better targeted to your audience.
• Repurpose your content to leverage the power and reach of different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to increase more traffic using methods like SEO, PPC advertising, forum signatures, etc.

Plugins, Tools, And Methods

We’ve already covered many excellent tools and strategies in earlier sections of this tutorial series.

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

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

Build Authority & Credibility

Getting more content out there is good, but to make this activity more effective, your content needs to be building authority and credibility with your audience.

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

Tips

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

Tools, Plugins, & Strategies

We have created an entire course on content creation that you can plug into at no cost here:

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

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

Grow Influence & 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,” your traffic comes from an audience of existing customers or subscribers – people who already like you and trust you. Your influence and credibility can be used to generate new traffic with every post you publish, forum post you add, or email you send out.

Tips

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

Plugins, Tools, And Methods

There are many solutions and WordPress plugins that can help grow your online influence and improve user engagement. For example:

• List-Building Solutions (e.g. Aweber, GetResponse, etc.)
• Contact Forms, Live Chat
• Forums and Discussion Groups (e.g. bbPress, BuddyPress)
• Polls and Surveys
• Webinars (e.g. Webinar JEO)
• Comment sharing
• Add media, video galleries, etc.

Identify Problems & Provide Solutions To These

If you take advantage of incoming traffic to find out what your visitors are searching for, 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 web traffic.

Useful Tips And Ideas

• Consider creating a free or paid e-learning program.
• 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 site.

Tools And Methods

If you plan to provide services, products, and solutions online (as opposed to just providing information), then some of the more useful plugins you may want to consider adding to your site include:

• Membership Site plugins (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 the collection and analysis of data. By interpreting data gathered from existing traffic, you can discover new ways to generate additional traffic.

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

WordPress Traffic Automation System – Summary

Once you implement the above strategies, all you have to do is repeat the process, 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 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 solutions if necessary 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 website and build a more successful business online.

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