Category: WordPress Optimization

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

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

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

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

In Part 2, we focused on the setup phase of the blueprint. We explained the best way to get started if you don’t have a website yet, how to set things up if you already have a site, and what to do if your existing website has been built with WordPress.

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

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

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

In Part Four, we showed you how to set up various plugins that can help drive new traffic automatically to your site.

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

In this article, we look at ways to optimize your traffic with a number of different tools and strategies.

WordPress Web Traffic Automation System – Systems

In addition to getting your WordPress site expertly configured, generating traffic successfully on a consistent basis is the result of having a clear business vision, careful digital planning, and great systems and process in place.

(Automating traffic is the result of having a clear business vision, planning, and great systems)

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

These include:

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

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

Let’s review the above systems briefly:

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 is your online marketing strategy?
• How will you allocate your budget and resources to these channels?
• How will you create and optimize your content, sales funnels, and marketing campaigns?
• How will you measure the results of your online 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 to help you generate some actionable data, such as the keywords people are searching online to find your website, which you can use to create web content targeted specifically to your audience.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems ensure that your digital presence remains up and running for receiving new traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your site if your site is constantly experiencing problems or your pages take too long to load.

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

Your technical systems can be tested by asking questions such as:

• Who is looking 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 issues can be minimized if your website 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 business systems and processes to help you manage and respond to the influx of new traffic. These include:

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

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

WordPress Traffic System – Optimizing Traffic Generation

If your business objectives are clear and your systems and processes are in place, all you need to focus on is how to develop your “traffic loop”.

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

(Implement, automate, and optimize a traffic loop)

Increase Reach & Visibility Online

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

Useful Tips

• Your expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to instantly notify and publicize your content to social media accounts like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, 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 can help you generate data, which you can use to create content better targeted to your audience’s needs.
• Repurpose your content to leverage the power and reach of different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to drive web visitors using methods like Pinterest, banner ads, email ads, etc.

Tools, Plugins, And Methods

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

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

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

Build Authority And Credibility

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

Publishing authoritative content not only helps to establish your credibility, it also improves your chances of getting it shared around and viewed by more people and hence more traffic.

Traffic Tips

• Focus on creating and publishing content that adds value to potential visitors and that showcases your expertise. This includes content that informs and educates readers, training content, case studies, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing special reports that can be sold or distributed online (e.g. sell on on the Amazon Kindle store.

Tools And Methods

If you need endless ideas for content that you can post on your web site, we recommend subscribing to our email training series 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

At some point, you may want to consider developing “traffic on tap.” You can do this by growing a list or starting your own online community or social network.

With “Traffic On Demand,” your traffic comes from customers or subscribers – people who already know you and trust you. Your influence and credibility can be used to generate new traffic with every post you publish or email broadcast you send out.

Tips

• Encourage commenting and discussions on your site.
• Add an email newsletter and encourage people to subscribe.
• Add a paid, free, or ‘freemium’ membership site, online forum, or social community.
• Start or join a Facebook/LinkedIn Group.

Tools, Plugins, And Strategies

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

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

Identify Problems And Provide Solutions To These

If you take advantage of incoming traffic to discover what your visitors want, you should have no problem coming up with ideas for new solutions, all of which can provide you with new opportunities to generate additional traffic.

Useful Tips And Ideas

• Consider creating a free or paid e-learning course.
• Publish a special report that you can sell or distribute online.
• Consider adding e-commerce to your business.

Tools & Methods

If you plan to provide products and services online (as opposed to just providing information), see other posts on this site to learn more about plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your WordPress site:

• Membership Site plugins (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. By interpreting data gathered from existing traffic, you can discover new traffic opportunities.

Hopefully, by now you have already installed an analytics tool like Google Analytics on your website. Make sure you also learn how to interpret the data.

WordPress Web Traffic Automation Blueprint – Summary

All you have to do once you implement the above strategies is repeat the process over and over again, fine-tuning and refining your methods as you go to grow your traffic and improve your results.

In summary:

• Begin with an expertly configured WordPress site backed by solid marketing, technical and business systems,
• Implement a content marketing strategy (with 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 necessary 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, now you have a blueprint that will help you automate and optimize the process of driving visitors to your WordPress web site and get better results online.

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