Category: WordPress Optimization

Welcome to Part 5 of our WordPress Web Traffic Blueprint article series, where we show you how to turn your site into an automated web traffic machine using the WordPress CMS.

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

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

(With an expertly configured WordPress website or blog, all you have to do to automatically bring web traffic is post great content regularly!)

In Part 2, we focus on the setup phase of this system. We explain the best way to start if you don’t have a website yet, how to set everything up if you already have a website, and what to do if your website was built with WordPress.

(In Part 2 we show you where to set up WordPress on your domain)

In Part 3, we focus on important configuration decisions. We explained how to configure all the settings (hosting, internal and external) that affect your site’s ability to generate traffic automatically …

(In Part 3 you learn how to configure hosting settings, WordPress settings, and external settings that can affect your site’s ability to generate traffic automatically)

In Part 4, we showed you how to set up various WordPress plugins that can get visitors automatically to your site.

(Publish content one-time and automate your content distribution to all other channels!)

In this section of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint series, we look at ways to optimize traffic generation using various tools and methods.

WordPress Web Traffic Automation System – Traffic Optimization Systems

In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress website, the key to generating successfully on a consistent basis is having a clear business vision, sound digital planning, and great systems and process in place.

(Consistent traffic is the result of a business vision, planning, and great systems)

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

These include:

• Marketing Systems – How you create new traffic for your business.
• Technical Systems – How you ensure that your digital presence remains operating efficiently for receiving new traffic.
• Business Systems – The systems used to manage and respond to traffic.

(Use systems to grow, automate, and manage your 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 traffic to your business. 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 allocate to these marketing channels?
• How will you create your content, sales funnels, and marketing campaigns?
• How will you test and measure the results 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 you generate some 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’s needs.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems keep your digital presence up and running for receiving new traffic. There’s no point driving traffic to your site if your site is constantly down or your pages take a long time to load.

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

You can test your technical systems by questions such as:

• Who is looking after my webhosting?
• 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. should things go wrong?

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

Business Systems

Your business systems help you manage the influx of new traffic. This includes:

• Communication systems
• Managing human and financial resources
• Handling sales inquiries
• Order fulfillment
• Customer service/training
• etc.

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

WordPress Web Traffic Automation System – Traffic Optimization Strategies

If your business objectives are clear and your systems and processes are in place, all you need to focus your efforts on is 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 illustration below …

(Traffic loop)

Increase Reach And Visibility Online

Step 1 of the process is to increase visibility for your business and website.

Useful Tips

• Your expertly configured WordPress site allows you to instantly notify and publicize your content to 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 on your site.
• As mentioned earlier, investing in some paid advertising (e.g. pay-per-click ads) can help you generate some initial actionable data, which you can use to create web 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 traffic using methods like LinkedIn, social media, Reddit, etc.

Tools & Methods

We’ve already covered a number of useful tools and strategies in earlier sections of this article series.

Also, learn more about plugins that let you easily add the following to your WordPress website or blog:

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

Build Authority And Credibility

Getting more content out there is good, but to make this more effective, your content needs to build authority and credibility with users.

Publishing authoritative content improves your chances of getting more views from social sharing and hence more traffic.

Useful Tips & Ideas

• Create and publish content that adds value to users 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.

Tools And Strategies

If you need help coming up with endless ideas for content that you can post on your site, then subscribe to our email training series here:

Also, if you haven’t already, look for 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 Recognition

Grow Influence And Engagement

As your business grows, you may want to consider developing “traffic on demand.” You can do this by building a list or starting your own community.

With “Traffic On Tap,” most of your traffic will come from an audience of customers or subscribers – people who already know you and trust you. Your influence and credibility can be used to generate traffic with every blog post you publish, forum post you add, or email you send out.

Useful Tips

• Encourage commenting and discussions on your site.
• Add an autoresponder training course and encourage people to subscribe.
• Add a free or paid membership site, online forum, or social community.
• Start or join an online group on Facebook/LinkedIn.

Tools, Plugins, And Strategies

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

• Autoresponders/Email Newsletters (e.g. Aweber, MailChimp, 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 & Provide Solutions

If you take advantage of incoming traffic to listen to what your visitors need, you can develop new services and products, all of which can provide you with new opportunities for generating new sources of web traffic.

Tips

• Create an online training course.
• Publish instructional PDF guides that you can sell or distribute online (e.g. sell on Amazon.
• Consider adding e-commerce to your business.

Tools, Plugins, And Strategies

If you plan to provide solutions online (as opposed to just providing information), look for plugins that let you easily add the following to your site:

• 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. Gathering and interpreting data from existing traffic lets you discover new traffic opportunities.

You should already have installed an analytics tool (e.g. Google Analytics) on your website. Make sure you understand the metrics and can interpret the data.

WordPress Web Traffic Blueprint – Summary

All you have to do once you implement the above strategies 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 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 improve engagement with users,
• 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 expand your business online.

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