WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Part 5 (Optimization)

Welcome to Part 5 of our Website Traffic Blueprint article series, where we show you how to automate traffic to your website using the WordPress CMS platform.

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

In Part One, we provided an overview of the traffic automation process, and explained why using an expertly configured WordPress site is the key to automating traffic to your site …

(With an expertly configured WordPress web site, all you have to do is add web content on a consistent basis to automatically begin attracting more web traffic!)

In Part 2, we focus on the setup phase. We explain the best way to start if you don’t have a website yet, how to set things up if you already have a site, and what to do if your existing site was built using WordPress.

(In Part 2 we show you how to set up WordPress on your domain)

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

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

In Part 4, we looked at ways to automate the traffic system with WordPress plugins.

(Publish content one-time and automate your content distribution to all other channels!)

In this article, we discuss ways to optimize your traffic using various tools and strategies.

WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Systems

In addition to getting your WordPress site expertly configured, generating targeted traffic on a consistent basis comes from a clear business vision, sound digital planning, and good systems in place.

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

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

These include:

• Marketing Systems – How you drive new traffic to your business.
• Technical Systems – The systems used to ensure that your online presence remains operating efficiently for receiving traffic.
• Business Systems – How you manage and respond to new traffic.

(Use systems to grow 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 traffic for your business. Your marketing systems can be tested by asking questions such as:

• What channels do you plan to use to generate traffic (e.g. blogging, video marketing, etc)?
• How will you apply your budget and resources to these channels?
• Who will create your content and marketing campaigns?
• How will you track conversions and measure the cost-effectiveness 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 actionable data, such as the keywords 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 keep your web presence up and running for receiving new traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your site if your site is experiencing problems or your pages take too long to load.

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

You can test your technical systems by 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. 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, new problems will arise. Your technical systems need to be robust enough to handle these.

Business Systems

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

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

If you intend to outsource your digital marketing and technical maintenance, then make sure you have implemented great systems for managing all outsourcing.

WordPress Web Traffic Blueprint – Traffic Optimization

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

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

(An effective traffic loop)

Increase Reach And Visibility

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

Tips

• Your expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to instantly notify and publicize your content to 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.
• As mentioned earlier, investing in some paid advertising (e.g. pay-per-click ads) can help you generate some initial actionable data, which you can use to create web 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 more website visitors using methods like LinkedIn, social media, updates, etc.

Tools, Plugins, & Strategies

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

Also, see other posts on this site to learn more about WordPress plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your site:

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

Build Authority & Credibility

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

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

Traffic Ideas

• Create and publish content that adds value to your audience and that showcases your expertise. This includes content that informs and educates readers, training content, user reviews, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing educational guides that you can sell or distribute online.

Tools, Plugins, And Methods

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

Also, learn more about plugins that allow you to 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 Recognition

Grow Influence & Engagement

As your business grows, you may want to consider developing “traffic on tap.” You can achieve this by building a list or starting a membership site.

With “Traffic On Demand,” your traffic will come from 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, forum post you add, or broadcast you send out.

Traffic Optimization Tips

• Encourage commenting and 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 a Facebook/LinkedIn Group.

Tools, Plugins, & Methods

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

• Autoresponders/Email Newsletters (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 Problems & Provide Solutions

If you take advantage of incoming traffic to find out what your visitors are looking for, you can have an endless funnel of ideas for new services and products, all of which can provide you with new opportunities for generating additional web traffic.

Tips

• Create an e-learning course.
• Consider publishing instructional PDF guides that can be sold or distributed online.
• Add 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), ask us about plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your website or blog:

• 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. Gathering and interpreting data from existing traffic allows you to discover new traffic opportunities.

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

WordPress Web Traffic 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:

• 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 initial 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 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 automate and optimize the process of driving traffic to your WordPress web site and build a better business online.

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