Tag: WordPress Traffic Blueprint

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

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

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

(With an expertly configured WordPress blog, all you have to do is publish web content consistently to automatically drive more web traffic!)

In Part 2, we discussed the setup phase. We explained the best way to start 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 existing website was built with WordPress.

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

In Part 3, we look at the configuration phase. We configured all the settings (hosting, WordPress and external) that can affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically …

(In Part 3 you will configure hosting settings, internal settings, and external settings that can affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically)

In Part Four, you learned how to set up various WordPress plugins that can help bring new visitors automatically to your website when you begin to add new content.

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

In this section of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint series, we look at ways to optimize the traffic generation process using different tools and methods.

WordPress Web Traffic Automation Blueprint – Traffic Optimization Systems

In addition to getting your WordPress website expertly configured, generating targeted traffic on a consistent basis is achieved by having a clear business vision, sound digital planning, and great systems and process in place.

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

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

These systems include:

• Marketing Systems – How you create new traffic for your business.
• Technical Systems – How you keep your web presence operating efficiently for receiving new traffic.
• Business Systems – How you manage and respond to new traffic.

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

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

Marketing Systems

Your marketing systems consist of the processes and methods used to drive traffic to your business. Your online marketing systems can be tested by asking questions such as:

• What is your content marketing strategy?
• How will you apply your budget and resources to these channels?
• How will you create your content, sales funnels, and marketing campaigns?
• How will you test and measure the results of your 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 generate some actionable data, such as the keyword phrases people are searching online to find your website, which you can use to create web content targeted specifically to your audience’s needs.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems keep your online presence up and running for receiving traffic. There’s no point driving traffic to your website if your site is experiencing problems or your pages take too long to load.

Your technical systems need to handle areas like webhosting, site 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 looks after my server?
• Who is looking after my website and keeping my site, plugins, themes, etc. maintained and up-to-date?
• Who will fix errors, troubleshoot problems, provide technical support and advice, etc. should things go wrong?

Many potential issues can be minimized if your planning and setup and configuration phases have been done correctly. As with all technology, however, you will always run into new problems. Your technical systems need to be robust enough to handle these.

Business Systems

You need good business systems and processes to help you manage 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 make sure you have implemented great systems for managing all outsourcing.

WordPress Web Traffic System – Traffic Loops

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

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

(Implement and optimize your traffic loop)

Increase Reach And Visibility

The first step of the process is to increase visibility for your business.

Useful Tips

• Your expertly configured WordPress site allows you to automatically syndicate your content to places like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, 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 actionable data such as the keywords people are searching online to find your website, which you can use to create web 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 get more traffic using methods like LinkedIn ads, podcasts, StumbleUpon, etc.

Tools & Strategies

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

Also, if you haven’t already, look for plugins that let you easily add the following to your website:

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

Build Authority & Credibility

Getting more content published is good, but to make this activity more effective, your content also needs to build 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 views from social sharing and hence more traffic.

Traffic Ideas

• Create and publish content that will add value to users and showcase your expertise. This includes content that educates and informs readers, training content, case studies, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing PDF guides or special reports that you can sell or distribute online (e.g. sell on Clickbank.

Plugins, Tools, And Strategies

We have created a detailed email course on how to develop a content marketing strategy, how to promote your business with content, and ways to never run out of new ideas for content that you can plug into for free here:

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

• Legal Pages
• Testimonials
• Customer Support (e.g. Helpdesk, Live Chat, etc.)
• Ratings
• User Reviews
• Badges/Certificates Of Recognition

Grow Influence And Engagement

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

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

Useful Tips & Ideas

• Encourage users to leave comments and start discussions on your site.
• Add an autoresponder newsletter and encourage people to subscribe.
• Add a paid or free membership site, online forum, or social community.
• Start or join a Facebook/LinkedIn Group.

Tools, Plugins, & Strategies

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

• List-Building Solutions (e.g. Aweber, GetResponse, etc.)
• Contact Forms, Live Chat
• Forums & Discussion Groups (e.g. bbPress, BuddyPress)
• Polls and Surveys
• Webinars (e.g. Webinar JEO)
• Comment sharing
• Add media, video galleries, etc.

Identify Needs & Provide Solutions To These

By taking advantage of incoming traffic to listen to what your visitors need, you should have no problem coming up with ideas for new products, services, and solutions, all of which can provide you with new opportunities for generating additional web traffic.

Useful Tips And Ideas

• Consider creating an online training program.
• Publish expert reports that you can sell or distribute online.
• Add e-commerce to your business.

Plugins, Tools, And Strategies

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

• 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. Gathering and interpreting data from existing traffic lets you discover new opportunities to generate additional traffic.

Hopefully, by now you already have installed an analytics program like 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 repeat the cycle, 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 solid marketing, technical and business systems,
• Implement a content marketing strategy (consider also investing in 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 needed 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, now you have a blueprint that will help you drive more visitors automatically to your WordPress web site and improve your business online.

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