Tag: Web Traffic

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

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

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

(With an expertly configured WordPress web site, all you have to do is post great content consistently to begin attracting web traffic!)

In Part Two, we discussed the setup phase of the blueprint. We helped you understand 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 website has been built with WordPress.

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

In Part Three, we focused on important configuration decisions. We configured all the settings (hosting, WordPress and external) that can affect your site’s traffic-getting ability …

(In Part Three we show you how to configure hosting settings, internal settings, and external settings that can affect your site’s ability to generate traffic automatically)

In Part Four, you learned how to set up various plugins that can help get new visitors automatically to your website whenever you begin posting web content consistently.

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

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

WordPress Traffic Blueprint – Traffic Optimization Systems

In addition to getting your WordPress website expertly configured, generating high-quality traffic on a consistent basis comes from having a clearly-defined business vision, careful digital planning, and good systems in place.

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

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

These include:

• Marketing Systems – The processes and strategies used to drive new traffic to your website.
• Technical Systems – How you keep your digital presence up and running for receiving new traffic.
• Business Systems – The systems used to manage and respond to traffic.

(Use systems to grow and manage your traffic)

Let’s briefly review the above systems:

Marketing Systems

Your marketing systems consist of the processes and strategies used to drive traffic to your website. Your online 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 apply to these channels?
• Who will create and optimize your content, sales funnels, and marketing campaigns?
• How will you track conversions and measure the results of your online 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. Google AdWords) to help you generate some data, such as the keywords 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 digital presence remains up and running 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 long time to load.

Your systems need to handle technical areas like webhosting, website 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 is looking after my server?
• 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. 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 will always run into many new problems. Your technical systems need to be robust enough to handle these.

Business Systems

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

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

If you plan to outsource your digital marketing and technical maintenance, then you will need good systems in place for managing all outsourcing.

WordPress Traffic Automation System – Traffic Optimization Tools & Strategies

With clear business objectives and great systems in place, all you need to focus on are ways to develop and optimize your “traffic loop”.

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

(WordPress can help implement, optimize, and automate a traffic loop)

Increase Reach And Visibility Online

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

Traffic Ideas

• An expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to instantly notify and publicize your content to traffic-getting sources like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, 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 (e.g. pay-per-click ads) can help you generate actionable and intelligent data, which you can use to create web content better targeted to your audience’s needs.
• Repurpose your content to leverage the power and reach of different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to drive more traffic using methods like Pinterest, videos, Reddit, etc.

Plugins, Tools, & Methods

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

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

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

Build Authority And Credibility

Getting more content published is great, but for this activity to be really effective, your content also needs to be building authority and credibility with users.

Publishing higher quality content improves your chances of getting it shared around and hence more traffic.

Useful Tips & Ideas

• Create and publish content that will add value to users and showcase your expertise. This includes content that informs and educates readers, training content, case studies, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing a training guide that can be sold or distributed online (e.g. sell on Clickbank.

Tools, Plugins, And Strategies

We have created a complete email email-based training course designed to help you never run out of great content for your web site:

Also, ask us 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 an online network.

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

Useful Tips And Ideas

• Encourage commenting and 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.
• Create or join a Facebook/LinkedIn Group.

Plugins, Tools, And Methods

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

• List-Building Software (e.g. Aweber, GetResponse, etc.)
• Contact Forms, Live Chat
• Forums & Social Communities (e.g. bbPress, BuddyPress)
• Polls & Surveys
• Webinars (e.g. Webinar JEO)
• Comment sharing
• Add media, image galleries, etc.

Identify Needs & Provide Solutions

If you take advantage of incoming traffic to find out what your visitors are looking for, you should have no problem coming up with ideas for new services and products, all of which can provide you with new opportunities to generate additional web traffic.

Traffic Optimization Ideas

• Create a free or paid e-learning program.
• Publish PDF guides or special reports that you can sell or distribute online.
• Add e-commerce to your business.

Tools & Methods

If you plan to provide products, services, and solutions online (as opposed to just providing information), look for plugins that let you easily add the following to your WordPress website or blog:

• 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. Gathering and interpreting data from existing traffic gives you the opportunity to discover new ways to create content that can help you generate additional traffic.

You should have already installed an analytics tool like Google Analytics on your website. Make sure you can also understand the data.

WordPress Traffic System – Summary

Once you implement the above strategies, all you have to do is repeat the cycle, 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 solid 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 methods as necessary 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, this post has given you a blueprint that will help you drive more visitors automatically to your WordPress website and get better results online.

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