Tag: Increase Web Traffic

Welcome to Part Five of our Website Traffic Blueprint article series, where we explain how to drive visitors automatically to your website using WordPress.

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

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

(With an expertly configured WordPress website, all you have to do to automatically generate web traffic is post content on a regular basis!)

In Part 2, we discuss the setup phase. We help you understand 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 with WordPress.

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

In Part 3, we focus on the configuration phase. We explained how to configure hosting settings, WordPress settings, and external settings that can affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically …

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

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

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

In this article, we discuss ways to optimize traffic generation using different tools and strategies.

WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Systems

In addition to getting your WordPress site expertly configured, the key to generating successfully on a consistent basis is having a clearly-defined business vision, careful digital planning, and good systems in place.

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

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

These include:

• Marketing Systems – The processes and methods used to create traffic for your business.
• Technical Systems – How you ensure that your online presence remains optimized for receiving traffic.
• Business Systems – How you manage and respond to new traffic.

(Use systems to grow, automate, and manage your traffic)

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

Marketing Systems

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

• What channels will you use to generate traffic (e.g. blogging, PPC advertising, video marketing, etc)?
• How will you assign your budget and resources to these marketing channels?
• How will you create and optimize your content 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 (e.g. Facebook ads) to help you generate some initial intelligence. If you’re tracking your marketing campaigns correctly, this should yield some actionable data, such as the keyword phrases people are searching online to find your site, which you can use to create content better targeted to your audience’s needs.

Technical Systems

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

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

You can test your technical systems by questions such as:

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

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

Business Systems

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

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

If you plan to outsource areas of your digital marketing and technical maintenance, then make sure you also implement good systems to manage all outsourcing.

WordPress Traffic Automation System – Optimizing Traffic Generation

With clear business objectives and great systems in place, all you need to do is to implement, optimize, and further automate your “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 …

(An effective traffic loop)

Increase Reach & Visibility Online

The first step of the process is to get your business exposed to as many members of your target audience as your resources allow.

Tips

• Your expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to instantly notify and publicize your content to traffic-getting sources 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. Google AdWords) can help you generate some initial data, which you can use to create web content targeted specifically to your audience.
• Repurpose your content to leverage the power and reach of different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to increase more visitors using methods like paid advertising, podcasts, email, etc.

Tools And Strategies

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

Also, if you haven’t already, look for WordPress plugins that let you easily add the following to your website:

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

Build Authority And Credibility

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

Publishing better quality content not only helps to establish your credibility, it also improves your chances of getting it shared on other sites and viewed by more people and hence more traffic.

Traffic Optimization Tips

• 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, case studies, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing expert reports that can be sold or distributed online (e.g. sell on Amazon.

Tools, Plugins, And Methods

We have created a complete email email-based training course designed to help you come up with limitless content for posting to your website or blog:

Also, ask us 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

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

With “Traffic On Tap,” all of your traffic will come from an audience of customers or subscribers – people who already like you and trust you. Your influence and reputation can be used to generate traffic with a single blog post or broadcast.

Tips

• Encourage visitors to leave comments and start discussions on your site.
• Add an autoresponder training course and encourage people to subscribe.
• Add a paid or free membership site.
• Create or join an online group on LinkedIn.

Plugins, Tools, & Methods

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

• Autoresponders (e.g. Aweber, GetResponse, 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

If you take advantage of incoming traffic to find out what problems your users are trying to solve, you should have no problem developing new products and services, all of which provide new opportunities to generate new sources of traffic.

Useful Tips And Ideas

• Consider creating a free or paid e-learning program.
• Consider publishing special guides that you can sell or distribute online.
• Add an e-commerce store to your business.

Tools, Plugins, And Methods

If you plan to provide products, services, and solutions online (as opposed to just providing information), then some of the more useful WordPress plugins you may want to add to your site include:

• Membership Sites (e.g. Wishlist Member, S2 Member, etc.)
• e-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 ways to create additional traffic.

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

WordPress Traffic System – 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:

• Begin with an expertly configured WordPress site backed by solid 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 methods as needed to build authority, trust, 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 article has given you a blueprint that will help you drive more visitors automatically to your WordPress web site and grow your business online.

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