Tag: WordPress Traffic

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

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

In Part 1, we provide an overview of the traffic automation process, and explain 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 is add fresh content regularly to automatically attract new web traffic!)

In Part Two, we look at the setup phase. We explain 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 site was built with WordPress.

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

In Part Three, we looked at the configuration phase of the traffic automation blueprint. We configured all the settings that affect your website’s traffic-getting ability …

(In Part Three we show you how to configure hosting settings, WordPress settings, and external settings that affect your site’s traffic-getting ability)

In Part 4, you learned how to set up various WordPress plugins that can bring visitors automatically to your website or blog just by posting fresh content.

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

In Part 5 of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint article series, we look at ways to optimize your traffic using different tools and strategies.

WordPress Traffic Automation System – Traffic Optimization Systems

In addition to getting your WordPress website or blog expertly configured, generating consistent traffic of high quality is achieved by having a clearly-defined business vision, great digital planning, and good systems in place.

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

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

These systems include:

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

(Use systems to grow and manage your traffic)

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

Marketing Systems

Your marketing systems consist of the processes and strategies used to create new traffic for your business. Your marketing systems can be tested by asking questions such as:

• What channels will you use to generate new traffic (e.g. blogging, PPC advertising, video marketing, etc)?
• How will you apportion your budget and resources to these marketing channels?
• How will you create and optimize your content and marketing campaigns?
• How will you track conversions and measure the cost-effectiveness of your online 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 to help 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 better targeted to your audience’s needs.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems and processes ensure that your web presence remains up and running for receiving traffic. There’s no point driving traffic to your website if your site is constantly experiencing problems or your web pages take a very long time to load.

Your technical systems need to adequately handle technical areas like webhosting, website maintenance and support, installing, configuring, and updating new applications (e.g. plugins), customization, integration, 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, 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 problems can be minimized if your website planning and setup and configuration phases have been done correctly. As with 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 the influx of traffic. This includes:

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

If you plan to outsource areas of your digital marketing and technical maintenance, then you will need systems in place to manage all outsourcing processes.

WordPress Traffic Blueprint – Traffic Loops

If your business objectives are clear and your systems and processes are in place, all you need to do is focus on how to implement and optimize a “traffic loop”.

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

(WordPress can help you implement, optimize, and automate your traffic loop)

Increase Reach And Visibility Online

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

Useful Tips & Ideas

• An expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to instantly share your content on traffic-getting sources like Facebook, Twitter, GooglePlus, 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 generate some initial data, which you can use to create web content better targeted to your audience’s needs.
• Repurpose your content to leverage the power, appeal, and reach of different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to get traffic using methods like LinkedIn ads, banner ads, StumbleUpon, etc.

Tools & Strategies

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

Also, look for plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your website:

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

Build Authority And Credibility

Getting more content published is good, but to make this more effective, your content also needs to be building authority and credibility with your audience.

Publishing better quality content improves your chances of getting it shared on other sites and viewed by more people and hence more visitors.

Traffic Optimization Ideas

• Focus on 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 PDF guides or special reports that you can sell or distribute online.

Plugins, Tools, And Strategies

We have created a detailed course on content creation that you can plug into at no cost here:

Also, learn more about WordPress plugins that let you 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 And Engagement

As your business grows, you may want to consider developing “traffic on tap.” You can do this by building a list or starting your own online community or social network.

With “Traffic On Tap,” all of your traffic comes from an audience of existing customers or subscribers – people who already like 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.

Useful Tips

• Encourage commenting and discussions on your site.
• Add an email training course 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, & Methods

Many solutions and WordPress plugins are available that can help increase your influence and improve engagement. For example:

• Autoresponders/Email Newsletters (e.g. Aweber, GetResponse, 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 find out what problems your users are trying to solve, you should have no problem developing new solutions, all of which can provide you with new opportunities for generating new sources of web traffic.

Useful Tips

• Create a free or paid online training program.
• Consider publishing instructional PDF guides or special reports that you can sell or distribute online.
• Consider adding an e-commerce store to your business.

Plugins, Tools, & Strategies

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

• 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 to collect and analyze data. By learning to interpret data gathered from existing traffic, you can discover new traffic opportunities.

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

WordPress Web Traffic System – 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:

• Begin with an expertly configured WordPress site backed by good marketing, technical and business systems,
• Implement a content marketing strategy (consider also investing in 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 solutions as necessary to help build authority 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, this article has given you a blueprint that will help you automate and optimize the process of driving visitors to your website and improve your business online.

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