Tag: Increase Web Traffic

Welcome to Part 5 of our Web Site Traffic Blueprint article series, where we show you how to turn a site into an automated traffic machine using WordPress.

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

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

(With an expertly configured WordPress website, all you have to do is post great content consistently to automatically start attracting traffic!)

In Part Two, we focused on critical setup decisions. We explained the best way to start if you don’t have a website yet, how to set things up if you already have a website, and what to do if your website was built using WordPress.

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

In Part 3, we looked at configuring WordPress. We configured hosting settings, internal settings, and external settings that affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically …

(In Part Three we show you how to configure hosting settings, internal settings, and external settings that affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically)

In Part 4, we looked at ways to automate your traffic using various WordPress plugins.

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

In Part 5 of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint series, we look at ways to optimize the traffic generation process using different tools and strategies.

WordPress Traffic Automation System – Systems

In addition to getting your WordPress website or blog expertly configured, the key to generating successfully on a consistent basis is having a well-defined business vision, great digital planning, and good systems and process in place.

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

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

These include:

• Marketing Systems – The processes and strategies used to create new traffic for your business.
• Technical Systems – The systems and processes used to ensure that your digital presence remains optimized for receiving new traffic.
• Business Systems – The systems and processes used to manage and respond to traffic.

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

Let’s briefly review the above systems:

Marketing Systems

Your marketing systems consist of the processes and strategies used to create traffic for your business. You can test your marketing systems by asking questions such as:

• What is your content marketing strategy?
• How will you apply your budget and resources to these marketing channels?
• Who will create and optimize your content, sales funnels, and marketing campaigns?
• How will you test and measure the cost-effectiveness of your online marketing campaigns?

During the setup and configuration phase, you would 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 keyword phrases people are searching online to find your website, which you can use to create content better targeted to your audience.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems and processes keep your online presence up and running for receiving traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your website if your site is down or your web pages take a very 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.

You can test your technical systems by questions such as:

• Who is looking after my webhosting?
• Who will look after my website and keep my site 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 website planning and setup and configuration phases have been completed correctly. As with all technology, however, you should expect to face problems. You will need the right technical systems in place to handle these.

Business Systems

You need good operational systems and processes to help you manage and respond to new traffic. This includes:

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

If you plan to outsource your digital marketing and technical services, then make sure you also implement good systems to manage all outsourcing processes.

WordPress Web Traffic Automation Blueprint – Traffic Optimization Strategies

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

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

(Implement, automate, and optimize a traffic loop)

Increase Reach & Visibility

Step 1 of the process is to get your business exposed to as many traffic generation sites and channels as you can.

Useful Tips And Ideas

• Your expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to instantly notify and publicize your content to 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 through your expertly configured WordPress site.
• As mentioned earlier, investing in some paid advertising 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 and reach of different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to bring more website traffic using methods like Facebook advertising, solo ads, updates, etc.

Tools & Methods

See earlier sections of this article series for a number of useful tools, plugins, and methods we’ve already covered to help you reach more members of your target audience.

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:

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

Build Authority & Credibility

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

Publishing higher quality content improves your chances of getting it shared on other sites and hence more visitors.

Tips

• Create and publish content that will add value to potential users and showcase your expertise. This includes content that informs and educates readers, training content, user reviews, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing a PDF guide that you can sell or distribute online (e.g. sell on Clickbank.

Tools, Plugins, And Methods

If you need great content ideas for your website, we recommend subscribing to our email training series here:

Also, contact us 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 Recognition

Grow Influence And Engagement

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

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

Useful Tips & Ideas

• Encourage commenting and discussions on your site.
• Add an email training course and encourage people to subscribe.
• Add a free or paid membership site.
• Create or join an online group on LinkedIn.

Plugins, Tools, & Strategies

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

• Autoresponders (e.g. Aweber, GetResponse, etc.)
• Contact Forms, Live Chat
• Forums & Social Communities (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 find out what users need, you can have an endless funnel of ideas for developing new products, services, and solutions, all of which can provide you with new opportunities to generate new sources of web traffic.

Useful Tips & Ideas

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

Tools & Strategies

If you plan to provide solutions online (as opposed to just providing information), learn more about plugins that let you easily add the following to your website or blog:

• Membership Site plugins (e.g. Wishlist Member, S2 Member, etc.)
• Learning Management Systems (e.g. Courseware)
• Event Registrations (e.g. EventEspresso)

Analyze Data & Feedback

The final step of the process is to collect and analyze data. By learning to interpret data gathered from existing traffic, you can discover new opportunities to generate content that can bring you additional traffic.

You should already have installed an analytics tool like Google Analytics on your site. Make sure you also learn how to interpret the data.

WordPress Traffic Blueprint – 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 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 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 methods if required to help build authority 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, now you have a blueprint that will help you drive more traffic automatically to your web site and build a better business online.

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