Tag: Web Traffic

Welcome to Part Five of our Web Traffic Blueprint article series, where we show you how to automate traffic to your site using the WordPress CMS.

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

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

(With an expertly configured WordPress site, all you have to do is add great content consistently to automatically attract new traffic!)

In Part 2, we look at the setup phase of this process. We help you understand 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 website is built using WordPress.

(In Part 2 we show you how to set up a WordPress website on your domain)

In Part 3, we discuss configuring the system. We configured hosting settings, internal settings, and external settings that can affect your website’s traffic-getting ability …

(In Part 3 you learn how to configure all the settings that can affect your site’s ability to generate traffic automatically)

In Part Four, we explained how to set up various WordPress plugins that can get web traffic automatically to your website or blog.

(Publish once, automate the rest!)

In this article, we discuss ways to optimize the traffic system with different tools and methods.

WordPress Traffic Automation System – Systems

In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress site, generating consistent traffic of high quality is achieved by having a clear business vision, sound digital planning, and good systems and process in place.

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

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

These systems include:

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

(Systems help you grow, automate, optimize, 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 traffic for your business. Your online marketing systems can be tested by asking questions such as:

• What is your online marketing strategy?
• What resources and portion of your budget will you apply to these channels?
• Who will create and optimize your content and run your marketing campaigns?
• How will you measure the results of your 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 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 and processes keep your online presence operating efficiently for receiving traffic. There’s no point driving traffic to your site if your site is constantly experiencing problems or your pages take too long to load.

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

You can test your technical systems by questions such as:

• Who is looking after my webhosting?
• Who is looking after my website and keeping my site maintained and up-to-date?
• Who will fix errors, troubleshoot problems, provide technical support and advice, etc. should any issues arise?

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

Business Systems

You need good business systems to help you manage and respond to the influx of traffic. This includes:

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

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

WordPress Traffic Blueprint – Traffic Optimization Tools And Methods

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

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

(An effective traffic loop)

Increase Reach And Visibility

Step 1 of the process is to increase visibility for your website.

Tips

• 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.
• As mentioned earlier, investing in some paid advertising can help generate some initial data, which you can use to create content better targeted to your audience.
• Repurpose your content to leverage the power and reach of different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to get more web traffic using methods like paid ads, podcasts, StumbleUpon, etc.

Tools And Methods

See previous sections of this article series for a number of excellent tools, plugins, and strategies we’ve already covered to help you reach more members of your target audience.

Also, if you haven’t already, see other posts on this site to learn more about plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your WordPress website or blog:

• Share your comments and posts online,
• 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 & Credibility

Getting more of your content published is good, but for this activity to be really effective, your content needs to be building authority and credibility with visitors.

Publishing better quality content improves your chances of getting it shared on other sites and viewed by more people and hence more traffic.

Traffic Optimization Tips

• Create and publish content that adds value to users 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 can be sold or distributed online (e.g. sell on Clickbank.

Tools & Methods

We have created a complete email series aimed at helping you come up with unlimited content for your web site:

Also, see other posts on this site to learn more about 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 & Engagement

At some point, you may want to consider developing “traffic on tap.” You can achieve this by building a list or starting an online group.

With “Traffic On Demand,” all of your traffic will come from customers or subscribers – people who already know you and trust you. Your influence and reputation can be used to generate new traffic with a single blog post or broadcast.

Useful Tips And Ideas

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

Tools And Methods

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

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

Identify Problems And Provide Solutions To These

By taking advantage of incoming traffic to discover what users need, you should have no problem developing new services and products, all of which can provide you with new opportunities to generate new streams of traffic.

Useful Tips

• Create a free or paid online training course.
• Consider publishing educational guides or special reports that you can sell or distribute online (e.g. sell on Clickbank.
• Add e-commerce to your site.

Tools & Methods

If you plan to provide services and products online (as opposed to just providing information), see other posts and tutorials on this site to learn more about 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 to collect and analyze data. By learning to interpret data gathered from existing traffic, you can discover new opportunities to create additional traffic.

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

WordPress Traffic System – Summary

All you have to do once you implement the above strategies is repeat the process over and over again, 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 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 as necessary to help 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 WordPress website and expand your business online.

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