Tag: WordPress Traffic Blueprint

Welcome to Part 5 of our Web Site Traffic Blueprint article series, where we show you how to create an automated traffic generating machine using WordPress.

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

In Part 1 of this article series, we provided an overview of the traffic automation process, and explained why using an expertly configured WordPress site is the key to generating automated web traffic …

(With an expertly configured WordPress web site, all you have to do to drive traffic is publish content regularly!)

In Part 2, we discuss the setup phase of the blueprint. We help you understand the best way to get started if you don’t have a website yet, how to set things up if you already have a site, and what to do if your site is built using WordPress.

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

In Part Three, we looked at important configuration decisions. We configured all the settings that can affect your website’s traffic-getting ability …

(In Part 3 you learn how to configure all the settings (hosting, WordPress and external) that affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically)

In Part 4, we looked at ways to automate the traffic system with plugins.

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

In this article, we look at ways to optimize your traffic using different tools and methods.

WordPress Traffic System – Traffic Optimization Systems

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

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

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

These include:

• Marketing Systems – How you drive traffic to your business.
• Technical Systems – The systems and processes used to ensure that your digital presence remains operating efficiently for receiving traffic.
• Business Systems – The systems used to manage and respond to new traffic.

(Use systems to grow 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 traffic to your business. You can test your online marketing systems by asking questions such as:

• What is your online marketing strategy?
• What resources and portion of your budget will you apportion to these channels?
• Who will create your content and marketing campaigns?
• How will you 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 (e.g. Google AdWords) to help generate some initial 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 and processes ensure that your web presence remains optimized for receiving new traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your site if your site is constantly experiencing problems or your pages are taking a very long time to load.

Your systems include handling technical areas like webhosting, website 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 will look after my webhosting?
• Who will look after my website and keep my site, plugins, themes, etc. 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 process and setup and configuration phases have been done correctly. Like all technology, however, you should expect problems. You will need the right technical systems in place to handle these.

Business Systems

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

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

If you intend to outsource your digital marketing and technical services, then make sure you have systems in place for managing all outsourcing.

WordPress Web Traffic Automation System – Optimizing Traffic Generation

With clear business objectives and great systems in place, all you need to do is to implement, optimize, and further automate a “traffic loop”.

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

(Implementing an effective traffic loop)

Increase Reach And Visibility

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

Tips

• Your expertly configured WordPress site allows you to instantly share your content on social media accounts like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, 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. pay-per-click ads) can help you generate actionable and intelligent data, which you can use to create content targeted specifically to your audience.
• Repurpose your content to leverage different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to drive more website traffic using methods like Facebook advertising, PPC advertising, joint ventures, etc.

Plugins, Tools, & Methods

See earlier sections of this article series for many useful tools and strategies we’ve already covered to help you reach more potential users.

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

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

Build Authority & Credibility

Getting more of your content out there is good, but to make this more effective, your content needs to be building authority and credibility with users.

Publishing better quality content not only helps to establish your credibility, it also improves your chances of getting it shared on other sites and hence more visitors.

Useful Tips & Ideas

• Focus on creating content that will add value to potential visitors and showcase your expertise. This includes content that informs and educates readers, training content, user reviews, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing an e-book that you can sell or distribute online.

Tools And Strategies

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

Also, ask us about WordPress 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 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 forum, membership site, or even your own social site.

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

Tips

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

Plugins, Tools, & Methods

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

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

Identify Needs And Provide Solutions

By taking advantage of incoming traffic to listen to 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 for generating additional web traffic.

Useful Tips & Ideas

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

Tools And Methods

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

• Membership Site plugins (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.

Hopefully, by now you have already installed an analytics tool (e.g. Google Analytics) on your website. Make sure you understand the metrics and can interpret the data.

WordPress Traffic Automation System – Summary

All you have to do once you implement the above strategies 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 (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 methods as necessary to build authority, trust, 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 traffic automatically to your WordPress web site and expand your business online.

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