Tag: Increase Web Traffic

Welcome to Part 5 of our Web Traffic Blueprint article series, where we show you how to grow your business online automatically using WordPress.

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

In Part 1 of this series, we describe the traffic automation process, and explain why using an expertly configured WordPress site is the key to generating automated traffic …

(With an expertly configured WordPress website, all you have to do to drive web traffic is add content on a consistent basis!)

In Part Two, we look at 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 website is built with WordPress.

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

In Part 3, we discussed the configuration phase of the traffic automation system. We configured all the settings (hosting, WordPress and external) that can affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically …

(In Part 3 you learn how to configure hosting settings, WordPress settings, and external settings that affect your site’s ability to generate traffic automatically)

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 marketing channels!)

In this article, we discuss ways to optimize traffic to your website using a number of tools and methods.

WordPress Web Traffic System – Traffic Optimization Systems

In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress website or blog, generating high-quality traffic consistently is achieved by having a clear business vision, great digital planning, and good systems in place.

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

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

These include:

• Marketing Systems – How you create new traffic for your website.
• Technical Systems – The systems and processes used to keep your online presence optimized for receiving new traffic.
• Business Systems – The systems and processes used to manage and respond to new traffic.

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

Let’s briefly review how important these systems are:

Marketing Systems

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

• What channels will you use to drive new traffic (e.g. blogging, facebook advertising, video marketing, etc)?
• How will you apply your budget and resources to these channels?
• How will you create and optimize your content and run your marketing campaigns?
• How will you measure the cost-effectiveness of your online 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 you generate some initial intelligence. 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 site, which you can use to create content better targeted to your audience’s needs.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems and processes keep your digital presence operating efficiently for receiving traffic. There’s no point driving traffic to your site if your site is constantly down or your web pages are taking a long time to load.

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

You can test your technical systems by questions such as:

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

Business Systems

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

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

If you intend to outsource key aspects of your digital marketing and technical maintenance, then you will need excellent systems in place to manage all outsourcing processes.

WordPress Web Traffic System – Traffic Optimization

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

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

(WordPress can help implement and optimize your traffic loop)

Increase Reach And Visibility Online

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

Traffic Ideas

• An expertly configured WordPress site allows you to automatically syndicate your content to sites like Facebook, Twitter, GooglePlus, etc. The easiest way to increase your reach and visibility online, therefore, is to simply publish more content.
• As mentioned earlier, investing in some paid advertising can help generate some initial actionable data, 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 bring web site visitors using methods like LinkedIn ads, PPC advertising, updates, etc.

Tools & Methods

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

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

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

Build Authority & Credibility

Getting more of your content published is good, but for this activity to be really effective, your content needs to build authority and credibility with visitors.

Publishing authoritative content improves your chances of getting more people to share it with others and hence more traffic.

Tips

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

Tools, Plugins, And Methods

If you need help coming up with topics for posting content on your web site, we recommend subscribing to our email training series on content marketing here:

Also, learn more about plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your WordPress site:

• 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 tap.” You can do this by building a list or starting a community.

With “Traffic On Demand,” most of your traffic comes from an audience of existing customers or subscribers – people who already know you and trust you. Your influence and credibility can be used to generate new traffic with every blog post you publish or broadcast you send out.

Traffic Optimization Tips

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

Tools & Methods

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

• List-Building Tools (e.g. Aweber, MailChimp, etc.)
• Contact Forms, Live Chat
• Forums & Social Communities (e.g. bbPress, BuddyPress)
• Polls & Surveys
• Webinars (e.g. Webinar JEO)
• Comment sharing
• Add media, image galleries, etc.

Identify Needs & Provide Solutions

By taking advantage of incoming traffic to listen to what problems your users are trying to solve, you should have no problem developing new services, products, and solutions, all of which provide new opportunities to generate additional traffic.

Traffic Tips

• Create a free or paid online training program.
• Consider publishing a “how to” guide that can be sold or distributed online.
• Consider adding e-commerce to your business.

Tools, Plugins, And Methods

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

• 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. Gathering and interpreting data from existing traffic lets you discover new traffic opportunities.

Hopefully, by now you already have 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 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 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 initial traffic and generate useful data) to increase your reach and visibility online,
• Add plugins, list-building strategies, and other methods as necessary to build authority, trust, and credibility, and also to increase 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 automate and optimize the process of driving visitors to your web site and get better results online.

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