Tag: Traffic Generation

Welcome to Part 5 of our Web Traffic Blueprint article series, where we explain how to grow your business online automatically using the WordPress CMS platform.

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

In Part 1 of this series, we explained why using an expertly configured WordPress website or blog is the key to generating automated web traffic …

(With an expertly configured WordPress blog, all you have to do is post fresh content on a consistent basis to start driving web traffic!)

In Part 2, we focused on critical setup decisions. We explained the best way to get started if you don’t have a web presence yet, how to set everything up if you already have a website, and what to do if your site was built with WordPress.

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

In Part 3, we look at configuring WordPress. We configured all the settings (hosting, WordPress and external) that affect your website’s traffic-getting ability …

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

In Part Four, we explained how to set up various WordPress plugins that can help bring new visitors automatically to your site.

(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 look at ways to optimize traffic to your website using various tools and strategies.

WordPress Traffic Automation System – Traffic Optimization Systems

In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress site, the key to generating consistent traffic of high quality is having a clearly-defined business vision, careful digital planning, and great systems and process in place.

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

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

These include:

• Marketing Systems – How you drive traffic to your website.
• Technical Systems – How you ensure that your web presence remains operating efficiently for receiving new traffic.
• Business Systems – The systems used to manage and respond to traffic.

(Use systems to grow and manage your web traffic)

Let’s briefly review how important these systems are for traffic:

Marketing Systems

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

• What channels will you use to generate new traffic (e.g. blogging, video marketing, etc)?
• What resources and portion of your marketing budget will you assign to these channels?
• How will you create your content and marketing campaigns?
• How will you measure the results 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. pay-per-click ads) 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 better targeted to your audience.

Technical Systems

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

Your systems include handling technical areas like webhosting, website maintenance and support, installing and updating new software (e.g. plugins), integration, customization, troubleshooting, etc.

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

• Who is looking after my webhosting?
• 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. should issues occur?

Many potential issues can be minimized if your planning and setup and configuration phases have been done 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 to help you manage and respond to the influx of new traffic. This includes:

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

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

WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Traffic Optimization Methods

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

Let’s walk 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 And Visibility Online

The first step of the process is to expose your business to as many potential users as your resources allow.

Traffic Ideas

• An expertly configured WordPress site allows you to automatically publish your content on places 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 actionable and intelligent data such as the keywords people are searching online to find your website, which you can use to create content better targeted to your audience’s needs.
• Repurpose your content to leverage the power and reach of different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to bring more visitors using methods like Pinterest ads, PPC advertising, StumbleUpon, etc.

Plugins, Tools, And Strategies

See previous sections of this tutorial series for many excellent tools, plugins, and methods we’ve already covered to help you reach more potential users.

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:

• Share your comments and posts online,
• Run contests, offer downloads or discounts for shares/likes,
• Accept user generated content, feeds, etc.
• Distribute content online in different 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 also needs to be building 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

• Create and publish content that adds value to potential visitors and that showcases your expertise. This includes content that educates and informs readers, training content, user reviews, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing instructional PDF guides that you can sell or distribute online (e.g. sell on on the Amazon Kindle book store.

Tools & Strategies

We have created a detailed course on how to develop a content marketing strategy, how to promote your business with content, and ways to never run out of new content ideas that you can plug into at no cost here:

Also, contact us to learn more about WordPress 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

At some point, you may want to consider developing “traffic on tap.” You can achieve this by growing a list or starting an online forum, membership site, or even your own social site.

With “Traffic On Tap,” all of your traffic comes 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 new traffic with every post you publish or email broadcast you send out.

Useful 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, free, or ‘freemium’ membership site, online forum, or social community.
• Create or join a Facebook/LinkedIn Group.

Tools And Methods

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

• Autoresponders/Email Newsletters (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 & Provide Solutions

By taking advantage of incoming traffic to find out what problems your visitors are trying to solve, you can develop new services and products, all of which provide new opportunities to generate additional traffic.

Tips

• Create an online training program.
• Publish a special report or PDF guide that can be sold or distributed online (e.g. sell on on the Amazon Kindle store.
• Add e-commerce to your business.

Tools & Methods

If you plan to provide solutions online (as opposed to just providing information), learn more about plugins that let you easily add the following to your site:

• Membership Site plugins (e.g. Wishlist Member, S2 Member, etc.)
• e-Learning Courses (e.g. Courseware)
• Event Registrations (e.g. EventEspresso)

Analyze Data & Feedback

The final step of the process is to collect and analyze data. Gathering and interpreting data from existing traffic gives you the opportunity to discover new opportunities to create additional traffic.

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

WordPress Web Traffic Automation System – Summary

Once you implement the above strategies, all you have to do is repeat the cycle, fine-tuning and refining your methods as you go to grow your traffic and get better your results.

In summary:

• Start 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 solutions as needed to help build authority, trust, 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, this information has given you a blueprint that will help you automate and optimize the process of driving traffic to your WordPress web site and build a better business online.

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