Tag: Increase Web Traffic

Welcome to Part Five of our Web Site Traffic Blueprint article series, where we explain how to automate traffic to your site using the WordPress CMS platform.

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

In Part One of this article series, we provide an overview of the traffic automation process, and explain why using an expertly configured WordPress website or blog is the key to automating traffic to your site …

(With an expertly configured WordPress blog, all you have to do is add great content consistently to attract new traffic!)

In Part Two, we look at the setup phase. We explain the best way to get started if you don’t have a website yet, how to set things up if you already have a site, and what to do if your existing site was built using WordPress.

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

In Part 3, we discuss important configuration decisions. We configured hosting settings, internal settings, and external settings that affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically …

(In Part Three you learn how to configure all the settings that affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically)

In Part 4, we showed you how to set up various WordPress plugins that can help bring visitors automatically to your site just by adding new content on a consistent basis.

(Publish content one-time and automate your content distribution to all other marketing channels!)

In this article, we look at ways to optimize traffic generation using different tools and methods.

WordPress Web Traffic Automation Blueprint – Traffic Optimization Systems

In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress website, generating consistent traffic of high quality is achieved by having a clear business vision, careful digital planning, and good systems and process in place.

(Optimizing traffic is the product of a business vision, sound planning, and excellent systems)

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

These systems include:

• Marketing Systems – How you create traffic for your business.
• Technical Systems – How you keep your digital presence optimized for receiving new traffic.
• Business Systems – The systems and processes used to manage and respond to traffic.

(Systems help you grow, automate, and manage your traffic)

Let’s briefly review the importance of the above systems:

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 strategy?
• What resources and portion of your budget will you apply to your marketing channels?
• Who will create your content, sales funnels, and marketing campaigns?
• How will you test and measure the cost-effectiveness 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 (e.g. Google AdWords) to help generate some initial 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 and processes keep your digital presence operating efficiently for receiving traffic. There’s no point driving traffic to your website if your site is experiencing problems 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 new applications (e.g. plugins), customization, integration, troubleshooting, etc.

You can test your technical systems by questions such as:

• Who is looking after my webhosting?
• Who is looking after my website and keeping my site, plugins, themes, etc. maintained and up-to-date?
• Who will fix errors, troubleshoot problems, provide technical support and advice, etc. when issues arise?

Many potential problems can be minimized if your website planning and setup and configuration phases have been done correctly. As with all technology, however, there will always be problems. Your technical systems need to be robust enough 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 leads and sales inquiries
• Order fulfillment
• Customer service/training
• etc.

If you intend to outsource your digital marketing and technical services, then make sure you have implemented great systems to manage all outsourcing processes.

WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Traffic Optimization Tools And Methods

If your business objectives are clear and your systems and processes are in place, all you need to focus on are ways to grow, optimize, and further automate a “traffic loop”.

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

(Implement, optimize, and automate your traffic loop)

Increase Reach & Visibility

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

Traffic Optimization Ideas

• Your expertly configured WordPress site allows you to automatically distribute your content to places like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, 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 you generate some initial actionable 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 bring more website traffic using methods like paid advertising, solo ads, cross promotions, etc.

Tools & Methods

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

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

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

Build Authority And Credibility

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

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

Useful Tips

• Focus on content that will add value to potential visitors and showcase your expertise. This includes content that educates and informs readers, training content, user reviews, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing special reports that can be sold or distributed online.

Tools And Methods

If you need great content ideas for your website, then subscribe to our FREE email training series here:

Also, see other posts on this site to learn more about plugins that allow you to 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 do this by building a list or starting an online forum, community, or even your own social network.

With “Traffic On Demand,” all of your traffic comes from customers or subscribers – people who already know you and trust you. Your influence and reputation can be used to generate new traffic with a single post or email broadcast.

Tips

• Encourage users 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, online forum, or social community.
• Create or join an online group on LinkedIn.

Plugins, Tools, & Strategies

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

• Autoresponders/Email Newsletters (e.g. Aweber, MailChimp, 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 Problems And Provide Solutions To These

If you take advantage of incoming traffic to discover what your visitors need, you can develop new products, services, and solutions, all of which can provide you with new opportunities for generating additional traffic.

Tips

• Consider creating a free or paid online training course.
• Publish a “how-to” e-book that you can sell or distribute online.
• Add an e-commerce store to your site.

Tools, Plugins, & Strategies

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 consider adding 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 the collection and analysis of data. By interpreting data gathered from existing traffic, you can discover new opportunities to create content that can generate you additional traffic.

You should have already installed an analytics program like Google Analytics on your site. Make sure you also learn how to interpret the data.

WordPress Traffic Blueprint – Summary

All you have to do once you implement the above strategies is repeat the 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 good marketing, technical and business systems,
• Implement a content marketing strategy (consider also investing in 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 as required to help 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, this post has given you a blueprint that will help you drive more traffic automatically to your web site and grow your business online.

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