WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Part 5 (Optimization)

Welcome to Part 5 of our Website Traffic Blueprint article series, where we show you how to turn your site into an automated web traffic generating machine using the WordPress CMS platform.

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

In Part One, 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 traffic …

(With an expertly configured WordPress site, all you have to do to automatically start generating traffic is add fresh content on a consistent basis!)

In Part Two, we discussed critical setup decisions. We explained the best way to start if you don’t have a web presence yet, how to set things up if you already have a site, and what to do if your existing site has been built using WordPress.

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

In Part Three, we discussed important configuration decisions. We explained how to configure all the settings that can affect your website’s traffic-getting ability …

(In Part Three you will configure all the settings that can affect your site’s traffic-getting ability)

In Part Four, we showed you how to set up various WordPress plugins that can help drive visitors automatically to your site simply by adding web content.

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

In this section of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint article series, we look at ways to optimize traffic generation using various tools and methods.

WordPress Web Traffic Blueprint – Traffic Optimization Systems

In addition to getting your WordPress website or blog expertly configured, generating quality traffic consistently is the outcome of a clearly-defined business vision, sound digital planning, and great systems and process in place.

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

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

These systems include:

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

(Systems help you grow and manage your traffic)

Let’s review the importance of the above systems briefly:

Marketing Systems

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

• What is your content marketing strategy/online marketing strategy?
• How will you apply your budget and resources to your marketing channels?
• Who will create and optimize your content and marketing campaigns?
• How will you track conversions and measure the ROI of your online 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 results. If you’re tracking your marketing campaigns correctly, this should yield some actionable 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 up and running for receiving traffic. There’s no point driving traffic to your website if your site is down or your web pages are taking too long to load.

Your systems need to adequately handle 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 is looking 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. if problems arise?

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

Business Systems

Your business systems help you manage traffic. These include:

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

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

WordPress Web Traffic System – Optimizing Traffic Generation

If your business objectives are clear and your systems and processes are in place, all you need to focus on are ways to develop a “traffic loop”.

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

(Implementing, optimizing and automating a traffic loop)

Increase Reach & Visibility

Step 1 of the process is to expose your business to as many traffic generation sites and channels as your time and resources will allow.

Tips

• An expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to automatically syndicate your content to sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. The easiest way to increase your reach and visibility online, therefore, is to simply publish more content.
• As mentioned earlier, investing in some paid advertising can help you generate actionable data, which you can use to create web content targeted specifically to your audience’s needs.
• Repurpose your content to leverage the power and reach of different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to drive visitors using methods like SEO, videos, updates, etc.

Tools And Strategies

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

Also, if you haven’t already, look for plugins that let you easily add the following to your website or blog:

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

Build Authority & Credibility

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

Publishing better quality content improves your chances of getting more views from social sharing and hence more visitors.

Traffic Ideas

• Create and publish content that adds value to users and that showcases your expertise. This includes content that educates and informs readers, training content, user reviews, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing a special report that can be sold or distributed online.

Tools And Methods

We have created a complete email series aimed at helping you come up with endless content ideas for your website:

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 WordPress website or blog:

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

Grow Influence & Engagement

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

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

Useful Tips & Ideas

• Encourage commenting and discussions on your site.
• Add an autoresponder training course and encourage people to subscribe.
• Add a paid, free, or ‘freemium’ membership site, online forum, or social community.
• Start or join an online group on Facebook.

Plugins, Tools, And 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, MailChimp, 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 & Provide Solutions To These

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 solutions, all of which can provide you with new opportunities to generate additional web traffic.

Traffic Tips

• Create an online training program.
• Publish educational guides that can be sold or distributed online (e.g. sell on Clickbank.
• Add an e-commerce store to your site.

Plugins, Tools, & Strategies

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

• Membership Sites (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.

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

WordPress Web Traffic System – Summary

All you have to do once you implement the above strategies is repeat the process over and over again, 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 (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 methods if required to help build authority 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 drive more traffic automatically to your WordPress web site and build a more successful business online.

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