Tag: WordPress Traffic

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

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

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

(With an expertly configured WordPress web site, all you have to do to automatically begin attracting traffic is add content on a regular basis!)

In Part 2, we focus on the setup phase. We explain the best way to start if you don’t have a web presence yet, how to set everything up if you already have a site, and what to do if your existing website was built using WordPress.

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

In Part Three, we discuss configuring the system. We explained how to configure all the settings that can affect your website’s traffic-getting ability …

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

In Part 4, you learned how to set up various WordPress plugins that can help drive traffic automatically to your website.

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

In this section of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint article series, we look at ways to optimize your traffic using a number of tools and methods.

WordPress Web Traffic Automation Blueprint – Systems

In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress site, generating traffic successfully on a consistent basis is the product of a well-defined business vision, sound digital planning, and excellent systems in place.

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

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

These systems include:

• Marketing Systems – The processes and strategies used to create new traffic for your business.
• Technical Systems – How you keep your web presence up and running for receiving new traffic.
• Business Systems – How you manage and respond to new traffic.

(Use systems to grow, automate, and manage your web traffic)

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

Marketing Systems

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

• What channels do you plan to use to drive traffic (e.g. blogging, video marketing, etc)?
• How will you assign your budget and resources to these channels?
• How will you create your content, sales funnels, and run your marketing campaigns?
• How will you test and measure the ROI of your 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 you generate some actionable data, such as the keyword phrases people are searching online to find your website, which you can use to create content better targeted to your audience’s needs.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems keep your online presence optimized for receiving traffic. There’s no point driving traffic to your website if your site is constantly down or your web pages are taking a long time to load.

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

Your technical systems can be tested by asking questions such as:

• Who will look after my webhosting?
• Who looks after my website and keeps my site maintained and up-to-date?
• Who will fix errors, troubleshoot problems, provide technical support and advice, etc. should issues arise?

Many potential issues can be minimized if your website planning and setup and configuration phases have been done correctly. As with all technology, however, you can expect new problems to arise. 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 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 key aspects of your digital marketing and technical services, then make sure you have excellent systems in place to manage all outsourcing processes.

WordPress Traffic Automation System – Optimizing Traffic Generation

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

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

(Implementing, optimizing and automating your traffic loop)

Increase Reach & Visibility Online

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

Tips

• Your expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to automatically distribute your content to places like Facebook, Twitter, GooglePlus, etc. The easiest way to increase your reach and visibility online, therefore, is to simply publish more content online.
• As mentioned earlier, investing in some paid advertising can help you generate data, which you can use to create content better targeted to your audience’s needs.
• Repurpose your content to leverage different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to drive web visitors using methods like SEO, podcasts, forum signatures, etc.

Tools & Methods

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

Also, if you haven’t already, see other posts and tutorials on this site to learn more about plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your WordPress site:

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

Build Authority And Credibility

Getting more of your content out there is great, but for this activity to be really effective, your content also needs to build authority and credibility with users.

Publishing authoritative content not only helps to establish your credibility, it also improves your chances of getting it shared around and hence more traffic.

Useful Tips

• Create and publish content that will add value to users and showcase your expertise. This includes content that informs and educates readers, training content, user reviews, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing special reports that can be sold or distributed online (e.g. sell on Amazon.

Tools, Plugins, & Strategies

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

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

• Legal Pages
• Testimonials
• Customer Support (e.g. Helpdesk, Live Chat, etc.)
• Ratings
• User Reviews
• Badges/Certificates Of Trust

Grow Influence And Engagement

At some point, you may want to consider developing “traffic on demand.” You can achieve this by growing a list or starting an online group.

With “Traffic On Tap,” all of your traffic will come from an audience of 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 users to leave comments and start 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.

Tools, Plugins, & Methods

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/Email Newsletters (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 Needs/Problems And Provide Solutions

By taking advantage of incoming traffic to discover what problems your visitors are trying to solve, you can have an endless funnel of ideas for developing new services and products, all of which can provide you with new opportunities for generating new sources of traffic.

Tips

• Create an online training program.
• Publish a special report that can be sold or distributed online (e.g. sell on Clickbank.
• Add an e-commerce store to your business.

Tools, Plugins, & Strategies

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

• Membership Sites (e.g. Wishlist Member, S2 Member, etc.)
• e-Learning Courses (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 content that can bring 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 Blueprint – Summary

All you have to do once you implement the above strategies is repeat the process, 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 (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 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 visitors automatically to your WordPress website and build a better business online.

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