Tag: Web Traffic

Welcome to Part 5 of our Web Traffic Blueprint article series, where we explain how to create an automated web traffic generating machine using the WordPress CMS.

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

In Part One, we described the traffic automation process, and explained why using an expertly configured WordPress website is the key to automating traffic to your website …

(With an expertly configured WordPress website or blog, all you have to do is publish content regularly to automatically attract new traffic!)

In Part Two, we discuss the setup phase of the automation blueprint. We explain 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 site is built with WordPress.

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

In Part Three, we focus on important configuration decisions. We explained how to configure all the 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 website’s ability to generate traffic automatically)

In Part Four, we discussed ways to automate your traffic with plugins.

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

In this article, we discuss ways to optimize the traffic generation process using various tools and strategies.

WordPress Web Traffic Automation System – Traffic Optimization Systems

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

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

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

These systems include:

• Marketing Systems – The processes and methods used to create traffic for your website.
• Technical Systems – The systems used to ensure that your web presence remains up and running for receiving new traffic.
• Business Systems – The systems and processes used to manage and respond to new traffic.

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

Let’s review the above systems briefly:

Marketing Systems

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

• What is your content marketing strategy?
• What resources and portion of your budget will you allocate to these channels?
• How will you create your content, sales funnels, and run your marketing campaigns?
• How will you measure the results of your marketing campaigns?

During the setup and configuration phase, you should 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. pay-per-click ads) to help generate some initial 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 targeted specifically to your audience’s needs.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems ensure that your web presence remains optimized for receiving new traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your website if your site is down or your pages take a very long time to load.

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

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

• Who is looking 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. if you experience difficulties?

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

Business Systems

You need good operational systems and processes in place to help you manage and respond to the influx of new traffic. This includes:

• Communication systems
• Managing human and financial resources
• Handling leads and sales enquiries
• Order fulfillment
• Customer training/service
• etc.

If you plan to outsource your digital marketing and technical maintenance, then make sure you have implemented great systems for managing all outsourcing processes.

WordPress Web Traffic Automation System – Traffic Loops

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

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

(Implementing and optimizing your traffic loop)

Increase Reach And Visibility Online

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

Tips

• An expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to instantly share your content on 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 data, which you can use to create 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 get traffic using methods like Facebook ads, social media, email ads, etc.

Tools & Strategies

We’ve already covered a number of excellent plugins, tools, and strategies in earlier sections of this tutorial series.

Also, see other posts and tutorials on this site to learn more about 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.
• Distribute content online in various media formats (e.g. videos, PDF guides, infographics, etc.)

Build Authority And Credibility

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

Publishing better quality content not only helps to establish your credibility, it also improves your chances of getting more shares and views and hence more visitors.

Tips

• Create and publish content that adds value to potential visitors and that showcases your expertise. This includes content that educates and informs readers, training content, case studies, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing a special report that can be sold or distributed online.

Tools And Methods

If you need great ideas for posting content on your website, we recommend subscribing to our FREE email training series on growing your business with content marketing here:

Also, if you haven’t already, ask us about plugins that allow you to 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 demand.” You can achieve this by growing a list or starting a membership site.

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

Traffic Optimization Ideas

• Encourage visitors to leave comments and start discussions on your site.
• Add an email newsletter and encourage people to subscribe.
• Add a paid or free membership site, online forum, or social community.
• Start or join an online group on LinkedIn.

Tools, Plugins, & Strategies

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

• List-Building Solutions (e.g. Aweber, MailChimp, 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/Problems And Provide Solutions

By taking advantage of incoming traffic to listen to what problems your users are trying to solve, you can develop new services, products, and solutions, all of which provide new opportunities to generate additional traffic.

Useful Tips & Ideas

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

Plugins, Tools, & Methods

If you plan to provide services and products online (as opposed to just providing information), then some of the more useful plugins you may want to consider adding to your site include:

• Membership Site plugins (e.g. Wishlist Member, S2 Member, etc.)
• Learning Management Systems (e.g. Courseware)
• Event Registrations (e.g. EventEspresso)

Analyze Data & Feedback

The final step of the process is the collection and analysis of data. Gathering and interpreting data from existing traffic allows you to discover new traffic opportunities.

Hopefully, by now you have already installed an analytics program like Google Analytics on your website. Make sure you also learn how to interpret the data.

WordPress Web Traffic Blueprint – 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 improve 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 necessary to 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 drive more visitors automatically to your website and build a more successful business online.

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