Category: WordPress Configuration

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

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

In Part 1, we provide an overview of the traffic automation process, and explain why using an expertly configured WordPress website is the key to automating traffic to your website …

(With an expertly configured WordPress blog, all you have to do is post fresh content on a consistent basis to automatically generate more web traffic!)

In Part Two, we looked at the setup phase of this process. We explained the best way to start 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 website has been built with WordPress.

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

In Part Three, we look at the configuration phase of the blueprint. We configured hosting settings, internal settings, and external settings that affect your site’s ability to generate traffic automatically …

(In Part 3 you will configure all the settings that can affect your site’s traffic-getting ability)

In Part Four, you learned how to set up various WordPress plugins that can get visitors automatically to your site as you begin to publish content on a consistent basis.

(Publish content once, automate the rest!)

In this section of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint article series, we discuss ways to optimize the traffic system using different tools and methods.

WordPress Web Traffic Blueprint – Traffic Optimization Systems

In addition to getting your WordPress website expertly configured, the key to generating successfully on a consistent basis is having a clearly-defined business vision, great digital planning, and good systems and process in place.

(Generating consistent traffic is the result of a business vision, planning, and systems)

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

These systems include:

• Marketing Systems – The processes and strategies used to drive traffic to your website.
• Technical Systems – The systems and processes used to ensure that your online presence remains up and running 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 briefly review how important the above systems are for optimizing traffic:

Marketing Systems

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

• What is your content marketing strategy?
• What resources and portion of your budget will you assign to these channels?
• Who will create and optimize your content and run your marketing campaigns?
• How will you track conversions and measure the ROI of your online 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. 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 website, which you can use to create web content targeted specifically to your audience’s needs.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems and processes ensure that your online presence remains operating efficiently for receiving new traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your site if your site is constantly experiencing problems or your web pages are taking a very long time to load.

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

You can test your technical systems by questions such as:

• Who looks after my server?
• Who is looking after my website and keeping my site maintained and up-to-date?
• Who will fix errors, troubleshoot problems, provide technical support and advice, etc. if you experience difficulties?

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

Business Systems

You need good operational systems in place to help you manage and respond to new traffic. This includes:

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

If you intend to outsource your digital marketing and technical services, then you will need systems in place for managing all outsourcing processes.

WordPress Traffic Blueprint – Optimizing Traffic Generation

With clear business objectives and great systems 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 processes illustrated below …

(Implement, optimize, and automate your traffic loop)

Increase Reach And Visibility

The first step of the process is to get your business exposed to as many potential users as your time and resources will allow.

Useful Tips & Ideas

• An expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to instantly share your content on traffic-getting sources 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 data, which you can use to create web content better targeted to your audience.
• Repurpose your content to leverage the power and reach of different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to drive more traffic using methods like Pinterest, podcasts, StumbleUpon, etc.

Plugins, Tools, & Methods

We’ve covered many excellent tools, plugins, and methods in earlier sections of this article series.

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

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

Build Authority & Credibility

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

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

Traffic Optimization Ideas

• Focus on content that adds value to potential users and that showcases your expertise. This includes content that informs and educates readers, training content, user reviews, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing a PDF guide that can be sold or distributed online (e.g. sell on Clickbank.

Tools & Methods

We have created a comprehensive course on how to develop a content marketing strategy, how to promote your business with content, and ways to never run out of new web content ideas that you can plug into at no cost here:

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

• Legal Pages
• Testimonials
• Customer Support (e.g. Helpdesk, Live Chat, etc.)
• Ratings
• User Reviews
• Badges/Certificates Of Trust

Grow Influence & Engagement

As your business grows, 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,” most of your traffic comes from an audience of 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 broadcast you send out.

Useful Tips

• Encourage visitors to leave comments and start discussions on your site.
• Add an autoresponder 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, And Methods

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

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

Identify Needs And Provide Solutions To These

By taking advantage of incoming traffic to listen to what problems your users are trying to solve, you can develop new services and products, all of which can provide you with new opportunities for generating additional traffic.

Useful Tips & Ideas

• Create a free or paid online training course.
• Publish PDF guides that you can sell or distribute online.
• Add e-commerce to your site.

Plugins, Tools, & Methods

If you plan to provide solutions online (as opposed to just providing information), then some of the more useful WordPress plugins you may want to consider adding to your website or blog include:

• Membership Sites (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 the collection and analysis of data. By learning to interpret data gathered from existing traffic, you can discover new opportunities to generate content that can bring you additional traffic.

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

WordPress Traffic Blueprint – 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 solid marketing, technical and business systems,
• Implement a content marketing strategy (consider adding 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 if needed 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 article has given you a blueprint that will help you automate and optimize the process of driving traffic to your website and grow your business online.

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