Tag: Increase Web Traffic

Welcome to Part 5 of our Website Traffic Blueprint article series, where we show you how to drive new visitors automatically to your website using WordPress.

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

In Part 1, we explain why using an expertly configured WordPress website is the key to generating automated web traffic …

(With an expertly configured WordPress site, all you have to do to automatically start generating web traffic is publish web content consistently!)

In Part 2, we looked at the setup phase of the traffic automation process. We explained the best way to get started if you don’t have a web presence yet, how to set things up if you already have a website, and what to do if your existing site was built using WordPress.

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

In Part 3, we discussed important configuration decisions. We configured all the settings (hosting, internal and external) that affect your site’s ability to generate traffic automatically …

(In Part 3 you learn how to configure hosting settings, WordPress settings, and external settings that can affect your site’s traffic-getting ability)

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

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

In this section of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint article series, we discuss ways to optimize traffic to your website with different tools and methods.

WordPress Web Traffic Automation System – Traffic Optimization Systems

In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress site, the key to generating successfully on a consistent basis is having a well-defined business vision, great digital planning, and excellent systems in place.

(Generating regular traffic is the product of a business vision, sound planning, and systems)

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

These systems include:

• Marketing Systems – The processes and strategies used to drive traffic to your website.
• Technical Systems – How you ensure that your digital presence remains up and running for receiving traffic.
• Business Systems – How you manage and respond to new traffic.

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

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

Marketing Systems

Your marketing systems consist of the processes and methods used to drive new traffic to your website. Your online marketing systems can be tested by asking questions such as:

• What is your content marketing/online marketing strategy?
• How will you apportion your marketing budget and resources to these channels?
• How will you create your content and run your marketing campaigns?
• How will you test and measure the ROI 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 to help generate some actionable data, such as the keyword phrases people are searching online to find your website, which you can use to create web content better targeted 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 experiencing problems or your pages are taking too long to load.

Your systems include handling technical areas like webhosting, website maintenance and support, installing, configuring, and updating new applications (e.g. plugins), customization, integration, troubleshooting, etc.

You can test your technical systems by questions such as:

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

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

Business Systems

You need good operational systems in place to help you manage the influx of traffic. These include:

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

If you intend to outsource your digital marketing and technical maintenance, then make sure you also implement good systems for managing all outsourcing.

WordPress Traffic System – Traffic Optimization Tools & Strategies

With clear business objectives and great systems in place, all you need to focus your efforts on is implementing and optimizing a “traffic loop”.

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

(Implement, automate, and optimize a traffic loop)

Increase Reach And Visibility Online

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

Traffic Tips

• Your expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to automatically syndicate your content to sites 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 (e.g. Facebook ads) can help generate some initial 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 drive visitors using methods like Twitter advertising, podcasts, email ads, etc.

Tools, Plugins, And Strategies

We’ve covered many useful tools, plugins, and strategies in earlier sections of this tutorial series.

Also, contact us to learn more about WordPress plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your website or blog:

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

Build Authority & Credibility

Getting more of your content out there is good, but for this activity to be really effective, your content also needs to be building authority and credibility with visitors.

Publishing better quality content not only helps to establish your credibility, it also improves your chances of getting more views from social sharing and hence more traffic.

Useful Tips And Ideas

• Focus on creating and publishing 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 a “how to” guide that can be sold or distributed online.

Tools And Methods

We have created a detailed course on content creation that you can plug into for free here:

Also, if you haven’t already, contact us to learn more about 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 Recognition

Grow Influence And Engagement

At some point, you may want to consider developing “traffic on demand.” You can do this by growing a list or starting a group.

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 traffic with a single post or email.

Tips

• Encourage visitors to leave comments and start discussions on your site.
• Add an email training course and encourage people to subscribe.
• Add a free or paid membership site, online forum, or social community.
• Start or join an online group on Facebook.

Tools & Strategies

There are many solutions and plugins that can help increase your influence and improve engagement. For example:

• List-Building Solutions (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, video galleries, etc.

Identify Needs/Problems & Provide Solutions To These

If you take advantage of incoming traffic to discover what users need, you can develop new services, products, and solutions, all of which provide new opportunities to generate new streams of web traffic.

Useful Tips & Ideas

• Create an e-learning course.
• Publish special guides that you can sell or distribute online (e.g. sell on Clickbank.
• Add e-commerce to your site.

Tools And Strategies

If you plan to provide products and services online (as opposed to just providing information), see other posts and tutorials on this site to learn more about WordPress plugins that let you easily add the following to your site:

• 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 lets you discover new ways to generate content that can bring you additional traffic.

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

WordPress Traffic Automation 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 improve 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 methods as needed to help build authority and credibility, and also to improve 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, this information has given you a blueprint that will help you drive more traffic automatically to your web site and build a more successful business online.

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