Tag: Drive More Traffic To Website

Welcome to Part Five of our Website Traffic Blueprint article series, where we show you how to create an automated web traffic generating machine using the WordPress CMS.

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 is the key to automating traffic to your website …

(With an expertly configured WordPress site, all you have to do to automatically attract new web traffic is post new content regularly!)

In Part Two, we look at critical setup decisions. We explain 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 site was built using WordPress.

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

In Part 3, we focus on the configuration phase of the blueprint. We configured webhosting settings, WordPress settings, and external settings that can affect your site’s traffic-getting ability …

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

In Part 4, we showed you how to set up various WordPress plugins that can help bring web traffic automatically to your website or blog.

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

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

WordPress Traffic System – Traffic Optimization Systems

In addition to getting your WordPress website expertly configured, generating traffic successfully on a consistent basis is achieved by having a clearly-defined business vision, careful digital planning, and excellent systems in place.

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

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

These include:

• Marketing Systems – The processes and methods used to create traffic for your business.
• Technical Systems – The systems used to ensure that your online presence remains operating efficiently for receiving new traffic.
• Business Systems – The systems and processes used to manage and respond to new traffic.

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

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

Marketing Systems

Your marketing systems consist of the processes and strategies used to drive new traffic to your business. You can test your marketing systems by asking questions such as:

• What channels do you plan to use to drive traffic (e.g. blogging, video marketing, etc)?
• What resources and portion of your budget will you apportion to your marketing channels?
• Who will create your content and run your marketing campaigns?
• How will you test 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 you generate some initial results. 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 website, which you can use to create content targeted specifically to your audience’s needs.

Technical Systems

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

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

You can test your technical systems by questions such as:

• Who looks after my server?
• Who is looking after my website and keeping my site, plugins, themes, etc. maintained and up-to-date?
• Who will fix errors, troubleshoot problems, provide technical support and advice, etc. if you experience difficulties?

Many potential problems can be minimized if your website planning process and setup and configuration phases have been done correctly. As with all technology, however, you will run into problems. You will need the right technical systems in place to handle these.

Business Systems

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

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

If you plan to outsource areas of your digital marketing and technical services, then make sure you also implement excellent systems to manage all outsourcing processes.

WordPress Traffic Blueprint – Traffic Loops

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

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

(Implementing an effective traffic loop)

Increase Reach And Visibility

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

Useful Tips And Ideas

• Your expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to instantly notify and publicize your content to traffic-getting sources like Facebook, Twitter, GooglePlus, 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 actionable data such as the keyword phrases people are searching online to find your site, which you can use to create content targeted specifically to your audience.
• Repurpose your content to leverage the power, appeal, and reach of different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to get web traffic using methods like SEO, videos, forum ads, etc.

Plugins, Tools, & Methods

See previous sections of this tutorial series for many useful tools, plugins, and strategies we’ve already covered to help you reach more members of your target audience.

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

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

Build Authority And Credibility

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

Publishing authoritative content not only helps to establish your credibility, it also improves your chances of getting it shared around and viewed by more people and hence more visitors.

Tips

• 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, case studies, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing a special report that can be sold or distributed online.

Tools, Plugins, And Methods

We have created a complete email series aimed at helping you never run out of content for your site:

Also, look for WordPress plugins that let you easily add the following to your website:

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

Grow Influence & 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 network.

With “Traffic On Tap,” most of your traffic comes from customers or subscribers – people who already like you and trust you. Your influence and credibility can be used to generate new traffic with every blog post you publish or broadcast you send out.

Traffic Optimization Ideas

• Encourage users to leave comments and start discussions on your site.
• Add an email training course and encourage people to subscribe.
• Add a paid, free, or ‘freemium’ membership site.
• Create or join a Facebook/LinkedIn Group.

Tools, Plugins, And Methods

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

• Autoresponders/Email Newsletters (e.g. Aweber, MailChimp, 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 And Provide Solutions

By taking advantage of incoming traffic to listen to what your visitors are searching for, you can have an endless funnel of ideas for new solutions, all of which can provide you with new opportunities for generating new sources of web traffic.

Traffic Optimization Ideas

• Consider creating an online training course.
• Publish a special report that you can sell or distribute online (e.g. sell on on the Amazon Kindle store.
• Consider adding an e-commerce store to your business.

Tools, Plugins, And Strategies

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

• 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 the collection and analysis of data. By learning to interpret data gathered from existing traffic, you can 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 repeat the process, 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 also investing in 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 necessary to help 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 website and get better results online.

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