Tag: Traffic Generation

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

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

In Part One, we provided an overview of the traffic automation process, and explained why using an expertly configured WordPress website or blog is the key to automating traffic to your website …

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

In Part Two, we discuss critical setup decisions. We help you understand the best way to get started if you don’t have a website yet, how to set everything up if you already have a site, and what to do if your website is built using WordPress.

(In Part 2 we show you how to set up WordPress on your domain)

In Part Three, we looked at the configuration phase of this blueprint. We explained how to configure all the settings that can affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically …

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

In Part Four, you learned how to set up various plugins that can help drive visitors automatically to your site.

(Publish content one-time, automate the rest!)

In Part Five of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint series, we discuss ways to optimize traffic to your website with a number of different tools and strategies.

WordPress Traffic System – Systems

In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress website or blog, generating targeted traffic on a consistent basis is the outcome of a clearly-defined business vision, great digital planning, and great systems and process in place.

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

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

These systems include:

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

(Use systems to 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 methods used to drive new traffic to your business. You can test your online marketing systems by asking questions such as:

• What channels do you plan to use to drive traffic (e.g. blogging, video marketing, etc)?
• What resources and portion of your budget will you apportion to your marketing channels?
• Who will create and optimize your content, sales funnels, and run your marketing campaigns?
• How will you measure the results 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 (e.g. pay-per-click ads) to help you generate some 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 targeted specifically to your audience.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems keep your online presence up and running for receiving traffic. There’s no point driving traffic to your website if your site is constantly experiencing problems or your pages are taking too long to load.

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

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

• Who looks after my server?
• 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 anything go wrong?

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

Business Systems

Your business systems help you manage the influx of new traffic. This includes:

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

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

WordPress Web Traffic Automation System – Traffic Loops

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

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

(Traffic loop)

Increase Reach & Visibility Online

The first step of the process is to expose your business to as many members of your target audience as possible.

Useful Tips

• Your 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.
• As mentioned earlier, investing in some paid advertising (e.g. pay-per-click ads) can help generate data, which you can use to create content better targeted to your audience.
• Repurpose your content to leverage the power, appeal, and reach of different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to bring more web site traffic using methods like LinkedIn ads, PPC advertising, forum ads, etc.

Plugins, Tools, & Methods

See previous sections of this article series for a number of excellent plugins, tools, and methods we’ve already covered to help you reach more members of your target audience.

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

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

Build Authority And Credibility

Getting more content published is great, but to make this more effective, your content also needs to be building authority and credibility with users.

Publishing better quality content not only helps to establish your credibility, it also improves your chances of getting more people to link to it and share it around and hence more visitors.

Useful Tips

• Create and publish content that adds value to potential visitors and that showcases 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 & Methods

We have created a comprehensive email course on how to develop a content marketing strategy, how to promote your business with content, and ways to never run out of content ideas that you can plug into for free here:

Also, look for plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your website:

• 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 growing a list or starting an online membership site.

With “Traffic On Tap,” your traffic comes from 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 broadcast.

Useful Tips & Ideas

• Encourage visitors to leave comments and start discussions on your site.
• Add an email training course and encourage people to subscribe.
• Add a paid, free, or ‘freemium’ membership site.
• Start or join a Facebook/LinkedIn Group.

Tools & Strategies

Many solutions and WordPress plugins are available that can help grow your online 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 Needs And Provide Solutions

If you take advantage of incoming traffic to find out what problems your visitors are trying to solve, you can have an endless funnel of ideas for new products, services, and solutions, all of which can provide you with new opportunities for generating new sources of web traffic.

Useful Tips

• Consider creating an e-learning course.
• Publish a special report or PDF guide that can be sold or distributed online.
• Consider adding e-commerce to your business.

Tools, Plugins, & Methods

If you plan to provide services, products, and solutions online (as opposed to just providing information), then some of the more useful plugins you may want to add to your website or blog include:

• Membership Sites (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 the collection and analysis of data. Learning to interpret data gathered from existing traffic lets you discover new traffic opportunities.

You should already have installed an analytics tool like Google Analytics on your site. Make sure you understand the metrics 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 get better 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 adding 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 needed to help build authority and credibility, and also to improve 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 article has given you a blueprint that will help you drive more traffic automatically to your WordPress web site and build a more successful business online.

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