WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Part 5 (Optimization)

Welcome to Part Five of our Web Site Traffic Blueprint article series, where we show you how to grow your business online automatically using the WordPress CMS.

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

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

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

In Part 2, we focused on the setup phase of the automation system. We explained the best way to get started if you don’t have a website yet, how to set everything up if you already have a site, and what to do if your existing site has been built with WordPress.

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

In Part 3, we look at the configuration phase of the automation system. We explained how to configure all the settings that can affect your website’s traffic-getting ability …

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

In Part 4, we discussed ways to automate your traffic using various WordPress plugins.

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

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

WordPress Traffic Blueprint – Systems

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

(Optimized traffic is the result of a business vision, planning, and excellent systems)

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

These systems include:

• Marketing Systems – The processes and strategies used to create traffic for your website.
• Technical Systems – How you ensure that your online presence remains optimized for receiving traffic.
• Business Systems – The systems used to manage and respond to traffic.

(Use systems to 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 channels will you use to generate traffic (e.g. blogging, video marketing, etc)?
• How will you apportion your budget and resources to your marketing channels?
• How will you create your content and 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 (e.g. Google AdWords) to help generate some initial 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’s needs.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems ensure that your online presence remains optimized for receiving new traffic. There’s no point driving traffic to your website if your site is constantly experiencing problems or your web pages are taking a long time to load.

Your systems need to be able to adequately handle technical areas like webhosting, website maintenance and support, installing and updating software (e.g. plugins), customization, integration, troubleshooting, etc.

Your technical systems can be tested by asking questions such as:

• Who looks after my server?
• 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. should issues arise?

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

Business Systems

You need good operational systems and processes in place to help you manage the influx of new traffic. These include:

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

If you intend to outsource your digital marketing and technical services, then make sure you also implement excellent systems for managing all outsourcing.

WordPress Traffic Automation System – Traffic Loops

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

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

(Implementing an effective traffic loop)

Increase Reach And Visibility Online

Step 1 of the process is to get your business exposed to as many members of your target audience as your time and resources will allow.

Useful Tips

• Your expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to automatically publish your content on places 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 some initial 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 visitors using methods like LinkedIn ads, banner ads, joint ventures, etc.

Tools And Strategies

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

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

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

Build Authority And Credibility

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

Publishing authoritative content improves your chances of getting more people to link to it and share it with others and hence more visitors.

Traffic Optimization Ideas

• Create and publish content that adds value to your audience and that showcases your expertise. This includes content that educates and informs readers, training content, case studies, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing PDF guides that you can sell or distribute online (e.g. sell on Clickbank.

Tools And Methods

If you need great content ideas for your website or blog, we recommend subscribing to our email training series here:

Also, look for plugins that allow you to 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 & 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 community.

With “Traffic On Tap,” all of your traffic will come from an audience of customers or subscribers – people who already like you and trust you. Your influence and credibility can be used to generate traffic with a single blog post or email broadcast.

Tips

• Encourage visitors to leave comments and start discussions on your site.
• Add an autoresponder training course and encourage people to subscribe.
• Add a free or paid membership site, online forum, or social community.
• Start or join a Facebook/LinkedIn Group.

Tools, Plugins, & Strategies

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

• List-Building Software (e.g. Aweber, MailChimp, etc.)
• Contact Forms, Live Chat
• Forums and Discussion Groups (e.g. bbPress, BuddyPress)
• Polls and 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 listen to what your visitors need, you should have no problem coming up with ideas for new products and services, all of which provide new opportunities for generating additional traffic.

Tips

• Create a free or paid online training program.
• Publish an instructional e-book that you can sell or distribute online.
• Add an e-commerce store to your business.

Tools, Plugins, And Strategies

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

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

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

WordPress 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 get better your results.

In summary:

• Start 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 methods as needed to build authority, trust, 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 website and build a better business online.

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