Website builders who are familiar with CMS tools like WordPress can easily develop professional online pages, but sometimes the effort and talent invested in these projects don’t correlate with their success or ad revenue.
Though creating high-quality online content is the main goal of any web designer, the harsh reality of the digital industry tells a different story.
Indicators like CTR (click-through rate) prove just how difficult it is to find success online. For those beginners who might be unfamiliar with this concept, this ratio measures how many people click on the ads shown on a webpage.
In other words, CTR shows how effective your ads are and helps you determine the number of impressions that end up becoming clicks.
As you can imagine, CTR is a big deal. There is a direct correlation between this and search rankings. Pages with a better CTR ratio tend to be preferably positioned in search engine result pages, for example.
As a result, a webpage’s SEO rankings depend on a web builder’s ability to turn impressions into clicks partnered with the efficient use of marketing tools.
Luckily, there are many different ways to increase your WordPress site’s CTR.
1. PICK THE RIGHT PLATFORM
Though many uninformed beginners don’t realize it, there are multiple (and very different) versions of WordPress out there. The first step toward increasing your CTR is picking the best one for you.
Any readers with prior experience of WordPress may have noticed that it has two logos: a black one and a blue one. In reality, these represent the two main versions of WordPress.
(Free) WordPress.com
In WordPress.com the page is not hosted by the website builder. This platform is cheaper and easier to use but offers less freedom regarding advertisements.
WordPress.com does not allow you to run ads on your own. Once a web builder has managed to gain high website traffic on their page, they may then be eligible to join the WordAds program.
This WordPress program places automated and random adverts on popular pages. Since the service finds the advertisers without effort from the page owner, the ad revenue is split with WordPress.com.
As a result, WordPress.com users make very little money from their ads.
(Self-Hosted) WordPress.org
On the other hand, the self-hosted service (WordPress.org) is a much more hands-on service where the owner is responsible for all updates, website security, backups, hosting, and domains.
Additionally, builders can add as many plugins as needed and content creators can run their own ads without sharing profits with anyone.
The WordPress.com vs WordPress.org comparison is one of those dilemmas that every digital worker has to face. In essence, each platform has its advantages and there is some consensus regarding this i.e. that the ‘hands-off’ option is preferable for beginners while the self-hosted version fits professional and advanced website builders better.
However, each user must adapt to their circumstances. It should be noted that much like the YouTube vs Vimeo, Microsoft vs Apple, or Glip vs Skype debates, everybody has their own set of needs and opinions. Reading customer reviews will also give you an idea and will help you in choosing the product that will fit your needs.
2. UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF BANDWIDTH
As with any online-based service, bandwidth is a vital component for WordPress sites. Whether your page is big or small, you need to find the perfect spot for your site. Finding what your optimal bandwidth is will help you to determine how much content your page can support and load.
This will directly translate into better loading ads, which can help you to boost your CTR. Remember, inadequate bandwidth is one of the main issues for slower speeds in big cities. Additionally, to improve speed, getting your site tested by hiring a manual tester or running an automated test will also help you identify areas that need improvement.
If you are starting a small online business or a digital publication in a city like New York, you might have to consider the role bandwidth plays in this.
3. RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF NUMBERS
You will need to check your current CTR before you can start to boost those numbers. Website builders can use tools like analytics to do so. WordPress builders must apply the same level of thorough analysis that companies use on eCommerce browse abandonment rates.
Consider this: when a user visits your page, looks at it, and fails to click on your ad, they’ve essentially entered your shop, looked around, and left. Your site – the advertising space that you offer to brands – is your product. You’re trying to sell advertisers your site.
A low CTR is the equivalent of eCommerce abandonment. Data analytics and rank tracking tools are a must if you want to boost those CTR numbers. And talking of data…
4. MAKE THE MOST OUT OF WORDPRESS
You can use your CTR numbers to compare which pages are the most effective. Looking at your ‘winner sites’ can help you to understand what works best.
You can boost and optimize the pages that are underperforming by applying the tools that WordPress offers, such as:
- Better headlines, formatting, and URLs
- Meta descriptions
- Keywords
These elements can help to boost your CTR and turn those ‘disappointing’ pages into relevant and profitable options.
Furthermore, optimizing underperforming pages will contribute to improved customer experience and allow your users to navigate the site with ease.
5. CHOOSE YOUR ADVERTISERS WISELY
It’s essential to find advertisers that fit your page. WordPress.org lets you personalize the adverts to better sync your audience and content. Remember the importance of data, which we mentioned earlier? Here is when that intel is useful. You can see which ads work and which don’t and then adjust accordingly.
It may seem obvious, but your ads should represent your content. Imagine you’re a B2B consultant that built their page using WordPress. Your post is dedicated to giving companies the best alternatives to Fuze. Well, it may look like a no brainer, but you wouldn’t contact Fuze to pay for advertising itself in that content, would you?
6. CONSIDER JOINING AN AD NETWORK
If your budget allows it, it can also be helpful to pay for the services of companies like PublisherPick. These ad networks offer features like push notifications and anti-AdBlock measures.
Thanks to their machine learning, automated processes, and optimization engines, these companies offer very effective cost per mile rates. The result is translated into higher CTRs.
7. WORK CLOSELY WITH ADVERTISERS
Boosting click-through rates doesn’t only benefit website builders. Advertisers are also advantaged by higher CTRs since it helps redirect traffic to their eCommerce sites. In essence, boosting CTR numbers should therefore be a team effort.
Advertisers don’t have to be huge corporations. There are plenty of digital marketing strategies for small businesses available. These strategies can help you gain traction online and boost SEO rankings, making your CTR higher.
Additionally, advertisers and website builders can utilize sales collaboration tools such as VoIP apps to facilitate teamwork and boost CTRs. It’s simple math – if a company gains more traffic on their eCommerce page thanks to a WordPress user’s ad, then the value of such advertising space rises.
Remember, if you follow these tips and put in the work, you might see your CTR skyrocket.
Here is a brief recap of what we’ve learned:
- It’s important to know the difference between WordPress.org and WordPress.com.
- You must make sure your bandwidth is sufficient.
- You should use data and analytics tools to measure and track CTR.
- It’s a good idea to learn WordPress inside out.
- You should pick the adverts shown according to your content.
- You might want to consider joining an Ad Network.
- You should work closely with advertisers.
Now that you know all the tricks, it’s time to go out there and make your WordPress-based site a winner.
