Tag: Increase Web Traffic

Welcome to Part 5 of our Web Traffic Blueprint article series, where we show you how to automate traffic to your website using the WordPress CMS.

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

In Part One of this series, we provided an overview of 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 website, all you have to do to start generating web traffic is add new content regularly!)

In Part Two, we focused on the setup phase of the blueprint. We helped you understand 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 existing website has been built with WordPress.

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

In Part Three, we discuss configuring the system. We explained how to configure all the settings (hosting, internal and external) that affect your site’s traffic-getting ability …

(In Part Three we explain how to configure all the settings that affect your site’s traffic-getting ability)

In Part 4, we discussed ways to automate the traffic system using various plugins.

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

In this article, we look at ways to optimize traffic to your website with a number of different tools and strategies.

WordPress Traffic System – Systems

In addition to getting your WordPress website or blog expertly configured, the key to generating targeted traffic on a consistent basis is having a clear business vision, careful digital planning, and great systems in place.

(Generating consistent traffic is the product of having a clear business vision, planning, and great systems)

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

These systems include:

• Marketing Systems – The processes and strategies used to create new traffic for your business.
• Technical Systems – How you keep your web presence operating efficiently for receiving traffic.
• Business Systems – How you manage and respond to traffic.

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

Let’s briefly review how important these systems are:

Marketing Systems

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

• What channels will you use to generate traffic (e.g. blogging, facebook advertising, video marketing, etc)?
• What resources and portion of your budget will you apportion to these marketing channels?
• How will you create your content, sales funnels, and run your marketing campaigns?
• How will you track conversions 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 (e.g. Google AdWords) to help you generate some initial 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.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems and processes keep your online presence operating efficiently for receiving traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your website if your site is constantly experiencing problems or your web pages are taking a very long time to load.

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

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

• Who looks 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. if you experience difficulties?

Many potential problems can be minimized if your website planning process and setup and configuration phases have been completed correctly. As with all technology, however, you can expect new problems to arise. Your technical systems need to be able to handle these.

Business Systems

You need good operational systems in place to help you manage the influx of new traffic. This includes:

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

If you plan to outsource your digital marketing and technical support, then make sure you also implement great systems to manage all outsourcing.

WordPress Traffic Automation System – Traffic Optimization Methods

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

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

(Implementing, automating and optimizing your traffic loop)

Increase Reach & Visibility

Step 1 of the process is to get your business exposed to as many traffic generation sites and channels as possible.

Useful Tips

• Your expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to automatically publish your content on places like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, 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. pay-per-click ads) can help generate actionable and intelligent data, which you can use to create web content better targeted to your audience’s needs.
• Repurpose your content to leverage different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to increase more traffic using methods like LinkedIn ads, solo ads, Reddit, etc.

Tools & Strategies

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

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

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

Build Authority And Credibility

Getting more content out there is good, but for this activity to be really effective, your content needs to build authority and credibility with users.

Publishing better quality content improves your chances of getting it shared on other sites and viewed by more people and hence more visitors.

Traffic Optimization Ideas

• Focus on creating and publishing content that adds value to users and that showcases your expertise. This includes content that informs and educates readers, training content, case studies, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing an e-book that you can sell or distribute online.

Tools, Plugins, & Methods

We have created an entire email course aimed at helping you never run out of content ideas for your site:

Also, if you haven’t already, see other posts on this site to learn more about WordPress 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 & Engagement

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

With “Traffic On Tap,” most of your traffic will come 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.

Useful Tips And Ideas

• Encourage visitors 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, online forum, or social community.
• Start or join a Facebook/LinkedIn Group.

Plugins, Tools, And Strategies

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

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

Identify Needs & Provide Solutions To These

By taking advantage of incoming traffic to listen to what users are searching for, you can have an endless funnel of ideas for developing new solutions, all of which provide new opportunities for generating new sources of traffic.

Tips

• Create an e-learning program.
• Publish an instructional PDF guide that you can sell or distribute online.
• Consider adding an e-commerce store to your site.

Tools & Methods

If you plan to provide services, products, and solutions online (as opposed to just providing information), ask us about plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your WordPress website:

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

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

WordPress Web 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:

• Start 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 if 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 drive more visitors automatically to your website and build a better business online.

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