Tag: Increase Web Traffic

Welcome to Part Five of our Website Traffic Blueprint article series, where we explain how to turn your website into an automated traffic machine using WordPress.

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

In Part 1 of this article series, we described the traffic automation process, and explained why using an expertly configured WordPress website or blog is the key to automating traffic to your site …

(With an expertly configured WordPress web site, all you have to do to attract traffic is post great content on a regular basis!)

In Part 2, we looked at the setup phase. 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 site, and what to do if your site has been built with WordPress.

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

In Part 3, we looked at important configuration decisions. We explained how to configure webhosting settings, internal settings, and external settings that affect your site’s traffic-getting ability …

(In Part 3 you will configure all the settings (hosting, WordPress and external) that can affect your website’s traffic-getting ability)

In Part Four, we discussed ways to automate the traffic-generation process with WordPress plugins.

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

In this section of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint series, we discuss ways to optimize the traffic system with different tools and strategies.

WordPress Traffic Blueprint – Traffic Optimization Systems

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

(Optimized traffic is the result of a business vision, planning, and great systems)

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

These include:

• Marketing Systems – The processes and strategies used to drive new traffic to your website.
• Technical Systems – How you ensure that your online presence remains operating efficiently for receiving traffic.
• Business Systems – The systems used to 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 strategies used to drive traffic to your website. Your marketing systems can be tested by asking questions such as:

• What is your online marketing strategy?
• How will you apportion your marketing budget and resources to these channels?
• Who will create and optimize your content, sales funnels, and marketing campaigns?
• How will you track conversions and measure the cost-effectiveness of your online 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 to help generate some initial results. If you’re tracking your marketing campaigns correctly, this should yield some actionable data, such as the keywords people are searching online to find your website, which you can use to create web content targeted specifically to your audience.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems keep your digital presence operating efficiently for receiving new traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your website if your site is down or your pages are taking a long time to load.

Your technical systems need to handle areas like webhosting, site maintenance and support, installing, configuring, and updating new applications (e.g. plugins), integration, customization, 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 maintained and up-to-date?
• Who will fix errors, troubleshoot problems, provide technical support and advice, etc. should anything go wrong?

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 to face new problems. You will need the right technical systems in place to handle these.

Business Systems

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

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

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

WordPress Traffic Blueprint – Traffic Loops

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

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

(Implementing, automating and optimizing your traffic loop)

Increase Reach And Visibility Online

The first step of the process is to expose your business to as many members of your target audience as your time and resources will allow.

Useful Tips And Ideas

• Your expertly configured WordPress site allows you to instantly share your content on social media accounts like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, 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 generate actionable data, which you can use to create web content targeted specifically to your audience’s needs.
• Repurpose your content to leverage the power, appeal, and reach of different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to get web site visitors using methods like Twitter, videos, forum ads, etc.

Plugins, Tools, & Strategies

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

Also, contact us to learn more about plugins that let you easily add the following to your website:

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

Build Authority & Credibility

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

Publishing authoritative content not only helps to establish your credibility, it also improves your chances of getting it shared around and hence more traffic.

Tips

• Focus on creating 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 instructional e-book that can be sold or distributed online (e.g. sell on Amazon.

Tools, Plugins, & Strategies

We have created a complete email course aimed at helping you never run out of content for your website:

Also, contact us 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

As your business grows, you may want to consider developing “traffic on demand.” You can do this by building a list or starting a network.

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

Useful Tips And Ideas

• Encourage users to leave comments and start discussions on your site.
• Add an autoresponder newsletter and encourage people to subscribe.
• Add a free, paid, or ‘freemium’ membership site.
• Create or join an online group on LinkedIn.

Plugins, Tools, & Methods

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

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

Identify Needs/Problems & Provide Solutions

By taking advantage of incoming traffic to listen to what your visitors want, you should have no problem developing new products, services, and solutions, all of which can provide you with new opportunities for generating new streams of web traffic.

Tips

• Consider creating a free or paid e-learning course.
• Publish special guides that you can sell or distribute online.
• Add e-commerce to your site.

Plugins, Tools, & Methods

If you plan to provide services, products, and solutions online (as opposed to just providing information), then some of the more useful WordPress plugins you may want to consider adding 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 generate additional traffic.

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

WordPress Web Traffic System – 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 solutions 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 get better results online.

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