Tag: Traffic Generation

Welcome to Part Five of our Web Site Traffic Blueprint article series, where we show you how to drive new visitors automatically to your website using the WordPress CMS.

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

In Part 1 of this series, we provide an overview of the traffic automation process, and explain 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 web content regularly to automatically begin bringing more traffic!)

In Part 2, we discuss the setup phase. We explain 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 existing website is built with WordPress.

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

In Part Three, we look at configuring the system. We explained how to configure all the settings (hosting, internal and external) that affect your site’s traffic-getting ability …

(In Part 3 we explain how to configure all the settings that affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically)

In Part 4, we discussed ways to automate the traffic system using WordPress plugins.

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

In this section of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint article series, we discuss ways to optimize your traffic using different tools and strategies.

WordPress Web Traffic System – Systems

In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress website, generating consistent traffic of high quality comes from a clearly-defined business vision, great digital planning, and excellent systems and process in place.

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

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

These systems include:

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

(Use systems to grow and manage your 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 business. You can test your online marketing systems by asking questions such as:

• What is your content marketing strategy/online marketing strategy?
• What resources and portion of your budget will you assign to these marketing channels?
• Who will create and optimize your content and marketing campaigns?
• How will you track conversions and measure the ROI 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. Google AdWords) to help you generate some data, such as the keywords people are searching online to find your site, which you can use to create content better targeted to your audience’s needs.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems and processes ensure that your web presence remains operating efficiently for receiving new traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your site if your site is experiencing problems or your web pages take a very long time to load.

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

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

• Who is looking after my webhosting?
• Who looks after my website and keeps 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 process and setup and configuration phases have been done 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

You need good operational systems and processes in place to help you manage and respond to new traffic. These include:

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

If you plan to outsource key aspects of your digital marketing and technical maintenance, then make sure you have systems in place to manage all outsourcing processes.

WordPress Web Traffic Automation Blueprint – Traffic Optimization Methods

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

Let’s walk 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 Online

Step 1 of the process is to increase visibility for your business and website.

Useful Tips

• An expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to automatically publish your content on places like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, 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. pay-per-click ads) can help you generate some initial data, which you can use to create content better targeted to your audience’s needs.
• Repurpose your content to leverage different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to get more traffic using methods like LinkedIn, banner ads, forum ads, etc.

Plugins, Tools, & Methods

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

Also, if you haven’t already, look for plugins that let you easily add the following to your site:

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

Build Authority & Credibility

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

Publishing authoritative content improves your chances of getting more shares and views and hence more traffic.

Traffic Ideas

• Create and publish content that adds value to your audience and that showcases your expertise. This includes content that informs and educates readers, training content, case studies, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing a “how-to” e-book that you can sell or distribute online.

Tools, Plugins, And Methods

We have created a detailed 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 ideas for content that you can plug into at no cost here:

Also, if you haven’t already, learn more about 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 Trust

Grow Influence & Engagement

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

With “Traffic On Demand,” all of your traffic will come from 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, forum post you add, or broadcast you send out.

Useful Tips

• Encourage commenting and 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.

Plugins, Tools, & Methods

Many solutions and WordPress plugins are available that can help increase your online influence and improve user engagement. For example:

• Autoresponders/Email Newsletters (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 And Provide Solutions To These

If you take advantage of incoming traffic to listen to what users want, you can develop new services, products, and solutions, all of which provide new opportunities for generating new streams of traffic.

Useful Tips

• Consider creating a free or paid online training program.
• Publish an e-book that you can sell or distribute online.
• Consider adding an e-commerce store to your site.

Plugins, Tools, & Methods

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

• 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 to collect and analyze data. By interpreting data gathered from existing traffic, you can discover new traffic opportunities.

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

WordPress Web Traffic Automation Blueprint – Summary

All you have to do once you implement the above strategies is repeat the same process, fine-tuning and refining your methods as you go to grow your traffic and improve your results.

In summary:

• Begin with an expertly configured WordPress site backed by good 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 if required to help 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, now you have a blueprint that will help you automate and optimize the process of driving visitors to your website and get better results online.

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