Tag: Increase Web Traffic

Welcome to Part Five of our WordPress Web Site Traffic Blueprint article series, where we show you how to create an automated traffic machine using WordPress.

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

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

(With an expertly configured WordPress web site, all you have to do to automatically begin bringing more web traffic is add web content on a consistent basis!)

In Part Two, we look at the setup phase. 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 is built using WordPress.

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

In Part 3, we look at the configuration phase. We configured all the settings (hosting, WordPress and external) that can affect your site’s ability to generate traffic automatically …

(In Part Three you learn 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 the traffic-getting process using a number of plugins.

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

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

WordPress Web Traffic System – Traffic Optimization Systems

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

(Generating automated traffic is the product of a business vision, sound planning, and great systems)

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

These systems include:

• Marketing Systems – The processes and methods used to drive traffic to your website.
• Technical Systems – The systems used to keep your web presence up and running for receiving traffic.
• Business Systems – The systems and processes used to manage and respond to new traffic.

(Systems help you grow 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 new traffic to your website. You can test your online marketing systems by asking questions such as:

• What is your content marketing/online marketing strategy?
• How will you apportion your budget and resources to these marketing channels?
• Who will create your content, sales funnels, and run your marketing campaigns?
• How will you test and measure the ROI of your online marketing 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 you generate some actionable data, such as the keyword phrases people are searching online to find your website, which you can use to create web content targeted specifically to your audience’s needs.

Technical Systems

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

Your systems need to adequately handle technical areas like webhosting, website maintenance and support, installing and updating software (e.g. plugins), integration, customization, troubleshooting, etc.

You can test your technical systems by questions such as:

• Who is looking 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 anything go wrong?

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

Business Systems

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

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

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

WordPress Web Traffic Automation System – Optimizing Traffic Generation

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

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

(An effective traffic loop)

Increase Reach & Visibility

Step 1 of the process is to expose your business to as many members of your target audience as your time and resources will allow.

Traffic Tips

• Your expertly configured WordPress site allows you to automatically publish your content on sites 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.
• Repurpose your content to leverage the power and reach of different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to attract web traffic using methods like LinkedIn advertising, social media, cross promotions, etc.

Tools & Strategies

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

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

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

Build Authority & Credibility

Getting more of your content out there is good, but to make this more effective, your content also needs to build authority and credibility with your audience.

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

Useful Tips & Ideas

• Focus on creating and publishing content that will add value to potential users and showcase your expertise. This includes content that educates and informs readers, training content, user reviews, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing expert reports that you can sell or distribute online.

Plugins, Tools, & Strategies

We have created a complete email series designed to help you come up with limitless content for your website or blog:

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

• 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 growing a list or starting an online forum, community, or even your own social network.

With “Traffic On Demand,” your traffic will come from an audience of 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 email.

Traffic Ideas

• Encourage commenting and discussions on your site.
• Add an email newsletter and encourage people to subscribe.
• Add a paid or free membership site, online forum, or social community.
• Create or join an online group on LinkedIn.

Tools & Methods

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

• Autoresponders/Email Newsletters (e.g. Aweber, GetResponse, etc.)
• Contact Forms, Live Chat
• Forums and Discussion Groups (e.g. bbPress, BuddyPress)
• Polls & Surveys
• Webinars (e.g. Webinar JEO)
• Comment sharing
• Add media, image galleries, etc.

Identify Needs/Problems & Provide Solutions

By taking advantage of incoming traffic to discover what problems your users are trying to solve, you can develop new products and services, all of which provide new opportunities to generate new sources of traffic.

Useful Tips And Ideas

• Consider creating an e-learning program.
• Consider publishing expert reports that you can sell or distribute online (e.g. sell on Amazon.
• Consider adding an e-commerce store to your business.

Tools, Plugins, & 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 website include:

• 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 the collection and analysis of data. Gathering and interpreting data from existing traffic gives you the opportunity to discover new ways to create content that can help you generate additional traffic.

Hopefully, by now you have already installed an analytics program (e.g. Google Analytics) on your site. Make sure you can also understand the data.

WordPress Web 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 get better your results.

In summary:

• Begin 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 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, this information has given you a blueprint that will help you drive more traffic automatically to your WordPress website and build a more successful business online.

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