Tag: Increase Web Traffic

Welcome to Part Five of our Web Traffic Blueprint article series, where we explain how to turn your site into an automated web traffic machine using WordPress.

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

In Part One, we describe the traffic automation process, and explain why using an expertly configured WordPress site is the key to automating traffic to your site …

(With an expertly configured WordPress web site, all you have to do to automatically attract more web traffic is post content regularly!)

In Part Two, we focused on critical setup decisions. We explained the best way to get started 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 has been built using WordPress.

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

In Part 3, we focused on important configuration decisions. We configured hosting settings, internal settings, and external settings 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 can affect your website’s traffic-getting ability)

In Part 4, we looked at ways to automate the traffic system with plugins.

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

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

WordPress Web Traffic Automation System – Systems

In addition to getting your WordPress website expertly configured, generating traffic successfully on a consistent basis is the outcome of a clear business vision, sound digital planning, and good systems in place.

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

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

These systems include:

• Marketing Systems – The processes and strategies used to create traffic for your website.
• Technical Systems – How you ensure that your online presence remains operating efficiently for receiving new traffic.
• Business Systems – The systems used to manage and respond to new 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 drive traffic to your website. Your online marketing systems can be tested by asking questions such as:

• What channels will you use to generate new traffic (e.g. blogging, video marketing, etc)?
• What resources and portion of your budget will you apportion to these channels?
• Who will create and optimize your content and run your marketing campaigns?
• How will you track conversions and measure the cost-effectiveness of your online 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. Facebook ads) to help you generate some actionable data, such as the keywords 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 ensure that your online presence remains optimized for receiving traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your website if your site is constantly down or your web pages take a long time to load.

Your technical systems need to be able to adequately handle technical areas like webhosting, website maintenance and support, installing and updating software (e.g. plugins), customization, integration, 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, 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 issues can be minimized if your website planning and setup and configuration phases have been completed correctly. As with all technology, however, new problems will arise. You will need the right technical systems in place to handle these.

Business Systems

Your business systems and processes 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 plan to outsource key aspects of your digital marketing and technical support, then make sure you have implemented good systems for managing all outsourcing processes.

WordPress Web Traffic System – Traffic Optimization Strategies

With clear business objectives and great systems in place, all you need to focus on are ways to grow your “traffic loop”.

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

(Traffic loop)

Increase Reach & Visibility

The first step of the process is to increase visibility for your business and website.

Tips

• Your expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to automatically syndicate your content to sites 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 can help generate some initial actionable data, 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 bring more web traffic using methods like Pinterest ads, banner ads, email, etc.

Plugins, Tools, & Strategies

We’ve already covered a number of excellent tools and strategies in previous sections of this article series.

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

• Share your posts online with others,
• Run contests, offer discounts or downloads for shares/likes,
• Add user generated content, feeds, etc.
• Publish and distribute content online in other 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 not only helps to establish your credibility, it also improves your chances of getting more people to link to it and share it with others and hence more traffic.

Traffic Tips

• Create and publish content that will add value to your audience 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 (e.g. sell on Amazon.

Plugins, Tools, And Strategies

We have created a detailed 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 at no cost here:

Also, learn more about WordPress plugins that let you 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 do this by building a list or starting an online forum or network.

With “Traffic On Tap,” most of your traffic comes from an audience of existing customers or subscribers – people who already like you and trust you. Your influence and reputation can be used to generate new traffic with every post you publish or broadcast you send out.

Tips

• Encourage users to leave comments and start discussions on your site.
• Add an autoresponder newsletter and encourage people to subscribe.
• Add a free or paid membership site.
• Create or join an online group on LinkedIn/Facebook.

Tools & Strategies

Many solutions and plugins are available that can help increase 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, video galleries, etc.

Identify Problems & Provide Solutions

If you take advantage of incoming traffic to discover what problems your visitors are trying to solve, you can have an endless funnel of ideas for developing new services, products, and solutions, all of which can provide you with new opportunities to generate additional web traffic.

Traffic Ideas

• Consider creating a free or paid e-learning course.
• Consider publishing a special report that you can sell or distribute online (e.g. sell on Amazon.
• Consider adding e-commerce to your site.

Plugins, 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 include:

• Membership Sites (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 learning to interpret data gathered from existing traffic, you can discover new ways to generate content that can bring you additional traffic.

Hopefully, by now you have already installed an analytics tool like Google Analytics on your website. Make sure you understand the metrics and features and can interpret the data.

WordPress Web Traffic Automation 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 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 solutions as required to build authority and credibility, and also to improve 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 automate and optimize the process of driving traffic to your website and build a better business online.

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