Welcome to Part Five of our Website Traffic Blueprint article series, where we explain how to create an automated traffic machine using the WordPress CMS platform.
So far, here is what we have covered in this series:
In Part One, we explain why using an expertly configured WordPress website is the key to automating traffic to your website …
(With an expertly configured WordPress website, all you have to do is post fresh content consistently to automatically drive web traffic!)
In Part 2, we look at the setup phase of the traffic automation blueprint. We help you understand the best way to get started if you don’t have a web presence yet, how to set everything up if you already have a website, and what to do if your existing website has been built using WordPress.
(In Part 2 we show you where to set up a WordPress website on your domain)
In Part 3, we focused on important configuration decisions. We configured hosting settings, internal settings, and external settings that can affect your website’s traffic-getting ability …
(In Part 3 you will configure all the settings that can affect your website’s traffic-getting ability)
In Part Four, we explained how to set up various WordPress plugins that can get new visitors automatically to your website or blog.
(Publish once, automate the rest!)
In this section of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint series, we look at ways to optimize the traffic generation process with a number of different tools and methods.
WordPress Web Traffic Automation System – Systems
In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress site, the key to generating consistent traffic of high quality is having a clear business vision, sound digital planning, and great systems in place.
(Automated traffic is the result of having a clear business vision, sound planning, and systems)
Let’s review briefly the systems that will help you grow and manage your new traffic.
These include:
- Marketing Systems – The processes and strategies used to drive traffic to your business.
- Technical Systems – How you ensure that your digital presence remains operating efficiently for receiving new traffic.
- Business Systems – How you manage and respond to traffic.
(Systems help you grow and manage your web 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 website. Your online marketing systems can be tested by asking questions such as:
- What channels do you plan to use to generate traffic (e.g. blogging, PPC advertising, video marketing, etc)?
- How will you assign your marketing budget and resources to these channels?
- How will you create your content, sales funnels, and run your marketing campaigns?
- How will you test and measure the results 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 to help generate some intelligence. 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 digital presence remains up and running for receiving traffic. There’s no point driving traffic to your site if your site is experiencing problems or your web pages take a very long time to load.
Your systems include handling areas like webhosting, website maintenance and support, installing and updating new applications (e.g. plugins), customization, integration, troubleshooting, etc.
Your technical systems can be tested by asking questions such as:
- Who looks after my webhosting?
- Who will look after my website and keep 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 problems can be minimized if your planning and setup and configuration phases have been completed correctly. Like 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 business systems and processes to help you manage and respond to traffic. These include:
- Communication systems
- Managing human and financial resources
- Handling sales enquiries
- Order fulfillment
- Customer service/training
- etc.
If you plan to outsource your digital marketing and technical support, then make sure you also implement good systems to manage all outsourcing processes.
WordPress Web Traffic Automation Blueprint – Traffic Optimization Methods
With clear business objectives and great systems in place, all you need to do is to focus on implementing and optimizing your “traffic loop”.
Let’s walk through an example of how to implement, optimize, and further automate a traffic loop. Take a look at the processes illustrated below …
(Traffic loop)
Increase Reach And Visibility
Step 1 of the process is to increase visibility for your website or blog.
Useful Tips & Ideas
- Your expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to instantly share your content on social media accounts 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 can help you generate some initial data, which you can use to create content targeted specifically to your audience.
- Repurpose your content to leverage the power, appeal, and reach of different media formats.
- Continue learning about ways to bring more web traffic using methods like Twitter advertising, banner ads, forum ads, etc.
Tools, Plugins, And Methods
See earlier sections of this article series for many excellent plugins, tools, and strategies we’ve already covered to help you reach more members of your target audience.
Also, if you haven’t already, look for plugins that let you easily add the following to your site:
- Share your posts online,
- Run contests, offer discounts or downloads for likes/shares,
- Add user generated content, feeds, etc.
- Distribute content online in other media formats (e.g. videos, PDF guides, audio, etc.)
Build Authority & Credibility
Getting more content published is a great first step, but to make this activity more effective, your content needs to build authority and credibility with visitors.
Publishing higher quality content improves your chances of getting it shared around and hence more traffic.
Useful Tips
- Focus on creating and publishing content that will add value to potential users and showcase your expertise. This includes content that informs and educates readers, training content, user reviews, adding testimonials, etc.
- Consider publishing educational guides that you can sell or distribute online.
Tools, Plugins, & Strategies
We have created a comprehensive course on content creation that you can plug into at no cost here:
Also, ask us about plugins that let you 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
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 Demand,” your traffic will come from customers or subscribers – people who already know you and trust you. Your influence and credibility can be used to generate traffic with a single post or broadcast.
Useful Tips And Ideas
- Encourage commenting and discussions on your site.
- Add an autoresponder training course and encourage people to subscribe.
- Add a free, paid, or ‘freemium’ membership site.
- Create or join a Facebook/LinkedIn Group.
Tools & Methods
Many solutions and plugins are available that can help grow your influence and improve user engagement. For example:
- List-Building Solutions (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, image galleries, etc.
Identify Needs/Problems & Provide Solutions
If you take advantage of incoming traffic to find out what problems your visitors are trying to solve, you can develop new services and products, all of which provide new opportunities for generating additional traffic.
Tips
- Consider creating a free or paid online training course.
- Publish special reports that can be sold or distributed online (e.g. sell on on the Amazon Kindle book store.
- Add e-commerce to your site.
Tools & 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 consider adding to your website or blog 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 the collection and analysis of data. Gathering and interpreting data from existing traffic allows you to discover new opportunities to generate content that can bring you additional traffic.
Hopefully, by now you have already installed an analytics tool (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 get better your results.
In summary:
- Begin 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 traffic and generate useful data) to increase your reach and visibility online,
- Add plugins, list-building strategies, and other solutions as required 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, now you have a blueprint that will help you drive more visitors automatically to your website and build a more successful business online.
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