Tag: Increase Web Traffic

Welcome to Part Five of our Website Traffic Blueprint article series, where we show you how to drive visitors automatically to your site using the WordPress CMS.

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

In Part 1, we provide an overview of the traffic automation process, and explain why using an expertly configured WordPress website or blog is the key to generating automated traffic …

(With an expertly configured WordPress website or blog, all you have to do is add fresh content regularly to generate web traffic!)

In Part Two, we discuss the setup phase. We explain the best way to get started if you don’t have a website yet, how to set things up if you already have a site, and what to do if your website is built using WordPress.

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

In Part 3, we discussed the configuration phase. We configured all the settings that can affect your site’s ability to generate traffic automatically …

(In Part 3 you will configure hosting settings, internal settings, and external settings that can affect your site’s ability to generate traffic automatically)

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

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

In this section of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint series, we discuss ways to optimize your traffic with different tools and methods.

WordPress Web Traffic System – Systems

In addition to getting your WordPress site expertly configured, generating traffic successfully on a consistent basis is the product of a clear business vision, careful digital planning, and good systems and process in place.

(Optimized traffic is the result of a business vision, sound planning, and excellent systems)

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

These include:

• Marketing Systems – The processes and strategies used to drive new traffic to your business.
• Technical Systems – The systems and processes used to keep your online presence optimized for receiving new traffic.
• Business Systems – The systems used to manage and respond to 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 strategies used to drive traffic to your business. You can test your online marketing systems by asking questions such as:

• What channels do you plan to use to generate traffic (e.g. blogging, video marketing, etc)?
• What resources and portion of your budget will you apportion to these marketing channels?
• How will you create your content and run your marketing campaigns?
• How will you test and measure the ROI 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 content better targeted to your audience.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems and processes keep your digital presence operating efficiently 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 too long to load.

Your technical systems include handling technical areas like webhosting, website maintenance and support, installing, configuring, and updating new applications (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 any problems occur?

Many potential problems can be minimized if your website planning and setup and configuration phases have been completed correctly. Like all technology, however, new problems will always arise. You will need the right technical systems in place to handle these.

Business Systems

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

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

If you intend to outsource your digital marketing and technical support, then you will need excellent systems in place to manage all outsourcing processes.

WordPress Web Traffic Blueprint – Optimizing Traffic Generation

With clear business objectives and great systems in place, all you need to focus on are ways to implement and optimize your “traffic loop”.

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

(Traffic loop)

Increase Reach And Visibility Online

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

Traffic Optimization Tips

• Your expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to automatically distribute your content to places 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 (e.g. Google AdWords) can help you generate 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.
• Repurpose your content to leverage different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to attract more web visitors using methods like Twitter ads, podcasts, forum ads, etc.

Tools And Methods

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

Also, ask us about WordPress plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your website:

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

Build Authority And Credibility

Getting more of your content published is a great first step, but to make this more effective, your content needs to build authority and credibility with your audience.

Publishing better quality content not only helps to establish your credibility, it also improves your chances of getting more shares and views and hence more visitors.

Useful 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, user reviews, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing instructional PDF guides or special reports that you can sell or distribute online (e.g. sell on Amazon.

Tools, Plugins, And Methods

We have created an entire email course on content creation that you can plug into at no cost here:

Also, see other posts on this site to learn more about WordPress 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 Trust

Grow Influence And Engagement

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

With “Traffic On Demand,” your traffic comes from customers or subscribers – people who already know you and trust you. Your influence and reputation can be used to generate new traffic with every blog post you publish, forum post you add, or email you send out.

Tips

• Encourage users to leave comments and start discussions on your site.
• Add an autoresponder newsletter and encourage people to subscribe.
• Add a paid or free membership site, online forum, or social community.
• Start or join a Facebook/LinkedIn Group.

Plugins, Tools, And Strategies

There are many solutions and plugins that can help increase your online influence and improve user engagement. For example:

• Autoresponders (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, video galleries, etc.

Identify Needs/Problems And Provide Solutions

If you take advantage of incoming traffic to listen to what problems your users are trying to solve, you should have no problem developing new products and services, all of which can provide you with new opportunities to generate additional web traffic.

Tips

• Create an e-learning program.
• Consider publishing educational guides or special reports that you can sell or distribute online.
• Add e-commerce to your site.

Plugins, Tools, And Methods

If you plan to provide services, products, and solutions online (as opposed to just providing information), look for plugins that let you easily add the following to your site:

• Membership Sites (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. Learning to interpret data gathered from existing traffic lets you discover new opportunities to create content that can help you generate additional traffic.

Hopefully, by now you already have installed an analytics tool like Google Analytics on your website. Make sure you understand the metrics and can interpret the data.

WordPress Traffic System – 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 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 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, 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 web site and build a more successful business online.

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