Tag: Web Traffic

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

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

In Part One of this series, 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 site …

(With an expertly configured WordPress site, all you have to do to automatically generate web traffic is post new content regularly!)

In Part Two, we discuss the setup phase of the blueprint. We help you understand the best way to get started if you don’t have a web presence yet, how to set everything up if you already have a site, and what to do if your site was built with WordPress.

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

In Part Three, we looked at the configuration phase of the automation process. We configured webhosting settings, WordPress settings, and external settings that can affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically …

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

In Part Four, we showed you how to set up various WordPress plugins that can help get visitors automatically to your website.

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

In Part Five of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint series, we look at ways to optimize the traffic-getting process with a number of different tools and strategies.

WordPress Traffic System – Systems

In addition to getting your WordPress site expertly configured, the key to generating high-quality traffic on a consistent basis is having a well-defined business vision, careful digital planning, and excellent systems in place.

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

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

These systems include:

• Marketing Systems – The processes and methods used to create traffic for your website.
• Technical Systems – How you ensure that your web presence remains operating efficiently for receiving traffic.
• Business Systems – The systems and processes used to manage and respond to traffic.

(Systems help you 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 drive traffic to your website. You can test your marketing systems by asking questions such as:

• What channels do you plan to use to drive traffic (e.g. blogging, video marketing, etc)?
• How will you assign your budget and resources to these channels?
• How will you create your content, sales funnels, and marketing campaigns?
• How will you test and measure the cost-effectiveness 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 keywords people are searching online to find your site, which you can use to create content better targeted to your audience.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems keep your online presence up and running for receiving new traffic. There’s no point driving traffic to your site if your site is experiencing problems or your web pages take too long to load.

Your systems include handling technical areas like webhosting, site maintenance and support, installing, configuring, 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 will look after my website and keep my site maintained and up-to-date?
• Who will fix errors, troubleshoot problems, provide technical support and advice, etc. if you experience difficulties?

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

Business Systems

You need good operational systems and processes to help you manage and respond to the influx of traffic. These include:

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

If you intend to outsource areas of your digital marketing and technical support, then make sure you also implement excellent systems to manage all outsourcing processes.

WordPress Traffic Automation System – Traffic Loops

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

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

(Traffic loop)

Increase Reach & Visibility

The first step of the process is to get your business exposed to as many members of your target audience as your resources will allow.

Useful Tips

• An expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to automatically distribute your content to sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, 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 can help you generate data, which you can use to create content targeted specifically to your audience’s needs.
• Repurpose your content to leverage different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to get more traffic using methods like paid ads, YouTube, email, etc.

Tools & Methods

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

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

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

Build Authority And Credibility

Getting more content out there is great, but to make this activity more effective, your content also 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 it shared around and hence more traffic.

Tips

• Focus on creating and publishing content that will add value to potential visitors and showcase your expertise. This includes content that informs and educates readers, training content, case studies, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing an educational guide that you can sell or distribute online (e.g. sell on Amazon.

Tools, Plugins, & Methods

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

Also, contact us to 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

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

With “Traffic On Demand,” your traffic comes from customers or subscribers – people who already like you and trust you. Your influence and credibility can be used to generate new traffic with every post you publish, forum post you add, or email broadcast you send out.

Tips

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

Tools, Plugins, And Methods

There are many solutions and WordPress plugins that are easy to implement and can help increase your online influence and improve engagement. For example:

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

Identify Needs And Provide Solutions

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

Useful Tips And Ideas

• Create a free or paid online training course.
• Consider publishing a special report or PDF guide that you can sell or distribute online.
• Add e-commerce to your business.

Tools, Plugins, & Strategies

If you plan to provide services and products 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 to collect and analyze data. Learning to interpret data gathered from existing traffic allows you to discover new traffic opportunities.

You should have already installed an analytics program (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 rinse and repeat, 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 also investing in 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 required to help build authority, trust, 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 drive more traffic automatically to your WordPress website and improve your business online.

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