Tag: Increase Web Traffic

Welcome to Part Five of our WordPress Web Traffic Blueprint article series, where we show you how to grow your business online automatically using the WordPress CMS platform.

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

In Part 1 of this article series, we describe the traffic automation process, and explain why using an expertly configured WordPress website is the key to automating traffic to your website …

(With an expertly configured WordPress website, all you have to do to begin attracting new traffic is publish web content regularly!)

In Part 2, we focus on critical setup decisions. We explain the best way to get started if you don’t have a web presence yet, how to set everything up if you already have a website, and what to do if your website was built using WordPress.

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

In Part Three, we look at the configuration phase. We explained how to configure web hosting settings, WordPress settings, and external settings that can affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically …

(In Part 3 you learn how to configure all the settings that can affect your site’s traffic-getting ability)

In Part 4, we showed you how to set up various plugins that can help drive traffic automatically to your site.

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

In Part Five of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint series, we look at ways to optimize the traffic system with a number of different tools and methods.

WordPress Traffic System – Systems

In addition to getting your WordPress website or blog expertly configured, generating traffic successfully on a consistent basis is achieved by having a well-defined business vision, great digital planning, and excellent systems in place.

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

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

These include:

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

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

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

Marketing Systems

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

• What channels will you use to generate traffic (e.g. blogging, PPC advertising, video marketing, etc)?
• What resources and portion of your budget will you assign to these channels?
• How will you create and optimize your content 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 to help generate some initial data, such as the keywords people are searching online to find your website, which you can use to create content better targeted to your audience.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems and processes ensure that your web 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 a long time to load.

Your technical systems need to be able to adequately handle technical areas like webhosting, site maintenance and support, installing and updating new applications (e.g. plugins), customization, integration, troubleshooting, etc.

Your technical systems can be tested by asking questions such as:

• Who will look 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 things go wrong?

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

Business Systems

You need good operational systems to help you manage traffic. This includes:

• Communication systems
• Managing human and financial resources
• Handling sales inquiries
• Order fulfillment
• Customer service/training
• etc.

If you intend to outsource your digital marketing and technical services, then make sure you have good systems in place for managing all outsourcing processes.

WordPress Traffic Blueprint – Optimizing Traffic Generation

If your business objectives are clear and your systems and processes are in place, all you need to focus your efforts on is growing and optimizing your “traffic loop”.

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

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

Increase Reach And Visibility

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

Useful Tips

• An expertly configured WordPress site allows you to instantly notify and publicize your content to social media accounts 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 you generate actionable 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.
• Repurpose your content to leverage the power and reach of different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to increase more website visitors using methods like Twitter, YouTube, email, etc.

Tools, Plugins, And Strategies

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

Also, if you haven’t already, contact us to learn more about plugins that let you easily add the following to your website or blog:

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

Build Authority And Credibility

Getting more content out there is a great first step, but to make this more effective, your content also needs to build authority and credibility with visitors.

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 visitors.

Traffic Optimization Ideas

• Create and publish content that adds value to users and that showcases 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 you can sell or distribute online.

Plugins, 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 web content ideas that you can plug into for free here:

Also, contact us 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 & Engagement

At some point, you may want to consider developing “traffic on demand.” You can achieve this by growing a list or starting an online forum, membership site, or even your own social network.

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

Traffic Ideas

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

Plugins, Tools, And Strategies

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

• Autoresponders/Email Newsletters (e.g. Aweber, GetResponse, etc.)
• Contact Forms, Live Chat
• Forums and Social Communities (e.g. bbPress, BuddyPress)
• Polls & Surveys
• Webinars (e.g. Webinar JEO)
• Comment sharing
• Add media, image galleries, etc.

Identify Problems And Provide Solutions

By taking advantage of incoming traffic to find out what problems your users are trying to solve, you should have no problem coming up with ideas for new services, products, and solutions, all of which provide new opportunities for generating new streams of web traffic.

Useful Tips

• Consider creating a free or paid e-learning program.
• Consider publishing an instructional e-book that you can sell or distribute online (e.g. sell on Clickbank.
• Add e-commerce to your business.

Tools, Plugins, & Methods

If you plan to provide products, services, and solutions online (as opposed to just providing information), look for plugins that let you easily add the following to your site:

• 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 interpreting data gathered from existing traffic, you can discover new opportunities to generate additional traffic.

You should have already installed an analytics program (e.g. Google Analytics) on your site. Make sure you can also understand the data.

WordPress 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:

• Start with an expertly configured WordPress site backed by solid marketing, technical and business systems,
• Implement a content marketing strategy (with 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 needed 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, this post has given you a blueprint that will help you drive more traffic automatically to your web site and build a better business online.

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