Tag: Web Traffic

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

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

In Part One, we explain why using an expertly configured WordPress website is the key to generating automated traffic …

(With an expertly configured WordPress blog, all you have to do is post great content on a regular basis to automatically start generating more traffic!)

In Part 2, we focus on the setup phase of the blueprint. 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 site, and what to do if your existing site has been built using WordPress.

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

In Part 3, we focus on important configuration decisions. We configured webhosting settings, internal settings, and external settings that can affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically …

(In Part 3 you learn how to configure all the settings (hosting, internal and external) that affect your site’s ability to generate traffic automatically)

In Part 4, we showed you how to set up various WordPress plugins that can bring web traffic automatically to your website.

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

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

WordPress Web Traffic System – Traffic Optimization Systems

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

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

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

These systems include:

• Marketing Systems – How you drive traffic to your website.
• Technical Systems – How you ensure that your digital presence remains up and running for receiving traffic.
• Business Systems – How you manage and respond to new traffic.

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

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

Marketing Systems

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

• What channels will you use to generate traffic (e.g. blogging, video marketing, etc)?
• What resources and portion of your budget will you allocate to these channels?
• Who will create your content 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 (e.g. Facebook ads) to help generate some data, such as the keywords people are searching online to find your website, which you can use to create content targeted specifically to your audience’s needs.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems keep your online presence optimized for receiving new traffic. There’s no point driving traffic to your site if your site is down or your pages are taking a long time to load.

Your systems include handling technical areas like webhosting, website maintenance and support, installing, configuring, and updating new software (e.g. plugins), customization, integration, troubleshooting, etc.

You can test your technical systems by questions such as:

• Who will look after my webhosting?
• Who will look after my website and keep my site, plugins, themes, etc. maintained and up-to-date?
• Who will fix errors, troubleshoot problems, provide technical support and advice, etc. when issues arise?

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

Business Systems

Your business systems help you manage traffic. These include:

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

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

WordPress Web Traffic Blueprint – Traffic Loops

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

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

(An effective traffic loop)

Increase Reach And Visibility Online

The first step of the process is to increase visibility for your business and website.

Tips

• An expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to instantly notify and publicize your content to traffic-getting sources like Facebook, Twitter, GooglePlus, 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 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’s needs.
• Repurpose your content to leverage the power, appeal, and reach of different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to drive web site visitors using methods like LinkedIn, YouTube, cross promotions, etc.

Tools & Strategies

We’ve already covered many useful tools, plugins, and strategies in previous sections of this tutorial series.

Also, if you haven’t already, learn more about WordPress 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,
• Display user generated content, feeds, etc.
• Distribute content online in various media formats (e.g. videos, PDF guides, audio, etc.)

Build Authority And Credibility

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

Publishing authoritative content improves your chances of getting more people to link to it and share it around and hence more traffic.

Traffic Tips

• Create and publish content that adds value to potential visitors and that showcases your expertise. This includes content that informs and educates readers, training content, user reviews, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing a special report that you can sell or distribute online.

Tools, Plugins, And Methods

We have created a comprehensive email course on how to develop a content marketing strategy, how to promote your business with content, content creation tools, and how to never run out of new ideas for content that you can plug into for free here:

Also, contact us to learn more about 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 Recognition

Grow Influence And Engagement

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

With “Traffic On Demand,” your traffic comes from customers or subscribers – people who already know you and trust you. Your influence and reputation can be used to generate traffic with a single post or email.

Useful Tips & Ideas

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

Tools And Strategies

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

• Autoresponders/Email Newsletters (e.g. Aweber, GetResponse, etc.)
• Contact Forms, Live Chat
• Forums & 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 users are looking for, you should have no problem coming up with ideas for new services, products, and solutions, all of which provide new opportunities to generate additional web traffic.

Useful Tips

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

Plugins, Tools, & Strategies

If you plan to provide products, services, and 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 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 to collect and analyze data. By learning to interpret data gathered from existing traffic, you can discover new ways to generate content that can bring you additional traffic.

Hopefully, by now you already have installed an analytics program (e.g. Google Analytics) on your website. Make sure you understand the metrics and can interpret the data.

WordPress Traffic Automation System – Summary

All you have to do once you implement the above strategies is repeat the same 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 solid 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 solutions as needed to help build authority 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, now you have a blueprint that will help you drive more traffic automatically to your WordPress website and build a more successful business online.

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