Tag: Traffic Generation

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

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

In Part One, we provide an overview of the traffic automation process, and explain why using an expertly configured WordPress site is the key to automating traffic to your site …

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

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

(In Part two we show you where to set up WordPress on your domain)

In Part Three, we looked at the configuration phase of the traffic automation process. We explained how to configure all the settings that can affect your site’s traffic-getting ability …

(In Part 3 we explain how to configure hosting settings, internal settings, and external settings that affect your site’s ability to generate traffic automatically)

In Part 4, we discussed ways to automate traffic generation using various plugins.

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

In Part Five of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint series, we look at ways to optimize the traffic generation process with a number of different tools and methods.

WordPress Web Traffic System – Traffic Optimization Systems

In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress website or blog, generating quality traffic on a consistent basis is the result of having a clear business vision, great digital planning, and good systems in place.

(Generating regular traffic is the product of a business vision, planning, and excellent 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 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, optimize, and manage your web traffic)

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

Marketing Systems

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

• What is your online marketing strategy?
• How will you apportion your budget and resources to these channels?
• Who will create your content and run your marketing campaigns?
• How will you track conversions and 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 (e.g. Google AdWords) to help generate some 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 content targeted specifically to your audience’s needs.

Technical Systems

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

Your technical systems need to adequately handle technical areas like webhosting, site maintenance and support, installing, configuring, 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 maintained and up-to-date?
• Who will fix errors, troubleshoot problems, provide technical support and advice, etc. if you experience difficulties?

Many potential problems can be minimized if your website planning and setup and configuration phases have been completed correctly. As with all technology, however, there will always be new problems. Your technical systems need to be able to handle these.

Business Systems

You need good operational systems to 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 plan to outsource areas of your digital marketing and technical support, then you will need to put excellent systems in place for managing all outsourcing processes.

WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Traffic Loops

If your business objectives are clear and your systems and processes are in place, all you need to focus on are ways to grow a “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 …

(An effective traffic loop)

Increase Reach And Visibility Online

The first step of the process is to increase visibility for your business.

Useful Tips

• An expertly configured WordPress site allows you to instantly notify and publicize your content to social media accounts like Facebook, Twitter, GooglePlus, 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. Facebook ads) can help you generate some initial data, which you can use to create content better targeted to your audience.
• Repurpose your content to leverage the power and reach of different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to bring more traffic using methods like Facebook, PPC advertising, updates, etc.

Tools, Plugins, & Strategies

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

Also, if you haven’t already, see other posts and tutorials on this site to learn more about plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your WordPress website or blog:

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

Build Authority And Credibility

Getting more of your content published is great, but for this activity to be really effective, your content also needs to build 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 share it with others and hence more traffic.

Traffic Tips

• Focus on creating content that adds value to users and that showcases your expertise. This includes content that informs and educates readers, training content, case studies, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing a PDF guide that can be sold or distributed online.

Tools & Methods

We have created a complete email course designed to help you never run out of content ideas for posting to your website or blog:

Also, look for plugins that let you 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 And 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 network.

With “Traffic On Tap,” most of your traffic comes 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 new traffic with a single post or email.

Traffic Optimization 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.
• Create or join a Facebook/LinkedIn Group.

Tools, Plugins, 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 Needs & Provide Solutions

If you take advantage of incoming traffic to find out what users want, you can have an endless funnel of ideas for developing new products and services, all of which provide new opportunities to generate new streams of traffic.

Tips

• Create a free or paid e-learning course.
• Consider publishing a “how-to” e-book that you can sell or distribute online.
• Consider adding e-commerce to your business.

Plugins, Tools, And Strategies

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

• Membership Sites (e.g. Wishlist Member, S2 Member, etc.)
• e-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. By learning to interpret data gathered from existing traffic, you can discover new opportunities to generate content that can bring you additional traffic.

Hopefully, by now you have already installed an analytics tool like Google Analytics on your site. Make sure you understand the metrics and can interpret the data.

WordPress Web Traffic System – 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 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 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 article has given you a blueprint that will help you drive more visitors automatically to your web site and expand your business online.

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