Tag: Web Traffic

Welcome to Part 5 of our Web Traffic Blueprint article series, where we show you how to turn a site into an automated web traffic generation machine using the WordPress CMS platform.

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

In Part 1 of this series, we provided an overview of the traffic automation process, and 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 automatically attract traffic is publish web content regularly!)

In Part 2, we focused on critical setup decisions. 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 site, and what to do if your existing site was built with WordPress.

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

In Part 3, we focus on the configuration phase of the automation process. We configured hosting 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 hosting settings, internal settings, and external settings that affect your site’s ability to generate traffic automatically)

In Part 4, we explained how to set up various plugins that can help drive traffic automatically to your website when you begin to publish web content on a consistent basis.

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

In Part 5 of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint series, we look at ways to optimize your traffic using various tools and methods.

WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Systems

In addition to getting your WordPress website expertly configured, the key to generating targeted traffic on a consistent basis is having a clear business vision, careful digital planning, and good systems in place.

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

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

These systems include:

• Marketing Systems – The processes and strategies used to drive traffic to your business.
• Technical Systems – How you keep your online presence optimized for receiving traffic.
• Business Systems – How you manage and respond to new traffic.

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

Let’s briefly review the importance of the above systems:

Marketing Systems

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

• What channels will you use to generate traffic (e.g. blogging, video marketing, etc)?
• How will you apportion your budget and resources to these channels?
• How will you create and optimize your content and marketing campaigns?
• How will you test and 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 generate some initial intelligence. 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 content better targeted to your audience.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems keep your web presence operating efficiently for receiving traffic. There’s no point driving traffic to your website if your site is down or your web pages take a very long time to load.

Your technical systems include handling areas like webhosting, site maintenance and support, installing and updating software (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 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. Like all technology, however, you should expect new problems. Your technical systems need to be able to handle these.

Business Systems

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

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

If you plan to outsource your digital marketing and technical support, then make sure you have excellent systems in place to manage all outsourcing.

WordPress Traffic Blueprint – Traffic Optimization

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

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

(Implementing, optimizing and automating a traffic loop)

Increase Reach And Visibility

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

Traffic Ideas

• Your expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to instantly share your content on traffic-getting sources like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. The easiest way to increase your reach and visibility online, therefore, is to simply publish more content through your expertly configured WordPress site.
• As mentioned earlier, investing in some paid advertising can help you generate some initial data, 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 more web visitors using methods like Facebook, PPC advertising, StumbleUpon, etc.

Tools & Strategies

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

Also, if you haven’t already, ask us about plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your WordPress website:

• Share your comments and posts online with others,
• Run contests, offer discounts/downloads for likes/shares,
• Accept user generated content, feeds, etc.
• Publish and distribute content online in different media formats (e.g. videos, PDF guides, slides, etc.)

Build Authority And Credibility

Getting more content published is a great first step, but to make this more effective, your content needs to build authority and credibility with visitors.

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

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 an instructional e-book that you can sell or distribute online.

Tools And Methods

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

Also, contact us to learn more about plugins that let you 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 & Engagement

As your business grows, you may want to consider developing “traffic on demand.” You can achieve this by growing a list or starting an online forum, community, or even your own social network.

With “Traffic On Demand,” most 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 email.

Useful Tips

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

Tools & Strategies

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

Identify Needs And Provide Solutions To These

By taking advantage of incoming traffic to find out what problems your users are trying to solve, you can have an endless funnel of ideas for developing new services, products, and solutions, all of which can provide you with new opportunities to generate additional web traffic.

Tips

• Create an online training program.
• Publish an instructional e-book that can be sold or distributed online (e.g. sell on Clickbank.
• Add e-commerce to your business.

Tools, Plugins, And Methods

If you plan to provide solutions online (as opposed to just providing information), contact us to learn more about plugins that let you easily add the following to your site:

• Membership Sites (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 to collect and analyze data. By learning to interpret data gathered from existing traffic, you can discover new traffic opportunities.

Hopefully, by now you have already installed an analytics tool like Google Analytics on your site. Make sure you also learn how to 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 improve your results.

In summary:

• Start 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 initial traffic and generate useful data) to increase your reach and visibility online,
• Add plugins, list-building strategies, and other solutions as required to help build authority and credibility, and also to increase 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 automate and optimize the process of driving traffic to your WordPress web site and get better results online.

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