Tag: Web Traffic

Welcome to Part Five of our Web Site Traffic Blueprint article series, where we explain how to drive visitors automatically to your site using WordPress.

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

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

(With an expertly configured WordPress site, all you have to do to drive more web traffic is add content on a consistent basis!)

In Part 2, we looked at critical setup decisions. We helped 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 existing site was built using WordPress.

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

In Part 3, we focused on important configuration decisions. We explained how to configure hosting settings, internal settings, and external settings that affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically …

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

In Part 4, we showed you how to set up various WordPress plugins that can get new visitors automatically to your website just by adding content on a consistent basis.

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

In Part Five of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint article series, we look at ways to optimize your traffic using different tools and strategies.

WordPress Web Traffic Automation System – Systems

In addition to getting your WordPress website or blog expertly configured, generating consistent traffic of high quality is the outcome of a clear business vision, careful digital planning, and excellent systems in place.

(Consistent traffic is the product of a business vision, planning, and great systems)

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

These systems include:

• Marketing Systems – The processes and strategies used to create new traffic for your business.
• Technical Systems – How you keep your digital presence operating efficiently for receiving new traffic.
• Business Systems – The systems used to manage and respond to traffic.

(Systems help you grow, automate, 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 methods used to create traffic for your business. You can test your marketing systems by asking questions such as:

• What channels do you plan to use to drive new traffic (e.g. blogging, PPC advertising, video marketing, etc)?
• How will you apportion your budget and resources to these channels?
• Who will create your content and run your marketing campaigns?
• How will you measure the ROI of your online 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 data, such as the keyword phrases people are searching online to find your site, which you can use to create content targeted specifically to your audience’s needs.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems ensure that your online presence remains 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 areas like webhosting, website maintenance and support, installing, configuring, and updating new software (e.g. plugins), integration, customization, troubleshooting, etc.

You can test your technical systems by 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. 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 should expect new problems to arise. Your technical systems need to be robust enough to handle these.

Business Systems

Your business systems help you manage and respond to 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 your digital marketing and technical support, then make sure you also implement excellent systems for managing all outsourcing processes.

WordPress Web Traffic Automation Blueprint – Traffic Optimization

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

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

(An effective traffic loop)

Increase Reach And Visibility

The first step of the process is to get your business exposed to as many members of your target audience as you can.

Tips

• An expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to automatically publish your content on sites like Facebook, Twitter, GooglePlus, 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. Facebook ads) can help generate some initial 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 increase more traffic using methods like LinkedIn, videos, forum signatures, etc.

Tools & Methods

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

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

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

Build Authority & Credibility

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

Publishing authoritative content improves your chances of getting more views from social sharing 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 or PDF guide that you can sell or distribute online (e.g. sell on on the Amazon Kindle book store.

Tools And Strategies

If you need great content ideas for your site, then subscribe to our email training series here:

Also, if you haven’t already, learn more about WordPress plugins that let you 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 Recognition

Grow Influence And Engagement

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

With “Traffic On Tap,” your traffic comes from an audience of 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.

Tips

• Encourage users to leave comments and start discussions on your site.
• Add an autoresponder newsletter and encourage people to subscribe.
• Add a free or paid membership site.
• Start or join an online group on LinkedIn/Facebook.

Tools And Methods

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

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

Identify Needs/Problems And Provide Solutions To These

By taking advantage of incoming traffic to listen to what your visitors are searching for, you should have no problem coming up with ideas for new solutions, all of which provide new opportunities for generating new sources of traffic.

Useful Tips

• Create a free or paid online training program.
• Publish instructional PDF guides that you can sell or distribute online.
• Add an e-commerce store to your business.

Plugins, Tools, And Strategies

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 site 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. By learning to interpret data gathered from existing traffic, you can discover new ways to create additional traffic.

You should already have installed an analytics program like Google Analytics on your site. Make sure you also learn how to interpret the data.

WordPress Web Traffic Blueprint – Summary

Once you implement the above strategies, all you have to do 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:

• Begin 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 methods if needed to build authority, trust, 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 automate and optimize the process of driving visitors to your web site and get better results online.

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