Category: WordPress Optimization

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

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

In Part 1, we described the traffic automation process, and explained why using an expertly configured WordPress site is the key to automating traffic to your site …

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

In Part 2, we look at the setup phase. We explain 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 site, and what to do if your existing site is built using WordPress.

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

In Part 3, we focused on configuring WordPress. We configured webhosting settings, WordPress settings, and external settings that can affect your site’s traffic-getting ability …

(In Part Three you learn how to configure all the settings (hosting, WordPress and external) that can affect your site’s traffic-getting ability)

In Part 4, we explained how to set up various plugins that can bring web traffic automatically to your website.

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

In this section of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint article series, we look at ways to optimize your traffic with a number of different tools and methods.

WordPress Web Traffic Automation 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 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 traffic.

These systems include:

• Marketing Systems – The processes and methods used to drive new traffic to your website.
• Technical Systems – How you ensure that your web presence remains optimized for receiving traffic.
• Business Systems – The systems and processes used to manage and respond to new traffic.

(Systems help you grow and manage your traffic)

Let’s briefly review how important these systems are:

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 drive traffic (e.g. blogging, PPC advertising, video marketing, etc)?
• What resources and portion of your budget will you assign to these channels?
• Who will create and optimize your content and marketing campaigns?
• How will you track conversions and measure the cost-effectiveness of your 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 generate some 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.

Technical Systems

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

Your systems include handling areas like webhosting, website maintenance and support, installing, configuring, and updating 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 maintained and up-to-date?
• Who will fix errors, troubleshoot problems, provide technical support and advice, etc. should issues occur?

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 problems. Your technical systems need to be able to handle these.

Business Systems

You need good operational systems and processes in place to help you manage and respond to traffic. These include:

• 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 services, then make sure you also implement excellent systems to manage all outsourcing.

WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Traffic Optimization Methods

With clear business objectives and great systems in place, all you need to focus on is how to grow and optimize 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 chart below …

(An effective traffic loop)

Increase Reach And Visibility Online

The first step of the process is to get your business exposed to as many potential users as possible.

Traffic Ideas

• An expertly configured WordPress site allows you to automatically distribute your content to places like Facebook, Twitter, GooglePlus, 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. Google AdWords) can help generate actionable data such as the keyword phrases people are searching online to find your website, which you can use to create content targeted specifically to your audience.
• Repurpose your content to leverage different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to increase more visitors using methods like Facebook, YouTube, email ads, etc.

Plugins, Tools, And Strategies

See earlier sections of this tutorial series for many excellent tools and strategies we’ve already covered to help you reach more potential users.

Also, if you haven’t already, ask us about plugins that let you easily add the following to your WordPress website or blog:

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

Build Authority & Credibility

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

Publishing higher quality content improves your chances of getting more shares and views and hence more visitors.

Useful Tips

• Focus on creating and publishing 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 an educational guide that can be sold or distributed online.

Tools, Plugins, And Strategies

If you need great content ideas for your web site, we recommend subscribing to our email training series here:

Also, ask us about plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your WordPress site:

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

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 membership site.

With “Traffic On Tap,” most of 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 blog post you publish or email broadcast you send out.

Traffic Ideas

• 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.
• Start or join a Facebook/LinkedIn Group.

Tools, Plugins, & Methods

There are many solutions and WordPress plugins that are easy to implement and can help grow your influence and improve 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, video galleries, etc.

Identify Problems & Provide Solutions To These

By taking advantage of incoming traffic to listen to what your visitors need, you should have no problem developing new services, products, and solutions, all of which can provide you with new opportunities to generate new sources of traffic.

Useful Tips And Ideas

• Consider creating an online training program.
• Publish special guides that can be sold or distributed online (e.g. sell on on the Amazon Kindle store.
• Add an e-commerce store to your business.

Tools And Strategies

If you plan to provide services, products, and solutions online (as opposed to just providing information), then some of the more useful WordPress plugins you may want to add to your site include:

• 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. By interpreting data gathered from existing traffic, you can discover new opportunities to generate additional traffic.

You should have already installed an analytics program (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 repeat the cycle, 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 (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 as required 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, this post has given you a blueprint that will help you drive more visitors automatically to your WordPress web site and get better results online.

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