Tag: Increase Web Traffic

Welcome to Part Five of our Website Traffic Blueprint article series, where we explain how to turn a site into an automated web traffic machine using the WordPress CMS platform.

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

In Part One of this series, we provide an overview of the traffic automation process, and explain why using an expertly configured WordPress site is the key to generating automated traffic …

(With an expertly configured WordPress website, all you have to do to automatically begin attracting web traffic is publish web content on a regular basis!)

In Part Two, we focus on the setup phase of this blueprint. We explain 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 website, and what to do if your website is built using WordPress.

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

In Part Three, we look at important configuration decisions. We configured all the settings that 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 Four, we showed you how to set up various plugins that can bring traffic automatically to your website simply by adding content.

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

In Part Five of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint article series, we look at ways to optimize traffic generation with different tools and methods.

WordPress Traffic Blueprint – Traffic Optimization Systems

In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress site, 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.

(Automating traffic is the result of a business vision, planning, and great systems)

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

These include:

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

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

Let’s review the above systems briefly:

Marketing Systems

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

• What is your content marketing strategy?
• What resources and portion of your budget will you assign to these channels?
• How will you create your content, sales funnels, and marketing campaigns?
• How will you track conversions and measure the results of your 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 to help you generate some actionable data, such as the keywords people are searching online to find your site, which you can use to create web content targeted specifically to your audience’s needs.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems ensure that your digital presence remains operating efficiently for receiving traffic. There’s no point driving traffic to your site if your site is down or your web pages are taking a very long time to load.

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

Your technical systems can be tested by asking questions such as:

• Who is looking 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 anything go wrong?

Many potential problems can be minimized if your website planning and setup and configuration phases have been done correctly. Like 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 the influx of traffic. This includes:

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

If you plan to outsource your digital marketing and technical services, then you will need good systems in place for managing all outsourcing.

WordPress Web Traffic Automation Blueprint – Traffic Loops

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

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

(Implement and optimize your traffic loop)

Increase Reach And Visibility

Step 1 of the process is to increase visibility for your business.

Useful Tips

• An expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to instantly share your content on social media accounts like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc. The easiest way to increase your reach and visibility online, therefore, is to simply publish more content.
• As mentioned earlier, investing in some paid advertising (e.g. Facebook ads) can help generate actionable and intelligent 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 bring more web traffic using methods like SEO, banner ads, forum ads, etc.

Tools, Plugins, & Strategies

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

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

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

Build Authority And Credibility

Getting more content out there is a great first step, but to make this more effective, your content also needs to be building authority and credibility with visitors.

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 users and that showcases your expertise. This includes content that educates and informs readers, training content, case studies, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing special guides that you can sell or distribute online.

Tools And Strategies

We have created an entire email series designed to help you never run out of great content ideas for posting to your website or blog:

Also, if you haven’t already, 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 & Engagement

At some point, you may want to consider developing “traffic on demand.” You can achieve this by building a list or starting a forum or network.

With “Traffic On Demand,” all of your traffic will come from customers or subscribers – people who already like you and trust you. Your influence and credibility can be used to generate traffic with every blog post you publish, forum post you add, or email you send out.

Useful Tips And Ideas

• Encourage visitors to leave comments and start 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, And Methods

Many solutions and plugins are available that can help increase your influence and improve user engagement. For example:

• List-Building Tools (e.g. Aweber, GetResponse, etc.)
• Contact Forms, Live Chat
• Forums and 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 To These

If you take advantage of incoming traffic to listen to what problems your visitors are trying to solve, you should have no problem coming up with ideas for new services and products, all of which provide new opportunities for generating additional web traffic.

Useful Tips And Ideas

• Create a free or paid online training course.
• Consider publishing a special report or PDF guide that can be sold or distributed online (e.g. sell on Clickbank.
• Consider adding an e-commerce store to your business.

Tools And Strategies

If you plan to provide services, products, and solutions online (as opposed to just providing information), then some of the more useful WordPress 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 to collect and analyze data. By interpreting data gathered from existing traffic, you can discover new opportunities to generate additional traffic.

You should already have installed an analytics tool like Google Analytics on your site. Make sure you understand the metrics and can 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 methods as necessary to 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 visitors automatically to your WordPress web site and build a better business online.

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