Tag: WordPress Traffic

Welcome to Part 5 of our Web Traffic Blueprint article series, where we show you how to automate traffic to your site using WordPress.

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

In Part 1 of this article series, we describe the traffic automation process, and explain why using an expertly configured WordPress website or blog is the key to generating automated traffic …

(With an expertly configured WordPress blog, all you have to do to automatically drive more traffic is add great content on a regular basis!)

In Part 2, we discussed the setup phase. We helped you understand 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 a WordPress website on your domain)

In Part 3, we look at the configuration phase of the traffic automation blueprint. We explained how to configure all the settings (hosting, internal and external) that can affect your site’s traffic-getting ability …

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

In Part 4, we discussed ways to automate your traffic with different plugins.

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

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

WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Systems

In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress website or blog, generating traffic successfully on a consistent basis is the outcome of a clear business vision, careful digital planning, and excellent systems and process in place.

(Automated traffic is the result of a business vision, planning, and excellent systems)

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

These include:

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

(Systems help you grow and manage your traffic)

Let’s briefly review how important the above systems are:

Marketing Systems

Your marketing systems consist of the processes and strategies used to drive new traffic to your business. You can test your online marketing systems by asking questions such as:

• What channels do you plan to use to generate new 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 track conversions and measure the ROI of your marketing 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. pay-per-click ads) to help generate some initial data, such as the keywords people are searching online to find your site, which you can use to create content targeted specifically to your audience’s needs.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems ensure that your digital presence remains operating efficiently for receiving new traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your website if your site is down or your web pages take too long to load.

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

You can test your technical systems by questions such as:

• Who looks after my server?
• 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. if issues occur?

Many potential issues can be minimized if your planning and setup and configuration phases have been completed correctly. Like all technology, however, you should expect to face problems. Your technical systems need to be robust enough to handle these.

Business Systems

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

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

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

WordPress Traffic Automation System – Traffic Optimization

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

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

(An effective traffic loop)

Increase Reach And Visibility Online

The first step of the process is to expose your business to as many members of your target audience as your time and resources will allow.

Useful Tips

• An expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to instantly share your content on social media accounts 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 (e.g. Facebook ads) can help you generate some initial actionable data such as the keywords people are searching online to find your site, 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 bring more website visitors using methods like Twitter ads, banner ads, joint ventures, etc.

Plugins, Tools, & Methods

See previous sections of this tutorial series for a number of excellent tools and strategies we’ve already covered to help you reach more members of your target audience.

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

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

Build Authority & Credibility

Getting more of your content published is good, but for this activity to be really effective, your content also needs to build authority and credibility with visitors.

Publishing higher quality content improves your chances of getting more people to link to it and share it with others and hence more traffic.

Traffic Optimization Ideas

• Create and publish content that adds value to your audience and that showcases your expertise. This includes content that informs and educates readers, training content, case studies, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing special reports that can be sold or distributed online (e.g. sell on on the Amazon Kindle book store.

Tools And Strategies

We have created a complete email series designed to help you come up with limitless content ideas for your website:

Also, ask us about plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your 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 tap.” You can achieve this by growing a list or starting your own community.

With “Traffic On Demand,” most of your traffic comes from an audience of customers or subscribers – people who already like you and trust you. Your influence and reputation can be used to generate new traffic with a single blog post or email.

Tips

• Encourage visitors 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.
• Start or join a Facebook/LinkedIn Group.

Tools, Plugins, & Strategies

Many solutions and WordPress plugins are available that 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, image galleries, etc.

Identify Needs/Problems And Provide Solutions

By taking advantage of incoming traffic to find out what problems your users are trying to solve, you can have an endless funnel of ideas for developing new solutions, all of which can provide you with new opportunities for generating new sources of traffic.

Traffic Ideas

• Create a free or paid online training course.
• Publish an instructional e-book that you can sell or distribute online (e.g. sell on on the Amazon Kindle store.
• Consider adding e-commerce to your business.

Tools & Strategies

If you plan to provide services, products, and 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.)
• Learning Management Systems (e.g. Courseware)
• Event Registrations (e.g. EventEspresso)

Analyze Data & Feedback

The final step of the process is the collection and analysis of data. By interpreting data gathered from existing traffic, you can discover new traffic opportunities.

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 Web Traffic System – Summary

Once you implement the above strategies, all you have to do 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 (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 if needed to help build authority, trust, and credibility, and also to increase 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 website and get better results online.

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