Tag: WordPress Traffic

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

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

In Part One, we describe the traffic automation process, and explain why using an expertly configured WordPress site is the key to generating automated traffic …

(With an expertly configured WordPress website or blog, all you have to do is add web content on a consistent basis to generate more web traffic!)

In Part Two, we discussed the setup phase. We explained 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 where to set up WordPress on your domain)

In Part 3, we focus on important configuration decisions. We explained how to configure webhosting settings, WordPress settings, and external settings that affect your site’s ability to generate traffic automatically …

(In Part Three you will configure hosting settings, internal settings, and external settings that affect your site’s traffic-getting ability)

In Part 4, we looked at ways to automate your traffic with different WordPress plugins.

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

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

WordPress Traffic System – Traffic Optimization Systems

In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress site, generating traffic successfully on a consistent basis is achieved by having a well-defined business vision, great digital planning, and excellent systems and process in place.

(Optimizing traffic is the product of a business vision, planning, and systems)

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

These include:

• Marketing Systems – How you drive traffic to your website.
• Technical Systems – The systems and processes used to keep your online presence up and running for receiving new traffic.
• Business Systems – How you manage and respond to new traffic.

(Systems help you grow, automate, optimize, 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 methods used to drive traffic to your business. Your online marketing systems can be tested by asking questions such as:

• What channels will you use to generate traffic (e.g. blogging, video marketing, etc)?
• What resources and portion of your marketing budget will you allocate to these channels?
• Who will create and optimize your content and run your marketing campaigns?
• How will you track conversions and measure the ROI of your online 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 you generate some initial actionable data, such as the keyword phrases people are searching online to find your site, which you can use to create web content targeted specifically to your audience’s needs.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems and processes keep your web presence operating efficiently for receiving new traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your site if your site is experiencing problems or your pages take a very long time to load.

Your systems include handling technical areas like webhosting, website maintenance and support, installing, configuring, and updating software (e.g. plugins), integration, customization, troubleshooting, etc.

You can test your technical systems by questions such as:

• Who looks 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. should anything go wrong?

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

Business Systems

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

• 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 services, then you will need to put systems in place to manage all outsourcing processes.

WordPress Web Traffic System – Optimizing Traffic Generation

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

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

(Traffic loop)

Increase Reach And Visibility

Step 1 of the process is to increase visibility for your website.

Traffic Tips

• Your expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to automatically distribute your content to 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 (e.g. pay-per-click ads) can help you generate some initial data, which you can use to create web 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 increase more traffic using methods like SEO, YouTube, forum signatures, etc.

Tools, Plugins, & Methods

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

Also, contact us to learn more about plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your website or blog:

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

Build Authority & Credibility

Getting more content out there is a great first step, but for this activity to be really effective, your content needs to build authority and credibility with visitors.

Publishing higher quality content not only helps to establish your credibility, it also improves your chances of getting more shares and views and hence more traffic.

Traffic Ideas

• 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 a special report that can be sold or distributed online (e.g. sell on on the Amazon Kindle book store.

Tools, Plugins, & Methods

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

Also, ask us about plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your site:

• 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 demand.” You can achieve this by building a list or starting an online community or even your own social network.

With “Traffic On Tap,” your traffic will come from an audience of existing customers or subscribers – people who already know you and trust you. Your influence and reputation can be used to generate new traffic with every post you publish, forum post you add, or email broadcast you send out.

Tips

• Encourage users to leave comments and start discussions on your site.
• Add an autoresponder training course and encourage people to subscribe.
• Add a free, paid, or ‘freemium’ membership site.
• Create or join a Facebook/LinkedIn Group.

Plugins, Tools, & Strategies

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

• Autoresponders (e.g. Aweber, GetResponse, etc.)
• Contact Forms, Live Chat
• Forums & 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 To These

If you take advantage of incoming traffic to discover what your visitors want, you can develop new products and services, all of which can provide you with new opportunities for generating new sources of web traffic.

Useful Tips

• Consider creating a free or paid e-learning program.
• Consider publishing a special report or PDF guide that you can sell or distribute online.
• Add e-commerce to your business.

Tools & Methods

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

• 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. Learning to gather and interpret data from existing traffic lets you discover new opportunities to create content that can generate you additional traffic.

Hopefully, by now you have already installed an analytics tool like Google Analytics on your website. Make sure you can also understand the data.

WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – 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 initial traffic and generate useful data) to increase your reach and visibility online,
• Add plugins, list-building strategies, and other methods if needed to help 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, this article has given you a blueprint that will help you automate and optimize the process of driving visitors to your web site and build a better business online.

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