WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Part 5 (Optimization)

Welcome to Part 5 of our Web Traffic Blueprint article series, where we explain how to turn your site into an automated traffic generating machine using WordPress.

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

In Part One of this series, we provide an overview of the traffic automation process, and explain why using an expertly configured WordPress website or blog is the key to generating automated web traffic …

(With an expertly configured WordPress site, all you have to do to start attracting traffic is publish great content on a consistent basis!)

In Part Two, we look at the setup phase. We explain the best way to start if you don’t have a website yet, how to set everything up if you already have a website, and what to do if your website is built using WordPress.

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

In Part 3, we discussed the configuration phase. We configured web hosting settings, WordPress settings, and external settings that affect your site’s ability to generate traffic automatically …

(In Part Three you learn how to configure all the settings (hosting, WordPress and external) that can affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically)

In Part 4, we explained how to set up various WordPress plugins that can help bring visitors automatically to your website simply by adding web content.

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

In Part 5 of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint series, we look at ways to optimize traffic to your website with different tools and strategies.

WordPress Traffic Automation System – Systems

In addition to getting your WordPress website expertly configured, the key to generating successfully on a consistent basis is having a clear business vision, careful digital planning, and excellent systems and process in place.

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

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

These include:

• Marketing Systems – The processes and strategies used to create new traffic for your business.
• Technical Systems – The systems used to keep your online presence optimized for receiving new traffic.
• Business Systems – How you manage and respond to traffic.

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

Let’s briefly review how important these systems are for optimizing traffic:

Marketing Systems

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

• What channels will you use to generate traffic (e.g. blogging, video marketing, etc)?
• What resources and portion of your marketing budget will you allocate to these channels?
• Who will create your content, sales funnels, and run your marketing campaigns?
• How will you track conversions and measure the ROI of your online 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 you generate some actionable data, such as the keyword phrases people are searching online to find your site, which you can use to create content targeted specifically to your audience’s needs.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems keep your web presence up and running for receiving new traffic. There’s no point driving traffic to your site if your site is down or your pages are taking a long time to load.

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

You can test your technical systems by questions such as:

• Who is looking after my server?
• Who will look after my website and keep 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 problems can be minimized if your website planning and setup and configuration phases have been done correctly. As with all technology, however, you can expect to face problems. You will need the right technical systems in place to handle these.

Business Systems

You need good business systems and processes to help you manage new traffic. These include:

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

If you intend to outsource your digital marketing and technical services, then make sure you have implemented great systems to manage all outsourcing processes.

WordPress Traffic Automation System – Optimizing Traffic Generation

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

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

(Implement and optimize your traffic loop)

Increase Reach & Visibility Online

The first step of the process is to get your business exposed to as many members of your target audience as possible.

Useful Tips

• An expertly configured WordPress site allows you to instantly share your content on traffic-getting sources 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 (e.g. Google AdWords) can help generate data, which you can use to create web content targeted specifically to your audience.
• Repurpose your content to leverage the power and reach of different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to get more traffic using methods like Twitter, videos, cross promotions, etc.

Tools And Strategies

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

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

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

Build Authority & Credibility

Getting more of your content published is great, but for this activity to be really effective, your content also needs to build authority and credibility with users.

Publishing higher quality content improves your chances of getting it shared on other sites and hence more traffic.

Useful Tips

• Focus on creating and publishing content that adds value to potential users and that showcases your expertise. This includes content that informs and educates readers, training content, user reviews, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing educational guides or special reports that you can sell or distribute online (e.g. sell on Amazon.

Tools, Plugins, & Methods

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

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

• 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 achieve this by building a list or starting an online community.

With “Traffic On Tap,” all of your traffic comes from customers or subscribers – people who already know you and trust you. Your influence and reputation can be used to generate traffic with every post you publish or broadcast you send out.

Tips

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

Plugins, Tools, & Methods

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

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

Identify Problems And Provide Solutions

By taking advantage of incoming traffic to listen to what your visitors are looking for, you should have no problem coming up with ideas for new products, services, and solutions, all of which provide new opportunities to generate new sources of traffic.

Useful Tips

• Create an e-learning course.
• Consider publishing a special report that you can sell or distribute online (e.g. sell on Amazon.
• Consider adding an e-commerce store to your site.

Plugins, Tools, & Methods

If you plan to provide services, products, and solutions online (as opposed to just providing information), then some of the more useful plugins you may want to consider adding to your site include:

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

You should already have installed an analytics program like Google Analytics on your website. Make sure you can also understand the data.

WordPress Web Traffic Automation System – Summary

Once you implement the above strategies, all you have to do is repeat the process, 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 solid marketing, technical and business systems,
• Implement a content marketing strategy (consider also investing in 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 as necessary to help build authority 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, this information has given you a blueprint that will help you drive more traffic automatically to your web site and grow your business online.

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