Category: Traffic Generation

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

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

In Part 1, we explain why using an expertly configured WordPress website is the key to generating automated web traffic …

(With an expertly configured WordPress site, all you have to do is add web content consistently to automatically drive traffic!)

In Part Two, we looked at critical setup decisions. We helped you understand the best way to start if you don’t have a web presence yet, how to set everything 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 where to set up WordPress on your domain)

In Part 3, we looked at important configuration decisions. We explained how to configure all the settings that affect your website’s traffic-getting ability …

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

In Part Four, you learned how to set up various WordPress plugins that can help drive visitors automatically to your site.

(Publish once to WordPress and automate the distribution of your content to all other marketing channels!)

In Part Five of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint article series, we look at ways to optimize the traffic system using different tools and methods.

WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Traffic Optimization Systems

In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress site, generating quality traffic on a consistent basis is the product of a clear business vision, sound digital planning, and good systems in place.

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

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

These systems include:

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

(Systems help you grow, automate, and manage your traffic)

Let’s briefly review the above systems:

Marketing Systems

Your marketing systems consist of the processes and strategies used to drive new traffic to your business. You can test your online marketing systems by asking questions such as:

• What is your content marketing strategy?
• How will you apply your budget and resources to your marketing channels?
• How will you create and optimize your content, sales funnels, and marketing campaigns?
• How will you measure the cost-effectiveness of your marketing 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 results. If you’re tracking your marketing campaigns correctly, this should yield some actionable data, such as the keyword phrases people are searching online to find your site, which you can use to create content targeted specifically to your audience.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems and processes ensure that your online presence remains optimized for receiving traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your site if your site is down or your pages are taking a long time to load.

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

You can test your technical systems by questions such as:

• Who looks 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. if issues occur?

Many potential issues can be minimized if your website planning and setup and configuration phases have been done correctly. Like all technology, however, you should expect new problems to arise. Your technical systems need to be robust enough to handle these.

Business Systems

Your business systems and processes help you manage and respond to traffic. This includes:

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

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

WordPress Traffic Automation System – Traffic Optimization Tools & Strategies

With clear business objectives and great systems in place, all you need to do is focus on how to develop 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 …

(Implement, automate, and optimize a traffic loop)

Increase Reach And Visibility Online

Step 1 of the process is to expose your business to as many potential users as you can.

Tips

• Your expertly configured WordPress site allows you to automatically publish your content on sites like Facebook, Twitter, GooglePlus, etc. The easiest way to increase your reach and visibility online, therefore, is to simply publish more content online.
• As mentioned earlier, investing in some paid advertising (e.g. pay-per-click ads) can help generate data, which you can use to create web content targeted specifically to your audience.
• Repurpose your content to leverage different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to get more visitors using methods like Pinterest advertising, social media, Reddit, etc.

Plugins, Tools, And Methods

We’ve already covered a number of useful tools, plugins, and strategies in previous sections of this tutorial series.

Also, if you haven’t already, learn more about WordPress plugins that let you easily add the following to your site:

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

Build Authority & Credibility

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

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

Useful Tips & 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, user reviews, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing expert guides that can be sold or distributed online.

Tools, Plugins, & Methods

If you need endless content ideas for your website or blog, we recommend subscribing to our FREE email training series on growing your business online with content marketing here:

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

• 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 growing a list or starting an online forum, community, or even your own social site.

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 or broadcast you send out.

Useful Tips & Ideas

• 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, online forum, or social community.
• Create or join an online group on Facebook/LinkedIn.

Tools, Plugins, & Strategies

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

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

Identify Problems & Provide Solutions To These

If you take advantage of incoming traffic to discover 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.

Tips

• Create a free or paid online training program.
• Consider publishing a special report or PDF guide that can be sold or distributed online.
• Add e-commerce to your business.

Tools, Plugins, And Strategies

If you plan to provide products and services online (as opposed to just providing information), look for plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your website or blog:

• 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 interpreting data gathered from existing traffic, you can discover new traffic opportunities.

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

WordPress 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:

• Start with an expertly configured WordPress site backed by good marketing, technical and business systems,
• Implement a content marketing strategy (consider also investing in 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 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, this information has given you a blueprint that will help you automate and optimize the process of driving traffic to your WordPress website and build a better business online.

***

***