Tag: Web Traffic

Welcome to Part Five of our Website Traffic Blueprint article series, where we show you how to turn a site into an automated web traffic generating machine using the WordPress CMS.

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

In Part One, we provide an overview of the traffic automation process, and explain 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 add new content on a consistent basis to begin bringing new web traffic!)

In Part 2, we discuss the setup phase. We explain 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 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 look at important configuration decisions. We explained how to configure webhosting settings, internal settings, and external settings that can affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically …

(In Part Three you will configure hosting settings, internal settings, and external settings that can affect your site’s traffic-getting ability)

In Part Four, you learned how to set up various WordPress plugins that can help drive new visitors automatically to your site simply by posting web content on a consistent basis.

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

In this article, we discuss ways to optimize your traffic using a number of tools and methods.

WordPress Web Traffic System – Systems

In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress website or blog, generating consistent traffic of high quality is the result of a well-defined business vision, careful digital planning, and excellent systems and process in place.

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

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

These include:

• Marketing Systems – How you drive traffic to your website.
• Technical Systems – The systems used to ensure that your web presence remains optimized for receiving traffic.
• Business Systems – How you manage and respond to traffic.

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

Let’s review the above systems briefly:

Marketing Systems

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

• What channels do you plan to use to drive traffic (e.g. blogging, video marketing, etc)?
• What resources and portion of your budget will you assign to these channels?
• How will you create your content and marketing campaigns?
• How will you test and measure the cost-effectiveness of your 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 actionable data, such as the keyword phrases people are searching online to find your site, which you can use to create web content targeted specifically to your audience.

Technical Systems

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

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

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

• Who looks 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 issues occur?

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

Business Systems

You need good business systems in place to help you manage the influx of traffic. These include:

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

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

WordPress Web Traffic Automation System – Traffic Optimization

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

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

(Implementing an effective 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.

Useful Tips

• 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 you generate data, which you can use to create web content targeted specifically to your audience’s needs.
• Repurpose your content to leverage different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to drive more traffic using methods like Twitter advertising, solo ads, StumbleUpon, etc.

Tools & Strategies

See previous sections of this article series for a number of useful plugins, tools, and strategies we’ve already covered to help you reach more potential users.

Also, if you haven’t already, see other posts and tutorials on this site to learn more about plugins that let you easily add the following to your site:

• Share your posts online with others,
• Run contests, offer discounts or downloads 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 out there is good, but to make this more effective, your content also needs to be building authority and credibility with visitors.

Publishing higher quality content not only helps to establish your credibility, it also improves your chances of getting it shared around and viewed by more people and hence more visitors.

Useful Tips

• Focus on content that adds value to potential visitors and that showcases your expertise. This includes content that informs and educates readers, training content, case studies, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing expert reports that you can sell or distribute online (e.g. sell on on the Amazon Kindle book store.

Tools & Strategies

If you need topics for content that you can post on your site, then subscribe to our email training series on growing your business with content marketing here:

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

• Legal Pages
• Testimonials
• Customer Support (e.g. Helpdesk, Live Chat, etc.)
• Ratings
• User Reviews
• Badges/Certificates Of Trust

Grow Influence & Engagement

At some point, you may want to consider developing “traffic on demand.” You can achieve this by growing a list or starting your own online community or social network.

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

Useful Tips & Ideas

• Encourage commenting and discussions on your site.
• Add an email newsletter and encourage people to subscribe.
• Add a paid or free membership site.
• Create or join a Facebook/LinkedIn Group.

Tools, Plugins, & Methods

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

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

Identify Needs & Provide Solutions

By taking advantage of incoming traffic to listen to what your visitors are looking for, you can develop new products, services, and solutions, all of which provide new opportunities to generate new streams of web traffic.

Traffic Tips

• Create an e-learning course.
• Publish an educational guide that can be sold or distributed online.
• Add an e-commerce store to your site.

Plugins, Tools, And Strategies

If you plan to provide services, products, and solutions online (as opposed to just providing information), ask us about plugins that let you easily add the following to your site:

• 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 the collection and analysis of data. Learning to gather and interpret data from existing traffic lets you discover new opportunities to 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 Traffic Automation System – Summary

Once you implement the above strategies, all you have to do is repeat the process, 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 good 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 solutions as required 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 information has given you a blueprint that will help you automate and optimize the process of driving visitors to your WordPress website and improve your business online.

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