Tag: Traffic Generation

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

So far, here is what we have covered in this series:

In Part 1, we described the traffic automation process, and explained why using an expertly configured WordPress website or blog is the key to generating automated traffic …

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

In Part 2, 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 things up if you already have a website, and what to do if your site has been built with WordPress.

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

In Part Three, we discuss configuring WordPress. We configured all the settings that affect your website’s traffic-getting ability …

(In Part Three you learn how to configure all the settings that affect your site’s ability to generate traffic automatically)

In Part 4, we explained how to set up various WordPress plugins that can drive web traffic automatically to your website or blog simply by adding fresh content on a regular basis.

(Publish content once, automate the rest!)

In this article, we discuss ways to optimize traffic to your website using various tools and strategies.

WordPress Traffic Automation System – Systems

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

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

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

These include:

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

(Use systems to grow, automate, optimize, 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 business. You can test your marketing systems by asking questions such as:

• What channels do you plan to use to drive new traffic (e.g. blogging, PPC advertising, video marketing, etc)?
• How will you assign your budget and resources to these channels?
• How will you create your content, sales funnels, and run your marketing campaigns?
• How will you measure the ROI 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 to help you generate some initial actionable 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 up and running for receiving new traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your site if your site is constantly down or your pages take a very long time to load.

Your systems need to be able to adequately handle areas like webhosting, site maintenance and support, installing and updating new software (e.g. plugins), customization, integration, troubleshooting, etc.

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

• Who will look 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. should things go wrong?

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

Business Systems

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

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

If you intend to outsource your digital marketing and technical services, then make sure you have implemented excellent systems to manage all outsourcing.

WordPress Web Traffic Automation Blueprint – Traffic Optimization

If your business objectives are clear and your systems and processes are in place, all you need to focus on are ways to implement and optimize a “traffic loop”.

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

(Implementing and optimizing your 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 your resources will allow.

Useful Tips & Ideas

• Your expertly configured WordPress site allows you to instantly share your content on traffic-getting sources like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. The easiest way to increase your reach and visibility online, therefore, is to simply publish more content online.
• 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.
• Repurpose your content to leverage the power and reach of different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to bring web traffic using methods like Twitter, banner ads, StumbleUpon, etc.

Plugins, Tools, And Strategies

See previous sections of this article series for many useful tools and methods we’ve already covered to help you reach more potential users.

Also, learn more about plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your website:

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

Build Authority And Credibility

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

Publishing authoritative content improves your chances of getting it shared on other sites and hence more visitors.

Traffic Optimization Tips

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

Tools & Methods

If you need great content ideas for your web site, then subscribe to our FREE email training series here:

Also, if you haven’t already, look for WordPress 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 Recognition

Grow Influence And Engagement

As your business grows, you may want to consider developing “traffic on tap.” You can do this by growing a list or starting an online community or even your own social site.

With “Traffic On Tap,” your traffic will come from customers or subscribers – people who already know you and trust you. Your influence and credibility can be used to generate new traffic with every blog post you publish or broadcast you send out.

Useful 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 an online group on Facebook.

Tools & Methods

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

• Autoresponders/Email Newsletters (e.g. Aweber, GetResponse, etc.)
• Contact Forms, Live Chat
• Forums & Discussion Groups (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

By taking advantage of incoming traffic to listen to what your visitors want, you can have an endless funnel of ideas for developing new solutions, all of which provide new opportunities to generate additional web traffic.

Useful Tips & Ideas

• Consider creating an e-learning course.
• Consider publishing a “how to” guide that you can sell or distribute online.
• Add an e-commerce store to your site.

Tools, Plugins, And Methods

If you plan to provide products and services online (as opposed to just providing information), then some of the more useful plugins you may want to add to your site 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. Gathering and interpreting data from existing traffic gives you the opportunity to discover new traffic opportunities.

You should already have installed an analytics program like 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 rinse and repeat, fine-tuning and refining your methods as you go to grow your traffic and get better 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 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, trust, 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 information has given you a blueprint that will help you drive more visitors automatically to your WordPress website and get better results online.

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