WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Part 5 (Optimization)

Welcome to Part 5 of our Web Site Traffic Blueprint article series, where we explain 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 series, we explain why using an expertly configured WordPress website or blog is the key to automating traffic to your site …

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

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

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

In Part Three, we look at the configuration phase. We configured webhosting settings, WordPress settings, and external settings that can affect your site’s ability to generate traffic automatically …

(In Part 3 we explain how to configure all the settings that affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically)

In Part 4, you learned how to set up various WordPress plugins that can bring visitors automatically to your website or blog as you begin to add web content.

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

In this section of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint series, we look at ways to optimize the traffic system with a number of different tools and methods.

WordPress Web Traffic Blueprint – Systems

In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress site, the key to generating consistent traffic of high quality is having a well-defined business vision, great digital planning, and good systems in place.

(Optimizing traffic is the product of having a clear business vision, planning, and great systems)

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

These systems include:

• Marketing Systems – The processes and strategies used to drive new traffic to your business.
• Technical Systems – How you keep your web presence up and running for receiving traffic.
• Business Systems – How you manage and respond to new traffic.

(Systems help you grow and manage your web traffic)

Let’s review the above systems briefly:

Marketing Systems

Your marketing systems consist of the processes and strategies used to create new traffic for your website. Your marketing systems can be tested 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?
• How will you create your content, sales funnels, and run your marketing campaigns?
• How will you 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 to help generate some data, such as the keyword phrases people are searching online to find your site, which you can use to create web content targeted specifically to your audience.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems and processes ensure that your digital presence remains operating efficiently for receiving traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your site if your site is constantly experiencing problems or your pages are taking a long time to load.

Your systems include handling areas like webhosting, website maintenance and support, installing and updating new software (e.g. plugins), customization, integration, 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 anything go wrong?

Many potential problems can be minimized if your website planning process and setup and configuration phases have been completed correctly. Like all technology, however, you will always run into new problems. Your technical systems need to be able to handle these.

Business Systems

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

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

If you plan to outsource key aspects of your digital marketing and technical support, then make sure you also implement great systems to manage all outsourcing processes.

WordPress Traffic System – Traffic Loops

If your business objectives are clear and your systems and processes are in place, all you need to do is focus on how to implement 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 …

(WordPress can help implement, optimize, and automate a traffic loop)

Increase Reach And Visibility Online

Step 1 of the process is to increase visibility for your website or blog.

Useful Tips And Ideas

• Your expertly configured WordPress site allows you to instantly share your content on social media accounts like Facebook, Twitter, GooglePlus, etc. The easiest way to increase your reach and visibility online, therefore, is to simply publish more content online.
• As mentioned earlier, investing in some paid advertising can help generate some initial data, which you can use to create content better targeted to your audience.
• Repurpose your content to leverage the power, appeal, and reach of different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to increase web traffic using methods like Twitter, social media, joint ventures, etc.

Plugins, Tools, And Methods

We’ve already covered a number of useful plugins, tools, and strategies in previous sections of this article series.

Also, if you haven’t already, see other posts on this site to learn more about plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your WordPress website:

• Share your comments and 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, audio, etc.)

Build Authority & Credibility

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

Publishing authoritative content not only helps to establish your credibility, it also improves your chances of getting it shared on other sites and hence more traffic.

Tips

• Focus on content that will add value to users and showcase your expertise. This includes content that educates and informs readers, training content, case studies, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing a PDF guide that you can sell or distribute online.

Tools, Plugins, & Strategies

We have created an entire email series aimed at helping you come up with limitless content ideas for your site:

Also, if you haven’t already, 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 And Engagement

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

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

Useful Tips

• Encourage visitors to leave comments and start discussions on your site.
• Add an email newsletter and encourage people to subscribe.
• Add a free or paid membership site, online forum, or social community.
• Create or join an online group on Facebook.

Plugins, Tools, & Methods

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

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

Identify Problems & Provide Solutions To These

By taking advantage of incoming traffic to find out what users are searching for, you can develop new products, services, and solutions, all of which can provide you with new opportunities to generate additional web traffic.

Useful Tips

• Consider creating a free or paid online training program.
• Consider publishing a training guide that can be sold or distributed online (e.g. sell on Amazon.
• Consider adding e-commerce to your site.

Tools, Plugins, And Strategies

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 WordPress plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your website:

• 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. By interpreting data gathered from existing traffic, you can discover new opportunities to create content that can help you generate additional traffic.

Hopefully, by now you have already installed an analytics program like Google Analytics on your website. Make sure you also learn how to interpret the data.

WordPress Web Traffic Automation System – 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:

• 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 initial traffic and generate useful data) to increase your reach and visibility online,
• Add plugins, list-building strategies, and other methods if necessary to help build authority, trust, 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, now you have a blueprint that will help you automate and optimize the process of driving traffic to your WordPress web site and get better results online.

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