WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Part 5 (Optimization)

Welcome to Part Five of our Web Traffic Blueprint article series, where we show you how to drive new visitors automatically to your site using WordPress.

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

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

(With an expertly configured WordPress blog, all you have to do to automatically attract more traffic is post new content consistently!)

In Part Two, we look at the setup phase. We help 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 site has been built using WordPress.

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

In Part 3, we discussed the configuration phase. We explained how to configure webhosting settings, WordPress settings, and external settings that can affect your website’s traffic-getting ability …

(In Part 3 you will configure hosting settings, WordPress settings, and external settings that affect your site’s traffic-getting ability)

In Part Four, you learned how to set up various WordPress plugins that can bring web traffic automatically to your website or blog simply by posting content on a regular basis.

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

In Part Five of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint article series, we look at ways to optimize traffic generation with different tools and strategies.

WordPress Web Traffic Blueprint – Traffic Optimization Systems

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

(Generating regular traffic is the result of having a clear business vision, planning, and great systems)

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

These systems include:

• Marketing Systems – The processes and methods used to drive traffic to your website.
• Technical Systems – How you keep your online presence operating efficiently for receiving traffic.
• Business Systems – The systems used to manage and respond to traffic.

(Use systems to grow, automate, optimize, and manage your traffic)

Let’s review the above systems briefly:

Marketing Systems

Your marketing systems consist of the processes and methods used to create new traffic for your website. Your marketing systems can be tested by asking questions such as:

• What is your online marketing strategy?
• What resources and portion of your budget will you apply to these marketing channels?
• Who will create and optimize your content, sales funnels, and run your marketing campaigns?
• How will you test and measure the cost-effectiveness of your marketing campaigns?

During the setup and configuration phase, you would 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 generate some initial data, such as the keyword phrases people are searching online to find your website, which you can use to create web content targeted specifically to your audience’s needs.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems keep your web presence optimized for receiving traffic. There’s no point driving traffic to your website if your site is constantly down or your web pages are taking too long to load.

Your systems include handling 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 is looking after my webhosting?
• Who will look after my website and keep my site maintained and up-to-date?
• Who will fix errors, troubleshoot problems, provide technical support and advice, etc. if any problems arise?

Many potential problems can be minimized if your website planning and setup and configuration phases have been done correctly. As with 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 in place to help you manage and respond to new traffic. These include:

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

If you plan to outsource areas of your digital marketing and technical support, then you will need excellent systems in place to manage all outsourcing.

WordPress Web Traffic Blueprint – Traffic Optimization

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

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

(Traffic loop)

Increase Reach & Visibility

The first step of the process is to get your business exposed to as many traffic generation sites and channels as your time and resources will allow.

Useful Tips

• An expertly configured WordPress site allows you to instantly share your content on traffic-getting sources 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 generate data, which you can use to create 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 attract visitors using methods like Pinterest ads, podcasts, StumbleUpon, etc.

Tools, Plugins, & Strategies

We’ve covered many useful plugins, tools, and methods in previous sections of this tutorial series.

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

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

Build Authority And Credibility

Getting more of your content out there is good, but to make this more effective, your content also needs to build authority and credibility with your audience.

Publishing better quality content improves your chances of getting it shared around and hence more visitors.

Useful Tips

• Focus on creating content that will add value to your audience and showcase your expertise. This includes content that educates and informs readers, training content, user reviews, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing instructional PDF guides that can be sold or distributed online (e.g. sell on Clickbank.

Tools And Methods

If you need great content ideas for your website, then subscribe to our email training series on 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 site:

• 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 your own online community or social network.

With “Traffic On Demand,” your traffic will come from an audience of customers or subscribers – people who already like you and trust you. Your influence and reputation can be used to generate new traffic with every post you publish or email you send out.

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, paid, or ‘freemium’ membership site, online forum, or social community.
• Start or join an online group on LinkedIn/Facebook.

Plugins, Tools, And Strategies

Many solutions and WordPress plugins are available that can help increase your influence and improve engagement. For example:

• Autoresponders (e.g. Aweber, GetResponse, etc.)
• Contact Forms, Live Chat
• Forums and Social Communities (e.g. bbPress, BuddyPress)
• Polls & Surveys
• Webinars (e.g. Webinar JEO)
• Comment sharing
• Add media, image galleries, etc.

Identify Needs & Provide Solutions

If you take advantage of incoming traffic to discover what problems your users are trying to solve, you can have an endless funnel of ideas for developing new products and services, all of which can provide you with new opportunities to generate new streams of web traffic.

Useful Tips

• Consider creating an e-learning program.
• Publish educational guides that you can sell or distribute online.
• Consider adding e-commerce to your site.

Tools, Plugins, And Strategies

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

• Membership Site plugins (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. Gathering and interpreting data from existing traffic allows you to discover new traffic opportunities.

You should already have installed an analytics program like Google Analytics on your site. Make sure you also learn how to interpret the data.

WordPress Traffic Automation System – Summary

Once you implement the above strategies, all you have to do is rinse and repeat, 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 (with 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 required to help build authority, trust, and credibility, and also to improve engagement with users,
• 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 build a more successful business online.

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