Tag: Traffic Generation

Welcome to Part 5 of our Web Site Traffic Blueprint article series, where we explain how to automate traffic to your website using the WordPress CMS platform.

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

In Part One of this series, we 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 is add new content regularly to automatically begin bringing web traffic!)

In Part 2, we focus on critical setup decisions. We help you understand 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 website has been built with WordPress.

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

In Part 3, we focused on the configuration phase. We configured all the settings (hosting, WordPress and external) that can affect your website’s traffic-getting ability …

(In Part 3 you will configure all the settings that can affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically)

In Part Four, you learned how to set up various plugins that can help bring web traffic automatically to your website just by adding content regularly.

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

In this article, we discuss ways to optimize the traffic-getting process using a number of tools and methods.

WordPress Web Traffic System – Systems

In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress website or blog, the key to generating successfully on a consistent basis is having a clear business vision, sound digital planning, and excellent systems in place.

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

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

These systems include:

• Marketing Systems – How you drive new traffic to your business.
• Technical Systems – The systems and processes used to keep your web presence operating efficiently for receiving new traffic.
• Business Systems – How you manage and respond to traffic.

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

Let’s briefly review how important the above systems are:

Marketing Systems

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

• What channels do you plan to use to drive new traffic (e.g. blogging, video marketing, etc)?
• How will you assign your marketing budget and resources to these channels?
• Who will create and optimize your content, sales funnels, and run your marketing campaigns?
• How will you track conversions and measure the ROI of your 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 generate some 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.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems ensure that your digital presence remains optimized for receiving traffic. There’s no point driving traffic to your website if your site is experiencing problems or your web pages take too long to load.

Your technical systems need to adequately handle technical areas like webhosting, website maintenance and support, installing 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, plugins, themes, etc. maintained and up-to-date?
• Who will fix errors, troubleshoot problems, provide technical support and advice, etc. should anything go wrong?

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

Business Systems

Your business systems and processes help you manage new traffic. These include:

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

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

WordPress Traffic Automation System – Traffic Optimization

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

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

(Implement, optimize, and automate your traffic loop)

Increase Reach & Visibility

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

Traffic Optimization Tips

• Your expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to automatically syndicate your content to 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, 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 LinkedIn, social media, Reddit, etc.

Tools & Methods

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

Also, if you haven’t already, ask us about WordPress plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your website or blog:

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

Build Authority & Credibility

Getting more content out there is good, but for this activity to be really effective, your content needs to be building authority and credibility with visitors.

Publishing higher quality content not only helps to establish your credibility, it also improves your chances of getting more shares and views and hence more traffic.

Useful 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 educational guides that can be sold or distributed online (e.g. sell on Clickbank.

Plugins, Tools, & Methods

If you need help coming up with topics for content that you can post on your site, then subscribe to our email training course on content marketing here:

Also, if you haven’t already, learn more about plugins that let you easily add the following to your site:

• Legal Pages
• Testimonials
• Customer Support (e.g. Helpdesk, Live Chat, etc.)
• Ratings
• User Reviews
• Badges/Certificates Of Trust

Grow Influence & Engagement

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

With “Traffic On Tap,” most of your traffic will come 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 every post you publish, forum post you add, or broadcast you send out.

Useful Tips And Ideas

• Encourage users to leave comments and start discussions on your site.
• Add an email 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 & Strategies

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

• Autoresponders (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/Problems & Provide Solutions To These

If you take advantage of incoming traffic to listen to what your visitors want, you can develop new solutions, all of which provide new opportunities for generating new sources of traffic.

Tips

• Consider creating an online training course.
• Publish instructional PDF guides or special reports that can be sold or distributed online (e.g. sell on Clickbank.
• Consider adding e-commerce to your business.

Tools, Plugins, And 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 add to your website or blog include:

• 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 traffic opportunities.

You should already have installed an analytics tool like Google Analytics on your website. Make sure you understand the metrics and can interpret the data.

WordPress Web 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 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 (with some paid advertising to drive 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 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 traffic to your web site and build a more successful business online.

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