Tag: Increase Web Traffic

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

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

In Part One, we provided an overview of the traffic automation process, and explained why using an expertly configured WordPress website is the key to generating automated web traffic …

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

In Part Two, we focused on the setup phase. We explained the best way to start 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 was built using WordPress.

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

In Part Three, we focused on the configuration phase of the traffic automation system. We configured all the settings (hosting, internal and external) that can affect your website’s traffic-getting ability …

(In Part Three we explain how to configure hosting settings, internal settings, and external settings that affect your website’s traffic-getting ability)

In Part Four, we looked at ways to automate your traffic using plugins.

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

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

WordPress Web Traffic Blueprint – Systems

In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress website, generating targeted traffic on a consistent basis comes comes from the combined outcome of having a clear business vision, sound digital planning, and great systems and process in place.

(Automated 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 your traffic.

These include:

• Marketing Systems – The processes and methods used to create new traffic for your business.
• Technical Systems – The systems and processes used to keep your web presence optimized for receiving 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 methods used to drive traffic to your business. Your online marketing systems can be tested by asking questions such as:

• What is your online marketing strategy?
• What resources and portion of your budget will you allocate to your marketing channels?
• How will you create and optimize your content and marketing campaigns?
• How will you test and measure the results of your 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. Facebook ads) to help generate some actionable data, such as the keyword phrases people are searching online to find your website, which you can use to create content targeted specifically to your audience’s needs.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems and processes ensure that your digital presence remains optimized for receiving new traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your website if your site is constantly down or your pages take a very long time to load.

Your technical systems include handling technical areas like webhosting, website maintenance and support, installing, configuring, and updating new software (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 maintained and up-to-date?
• Who will fix errors, troubleshoot problems, provide technical support and advice, etc. should any problems occur?

Many potential issues can be minimized if your website planning process and setup and configuration phases have been done correctly. Like all technology, however, you should expect to face new problems. You will need the right technical systems in place to handle these.

Business Systems

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

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

If you intend to outsource areas of your digital marketing and technical services, then you will need to put good systems in place to manage all outsourcing processes.

WordPress Traffic Automation System – Traffic Optimization

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

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

(Implementing an effective traffic loop)

Increase Reach And Visibility

The first step of the process is to get your business exposed to as many members of your target audience as your time and resources will allow.

Useful Tips

• An expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to automatically publish your content on places like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. The easiest way to increase your reach and visibility online, therefore, is to simply publish more content online.
• As mentioned earlier, investing in some paid advertising can help generate some initial data, which you can use to create content targeted specifically to your audience.
• Repurpose your content to leverage the power and reach of different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to drive traffic using methods like Pinterest advertising, banner ads, Reddit, etc.

Tools & Methods

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

Also, 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 with others,
• Run contests, offer downloads or discounts for shares/likes,
• Accept user generated content, feeds, etc.
• Distribute content online in other media formats (e.g. videos, PDF guides, infographics, etc.)

Build Authority And Credibility

Getting more of your content out there is great, but to make this activity more effective, your content needs to be building authority and credibility with users.

Publishing higher quality content improves your chances of getting more shares and views and hence more visitors.

Tips

• Create and publish content that adds value to your audience and that showcases your expertise. This includes content that educates and informs readers, training content, case studies, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing PDF guides that can be sold or distributed online.

Tools And Strategies

We have created a comprehensive email 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, if you haven’t already, ask us 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 Trust

Grow Influence & Engagement

As your business grows, 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 network.

With “Traffic On Demand,” 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.

Traffic Ideas

• Encourage visitors 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.
• Start or join an online group on LinkedIn/Facebook.

Tools & Strategies

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

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

Identify Needs/Problems And Provide Solutions To These

If you take advantage of incoming traffic to find out what your visitors are looking for, you can have an endless funnel of ideas for developing new solutions, all of which provide new opportunities for generating new sources of web traffic.

Useful Tips & Ideas

• Consider creating a free or paid e-learning course.
• Consider publishing a training guide that you can sell or distribute online.
• Consider adding e-commerce to your site.

Tools And Methods

If you plan to provide products and services online (as opposed to just providing information), then some of the more useful WordPress plugins you may want to add 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.

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

WordPress Traffic System – 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:

• Begin with an expertly configured WordPress site backed by solid 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 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 WordPress website and expand your business online.

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