Tag: Increase Web Traffic

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

So far, we have covered the following in this article series:

In Part 1 of this article series, we described the traffic automation process, and explained why using an expertly configured WordPress website is the key to generating automated traffic …

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

In Part Two, we discussed critical setup decisions. We helped you understand the best way to start 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 site has been built using WordPress.

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

In Part 3, we discussed the configuration phase of the automation blueprint. We configured web hosting settings, WordPress settings, and external settings that affect your website’s traffic-getting ability …

(In Part 3 you will configure all the settings (hosting, internal and external) that can affect your site’s traffic-getting ability)

In Part 4, we discussed ways to automate the traffic-generation process with different WordPress plugins.

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

In this section of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint series, we look at ways to optimize traffic generation using various tools and methods.

WordPress Traffic Blueprint – Traffic Optimization Systems

In addition to getting your WordPress site expertly configured, the key to generating successfully on a consistent basis is having a clear business vision, sound digital planning, and excellent systems and process in place.

(Generating automated traffic is the result of having a clear business vision, planning, and excellent systems)

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

These systems include:

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

(Systems help you grow and manage your traffic)

Let’s briefly review how important these systems are for traffic:

Marketing Systems

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

• What is your online marketing strategy?
• What resources and portion of your budget will you allocate to these channels?
• How will you create and optimize your content, sales funnels, and marketing campaigns?
• How will you test and measure the ROI of your marketing 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 to help you generate some initial 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 online presence up and running for receiving new 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 areas like webhosting, website maintenance and support, installing, configuring, and updating new applications (e.g. plugins), integration, customization, troubleshooting, etc.

You can test your technical systems by questions such as:

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

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

Business Systems

You need good operational systems to help you manage and respond to the influx of new traffic. These include:

• 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 support, then make sure you also implement good systems for managing all outsourcing.

WordPress Traffic Blueprint – Traffic Optimization

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

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

(An effective traffic loop)

Increase Reach And Visibility Online

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

Tips

• Your expertly configured WordPress site allows you to automatically distribute your content to sites 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 you generate some initial actionable data, which you can use to create content better targeted to your audience’s needs.
• Repurpose your content to leverage the power and reach of different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to increase more visitors using methods like Facebook, banner ads, forum ads, etc.

Tools, Plugins, & Methods

We’ve covered a number of useful plugins, tools, and strategies in earlier sections of this article series.

Also, see other posts on this site to learn more about plugins that let you easily add the following to your site:

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

Build Authority And Credibility

Getting more of your 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 your audience.

Publishing better quality content improves your chances of getting it shared around and hence more visitors.

Useful Tips And Ideas

• 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 instructional PDF guides or special reports that can be sold or distributed online (e.g. sell on on the Amazon Kindle book store.

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 web content ideas that you can plug into at no cost here:

Also, ask us 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 And Engagement

As your business grows, you may want to consider developing “traffic on tap.” You can do this by building a list or starting an online community.

With “Traffic On Tap,” most of your traffic will come from an audience of 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 broadcast.

Tips

• Encourage commenting and discussions on your site.
• Add an email newsletter and encourage people to subscribe.
• Add a paid, free, or ‘freemium’ membership site, online forum, or social community.
• Start or join a Facebook/LinkedIn Group.

Plugins, Tools, & Strategies

Many solutions and WordPress plugins are available that are easy to implement and can help increase your online 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 and Surveys
• Webinars (e.g. Webinar JEO)
• Comment sharing
• Add media, video galleries, etc.

Identify Needs & Provide Solutions

If you take advantage of incoming traffic to find out what problems your visitors are trying to solve, you can develop new solutions, all of which can provide you with new opportunities for generating new streams of web traffic.

Traffic Tips

• Create a free or paid e-learning course.
• Publish special guides that you can sell or distribute online.
• Consider adding e-commerce to your business.

Tools And Methods

If you plan to provide products and services online (as opposed to just providing information), then some of the more useful plugins you may want to add to your website or blog 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 to collect and analyze data. Learning to interpret data gathered from existing traffic gives you the opportunity to discover new ways to generate additional traffic.

You should already have installed an analytics program like Google Analytics on your site. Make sure you understand the metrics and can interpret the data.

WordPress Web Traffic Blueprint – 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 (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 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 automate and optimize the process of driving visitors to your web site and get better results online.

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