Tag: WordPress Traffic

Welcome to Part 5 of our Web Traffic Blueprint article series, where we explain how to drive traffic automatically to your website using the WordPress CMS platform.

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

In Part 1, we describe the traffic automation process, and explain why using an expertly configured WordPress website is the key to automating traffic to your website …

(With an expertly configured WordPress site, all you have to do is post new content on a regular basis to bring traffic!)

In Part Two, we focused on the setup phase of the blueprint. We explained the best way to start if you don’t have a website yet, how to set things up if you already have a website, and what to do if your website has been built using WordPress.

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

In Part 3, we focus on configuring WordPress. We configured all the settings (hosting, WordPress and external) that affect your website’s traffic-getting ability …

(In Part Three we show you how to configure all the settings (hosting, internal and external) that affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically)

In Part Four, we discussed ways to automate traffic to your website using a number of WordPress plugins.

(Publish content once, automate the rest!)

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

WordPress Web Traffic System – Systems

In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress site, generating traffic successfully on a consistent basis comes from a clear business vision, great digital planning, and great systems and process in place.

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

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

These include:

• Marketing Systems – How you create traffic for your business.
• Technical Systems – How you keep your digital presence optimized 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 briefly review how important these systems are:

Marketing Systems

Your marketing systems consist of the processes and strategies used to create traffic for your website. Your 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 apportion to these marketing channels?
• How will you create your content and run your 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. Google AdWords) to help you generate some initial 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.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems ensure that your online presence remains operating efficiently for receiving new traffic. There’s no point driving traffic to your site if your site is constantly experiencing problems or your web pages take too long to load.

Your technical systems include handling areas like webhosting, site maintenance and support, installing, configuring, 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 looks after my website and keeps my site, plugins, themes, etc. maintained and up-to-date?
• Who will fix errors, troubleshoot problems, provide technical support and advice, etc. should anything go wrong?

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

Business Systems

You need good operational systems and processes in place to help you manage traffic. This includes:

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

If you intend to outsource areas of your digital marketing and technical support, then make sure you have implemented great systems to manage all outsourcing.

WordPress Web Traffic Blueprint – Traffic Loops

With clear business objectives and great systems in place, all you need to focus on are ways to implement and optimize your “traffic loop”.

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

(An effective traffic loop)

Increase Reach And Visibility

The first step of the process is to expose your business to as many potential users as your resources will allow.

Traffic Optimization Tips

• An expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to automatically publish your content on sites 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 content targeted specifically to your audience.
• Repurpose your content to leverage the power, appeal, and reach of different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to bring website traffic using methods like Twitter, social media, joint ventures, etc.

Tools, Plugins, And Strategies

We’ve already covered many excellent tools and strategies in earlier sections of this tutorial series.

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

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

Build Authority And Credibility

Getting more content published is good, but for this activity to be really effective, your content also needs to build authority and credibility with users.

Publishing authoritative content improves your chances of getting it shared on other sites and hence more visitors.

Useful Tips

• Focus on creating content that will add value to potential users and showcase your expertise. This includes content that educates and informs readers, training content, user reviews, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing a “how to” guide that can be sold or distributed online (e.g. sell on Clickbank.

Tools And Strategies

We have created an entire email course on content creation that you can plug into at no cost here:

Also, look for WordPress plugins that allow you to 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

As your business grows, you may want to consider developing “traffic on demand.” You can do this by growing a list or starting a forum or network.

With “Traffic On Tap,” 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, forum post you add, or email broadcast you send out.

Traffic Optimization Tips

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

Tools, Plugins, And Strategies

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

• Autoresponders (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 & Provide Solutions To These

If you take advantage of incoming traffic to discover what your visitors need, you can have an endless funnel of ideas for developing new products, services, and solutions, all of which provide new opportunities for generating additional web traffic.

Useful Tips

• Consider creating an online training course.
• Publish educational guides or special reports that you can sell or distribute online.
• Consider adding e-commerce to your business.

Tools, Plugins, & Methods

If you plan to provide solutions online (as opposed to just providing information), see other posts on this site to learn more about plugins that let you easily add the following to your website:

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

You should 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 System – Summary

All you have to do once you implement the above strategies is repeat the cycle, 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 traffic and generate useful data) to increase your reach and visibility online,
• Add plugins, list-building strategies, and other methods if necessary to help build authority, trust, and credibility, and also to increase 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 get better results online.

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