Tag: WordPress Traffic

Welcome to Part Five of our Web Traffic Blueprint article series, where we show you how to turn a website into an automated web traffic machine using WordPress.

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

In Part 1, we provided an overview of the traffic automation process, and explained why using an expertly configured WordPress website is the key to automating traffic to your site …

(With an expertly configured WordPress blog, all you have to do to start generating new web traffic is post new content on a regular basis!)

In Part 2, we focused on the setup phase of the traffic automation process. We explained 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 site, and what to do if your existing site has been built using WordPress.

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

In Part 3, we look at configuring the system. We configured all the settings (hosting, internal and external) that can affect your site’s traffic-getting ability …

(In Part Three you learn how to configure all the settings (hosting, WordPress and external) that can affect your website’s traffic-getting ability)

In Part Four, we looked at ways to automate traffic to your website using various WordPress plugins.

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

In this article, we look at ways to optimize the traffic generation process using various tools and strategies.

WordPress Traffic System – Systems

In addition to getting your WordPress site expertly configured, generating consistent traffic of high quality is the outcome of a clear business vision, great digital planning, and excellent systems in place.

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

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

These include:

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

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

Let’s briefly review how important these systems are for traffic:

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 content marketing/online marketing strategy?
• How will you apply your budget and resources to these channels?
• Who will create and optimize your content, sales funnels, and marketing campaigns?
• How will you track conversions and measure the ROI 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 intelligence. If you’re tracking your marketing campaigns correctly, this should yield some actionable data, such as the keyword phrases people are searching online to find your website, which you can use to create content targeted specifically to your audience.

Technical Systems

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

Your technical systems need to adequately handle technical areas like webhosting, site maintenance and support, installing and updating software (e.g. plugins), customization, integration, troubleshooting, etc.

You can test your technical systems by questions such as:

• Who is looking 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 you experience difficulties?

Many potential issues 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

Your business systems 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 plan to outsource your digital marketing and technical maintenance, then make sure you have good systems in place to manage all outsourcing.

WordPress Traffic Blueprint – Traffic Optimization

If your business objectives are clear and your systems and processes are in place, all you need to focus on are ways to grow and optimize 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 …

(An effective traffic loop)

Increase Reach & Visibility Online

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

Tips

• An expertly configured WordPress site allows you to automatically publish your content on places like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc. The easiest way to increase your reach and visibility online, therefore, is to simply publish more content on your site.
• As mentioned earlier, investing in some paid advertising can help you generate actionable and intelligent data, which you can use to create web content targeted specifically to your audience’s needs.
• Repurpose your content to leverage the power, appeal, and reach of different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to bring visitors using methods like Pinterest, podcasts, cross promotions, etc.

Tools, Plugins, & Strategies

See earlier sections of this article series for a number of excellent tools, plugins, and methods we’ve already covered to help you reach more potential users.

Also, if you haven’t already, learn more about plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your WordPress site:

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

Build Authority & Credibility

Getting more content out there is great, but to make this activity more effective, your content needs to be building authority and credibility with your audience.

Publishing higher quality content not only helps to establish your credibility, it also improves your chances of getting more people to share it with others and hence more visitors.

Tips

• Create and publish content that adds value to potential users and that showcases your expertise. This includes content that informs and educates readers, training content, case studies, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing a special report that you can sell or distribute online (e.g. sell on Amazon.

Tools, Plugins, And 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 ideas for content that you can plug into at no cost here:

Also, if you haven’t already, learn more about WordPress plugins that let you 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 tap.” You can do this by growing a list or starting an online membership site.

With “Traffic On Tap,” 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 email broadcast.

Useful Tips And Ideas

• Encourage users to leave comments and start discussions on your site.
• Add an autoresponder training course and encourage people to subscribe.
• Add a free or paid membership site.
• Start or join an online group on Facebook.

Tools & Strategies

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

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

If you take advantage of incoming traffic to discover what problems your visitors are trying to solve, you should have no problem developing new products and services, all of which provide new opportunities for generating new streams of traffic.

Traffic Optimization Ideas

• Consider creating a free or paid online training program.
• Publish instructional PDF guides that can be sold or distributed online (e.g. sell on Amazon.
• Add e-commerce to your business.

Plugins, Tools, And Methods

If you plan to provide services, products, and solutions online (as opposed to just providing information), look for plugins that let you easily add the following to your website:

• Membership Site plugins (e.g. Wishlist Member, S2 Member, etc.)
• e-Courses (e.g. Courseware)
• Event Registrations (e.g. EventEspresso)

Analyze Data & Feedback

The final step of the process is the collection and analysis of data. Learning to gather and interpret data from existing traffic lets you discover new opportunities to create content that can generate you additional traffic.

You should have already installed an analytics program (e.g. 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 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 solid 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 solutions as required to help 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 automate and optimize the process of driving visitors to your web site and build a more successful business online.

***

***