Tag: Drive More Visitors To WordPress Site

Welcome to Part 5 of our WordPress Web Traffic Blueprint article series, where we explain how to create an automated web traffic machine using the WordPress CMS platform.

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

In Part 1, we explain why using an expertly configured WordPress site is the key to automating traffic to your website …

(With an expertly configured WordPress site, all you have to do to begin attracting web traffic is post new content on a consistent basis!)

In Part 2, we discuss critical setup decisions. We help 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 where to set up a WordPress site on your domain)

In Part 3, we look at important configuration decisions. We configured web hosting settings, internal settings, and external settings that can affect your site’s ability to generate traffic automatically …

(In Part Three you will configure all the settings that can affect your site’s ability to generate traffic automatically)

In Part Four, you learned how to set up various WordPress plugins that can bring new traffic automatically to your website as you begin posting new content regularly.

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

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

WordPress Traffic Blueprint – Systems

In addition to getting your WordPress website expertly configured, generating quality traffic on a consistent basis is achieved by having a clear business vision, sound digital planning, and excellent systems in place.

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

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

These include:

• Marketing Systems – The processes and strategies used to drive traffic to your website.
• Technical Systems – How you ensure that your web presence remains up and running for receiving traffic.
• Business Systems – How you manage and respond to new traffic.

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

Let’s review the above systems briefly:

Marketing Systems

Your marketing systems consist of the processes and methods used to create traffic for your business. 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 these channels?
• Who will create your content and marketing campaigns?
• How will you track conversions and measure the cost-effectiveness of your online 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 actionable data, such as the keyword phrases people are searching online to find your site, 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 web presence remains operating efficiently for receiving traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your website if your site is experiencing problems or your pages take a long time to load.

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

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

• Who is looking 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. should anything go wrong?

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

Business Systems

You need good business systems and processes in place to help you manage new traffic. These include:

• Communication systems
• Managing human and financial resources
• Handling leads and sales enquiries
• Order fulfillment
• Customer service/training
• etc.

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

WordPress Web Traffic Automation System – Traffic Loops

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

Let’s walk 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 Online

Step 1 of the process is to expose your business to as many traffic generation sites and channels as your time and resources will allow.

Tips

• Your expertly configured WordPress site allows you to instantly notify and publicize your content to social media accounts like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, 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 you generate data, which you can use to create content targeted specifically to your audience.
• Repurpose your content to leverage different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to drive more visitors using methods like Pinterest advertising, banner ads, email, etc.

Tools, Plugins, And Strategies

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

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

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

Build Authority And Credibility

Getting more content out there is a great first step, but for this activity to be really effective, your content needs to build authority and credibility with visitors.

Publishing better quality content improves your chances of getting more views from social sharing and hence more traffic.

Tips

• 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 PDF guides that can be sold or distributed online (e.g. sell on on the Amazon Kindle book store.

Tools And Strategies

We have created a detailed email course on how to develop a content marketing strategy, how to promote your business with content, and ways to never run out of new content ideas that you can plug into at no cost here:

Also, if you haven’t already, look for 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

As your business grows, you may want to consider developing “traffic on tap.” You can do this by building a list or starting an online community or even your own social site.

With “Traffic On Tap,” all of your traffic will come from customers or subscribers – people who already know you and trust you. Your influence and reputation can be used to generate traffic with a single post or broadcast.

Useful Tips

• Encourage visitors to leave comments and start discussions on your site.
• Add an autoresponder training course and encourage people to subscribe.
• Add a free or paid membership site, online forum, or social community.
• Start or join an online group on Facebook.

Tools, Plugins, & Strategies

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

• List-Building Tools (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 Needs And Provide Solutions

By taking advantage of incoming traffic to discover what your visitors need, you should have no problem coming up with ideas for new services and products, all of which can provide you with new opportunities to generate additional web traffic.

Traffic Optimization Ideas

• Create an online training course.
• Publish an educational guide that you can sell or distribute online (e.g. sell on Amazon.
• Consider adding e-commerce to your business.

Tools & Strategies

If you plan to provide services and products online (as opposed to just providing information), then some of the more useful WordPress plugins you may want to add 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 to collect and analyze data. Gathering and interpreting data from existing traffic gives you the opportunity to discover new traffic opportunities.

Hopefully, by now you already have installed an analytics tool (e.g. Google Analytics) on your site. Make sure you also learn how to interpret the data.

WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Summary

All you have to do once you implement the above strategies 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 (with 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 needed to build authority, trust, and credibility, and also to increase 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, this article has given you a blueprint that will help you drive more traffic automatically to your web site and grow your business online.

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