Tag: Drive More Visitors To WordPress Site

Welcome to Part 5 of our Web Traffic Blueprint article series, where we explain how to automate traffic to your site using the WordPress CMS platform.

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

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

(With an expertly configured WordPress blog, all you have to do to start driving web traffic is post web content on a consistent basis!)

In Part 2, we discuss the setup phase of this system. We explain the best way to get started if you don’t have a web presence yet, how to set things up if you already have a website, and what to do if your existing website has been built using WordPress.

(In Part two we show you where to set up a WordPress web site on your domain)

In Part Three, we discuss configuring WordPress. We configured all the settings that affect your website’s traffic-getting ability …

(In Part 3 you learn how to configure hosting settings, WordPress settings, and external settings that can affect your site’s traffic-getting ability)

In Part 4, we discussed ways to automate traffic to your website with different WordPress plugins.

(Publish content one-time, automate the rest!)

In this article, we look at ways to optimize the traffic generation process with a number of different tools and strategies.

WordPress Traffic Automation System – Traffic Optimization Systems

In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress website, the key to generating consistent traffic of high quality is having a clearly-defined business vision, great digital planning, and great 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 all traffic.

These include:

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

(Systems help you grow, automate, and manage your 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 business. Your online marketing systems can be tested by asking questions such as:

• What channels will you use to generate new traffic (e.g. blogging, PPC advertising, video marketing, etc)?
• What resources and portion of your budget will you apportion to these marketing channels?
• How will you create and optimize your content, sales funnels, and marketing campaigns?
• How will you test 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 (e.g. Google AdWords) to help generate some initial data, such as the keywords people are searching online to find your website, which you can use to create content better targeted to your audience’s needs.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems keep your digital presence optimized for receiving new traffic. There’s no point driving traffic to your website if your site is constantly experiencing problems or your web pages take a long time to load.

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

Your technical systems can be tested by asking 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. should any issues arise?

Many potential issues can be minimized if your website planning and setup and configuration phases have been completed correctly. Like all technology, however, you should expect to face problems. Your technical systems need to be robust enough 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. This includes:

• Communication systems
• Resources management – human, financial
• Handling leads and 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 systems in place to manage all outsourcing processes.

WordPress Traffic Automation System – Optimizing Traffic Generation

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

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

(Implement and optimize a traffic loop)

Increase Reach & Visibility

The first step of the process is to increase visibility for your business.

Traffic Ideas

• Your expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to automatically publish your content on sites like Facebook, Twitter, GooglePlus, etc. The easiest way to increase your reach and visibility online, therefore, is to simply publish more content through your expertly configured WordPress site.
• As mentioned earlier, investing in some paid advertising can help you generate some initial data, which you can use to create 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 increase more visitors using methods like SEO, solo ads, joint ventures, etc.

Tools & Strategies

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

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

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

Build Authority & Credibility

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

Publishing authoritative content improves your chances of getting it shared on other sites and viewed by more people and hence more visitors.

Useful Tips

• Create and publish content that adds value to potential visitors and that showcases your expertise. This includes content that educates and informs readers, training content, case studies, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing a “how-to” e-book that can be sold or distributed online.

Plugins, Tools, & Methods

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

Also, contact us to learn more about 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 Recognition

Grow Influence And Engagement

At some point, you may want to consider developing “traffic on demand.” You can achieve this by building a list or starting an online community or even your own social site.

With “Traffic On Tap,” most of your traffic comes from 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.

Tips

• Encourage commenting and discussions on your site.
• Add an email training course and encourage people to subscribe.
• Add a paid or free membership site.
• Start or join a Facebook/LinkedIn Group.

Plugins, Tools, & Methods

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

• Autoresponders/Email Newsletters (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, image galleries, etc.

Identify Problems And Provide Solutions To These

If you take advantage of incoming traffic to listen to what users are searching for, you should have no problem coming up with ideas for new solutions, all of which can provide you with new opportunities for generating new streams of traffic.

Tips

• Create a free or paid online training course.
• Consider publishing an e-book that you can sell or distribute online (e.g. sell on on the Amazon Kindle store.
• Add an e-commerce store to your business.

Plugins, Tools, And 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 Site plugins (e.g. Wishlist Member, S2 Member, etc.)
• e-Learning Courses (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 also learn how to interpret the data.

WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – 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:

• Start 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 initial 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 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 web site and build a better business online.

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