Tag: Drive More Traffic To Website

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

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

In Part 1 of this article 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 traffic …

(With an expertly configured WordPress site, all you have to do to automatically begin bringing more traffic is add content on a consistent basis!)

In Part 2, we discussed the setup phase of the automation process. We explained 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 website, and what to do if your existing site was built with WordPress.

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

In Part 3, we discuss configuring the system. 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 can affect your website’s traffic-getting ability)

In Part 4, you learned how to set up various WordPress plugins that can bring traffic automatically to your website just by posting web content.

(Publish content one-time and automate your content distribution to all other channels!)

In this article, we look at ways to optimize traffic to your website with a number of different tools and methods.

WordPress Traffic 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, sound digital planning, and excellent systems in place.

(Generating consistent traffic is the product of a business vision, planning, and systems)

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

These include:

• Marketing Systems – How you drive traffic to your business.
• Technical Systems – How you ensure that your online presence remains up and running for receiving traffic.
• Business Systems – How you manage and respond to traffic.

(Systems help you grow, automate, and manage your web traffic)

Let’s briefly review the above systems:

Marketing Systems

Your marketing systems consist of the processes and methods 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 apply to your marketing channels?
• How will you create your content, sales funnels, and marketing campaigns?
• How will you track conversions and measure the results of your online 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 (e.g. pay-per-click ads) to help you generate some 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 site, which you can use to create content better targeted to your audience’s needs.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems and processes keep your digital presence optimized for receiving new traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your website if your site is constantly down or your pages are taking a long time to load.

Your systems include handling 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 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 issues occur?

Many potential issues can be minimized if your planning and setup and configuration phases have been completed correctly. Like all technology, however, you can expect problems. Your technical systems need to be able to handle these.

Business Systems

Your business systems and processes help you manage traffic. This includes:

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

If you intend to outsource key aspects of your digital marketing and technical support, then make sure you have excellent systems in place for managing all outsourcing processes.

WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Traffic Loops

With clear business objectives and great systems in place, all you need to focus on are ways to implement 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 diagram below …

(WordPress can help implement, optimize, and automate your traffic loop)

Increase Reach And Visibility Online

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

Useful Tips And Ideas

• Your expertly configured WordPress site allows 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.
• As mentioned earlier, investing in some paid advertising (e.g. Google AdWords) can help generate some initial data, which you can use to create web content better targeted to your audience.
• Repurpose your content to leverage the power, appeal, and reach of different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to drive traffic using methods like Pinterest advertising, videos, updates, etc.

Tools, Plugins, And Methods

We’ve covered many useful plugins, tools, and methods in earlier sections of this tutorial series.

Also, if you haven’t already, learn more about plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your WordPress website or blog:

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

Build Authority And Credibility

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

Publishing higher quality 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 traffic.

Tips

• Create and publish content that will add value to your audience and showcase your expertise. This includes content that educates and informs readers, training content, case studies, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing instructional PDF guides or special reports that you can sell or distribute online (e.g. sell on Clickbank.

Plugins, Tools, And Strategies

If you need help coming up with great ideas for posting content on your website, we recommend subscribing to our FREE email training series on content marketing here:

Also, see other posts on this site to learn more about plugins that allow you to 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 & Engagement

At some point, you may want to consider developing “traffic on tap.” You can achieve this by building a list or starting an online group.

With “Traffic On Tap,” most of 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 broadcast you send out.

Useful Tips And Ideas

• Encourage commenting and discussions on your site.
• Add an email newsletter and encourage people to subscribe.
• Add a paid or free membership site.
• Start or join an online group on Facebook.

Tools And Methods

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

• Autoresponders/Email Newsletters (e.g. Aweber, MailChimp, 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, image galleries, etc.

Identify Needs And Provide Solutions

By taking advantage of incoming traffic to discover what users want, you should have no problem developing new products, services, and solutions, all of which provide new opportunities for generating new sources of traffic.

Tips

• Create an e-learning program.
• Consider publishing a special report that you can sell or distribute online (e.g. sell on on the Amazon Kindle store.
• Consider adding e-commerce to your site.

Tools 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 or blog 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 to collect and analyze data. Gathering and interpreting data from existing traffic gives you the opportunity to discover new traffic opportunities.

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

WordPress Web Traffic System – Summary

Once you implement the above strategies, all you have to do 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:

• 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 solutions as needed to 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, this article has given you a blueprint that will help you drive more visitors automatically to your WordPress web site and improve your business online.

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