Tag: WordPress Traffic

Welcome to Part 5 of our Website Traffic Blueprint article series, where we explain how to turn a site into an automated web traffic generating machine using the WordPress CMS.

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

In Part 1 of this series, we explain 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 start generating more web traffic is post great content on a regular basis!)

In Part Two, we focus on the setup phase of the blueprint. We explain the best way to start if you don’t have a web presence yet, how to set things up if you already have a website, and what to do if your existing website has been built using WordPress.

(In Part 2 we show you how to set up a WordPress website on your domain)

In Part 3, we focus on important configuration decisions. We configured all the settings that affect your website’s traffic-getting ability …

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

In Part Four, we looked at ways to automate the traffic system with different WordPress plugins.

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

In Part Five of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint article series, we discuss ways to optimize the traffic-getting process with different tools and strategies.

WordPress Web Traffic Automation System – Traffic Optimization Systems

In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress website, the key to generating targeted traffic consistently is having a well-defined business vision, sound digital planning, and great systems and process in place.

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

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

These systems include:

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

(Use systems to grow, automate, optimize, 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 new traffic for your website. You can test your online marketing systems by asking questions such as:

• What channels will you use to drive new traffic (e.g. blogging, facebook advertising, video marketing, etc)?
• How will you allocate your budget and resources to these channels?
• How will you create your content, sales funnels, and marketing campaigns?
• How will you test and measure the results 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 (e.g. pay-per-click ads) 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 targeted specifically to your audience’s needs.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems and processes keep your online presence operating efficiently for receiving new traffic. There’s no point driving traffic to your website if your site is constantly experiencing problems or your web pages take a long time to load.

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

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

• Who is looking after my server?
• Who looks after my website and keeps my site, plugins, themes, etc. maintained and up-to-date?
• Who will fix errors, troubleshoot problems, provide technical support and advice, etc. should problems arise?

Many potential problems can be minimized if your website planning and setup and configuration phases have been completed correctly. As with all technology, however, new problems will always arise. You will need the right technical systems in place to handle these.

Business Systems

Your business systems and processes help you manage and respond to the influx of new traffic. This includes:

• Communication systems
• Managing human and financial resources
• Handling leads and sales enquiries
• Order fulfillment
• Customer service/training
• etc.

If you intend to outsource your digital marketing and technical services, then make sure you also implement great systems to manage all outsourcing processes.

WordPress Traffic Automation System – Traffic Loops

With clear business objectives and great systems in place, all you need to focus on is implementing, optimizing and automating a “traffic loop”.

Let’s walk through an example of implementing, optimizing, and further automating a traffic loop. Take a look at the processes illustrated below …

(Traffic loop)

Increase Reach And Visibility

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

Traffic Ideas

• Your expertly configured WordPress site allows 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 through your expertly configured WordPress site.
• As mentioned earlier, investing in some paid advertising can help you generate data, which you can use to create web content targeted specifically to your audience.
• Repurpose your content to leverage the power and reach of different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to increase more website visitors using methods like Twitter ads, banner ads, StumbleUpon, etc.

Tools, Plugins, & Methods

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

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

• Share your comments and posts online,
• Run contests, offer discounts/downloads for shares/likes,
• Display 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 content out there is good, but for this activity to be really effective, your content also needs to be building authority and credibility with your audience.

Publishing higher quality content improves your chances of getting it shared on other sites and hence more visitors.

Useful Tips And Ideas

• Create and publish content that adds value to potential users and that showcases your expertise. This includes content that educates and informs readers, training content, user reviews, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing a “how to” guide that you can sell or distribute online.

Tools & Methods

If you need endless content ideas for your site, then subscribe to our FREE email training series on growing your business online with content marketing here:

Also, if you haven’t already, see other posts and tutorials on this site to learn more about plugins that let you 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 & Engagement

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

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 traffic with a single post or email.

Tips

• Encourage commenting and discussions on your site.
• Add an email training course and encourage people to subscribe.
• Add a free, paid, or ‘freemium’ membership site, online forum, or social community.
• Start or join an online group on Facebook.

Plugins, Tools, & Methods

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

• List-Building Solutions (e.g. Aweber, MailChimp, etc.)
• Contact Forms, Live Chat
• Forums and Discussion Groups (e.g. bbPress, BuddyPress)
• Polls & Surveys
• Webinars (e.g. Webinar JEO)
• Comment sharing
• Add media, video galleries, etc.

Identify Needs And Provide Solutions

If you take advantage of incoming traffic to discover what problems your visitors are trying to solve, you can develop new products, services, and solutions, all of which can provide you with new opportunities for generating additional web traffic.

Tips

• Create an online training course.
• Publish an instructional PDF guide that you can sell or distribute online (e.g. sell on Amazon.
• Add e-commerce to your business.

Plugins, Tools, And Methods

If you plan to provide products, services, and solutions online (as opposed to just providing information), then some of the more useful plugins you may want to add to your website or blog include:

• Membership Sites (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 to collect and analyze data. By interpreting data gathered from existing traffic, you can discover new opportunities to generate content that can bring you additional traffic.

You should have already installed an analytics tool (e.g. Google Analytics) on your site. Make sure you also learn how to interpret the data.

WordPress 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 improve 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 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, this post has given you a blueprint that will help you automate and optimize the process of driving visitors to your WordPress web site and build a more successful business online.

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