Tag: WordPress Traffic

Welcome to Part Five of our Website Traffic Blueprint article series, where we explain how to turn your website into an automated traffic generating machine using the WordPress CMS.

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

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

(With an expertly configured WordPress website or blog, all you have to do is post web content on a regular basis to start generating web traffic!)

In Part Two, we discussed the setup phase. We helped you understand the best way to get started if you don’t have a website yet, how to set things up if you already have a website, and what to do if your website was built using WordPress.

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

In Part Three, we discussed important configuration decisions. We configured all the settings (hosting, WordPress and external) that affect your site’s ability to generate traffic automatically …

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

In Part Four, we discussed ways to automate the traffic system using various plugins.

(Publish content one-time, automate the rest!)

In Part Five of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint article series, we discuss ways to optimize the traffic generation process using various tools and methods.

WordPress Traffic Automation System – Traffic Optimization Systems

In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress website, the key to generating quality traffic on a consistent basis is having a clearly-defined business vision, great digital planning, and great systems and process in place.

(Automated traffic is the product of a business vision, sound planning, and great systems)

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

These include:

• Marketing Systems – How you create traffic for your business.
• Technical Systems – How you keep your web presence optimized for receiving new traffic.
• Business Systems – The systems and processes used to manage and respond to 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 drive traffic to your website. You can test your online marketing systems by asking questions such as:

• What channels will you use to generate traffic (e.g. blogging, facebook advertising, video marketing, etc)?
• What resources and portion of your budget will you apply to these marketing channels?
• Who will create and optimize your content 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 (e.g. Facebook ads) 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 web 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 experiencing problems or your pages take a very long time to load.

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

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

• Who will look after my webhosting?
• 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. should things go wrong?

Many potential issues can be minimized if your website planning and setup and configuration phases have been done correctly. Like all technology, however, you can expect new problems. You will need the right technical systems in place to handle these.

Business Systems

Your business systems and processes help you manage the influx of new traffic. These include:

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

If you plan to outsource key aspects of your digital marketing and technical support, then you will need to put good systems in place for managing all outsourcing.

WordPress Web Traffic Blueprint – Traffic Optimization Tools And Strategies

With clear business objectives and great systems in place, all you need to do is to implement, optimize, and automate your “traffic loop”.

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

(Implementing an effective traffic loop)

Increase Reach & Visibility

The first step of the process is to increase visibility for your business.

Tips

• An expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to automatically publish your content on 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 can help generate data, 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 web traffic using methods like LinkedIn ads, videos, email, etc.

Tools & Methods

See earlier sections of this article series for many excellent tools and strategies we’ve already covered to help you reach more members of your target audience.

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

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

Build Authority & Credibility

Getting more of your content published is great, but to make this activity more effective, your content needs to be building authority and credibility with visitors.

Publishing better quality content not only helps to establish your credibility, it also improves your chances of getting more shares and views and hence more traffic.

Traffic Optimization 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 a PDF guide that can be sold or distributed online.

Tools, Plugins, & Methods

We have created a complete email training series aimed at helping you come up with limitless content ideas for posting to your website or blog:

Also, learn more about WordPress plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your site:

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

Grow Influence And Engagement

As your business grows, you may want to consider developing “traffic on tap.” You can do this by growing a list or starting a community.

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 reputation can be used to generate new traffic with a single post or email broadcast.

Tips

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

Tools, Plugins, And Methods

There are many solutions and WordPress plugins that can help grow your online influence and improve user engagement. For example:

• List-Building Software (e.g. Aweber, GetResponse, etc.)
• Contact Forms, Live Chat
• Forums & Social Communities (e.g. bbPress, BuddyPress)
• Polls & Surveys
• Webinars (e.g. Webinar JEO)
• Comment sharing
• Add media, video galleries, etc.

Identify Needs/Problems And Provide Solutions To These

If you take advantage of incoming traffic to discover what your visitors are looking for, you should have no problem coming up with ideas for new solutions, all of which can provide you with new opportunities to generate new sources of traffic.

Traffic Optimization Tips

• Consider creating a free or paid online training course.
• Consider publishing a special report that can be sold or distributed online.
• Add e-commerce to your business.

Tools & Methods

If you plan to provide services, products, and solutions online (as opposed to just providing information), contact us to learn more about plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your site:

• 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 the collection and analysis of data. By learning to interpret data gathered from existing traffic, you can discover new opportunities to create additional traffic.

You should already have installed an analytics tool like Google Analytics on your website. Make sure you understand the metrics and features and can interpret the data.

WordPress Web Traffic Blueprint – Summary

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

In summary:

• Start 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 traffic and generate useful data) to increase your reach and visibility online,
• Add plugins, list-building strategies, and other solutions if necessary 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 build a more successful business online.

***

***