WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Part 5 (Optimization)

Welcome to Part 5 of our Web Traffic Blueprint article series, where we explain how to drive traffic automatically to your site using the WordPress CMS.

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

In Part One, we explain why using an expertly configured WordPress site is the key to generating automated web traffic …

(With an expertly configured WordPress website, all you have to do is add fresh content on a regular basis to begin attracting traffic!)

In Part Two, we looked at the setup phase of the automation process. We explained the best way to get started if you don’t have a web presence yet, how to set things up if you already have a website, and what to do if your website has been built using WordPress.

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

In Part 3, we focus on configuring WordPress. We configured all the settings (hosting, WordPress and external) that affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically …

(In Part Three you learn how to configure all the settings that can affect your website’s traffic-getting ability)

In Part Four, we looked at ways to automate traffic generation using a number of plugins.

(Publish content once, automate the rest!)

In this section of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint article series, we look at ways to optimize the traffic system 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 successfully on a consistent basis is having a clear business vision, sound digital planning, and great systems in place.

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

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

These systems include:

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

(Systems help you grow and manage your web 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. You can test your marketing systems by asking questions such as:

• What channels do you plan to use to drive traffic (e.g. blogging, video marketing, etc)?
• What resources and portion of your budget will you assign 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 results of your 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. Google AdWords) to help you generate some actionable data, such as the keyword phrases people are searching online to find your website, which you can use to create web content better targeted to your audience.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems ensure that your digital presence remains up and running for receiving new traffic. There’s no point driving traffic to your website if your site is experiencing problems or your pages are taking too long to load.

Your technical systems include handling technical areas like webhosting, website maintenance and support, installing and updating new applications (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 looks after my website and keeps my site maintained and up-to-date?
• Who will fix errors, troubleshoot problems, provide technical support and advice, etc. should things go wrong?

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 always run into many new problems. You will need the right technical systems in place to handle these.

Business Systems

Your business systems help you manage the influx of new 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 your digital marketing and technical services, then make sure you also implement excellent systems for managing all outsourcing processes.

WordPress Web Traffic Automation Blueprint – Optimizing Traffic Generation

If your business objectives are clear and your systems and processes are in place, all you need to do is to focus on developing and optimizing your “traffic loop”.

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

(Implementing and optimizing your traffic loop)

Increase Reach & Visibility Online

The first step of the process is to increase visibility for your business and website.

Useful Tips

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

Tools, Plugins, & Strategies

See earlier sections of this article series for a number of useful tools, plugins, and methods we’ve already covered to help you reach more potential users.

Also, learn more about WordPress plugins that let you easily add the following to your site:

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

Build Authority And Credibility

Getting more of your content published is great, but to make this more effective, your content also needs to be building authority and credibility with users.

Publishing higher quality content improves your chances of getting more people to share it around and hence more traffic.

Useful Tips & Ideas

• Create and publish content that adds value to potential visitors and that showcases your expertise. This includes content that educates and informs readers, training content, case studies, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing a special report that can be sold or distributed online (e.g. sell on Amazon.

Plugins, Tools, & Methods

We have created an entire email course on content creation that you can plug into at no cost here:

Also, if you haven’t already, contact us to learn more about WordPress 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 demand.” You can do this by growing a list or starting a forum or network.

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 new traffic with every post you publish, forum post you add, or email you send out.

Useful Tips

• Encourage users to leave comments and start discussions on your site.
• Add an email training course and encourage people to subscribe.
• Add a free or paid membership site.
• Start or join a Facebook/LinkedIn Group.

Plugins, Tools, & Strategies

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

• List-Building Solutions (e.g. Aweber, MailChimp, etc.)
• Contact Forms, Live Chat
• Forums and Social Communities (e.g. bbPress, BuddyPress)
• Polls and Surveys
• Webinars (e.g. Webinar JEO)
• Comment sharing
• Add media, video galleries, etc.

Identify Needs And Provide Solutions

If you take advantage of incoming traffic to listen to what users need, you should have no problem developing new services and products, all of which provide new opportunities to generate new sources of traffic.

Traffic Ideas

• Consider creating a free or paid e-learning course.
• Publish an instructional e-book that you can sell or distribute online.
• Add an e-commerce store to your business.

Tools And Methods

If you plan to provide services, products, and solutions online (as opposed to just providing information), contact us to learn more about plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your website or blog:

• Membership Sites (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 to collect and analyze data. By learning to interpret data gathered from existing traffic, you can discover new ways to generate additional traffic.

Hopefully, by now you already have installed an analytics tool (e.g. Google Analytics) on your site. Make sure you understand the metrics and can interpret the data.

WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Summary

Once you implement the above strategies, all you have to do is repeat the cycle, 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 adding 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 as needed to build authority and credibility, and also to increase 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 get better results online.

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