Tag: Traffic Generation

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

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

In Part One of this article series, we explained why using an expertly configured WordPress website or blog is the key to automating traffic to your site …

(With an expertly configured WordPress website or blog, all you have to do is add content on a consistent basis to automatically start attracting traffic!)

In Part Two, we looked at the setup phase. We helped 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 site, and what to do if your existing website has been built using WordPress.

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

In Part Three, we look at configuring the system. We configured web hosting settings, WordPress settings, and external settings that affect your website’s traffic-getting ability …

(In Part 3 we explain how to configure all the settings (hosting, WordPress and external) that affect your website’s traffic-getting ability)

In Part Four, we showed you how to set up various plugins that can help drive new traffic automatically to your site.

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

In this section of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint series, we look at ways to optimize traffic generation using a number of tools and strategies.

WordPress Web Traffic Automation System – Systems

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

(Automated traffic is the product of a business vision, sound planning, and systems)

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

These include:

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

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

Let’s briefly review the above systems:

Marketing Systems

Your marketing systems consist of the processes and methods used to create traffic for your website. You can test your online marketing systems by asking questions such as:

• What is your content marketing strategy?
• How will you assign your budget and resources to these channels?
• Who will create your content, sales funnels, and marketing campaigns?
• How will you test and 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. Google AdWords) to help generate some data, such as the keyword phrases people are searching online to find your site, which you can use to create web content better targeted to your audience.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems and processes keep your digital presence operating efficiently 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 technical areas like webhosting, website maintenance and support, installing and updating new applications (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, 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 always run into many new problems. Your technical systems need to be robust enough to handle these.

Business Systems

You need good operational systems and processes to help you manage the influx of new traffic. This includes:

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

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

WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Optimizing Traffic Generation

If your business objectives are clear and your systems and processes are 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 further automate a traffic loop. Take a look at the chart below …

(Traffic loop)

Increase Reach & Visibility

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

Useful Tips & Ideas

• Your expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to instantly share your content on 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 on your site.
• As mentioned earlier, investing in some paid advertising (e.g. pay-per-click ads) can help generate some initial data, which you can use to create web content targeted specifically to your audience.
• Repurpose your content to leverage the power and reach of different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to attract web visitors using methods like Pinterest ads, videos, cross promotions, etc.

Tools, Plugins, & Methods

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

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

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

Build Authority & Credibility

Getting more content out there is a great first step, but for this activity to be really effective, your content needs to be building authority and credibility with users.

Publishing higher quality content improves your chances of getting it shared around and viewed by more people and hence more traffic.

Tips

• Focus on creating and publishing content that adds value to your audience and that showcases your expertise. This includes content that educates and informs readers, training content, user reviews, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing a special report or even an e-book that you can sell or distribute online.

Plugins, Tools, & Methods

We have created an entire email course on how to develop a content marketing strategy, how to promote your business with content, content creation tools, and how to never run out of new ideas for web content that you can plug into at no cost here:

Also, contact us to 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 Trust

Grow Influence & Engagement

As your business grows, you may want to consider developing “traffic on demand.” You can achieve this by building a list or starting an online group.

With “Traffic On Tap,” your traffic comes from customers or subscribers – people who already know you and trust you. Your influence and credibility can be used to generate new traffic with a single blog post or email broadcast.

Useful Tips & Ideas

• Encourage visitors to leave comments and start discussions on your site.
• Add an email newsletter and encourage people to subscribe.
• Add a free, paid, or ‘freemium’ membership site, online forum, or social community.
• Create or join a Facebook/LinkedIn Group.

Tools & Methods

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

• Autoresponders (e.g. Aweber, MailChimp, etc.)
• Contact Forms, Live Chat
• Forums and Discussion Groups (e.g. bbPress, BuddyPress)
• Polls & Surveys
• Webinars (e.g. Webinar JEO)
• Comment sharing
• Add media, video galleries, etc.

Identify Needs/Problems And Provide Solutions

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

Traffic Ideas

• Consider creating a free or paid e-learning program.
• Consider publishing an educational guide that you can sell or distribute online.
• Add e-commerce to your business.

Plugins, Tools, & Strategies

If you plan to provide services, products, and solutions online (as opposed to just providing information), look for 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. By learning to interpret data gathered from existing traffic, you can discover new opportunities to create content that can help you generate additional traffic.

You should already have installed an analytics tool (e.g. Google Analytics) on your site. Make sure you can also understand the data.

WordPress Web 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 solid marketing, technical and business systems,
• Implement a content marketing strategy (consider also investing in some paid advertising to drive traffic and generate useful data) to increase your reach and visibility online,
• Add plugins, list-building strategies, and other solutions if required to 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, now you have a blueprint that will help you automate and optimize the process of driving traffic to your website and get better results online.

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