Tag: Web Traffic

Welcome to Part 5 of our Web Traffic Blueprint article series, where we explain how to automate traffic to your site using WordPress.

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

In Part 1 of this article series, we explain why using an expertly configured WordPress website is the key to generating automated web traffic …

(With an expertly configured WordPress website, all you have to do is add web content consistently to begin bringing more traffic!)

In Part 2, we discussed 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 existing website was built with WordPress.

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

In Part Three, we discuss the configuration phase. We configured webhosting settings, WordPress settings, and external settings that affect your site’s ability to generate traffic automatically …

(In Part Three we show you how to configure hosting settings, WordPress settings, and external settings that can affect your site’s ability to generate traffic automatically)

In Part 4, we looked at ways to automate your traffic using various plugins.

(Publish content one-time and automate your content distribution to all other channels!)

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

WordPress Traffic Blueprint – Traffic Optimization Systems

In addition to getting your WordPress website expertly configured, generating traffic successfully on a consistent basis is the product of a clearly-defined business vision, sound digital planning, and good systems in place.

(Optimized traffic is the product of a business vision, sound planning, and great 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 website.
• Technical Systems – The systems used to ensure that your web presence remains up and running for receiving traffic.
• Business Systems – The systems used to manage and respond to traffic.

(Systems help you grow and manage your traffic)

Let’s briefly review how important the above systems are for optimizing traffic:

Marketing Systems

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

• What channels will you use to drive new traffic (e.g. blogging, facebook advertising, video marketing, etc)?
• What resources and portion of your marketing budget will you apportion to these channels?
• Who will create your content and run your marketing campaigns?
• How will you test and measure the cost-effectiveness 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 results. 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 keep your digital presence operating efficiently for receiving traffic. There’s no point driving traffic to your website if your site is constantly down or your web pages are taking too long to load.

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

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

• Who will look after my server?
• 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 things go wrong?

Many potential issues can be minimized if your website planning and setup and configuration phases have been done correctly. Like all technology, however, you should expect new problems. Your technical systems need to be able to handle these.

Business Systems

You need good business systems and processes to help you manage and respond to new traffic. This includes:

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

If you intend to outsource your digital marketing and technical services, then make sure you also implement excellent systems for managing all outsourcing.

WordPress Web Traffic System – Traffic Optimization

If your business objectives are clear and your systems and processes are in place, all you need to do is to focus on growing your “traffic loop”.

Let’s walk through an example of how to implement, optimize, and automate a traffic loop. Take a look at the diagram below …

(Implementing and optimizing a traffic loop)

Increase Reach And Visibility Online

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

Tips

• An expertly configured WordPress site allows you to instantly notify and publicize your content to 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.
• As mentioned earlier, investing in some paid advertising (e.g. pay-per-click ads) can help generate data, which you can use to create content better targeted to your audience.
• Repurpose your content to leverage different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to bring more web site traffic using methods like Pinterest, social media, StumbleUpon, etc.

Tools And Strategies

See previous sections of this tutorial series for many useful plugins, tools, and methods we’ve already covered to help you reach more members of your target audience.

Also, look for plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your site:

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

Build Authority & Credibility

Getting more of your content published is great, but to make this more effective, your content also needs to be building authority and credibility with visitors.

Publishing better quality content not only helps to establish your credibility, it also improves your chances of getting more people to link to it and share it around and hence more traffic.

Useful Tips And Ideas

• Create and publish 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 PDF guides or special reports that can be sold or distributed online.

Tools & Methods

If you need endless topics for content that you can post on your website or blog, then subscribe to our FREE email training course on growing your business with content marketing here:

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 Trust

Grow Influence And Engagement

As your business grows, you may want to consider developing “traffic on tap.” You can achieve this by building a list or starting your own online community or social network.

With “Traffic On Tap,” most of 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 post you publish or broadcast you send out.

Traffic Optimization Ideas

• Encourage commenting and discussions on your site.
• Add an autoresponder training course and encourage people to subscribe.
• Add a free, paid, or ‘freemium’ membership site, online forum, or social community.
• Start or join an online group on LinkedIn/Facebook.

Tools And Strategies

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

• Autoresponders/Email Newsletters (e.g. Aweber, MailChimp, etc.)
• Contact Forms, Live Chat
• Forums and Social Communities (e.g. bbPress, BuddyPress)
• Polls and 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 discover what users want, you should have no problem developing new services and products, all of which can provide you with new opportunities for generating new sources of traffic.

Useful Tips And Ideas

• Create an e-learning course.
• Publish an e-book that you can sell or distribute online (e.g. sell on Clickbank.
• Consider adding an e-commerce store to your site.

Tools & Methods

If you plan to provide solutions online (as opposed to just providing information), then some of the more useful plugins you may want to add to your website or blog include:

• Membership Site plugins (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 to collect and analyze data. Learning to interpret data gathered from existing traffic lets you discover new traffic opportunities.

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

WordPress Traffic System – Summary

All you have to do once you implement the above strategies is repeat the cycle, 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 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 solutions if necessary to help build authority and credibility, and also to improve 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 traffic to your web site and get better results online.

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