Welcome to Part 5 of our Web Traffic Blueprint article series, where we show you how to automate traffic to your site using the WordPress CMS platform.
So far, here is what we have covered in this article series:
In Part One of this article series, we explain why using an expertly configured WordPress site is the key to automating traffic to your site …
(With an expertly configured WordPress blog, all you have to do to automatically start generating more web traffic is post new content regularly!)
In Part 2, we looked at 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 site, and what to do if your website has been built using WordPress.
(In Part 2 we show you where to set up a WordPress web site on your domain)
In Part Three, we looked at the configuration phase. We explained how to configure all the settings that can affect your site’s traffic-getting ability …
(In Part 3 you will configure all the settings (hosting, internal and external) that can affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically)
In Part Four, we explained how to set up various WordPress plugins that can drive visitors automatically to your site.
(Publish once to WordPress and automate your content distribution to all other services!)
In Part Five of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint article series, we look at ways to optimize traffic generation using different tools and strategies.
WordPress Traffic System – Traffic Optimization Systems
In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress website or blog, generating targeted traffic consistently is the result of a clear business vision, great digital planning, and excellent systems in place.
(Consistent traffic is the result of a business vision, sound planning, and great systems)
Let’s review the systems that will help you grow and manage all traffic.
These include:
- Marketing Systems – The processes and strategies used to create traffic for your website.
- Technical Systems – How you keep your digital presence operating efficiently for receiving new traffic.
- Business Systems – How you manage and respond to new traffic.
(Use systems to grow, automate, optimize, and manage your web traffic)
Let’s briefly review the importance of the above systems:
Marketing Systems
Your marketing systems consist of the processes and strategies used to drive new traffic to your website. Your marketing systems can be tested by asking questions such as:
- What channels will you use to generate traffic (e.g. blogging, PPC advertising, video marketing, etc)?
- What resources and portion of your budget will you apportion to these marketing channels?
- Who will create your content, sales funnels, 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 to help generate some initial actionable data, such as the keywords people are searching online to find your site, which you can use to create content better targeted to your audience’s needs.
Technical Systems
Your technical systems and processes keep your digital presence optimized for receiving traffic. There’s no point sending 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 applications (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 will look after my website and keep 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 issues can be minimized if your website planning process and setup and configuration phases have been done correctly. As with all technology, however, there will always be 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 traffic. These include:
- Communication systems
- Managing human and financial resources
- Handling leads and sales enquiries
- Order fulfillment
- Customer training/service
- etc.
If you plan to outsource your digital marketing and technical maintenance, then you will need excellent systems in place for managing all outsourcing processes.
WordPress Web Traffic Blueprint – Traffic Optimization Strategies
If your business objectives are clear and your systems and processes are in place, all you need to focus on is how to grow and optimize your “traffic loop”.
Let’s go through an example of implementing, optimizing, and automating a traffic loop. Take a look at the chart 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 you can.
Useful Tips And Ideas
- Your expertly configured WordPress site allows you to automatically syndicate your content to sites like Facebook, Twitter, GooglePlus, etc. The easiest way to increase your reach and visibility online, therefore, is to simply publish more content through your expertly configured WordPress site.
- As mentioned earlier, investing in some paid advertising (e.g. pay-per-click ads) can help you generate some initial actionable and intelligent data, which you can use to create content targeted specifically to your audience’s needs.
- Repurpose your content to leverage different media formats.
- Continue learning about ways to attract web traffic using methods like Facebook ads, solo ads, joint ventures, etc.
Tools & Methods
We’ve already covered many excellent tools, plugins, and strategies in previous sections of this article series.
Also, look for plugins that let you easily add the following to your site:
- Share your comments and posts online with others,
- Run contests, offer discounts/downloads for likes/shares,
- Accept user generated content, feeds, etc.
- Publish and distribute content online in other media formats (e.g. videos, PDF guides, slides, etc.)
Build Authority And Credibility
Getting more of your content published is good, but for this activity to be really effective, your content needs to build authority and credibility with visitors.
Publishing higher quality content improves your chances of getting more views from social sharing and hence more visitors.
Tips
- 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, user reviews, adding testimonials, etc.
- Consider publishing expert reports that you can sell or distribute online (e.g. sell on Clickbank.
Tools, Plugins, And Methods
If you need endless topics for content that you can post on your web site, then subscribe to our FREE email training series on content marketing here:
Also, if you haven’t already, see other posts on this site to learn more about plugins that let you easily add the following to your WordPress website:
- 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 demand.” You can achieve this by building a list or starting your own online community or social network.
With “Traffic On Demand,” all of your traffic will come from an audience of existing customers or subscribers – people who already like you and trust you. Your influence and reputation can be used to generate new traffic with every blog post you publish, forum post you add, or email you send out.
Traffic 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.
- Start or join a Facebook/LinkedIn Group.
Tools & Strategies
There are many solutions and WordPress plugins that can help increase your influence and improve engagement. For example:
- Autoresponders/Email Newsletters (e.g. Aweber, GetResponse, etc.)
- Contact Forms, Live Chat
- Forums & Discussion Groups (e.g. bbPress, BuddyPress)
- Polls & Surveys
- Webinars (e.g. Webinar JEO)
- Comment sharing
- Add media, image galleries, etc.
Identify Problems & Provide Solutions To These
By taking advantage of incoming traffic to find out what problems your visitors are trying to solve, you can develop new services, products, and solutions, all of which can provide you with new opportunities to generate additional web traffic.
Useful Tips
- Create an e-learning course.
- Consider publishing a special report that can be sold or distributed online (e.g. sell on Clickbank.
- Consider adding an e-commerce store to your site.
Tools, Plugins, And Methods
If you plan to provide services and products online (as opposed to just providing information), then some of the more useful plugins you may want to consider adding to your website include:
- 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 the collection and analysis of data. Gathering and interpreting data from existing traffic allows you to discover new ways to generate content that can bring you additional traffic.
Hopefully, by now you have already installed an analytics program like Google Analytics on your site. Make sure you can also understand the data.
WordPress Web Traffic Automation Blueprint – 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 (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 methods if necessary 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, this post has given you a blueprint that will help you drive more visitors automatically to your WordPress web site and expand your business online.
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"These tutorials have so much information and are easy to understand. If you use WordPress or plan to in the future these will help you with everything you need to know." - Valisa (Mesa, Arizona)
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