Tag: Drive More Traffic To Website

Welcome to Part Five of our Web Traffic Blueprint article series, where we show you how to automate traffic to your website using the WordPress CMS.

So far, we have covered the following in this series:

In Part One of this series, we explain why using an expertly configured WordPress website or blog is the key to generating automated web traffic …

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

In Part Two, we discussed the setup phase of the automation system. We explained 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 site has been built using WordPress.

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

In Part 3, we focused on configuring WordPress. We configured all the settings that can affect your site’s ability to generate traffic automatically …

(In Part Three you will 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 traffic automatically to your website or blog.

(Publish once 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 traffic to your website with different tools and methods.

WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Traffic Optimization Systems

In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress website, generating traffic successfully on a consistent basis is the outcome of a well-defined business vision, careful digital planning, and good systems and process in place.

(Generating regular traffic is the product of having a clear business vision, planning, and excellent systems)

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

These include:

• Marketing Systems – How you create new traffic for your business.
• Technical Systems – The systems and processes used to keep your digital presence operating efficiently for receiving new traffic.
• Business Systems – The systems used to manage and respond to traffic.

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

Let’s review the above systems briefly:

Marketing Systems

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

• What channels will you use to drive traffic (e.g. blogging, facebook advertising, video marketing, etc)?
• How will you apply your budget and resources to these channels?
• Who will create your content, sales funnels, and run your marketing campaigns?
• How will you measure the cost-effectiveness 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. Facebook ads) 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 website, which you can use to create web content better targeted to your audience’s needs.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems and processes ensure that your online presence remains up and running for receiving traffic. There’s no point driving traffic to your website if your site is constantly experiencing problems or your pages are taking a very long time to load.

Your technical systems need to be able to adequately handle technical areas like webhosting, website 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 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 things go wrong?

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

Business Systems

You need good operational systems in place to help you manage and respond to the influx of traffic. This includes:

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

If you plan to outsource areas of your digital marketing and technical maintenance, then you will need excellent systems in place for managing all outsourcing.

WordPress Traffic Blueprint – Optimizing Traffic Generation

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

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

(Traffic loop)

Increase Reach & Visibility

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

Useful Tips And Ideas

• An expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to automatically publish your content on places like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, 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. Facebook ads) can help generate data, which you can use to create web content better targeted to your audience’s needs.
• Repurpose your content to leverage the power, appeal, and reach of different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to increase web traffic using methods like Pinterest ads, videos, email, etc.

Tools And Strategies

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

Also, if you haven’t already, look for WordPress plugins that let you easily add the following to your site:

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

Build Authority And Credibility

Getting more content published is good, but for this activity to be really effective, your content needs to be building authority and credibility with your audience.

Publishing higher quality content not only helps to establish your credibility, it also improves your chances of getting it shared around and hence more visitors.

Traffic Ideas

• Create and publish content that will add value to users and showcase 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.

Plugins, Tools, & Strategies

We have created a complete email training series aimed at helping you come up with unlimited content ideas for posting to your site:

Also, if you haven’t already, see other posts on this site to learn more about 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 Recognition

Grow Influence & Engagement

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

With “Traffic On Tap,” your traffic comes from an audience of customers or subscribers – people who already like you and trust you. Your influence and reputation can be used to generate traffic with a single blog post or email.

Useful Tips

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

Tools, Plugins, & Methods

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

• Autoresponders/Email Newsletters (e.g. Aweber, MailChimp, etc.)
• Contact Forms, Live Chat
• Forums & Discussion Groups (e.g. bbPress, BuddyPress)
• Polls and Surveys
• Webinars (e.g. Webinar JEO)
• Comment sharing
• Add media, video galleries, etc.

Identify Needs & Provide Solutions To These

If you take advantage of incoming traffic to discover what users need, you should have no problem coming up with ideas for new services and products, all of which provide new opportunities to generate additional traffic.

Tips

• Consider creating an online training program.
• Publish a special report or PDF guide that can be sold or distributed online.
• Add an e-commerce store to your site.

Tools & Strategies

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

• 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. Gathering and interpreting data from existing traffic allows you to discover new ways to generate content that can bring you additional traffic.

Hopefully, by now you already have installed an analytics program (e.g. Google Analytics) on your website. Make sure you can also understand the data.

WordPress Web Traffic 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 get better your results.

In summary:

• Start 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 as necessary to 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, now you have a blueprint that will help you automate and optimize the process of driving visitors to your website and get better results online.

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