Welcome to Part Five of our Website Traffic Blueprint article series, where we explain how to grow your business online automatically using the WordPress CMS platform.
So far, we have covered the following in this series:
In Part One of this series, we provided an overview of the traffic automation process, and explained why using an expertly configured WordPress website or blog is the key to generating automated web traffic …
(With an expertly configured WordPress web site, all you have to do to begin bringing more web traffic is add new content on a consistent basis!)
In Part Two, we looked at the setup phase of the blueprint. We helped you understand the best way to get started 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 site has been built with WordPress.
(In Part 2 we show you how to set up a WordPress site on your domain)
In Part 3, we discussed the configuration phase. We configured all the settings (hosting, internal and external) that affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically …
(In Part Three you learn how to configure all the settings that affect your site’s ability to generate traffic automatically)
In Part 4, we explained how to set up various plugins that can help drive new visitors automatically to your website simply by publishing fresh content.
(Publish once to WordPress and automate the distribution of your content to all other channels!)
In this article, we discuss ways to optimize traffic to your website with different tools and methods.
WordPress Web Traffic Blueprint – Systems
In addition to getting your WordPress website expertly configured, generating consistent traffic of high quality is the result of a clearly-defined business vision, careful digital planning, and great systems in place.
(Generating automated traffic is the product of having a clear business vision, sound planning, and great systems)
Let’s briefly review the systems that will help you grow and manage this traffic.
These include:
- Marketing Systems – How you drive traffic to your website.
- Technical Systems – The systems used to keep your digital presence operating efficiently for receiving new traffic.
- Business Systems – How you manage and respond to new traffic.
(Systems help you grow and manage your traffic)
Let’s briefly review how important the above systems are:
Marketing Systems
Your marketing systems consist of the processes and methods used to create new traffic for your website. Your online marketing systems can be tested by asking questions such as:
- What channels do you plan to use to generate traffic (e.g. blogging, video marketing, etc)?
- How will you assign your budget and resources to your marketing channels?
- Who will create your content and run your marketing campaigns?
- How will you test and measure the cost-effectiveness of your marketing 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 keywords people are searching online to find your site, which you can use to create content better targeted to your audience.
Technical Systems
Your technical systems and processes ensure that your online presence remains operating efficiently for receiving traffic. There’s no point driving traffic to your site if your site is constantly down or your web pages are taking a long time to load.
Your technical systems need to be able to adequately 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 will look after my webhosting?
- 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 problems occur?
Many potential problems can be minimized if your website planning and setup and configuration phases have been done correctly. Like all technology, however, you will run into problems. Your technical systems need to be able to handle these.
Business Systems
Your business systems and processes help you manage new traffic. This includes:
- Communication systems
- Managing human and financial resources
- Handling sales inquiries
- Order fulfillment
- Customer training/service
- etc.
If you intend to outsource your digital marketing and technical services, then make sure you have implemented good systems to manage all outsourcing.
WordPress Traffic System – Traffic Loops
If your business objectives are clear and your systems and processes are in place, all you need to do is focus on how to grow and optimize a “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 an effective traffic loop)
Increase Reach & Visibility
The first step of the process is to increase visibility for your business.
Useful Tips
- Your expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to instantly share your content on traffic-getting sources 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 (e.g. Google AdWords) can help generate actionable data, which you can use to create web content targeted specifically to your audience.
- Repurpose your content to leverage different media formats.
- Continue learning about ways to get more traffic using methods like Pinterest advertising, podcasts, joint ventures, etc.
Plugins, Tools, And Methods
See earlier sections of this article series for many excellent tools and methods we’ve already covered to help you reach more potential users.
Also, if you haven’t already, learn more about plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your website:
- Share your comments and posts online,
- Run contests, offer discounts or downloads for shares/likes,
- Display user generated content, feeds, etc.
- Distribute content online in various media formats (e.g. videos, PDF guides, slides, etc.)
Build Authority & Credibility
Getting more content published is good, but to make this more effective, your content needs to be building authority and credibility with visitors.
Publishing higher quality content improves your chances of getting it shared on other sites and hence more traffic.
Useful Tips And Ideas
- Create and publish content that adds value to potential users and that showcases your expertise. This includes content that informs and educates readers, training content, user reviews, adding testimonials, etc.
- Consider publishing PDF guides that can be sold or distributed online (e.g. sell on Amazon.
Plugins, Tools, And Methods
We have created a detailed email course on how to develop a content marketing strategy, how to promote your business with content, and how to never run out of ideas for web content that you can plug into at no cost here:
Also, if you haven’t already, learn more about WordPress plugins that allow you to 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 tap.” You can achieve this by growing a list or starting an online group.
With “Traffic On Tap,” most of your traffic comes from 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.
Traffic Optimization Ideas
- Encourage visitors to leave comments and start discussions on your site.
- Add an email newsletter and encourage people to subscribe.
- Add a paid, free, or ‘freemium’ membership site, online forum, or social community.
- Start or join an online group on LinkedIn.
Tools And Methods
There are many solutions and WordPress plugins that can help grow your influence and improve user engagement. For example:
- Autoresponders (e.g. Aweber, MailChimp, etc.)
- Contact Forms, Live Chat
- Forums and Social Communities (e.g. bbPress, BuddyPress)
- Polls & Surveys
- Webinars (e.g. Webinar JEO)
- Comment sharing
- Add media, video galleries, etc.
Identify Needs/Problems And Provide Solutions To These
If you take advantage of incoming traffic to find out what problems your users are trying to solve, you should have no problem coming up with ideas for new solutions, all of which can provide you with new opportunities for generating new sources of traffic.
Tips
- Consider creating a free or paid online training program.
- Publish educational guides that you can sell or distribute online (e.g. sell on Amazon.
- Add e-commerce to your business.
Plugins, Tools, & Strategies
If you plan to provide services, products, and solutions online (as opposed to just providing information), contact us to learn more about plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your site:
- Membership Sites (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. Learning to interpret data gathered from existing traffic gives you the opportunity to discover new traffic opportunities.
Hopefully, by now you already have installed an analytics program like Google Analytics on your website. Make sure you understand the metrics and can interpret the data.
WordPress Traffic Automation System – Summary
Once you implement the above strategies, all you have to do is rinse and repeat, fine-tuning and refining your methods as you go to grow your traffic and improve your results.
In summary:
- Begin 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 methods if required to help build authority 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 drive more visitors automatically to your website and get better results online.
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"These tutorials have so much information and are easy to understand. If you use WordPress or plan to in the future these will help you with everything you need to know." - Valisa (Mesa, Arizona)
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