Author: WP Compendium

Welcome to Part 5 of our WordPress Web Site Traffic Blueprint article series, where we explain how to grow your business online automatically using the WordPress CMS platform.

So far, here is what we have covered in this 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 is the key to generating automated web traffic …

(With an expertly configured WordPress website or blog, all you have to do is add fresh content consistently to start generating web traffic!)

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

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

In Part Three, we focus on important configuration decisions. We explained how to configure all the settings (hosting, internal and external) that can affect your site’s ability to generate traffic automatically …

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

In Part Four, we showed you how to set up various plugins that can help get visitors automatically to your website just by adding new content.

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

In Part Five of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint series, we discuss ways to optimize traffic to your website using a number of tools and methods.

WordPress Traffic System – Traffic Optimization Systems

In addition to getting your WordPress site expertly configured, the key to generating consistent traffic of high quality is having a well-defined business vision, careful digital planning, and excellent systems and process in place.

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

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

These systems include:

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

(Use systems to grow, automate, 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 strategies used to drive traffic to your business. Your marketing systems can be tested by asking questions such as:

• What channels will you use to generate new traffic (e.g. blogging, video marketing, etc)?
• What resources and portion of your budget will you allocate to these channels?
• Who will create and optimize your content and run your marketing campaigns?
• How will you test and measure the ROI 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. pay-per-click ads) to help generate some initial actionable data, such as the keyword phrases people are searching online to find your site, which you can use to create content better targeted to your audience.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems ensure that your online presence remains optimized for receiving new traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your site if your site is constantly experiencing problems or your 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), integration, customization, troubleshooting, etc.

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

• Who is looking after my webhosting?
• Who looks after my website and keeps my site, plugins, themes, etc. maintained and up-to-date?
• Who will fix errors, troubleshoot problems, provide technical support and advice, etc. should anything go wrong?

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

Business Systems

Your business systems help you manage and respond to new traffic. These include:

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

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

WordPress Traffic Blueprint – Traffic Loops

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

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

(An effective traffic loop)

Increase Reach And Visibility Online

The first step of the process is to get your business exposed to as many traffic generation sites and channels as possible.

Traffic Optimization Tips

• An expertly configured WordPress site allows 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 (e.g. Google AdWords) can help generate actionable data such as the keyword phrases people are searching online to find your website, which you can use to create 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 increase web visitors using methods like Twitter ads, solo ads, forum signatures, etc.

Tools And Methods

See earlier sections of this article series for a number of excellent tools, plugins, and strategies we’ve already covered to help you reach more members of your target audience.

Also, look for plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your site:

• Share your posts online,
• Run contests, offer discounts/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 out there is a great first step, but to make this activity more effective, your content needs to build authority and credibility with your audience.

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

Tips

• Focus on 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 special guides that you can sell or distribute online (e.g. sell on on the Amazon Kindle book store.

Tools And Methods

We have created an entire course on how to develop a content marketing strategy, how to promote your business with content, and how to never run out of new web content ideas that you can plug into for free here:

Also, see other posts on this site to learn more about WordPress 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 Recognition

Grow Influence & Engagement

At some point, you may want to consider developing “traffic on tap.” You can do this by growing a list or starting an online community.

With “Traffic On Tap,” 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 traffic with a single blog post or broadcast.

Traffic Ideas

• Encourage commenting and discussions on your site.
• Add an autoresponder newsletter and encourage people to subscribe.
• Add a free or paid membership site.
• Start or join a Facebook/LinkedIn Group.

Tools, Plugins, & Strategies

Many solutions and plugins are available that are easy to implement and can help grow your online influence and improve engagement. For example:

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

Identify Needs And Provide Solutions To These

By taking advantage of incoming traffic to discover what problems your visitors are trying to solve, 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 web traffic.

Traffic Optimization Ideas

• Consider creating an online training program.
• Publish PDF guides that you can sell or distribute online.
• Add e-commerce to your site.

Tools, Plugins, And Methods

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

• Membership Site plugins (e.g. Wishlist Member, S2 Member, etc.)
• e-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 traffic opportunities.

You should 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

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:

• Begin 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 initial traffic and generate useful data) to increase your reach and visibility online,
• Add plugins, list-building strategies, and other solutions 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, this post has given you a blueprint that will help you drive more visitors automatically to your WordPress website and build a more successful business online.

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