Category: WordPress Optimization

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

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

In Part One of this series, we explained why using an expertly configured WordPress site is the key to automating traffic to your site …

(With an expertly configured WordPress website or blog, all you have to do to bring traffic is add web content on a consistent basis!)

In Part 2, we discuss the setup phase of the blueprint. We help you understand the best way to get started if you don’t have a web presence yet, how to set things up if you already have a website, and what to do if your existing site is built with WordPress.

(In Part 2 we show you how to set up a WordPress site on your domain)

In Part Three, we discussed important configuration decisions. We configured all the settings that can affect your site’s ability to generate traffic automatically …

(In Part 3 we show you how to configure all the settings that affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically)

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

(Publish content one-time, automate the rest!)

In Part 5 of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint article series, we discuss ways to optimize the traffic-getting process using various tools and strategies.

WordPress Web Traffic Automation System – Traffic Optimization Systems

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

(Generating regular traffic is the product of having a clear business vision, sound planning, and systems)

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

These systems include:

• Marketing Systems – The processes and methods used to drive traffic to your business.
• Technical Systems – The systems used to keep your digital presence operating efficiently for receiving traffic.
• Business Systems – The systems and processes used to manage and respond to new traffic.

(Use systems to grow, automate, optimize, and manage your traffic)

Let’s briefly review how important these systems are for traffic:

Marketing Systems

Your marketing systems consist of the processes and strategies used to create traffic for your website. Your marketing systems can be tested by asking questions such as:

• What channels do you plan to use to drive traffic (e.g. blogging, facebook advertising, video marketing, etc)?
• What resources and portion of your budget will you apply to these channels?
• Who will create and optimize your content and marketing campaigns?
• How will you track conversions 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 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 and processes keep your digital presence optimized for receiving traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your site if your site is constantly down or your web pages take too long to load.

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

You can test your technical systems by questions such as:

• Who looks after my server?
• 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. if you experience difficulties?

Many potential problems 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

You need good business systems to help you manage the influx of traffic. This includes:

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

If you intend to outsource your digital marketing and technical support, then make sure you also implement great systems to manage all outsourcing processes.

WordPress Web Traffic Automation Blueprint – Traffic Loops

If your business objectives are clear and your systems and processes are in place, all you need to focus on are ways to develop, optimize, and further automate a “traffic loop”.

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

(Implement and optimize your traffic loop)

Increase Reach & Visibility Online

Step 1 of the process is to get your business exposed to as many potential users as your time and resources will allow.

Useful Tips And Ideas

• An expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to automatically syndicate your content to sites 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. Facebook ads) can help you generate data, which you can use to create content better targeted to your audience.
• Repurpose your content to leverage different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to increase more visitors using methods like Twitter ads, solo ads, email, etc.

Plugins, Tools, And Strategies

We’ve covered a number of excellent tools, plugins, and methods in previous sections of this article series.

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 or blog:

• 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 other media formats (e.g. videos, PDF guides, infographics, etc.)

Build Authority & Credibility

Getting more content published is great, but for this activity to be really effective, your content needs to build authority and credibility with your audience.

Publishing better quality content improves your chances of getting more views from social sharing and hence more visitors.

Traffic Tips

• Focus on content that adds value to your audience and that showcases your expertise. This includes content that informs and educates readers, training content, case studies, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing PDF guides that can be sold or distributed online (e.g. sell on Amazon.

Tools, Plugins, And Methods

We have created a comprehensive email course on content creation that you can plug into for free here:

Also, contact us to learn more about WordPress plugins that allow you to 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 And Engagement

At some point, you may want to consider developing “traffic on demand.” You can achieve this by building a list or starting a group.

With “Traffic On Tap,” all of your traffic comes 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 every blog post you publish, forum post you add, or email broadcast you send out.

Traffic Tips

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

Plugins, Tools, & Strategies

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

• Autoresponders (e.g. Aweber, GetResponse, etc.)
• Contact Forms, Live Chat
• Forums and Social Communities (e.g. bbPress, BuddyPress)
• Polls and Surveys
• Webinars (e.g. Webinar JEO)
• Comment sharing
• Add media, image galleries, etc.

Identify Needs/Problems And Provide Solutions

By taking advantage of incoming traffic to listen to what problems your visitors are trying to solve, you should have no problem developing new services and products, all of which can provide you with new opportunities for generating new streams of web traffic.

Tips

• Consider creating an e-learning course.
• Consider publishing PDF guides or special reports that you can sell or distribute online (e.g. sell on Clickbank.
• Add an e-commerce store to your site.

Tools, Plugins, And Strategies

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

• Membership Sites (e.g. Wishlist Member, S2 Member, etc.)
• Learning Management Systems (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 create content that can generate you additional traffic.

Hopefully, by now you already have installed an analytics program like Google Analytics on your site. Make sure you can also understand the data.

WordPress Traffic System – 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 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 traffic and generate useful data) to increase your reach and visibility online,
• Add plugins, list-building strategies, and other solutions if needed to help build authority, trust, 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, now you have a blueprint that will help you automate and optimize the process of driving visitors to your web site and get better results online.

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