Tag: WordPress Traffic

Welcome to Part Five of our Website Traffic Blueprint article series, where we explain how to automate traffic to your website using WordPress.

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

In Part One, we explained why using an expertly configured WordPress site is the key to generating automated web traffic …

(With an expertly configured WordPress web site, all you have to do is post fresh content consistently to start generating more traffic!)

In Part Two, we discussed the setup phase of the traffic automation system. We helped you understand 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 website has been built using WordPress.

(In Part 2 we show you where to set up WordPress on your domain)

In Part Three, we focus on the configuration phase. We explained how to configure all the settings (hosting, WordPress and external) that can affect your site’s ability to generate traffic automatically …

(In Part 3 we show you how to configure hosting settings, WordPress settings, and external settings that affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically)

In Part Four, we showed you how to set up various WordPress plugins that can help bring visitors automatically to your website or blog.

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

In Part 5 of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint article series, we look at ways to optimize the traffic-getting process with a number of different tools and methods.

WordPress Traffic System – Systems

In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress website or blog, generating consistent traffic of high quality comes comes from the combined outcome of having a well-defined business vision, sound digital planning, and good systems and process in place.

(Consistent traffic is the product of a business vision, 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 drive traffic to your business.
• Technical Systems – The systems and processes used to keep your online presence optimized for receiving traffic.
• Business Systems – How you manage and respond to new traffic.

(Systems help you grow, automate, and manage your web traffic)

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

Marketing Systems

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

• What channels will you use to drive traffic (e.g. blogging, video marketing, etc)?
• How will you assign your budget and resources to these channels?
• Who will create your content and marketing campaigns?
• How will you test and measure the ROI of your 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 website, which you can use to create content targeted specifically to your audience.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems ensure that your digital presence remains operating efficiently for receiving new traffic. There’s no point driving traffic to your website if your site is down or your pages are taking a long time to load.

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

You can test your technical systems by questions such as:

• Who will look 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 you experience difficulties?

Many potential issues can be minimized if your website planning and setup and configuration phases have been done correctly. Like all technology, however, you will run into many problems. Your technical systems need to be robust enough to handle these.

Business Systems

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

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

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

WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Traffic Loops

With clear business objectives and great systems in place, all you need to do is to focus on growing your “traffic loop”.

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

(Traffic loop)

Increase Reach And Visibility

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

Useful Tips And Ideas

• An expertly configured WordPress site allows you to automatically syndicate your content to places like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, 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 some initial actionable and intelligent data, which you can use to create web content better targeted to your audience’s needs.
• Repurpose your content to leverage different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to increase more visitors using methods like paid advertising, videos, updates, etc.

Tools And Methods

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

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

• Share your comments and posts online,
• Run contests, offer discounts/downloads for likes/shares,
• 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 of your content published is great, but to make this more 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 around and hence more visitors.

Useful Tips And Ideas

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

Tools & Methods

We have created an entire email course on content creation that you can plug into for free here:

Also, if you haven’t already, 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 Recognition

Grow Influence And Engagement

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

With “Traffic On Demand,” your traffic comes from an audience of existing customers or subscribers – people who already know you and trust you. Your influence and credibility can be used to generate new traffic with every post you publish, forum post you add, or broadcast you send out.

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.
• Create or join an online group on LinkedIn.

Plugins, Tools, & Methods

Many solutions and plugins are available that can help grow your online influence and improve user engagement. For example:

• Autoresponders (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

By taking advantage of incoming traffic to find out what problems your visitors are trying to solve, you can develop new services, products, and solutions, all of which provide new opportunities for generating additional traffic.

Useful Tips

• Create an online training course.
• Publish instructional PDF guides or special reports that can be sold or distributed online.
• Consider adding an e-commerce store to your business.

Tools & Methods

If you plan to provide products, services, and solutions online (as opposed to just providing information), see other posts and tutorials on this site to learn more about plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your site:

• 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 the collection and analysis of data. Gathering and interpreting data from existing traffic allows you to discover new traffic opportunities.

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 Web Traffic Automation Blueprint – Summary

All you have to do once you implement the above strategies is repeat the same process, fine-tuning and refining your methods as you go to grow your traffic and get better your results.

In summary:

• Start with an expertly configured WordPress site backed by good marketing, technical and business systems,
• Implement a content marketing strategy (with 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 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 traffic to your web site and improve your business online.

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