Tag: Web Traffic

Welcome to Part 5 of our Web Traffic Blueprint article series, where we show you how to drive new visitors automatically to your site using the WordPress CMS.

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

In Part 1 of this series, we explained why using an expertly configured WordPress site is the key to automating traffic to your site …

(With an expertly configured WordPress website or blog, all you have to do is post fresh content on a regular basis to automatically start driving web traffic!)

In Part 2, we discuss the setup phase. We explain 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 website, and what to do if your existing site has been built using WordPress.

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

In Part 3, we discussed the configuration phase. We configured all the settings that affect your website’s traffic-getting ability …

(In Part Three you will configure hosting settings, WordPress settings, and external settings that affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically)

In Part 4, you learned how to set up various WordPress plugins that can get traffic automatically to your site whenever you begin publishing web content regularly.

(Publish content one-time and automate your content distribution to all other services!)

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

WordPress Traffic Blueprint – Systems

In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress website or blog, the key to generating quality traffic consistently is having a clear business vision, careful digital planning, and good systems and process in place.

(Generating automated traffic is the product of having a clear business vision, planning, and systems)

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

These systems include:

• Marketing Systems – The processes and methods used to create new traffic for your business.
• Technical Systems – The systems used to ensure that your online presence remains optimized for receiving new traffic.
• Business Systems – How you manage and respond to traffic.

(Systems help you grow and manage your 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 website. Your marketing systems can be tested by asking questions such as:

• What channels will you use to generate traffic (e.g. blogging, facebook advertising, video marketing, etc)?
• What resources and portion of your budget will you apply to these channels?
• How will you create and optimize your content, sales funnels, and marketing campaigns?
• How will you track conversions and 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. Facebook ads) to help generate some results. If you’re tracking your marketing campaigns correctly, this should yield some actionable data, such as the keywords people are searching online to find your site, which you can use to create web content better targeted to your audience.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems and processes ensure that your digital presence remains operating efficiently for receiving traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your website if your site is experiencing problems or your pages take a long time to load.

Your technical systems need to handle areas like webhosting, website 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 will look 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. if any issues occur?

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

Business Systems

You need good business systems to help you manage the influx of 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 to manage all outsourcing.

WordPress Web Traffic Blueprint – Traffic Loops

If your business objectives are clear and your systems and processes are in place, all you need to focus on is how to develop, optimize, and automate your “traffic loop”.

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

(Implement, optimize, and automate a traffic loop)

Increase Reach & Visibility

Step 1 of the process is to get your business exposed to as many traffic generation sites and channels as your resources allow.

Traffic Optimization Ideas

• Your expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to automatically distribute your content to sites like Facebook, Twitter, GooglePlus, 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 (e.g. Facebook ads) can help generate data, which you can use to create content targeted specifically to your audience’s needs.
• Repurpose your content to leverage the power and reach of different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to increase more visitors using methods like LinkedIn ads, solo ads, forum ads, etc.

Tools & Strategies

We’ve covered a number of excellent tools, plugins, and strategies in previous sections of this article series.

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

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

Build Authority & Credibility

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

Publishing better quality content improves your chances of getting it shared around and viewed by more people and hence more visitors.

Tips

• Create and publish content that will add value to potential visitors and showcase your expertise. This includes content that educates and informs readers, training content, user reviews, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing instructional PDF guides or special reports that can be sold or distributed online (e.g. sell on on the Amazon Kindle store.

Plugins, Tools, & Strategies

We have created an entire email course on how to develop a content marketing strategy, how to promote your business with content, and how to never run out of new web content ideas that you can plug into at no cost here:

Also, see other posts and tutorials on this site to learn more about plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your WordPress website or blog:

• 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 do this by growing a list or starting your own online community or social network.

With “Traffic On Tap,” most of your traffic will come 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 every blog post you publish or email broadcast you send out.

Tips

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

Tools, Plugins, & Methods

Many solutions and plugins are available that are easy to implement and can help grow your online influence and improve engagement. For example:

• List-Building Software (e.g. Aweber, GetResponse, 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 Needs/Problems And Provide Solutions To These

If you take advantage of incoming traffic to listen to what problems your visitors are trying to solve, you can develop new solutions, all of which provide new opportunities for generating new streams of traffic.

Traffic Optimization Ideas

• Create an e-learning course.
• Publish a special report that can be sold or distributed online.
• Consider adding an e-commerce store to your business.

Tools, Plugins, & Strategies

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

• 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 ways to create additional traffic.

You should already have installed an analytics tool (e.g. Google Analytics) on your site. Make sure you understand the metrics and features and can interpret the data.

WordPress Traffic Blueprint – Summary

Once you implement the above strategies, all you have to do is rinse and repeat, 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 also investing in 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 required to help 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 WordPress website and build a better business online.

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