Tag: Increase Web Traffic

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

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

In Part 1 of this series, we explained why using an expertly configured WordPress website or blog is the key to generating automated web traffic …

(With an expertly configured WordPress blog, all you have to do to bring more traffic is add web content regularly!)

In Part Two, we focused on the setup phase of the blueprint. We helped you understand the best way to get started if you don’t have a website yet, how to set everything up if you already have a website, and what to do if your existing site was built with WordPress.

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

In Part Three, we looked at important configuration decisions. We explained how to configure all the settings that can affect your site’s ability to generate traffic automatically …

(In Part 3 you will configure all the settings that can affect your website’s traffic-getting ability)

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

(Publish content once, automate the rest!)

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

WordPress Web Traffic System – Traffic Optimization Systems

In addition to getting your WordPress site expertly configured, generating targeted traffic consistently is the product of a clear business vision, careful digital planning, and great systems in place.

(Generating consistent traffic is the product of having a clear business vision, sound planning, and excellent systems)

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

These systems include:

• Marketing Systems – How you drive new traffic to your website.
• Technical Systems – The systems used to ensure that your online presence remains operating efficiently for receiving new traffic.
• Business Systems – The systems used to manage and respond to new traffic.

(Systems help you grow and manage your web traffic)

Let’s briefly review the importance of 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 online marketing systems by asking questions such as:

• What is your online marketing strategy?
• What resources and portion of your marketing budget will you assign to these channels?
• How will you create and optimize your content, sales funnels, and marketing campaigns?
• How will you 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 results. If you’re tracking your marketing campaigns correctly, this should yield some actionable data, such as the keyword phrases people are searching online to find your site, which you can use to create content targeted specifically to your audience’s needs.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems keep your web presence optimized for receiving new traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your website if your site is experiencing problems or your web pages are taking too long to load.

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

You can test your technical systems by questions such as:

• Who will look after my server?
• Who will look after my website and keep my site, plugins, themes, etc. maintained and up-to-date?
• Who will fix errors, troubleshoot problems, provide technical support and advice, etc. should issues occur?

Many potential issues can be minimized if your website planning process and setup and configuration phases have been completed correctly. Like all technology, however, there will always be problems. Your technical systems need to be able to handle these.

Business Systems

Your business systems help you manage the influx of traffic. This includes:

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

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

WordPress Traffic Automation System – Optimizing Traffic Generation

With clear business objectives and great systems in place, all you need to do is focus on how to grow and optimize a “traffic loop”.

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

(WordPress can help implement, automate, and optimize a traffic loop)

Increase Reach & Visibility Online

Step 1 of the process is to increase visibility for your website or blog.

Useful Tips & Ideas

• Your expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to automatically publish your content on places like Facebook, Twitter, GooglePlus, 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 can help generate some initial actionable and intelligent 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.
• Repurpose your content to leverage the power and reach of different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to drive traffic using methods like Pinterest, videos, updates, etc.

Tools, Plugins, & Methods

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

Also, if you haven’t already, look for WordPress plugins that let you easily add the following to your site:

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

Build Authority And Credibility

Getting more content published is good, but to make this activity more effective, your content needs to build authority and credibility with users.

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

Tips

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

Tools And Strategies

We have created an entire email course on how to develop a content marketing strategy, how to promote your business with content, and ways to never run out of new content ideas that you can plug into for free here:

Also, contact us to learn more about 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

As your business grows, you may want to consider developing “traffic on tap.” You can achieve this by growing a list or starting a group.

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

Tips

• 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 a Facebook/LinkedIn Group.

Tools And Methods

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

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

Identify Problems And Provide Solutions To These

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

Useful Tips & Ideas

• Create an e-learning course.
• Consider publishing a special report or PDF guide that you can sell or distribute online (e.g. sell on on the Amazon Kindle book store.
• Add e-commerce to your site.

Plugins, Tools, And Methods

If you plan to provide services and products 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 the collection and analysis of data. Learning to gather and interpret data from existing traffic gives you the opportunity to discover new opportunities to generate additional traffic.

Hopefully, by now you have already installed an analytics tool (e.g. Google Analytics) on your website. Make sure you also learn how to interpret the data.

WordPress Web Traffic System – Summary

All you have to do once you implement the above strategies is repeat the same process, 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 solid 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 required to help build authority and credibility, and also to increase 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 drive more visitors automatically to your web site and improve your business online.

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