Tag: Web Traffic

Welcome to Part 5 of our WordPress Web Site Traffic Blueprint article series, where we explain how to create an automated web traffic generation machine using WordPress.

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

In Part 1, we explained why using an expertly configured WordPress website is the key to automating traffic to your website …

(With an expertly configured WordPress website, all you have to do is publish fresh content regularly to start generating new traffic!)

In Part Two, we look at the setup phase. We explain the best way to start 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 has been built with WordPress.

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

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

(In Part Three you will configure all the settings (hosting, internal and external) that affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically)

In Part 4, we looked at ways to automate your traffic using a number of WordPress plugins.

(Publish once, automate the rest!)

In this section of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint article series, we discuss ways to optimize the traffic system with different tools and methods.

WordPress Web Traffic Blueprint – Systems

In addition to getting your WordPress website expertly configured, the key to generating quality traffic on a consistent basis is having a clear business vision, sound digital planning, and good systems and process in place.

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

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

These include:

• Marketing Systems – The processes and methods used to create traffic for your website.
• Technical Systems – How you ensure that your digital presence remains optimized 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 review the importance of the above systems briefly:

Marketing Systems

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

• What is your content marketing strategy/online marketing strategy?
• What resources and portion of your budget will you apply to these channels?
• Who will create your content, sales funnels, and marketing campaigns?
• How will you measure the ROI of your online 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 generate some initial intelligence. 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 site, which you can use to create web content better targeted to your audience.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems ensure that your online presence remains optimized for receiving traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your site if your site is constantly experiencing problems or your web pages are taking too long to load.

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

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

• Who looks 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 any problems occur?

Many potential issues can be minimized if your website planning and setup and configuration phases have been done correctly. As with all technology, however, you can expect to face new problems. You will need the right technical systems in place to handle these.

Business Systems

You need good operational systems in place to help you manage and respond to the influx of traffic. This includes:

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

If you plan to outsource key aspects of your digital marketing and technical support, then make sure you have implemented good systems for managing all outsourcing processes.

WordPress Web Traffic Automation Blueprint – Traffic Loops

With clear business objectives and great systems in place, all you need to focus on are ways to grow a “traffic loop”.

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

(WordPress can help you implement and optimize a traffic loop)

Increase Reach And Visibility

Step 1 of the process is to get your business exposed to as many members of your target audience as possible.

Traffic Ideas

• Your expertly configured WordPress site allows you to instantly share your content on traffic-getting sources 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. Google AdWords) can help you generate some initial data, which you can use to create content targeted specifically to your audience.
• Repurpose your content to leverage different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to get web traffic using methods like LinkedIn, social media, updates, etc.

Tools & Methods

We’ve already covered a number of useful tools and strategies in earlier sections of this article series.

Also, ask us about plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your website or blog:

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

Build Authority And Credibility

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

Publishing higher quality content not only helps to establish your credibility, it also improves your chances of getting more shares and views and hence more traffic.

Tips

• 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, user reviews, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing an e-book that can be sold or distributed online.

Tools, Plugins, & Methods

We have created a detailed email course on content creation that you can plug into at no cost here:

Also, see other posts and tutorials on this site to learn more about WordPress 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 Trust

Grow Influence And Engagement

At some point, you may want to consider developing “traffic on demand.” You can do 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 traffic with every blog post you publish, forum post you add, or email you send out.

Traffic Tips

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

Tools, Plugins, & Methods

Many solutions and plugins are available that are easy to implement and can help grow your online influence and improve user engagement. For example:

• Autoresponders/Email Newsletters (e.g. Aweber, GetResponse, etc.)
• Contact Forms, Live Chat
• Forums & Social Communities (e.g. bbPress, BuddyPress)
• Polls and Surveys
• Webinars (e.g. Webinar JEO)
• Comment sharing
• Add media, video galleries, etc.

Identify Needs And Provide Solutions To These

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

Tips

• Create a free or paid online training program.
• Consider publishing an instructional e-book that you can sell or distribute online (e.g. sell on on the Amazon Kindle store.
• Consider adding e-commerce to your business.

Plugins, Tools, And 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 add to your website or blog 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 the collection and analysis of data. Gathering and interpreting data from existing traffic gives you the opportunity to discover new opportunities to create additional traffic.

You should have already installed an analytics tool (e.g. Google Analytics) on your site. Make sure you can also understand 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 solid marketing, technical and business systems,
• Implement a content marketing strategy (with some paid advertising to drive traffic and generate useful data) to increase your reach and visibility online,
• Add plugins, list-building strategies, and other methods as needed to help build authority 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 post has given you a blueprint that will help you drive more traffic automatically to your WordPress web site and grow your business online.

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