Tag: Increase Web Traffic

Welcome to Part Five of our Website Traffic Blueprint article series, where we show you how to automate traffic to your website using WordPress.

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

In Part 1 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 website …

(With an expertly configured WordPress website or blog, all you have to do is add fresh content consistently to start driving traffic!)

In Part 2, we discussed the setup phase. We explained the best way to start if you don’t have a website 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 2 we show you where to set up WordPress on your domain)

In Part Three, we looked at configuring WordPress. We explained how to configure hosting settings, WordPress settings, and external settings that can affect your website’s traffic-getting ability …

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

In Part Four, we looked at ways to automate traffic generation with 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 your traffic using different tools and methods.

WordPress Web Traffic Automation System – Traffic Optimization Systems

In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress site, generating targeted traffic consistently is the outcome of a clear business vision, careful digital planning, and good systems and process in place.

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

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

These include:

• Marketing Systems – How you create traffic for your website.
• Technical Systems – How you keep your digital presence optimized for receiving new traffic.
• Business Systems – How you manage and respond to traffic.

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

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

Marketing Systems

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

• What channels will you use to drive new traffic (e.g. blogging, PPC advertising, video marketing, etc)?
• What resources and portion of your marketing budget will you apply to these channels?
• How will you create and optimize your content, sales funnels, and marketing campaigns?
• How will you track conversions and measure the cost-effectiveness 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 to help generate some initial results. 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 website, which you can use to create web content better targeted to your audience’s needs.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems ensure that your online presence remains up and running for receiving new traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your site if your site is down or your web pages take a very long time to load.

Your technical systems need to adequately handle technical areas like webhosting, website maintenance and support, installing and updating software (e.g. plugins), customization, integration, 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. should things go wrong?

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

Business Systems

You need good operational systems and processes to help you manage traffic. These include:

• Communication systems
• Resources management – human, financial
• 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 excellent systems for managing all outsourcing.

WordPress Traffic Blueprint – Traffic Optimization

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

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

(Implement and optimize your traffic loop)

Increase Reach & Visibility Online

Step 1 of the process is to increase visibility for your business and website.

Useful Tips & Ideas

• An expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to instantly notify and publicize your content to social media accounts like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc. The easiest way to increase your reach and visibility online, therefore, is to simply publish more content through your expertly configured WordPress site.
• As mentioned earlier, investing in some paid advertising (e.g. Google AdWords) can help you generate some initial actionable data such as the keyword phrases people are searching online to find your site, which you can use to create web content better targeted to your audience.
• Repurpose your content to leverage different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to get traffic using methods like Pinterest ads, banner ads, cross promotions, etc.

Plugins, Tools, And Strategies

See previous sections of this article series for a number of excellent tools, plugins, and strategies we’ve already covered to help you reach more potential users.

Also, look for plugins that let you easily add the following to your WordPress site:

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

Build Authority & Credibility

Getting more content published is a great first step, but for this activity to be really effective, your content also needs to be building authority and credibility with your audience.

Publishing authoritative content improves your chances of getting it shared around and viewed by more people and hence more visitors.

Traffic Optimization Tips

• Focus on creating content that will add value to users and showcase your expertise. This includes content that informs and educates readers, training content, user reviews, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing a special report that can be sold or distributed online.

Tools And Strategies

We have created a detailed email course on content creation that you can plug into at no cost here:

Also, look for plugins that allow you to 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

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

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

Tips

• Encourage commenting and discussions on your site.
• Add an email training course and encourage people to subscribe.
• Add a free, paid, or ‘freemium’ membership site, online forum, or social community.
• Start or join an online group on LinkedIn/Facebook.

Tools, Plugins, And Methods

There are many solutions and plugins that are easy to implement and can help grow your influence and improve 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/Problems And Provide Solutions To These

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

Traffic Optimization Ideas

• Create a free or paid online training program.
• Consider publishing educational guides or special reports that can be sold or distributed online (e.g. sell on Amazon.
• Consider adding e-commerce to your business.

Plugins, Tools, And Strategies

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 consider adding to your website or blog include:

• 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 the collection and analysis of data. Learning to interpret data gathered from existing traffic gives you the opportunity to discover new traffic opportunities.

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

WordPress Traffic 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 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 methods if necessary to build authority and credibility, and also to increase 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, now you have a blueprint that will help you automate and optimize the process of driving visitors to your web site and get better results online.

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