Tag: WordPress Traffic

Welcome to Part 5 of our Website Traffic Blueprint article series, where we explain how to create an automated web traffic machine using WordPress.

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

In Part 1, we described the traffic automation process, and explained why using an expertly configured WordPress website is the key to generating automated web traffic …

(With an expertly configured WordPress website or blog, all you have to do is publish content consistently to start attracting web traffic!)

In Part 2, we looked at the setup phase of the automation blueprint. We helped you understand the best way to get started if you don’t have a web presence yet, how to set everything up if you already have a website, and what to do if your existing website has been built using WordPress.

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

In Part Three, we look at the configuration phase of the blueprint. We configured webhosting settings, WordPress settings, and external settings that can affect your website’s traffic-getting ability …

(In Part 3 you will configure all the settings (hosting, WordPress and external) that can affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically)

In Part Four, you learned how to set up various WordPress plugins that can help drive traffic automatically to your website or blog just by adding content on a regular basis.

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

In this article, we look at ways to optimize traffic to your website using various tools and strategies.

WordPress Web Traffic Automation Blueprint – Traffic Optimization Systems

In addition to getting your WordPress website expertly configured, generating targeted traffic on a consistent basis is the outcome of a well-defined business vision, great digital planning, and great systems in place.

(Automating 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 new traffic.

These systems include:

• Marketing Systems – The processes and methods used to drive new traffic to your website.
• Technical Systems – The systems and processes used to ensure that your web presence remains optimized for receiving traffic.
• Business Systems – The systems used to 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 strategies used to drive traffic to your business. Your online marketing systems can be tested by asking questions such as:

• What is your content marketing/online marketing strategy?
• What resources and portion of your budget will you apportion to these channels?
• Who will create and optimize your content, sales funnels, and run your marketing campaigns?
• How will you measure the cost-effectiveness of your online 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 results. If you’re tracking your marketing campaigns correctly, this should yield some actionable data, such as the keywords people are searching online to find your site, which you can use to create content better targeted to your audience’s needs.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems and processes ensure that your web presence remains optimized for receiving traffic. There’s no point driving traffic to your site if your site is constantly down or your pages are taking too long to load.

Your technical systems include handling areas like webhosting, website maintenance and support, installing and updating new 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 problems can be minimized if your planning and setup and configuration phases have been completed correctly. Like all technology, however, you can expect new problems. Your technical systems need to be able to handle these.

Business Systems

You need good business systems in place to help you manage the influx of new traffic. These include:

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

If you intend to outsource your digital marketing and technical maintenance, then make sure you have good systems in place for managing all outsourcing.

WordPress Traffic System – 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 develop 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 …

(An effective traffic loop)

Increase Reach & Visibility

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

Useful Tips & Ideas

• Your expertly configured WordPress site allows you to automatically syndicate 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 on your site.
• As mentioned earlier, investing in some paid advertising (e.g. pay-per-click ads) can help generate actionable data, which you can use to create content better targeted to your audience.
• Repurpose your content to leverage different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to increase more website visitors using methods like Facebook, podcasts, cross promotions, etc.

Plugins, Tools, And Strategies

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

Also, if you haven’t already, ask us about plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your website or blog:

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

Build Authority And Credibility

Getting more of your content published is a great first step, but to make this more effective, your content also needs to be building authority and credibility with users.

Publishing authoritative content improves your chances of getting more shares and views and hence more traffic.

Useful Tips & Ideas

• Create and publish content that will add value to users and showcase your expertise. This includes content that educates and informs readers, training content, case studies, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing a “how-to” e-book that can be sold or distributed online (e.g. sell on Amazon.

Tools, Plugins, And Methods

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

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:

• 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 achieve this by growing a list or starting an online forum, membership site, or even your own social network.

With “Traffic On Tap,” most of your traffic will come from customers or subscribers – people who already like you and trust you. Your influence and credibility can be used to generate new traffic with every post you publish or broadcast you send out.

Useful Tips And Ideas

• Encourage users to leave comments and start discussions on your site.
• Add an autoresponder newsletter and encourage people to subscribe.
• Add a paid or free membership site, online forum, or social community.
• Create or join an online group on Facebook/LinkedIn.

Plugins, Tools, & Methods

There are many solutions and plugins that can help grow your 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 Needs/Problems And Provide Solutions To These

By taking advantage of incoming traffic to discover what problems your visitors are trying to solve, you should have no problem coming up with ideas for new products and services, all of which can provide you with new opportunities to generate additional traffic.

Tips

• Create a free or paid online training program.
• Publish a training guide that can be sold or distributed online.
• Add e-commerce to your site.

Tools & Methods

If you plan to provide solutions 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 Site plugins (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. Learning to gather and interpret data from existing traffic gives you the opportunity to discover new traffic opportunities.

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

WordPress Web Traffic System – Summary

All you have to do once you implement the above strategies is repeat the process over and over again, 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 needed to help build authority 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 web site and get better results online.

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