Category: WordPress Optimization

Welcome to Part 5 of our Website Traffic Blueprint article series, where we explain how to turn your site into an automated traffic machine using WordPress.

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 generating automated traffic …

(With an expertly configured WordPress website, all you have to do is add content consistently to begin bringing more traffic!)

In Part 2, we focused on the setup phase. We explained the best way to start 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 site was built using WordPress.

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

In Part 3, we focus on the configuration phase. We configured hosting settings, WordPress settings, and external settings that affect your site’s traffic-getting ability …

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

In Part Four, we looked at ways to automate traffic generation with different plugins.

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

In this article, we look at ways to optimize the traffic system using various tools and methods.

WordPress Traffic System – Systems

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

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

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

These systems include:

• Marketing Systems – The processes and methods used to drive new traffic to your business.
• Technical Systems – How you keep your web presence up and running for receiving new traffic.
• Business Systems – The systems used to manage and respond to new traffic.

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

Let’s briefly review the above systems:

Marketing Systems

Your marketing systems consist of the processes and methods used to drive new traffic to your website. You can test your marketing systems by asking questions such as:

• What is your content marketing/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 run your marketing campaigns?
• How will you test 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 initial data, such as the keywords people are searching online to find your site, which you can use to create web content better targeted to your audience’s needs.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems keep your web presence operating efficiently for receiving traffic. There’s no point driving traffic to your site if your site is constantly down or your pages are taking a long time to load.

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

You can test your technical systems by questions such as:

• Who will look 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 any problems occur?

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

Business Systems

You need good operational systems to help you manage the influx of traffic. These include:

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

If you plan to outsource your digital marketing and technical maintenance, then make sure you have implemented great systems to manage all outsourcing.

WordPress Web Traffic Automation Blueprint – Optimizing Traffic Generation

With clear business objectives and great systems in place, all you need to focus on are ways to implement a “traffic loop”.

Let’s walk through an example of implementing, optimizing, and further automating a traffic loop. Take a look at the flowchart below …

(Implement, optimize, and automate your traffic loop)

Increase Reach & Visibility

The first step of the process is to increase visibility for your website or blog.

Tips

• Your expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to instantly share your content on 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.
• As mentioned earlier, investing in some paid advertising can help generate some initial actionable and intelligent data, which you can use to create web content better targeted to your audience.
• Repurpose your content to leverage different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to bring more web site traffic using methods like Pinterest ads, PPC advertising, forum signatures, etc.

Tools And Methods

See previous sections of this article series for a number of excellent tools and methods 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 comments and posts online with others,
• Run contests, offer downloads or discounts for likes/shares,
• Accept user generated content, feeds, etc.
• Publish and distribute content online in various media formats (e.g. videos, PDF guides, infographics, etc.)

Build Authority And Credibility

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

Publishing authoritative content improves your chances of getting more people to share it with others and hence more traffic.

Tips

• Focus on 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 guides that you can sell or distribute online (e.g. sell on Clickbank.

Plugins, Tools, & Strategies

We have created a complete email series aimed at helping you come up with limitless content for your site:

Also, if you haven’t already, contact us to learn more about plugins that allow you to 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 And Engagement

As your business grows, you may want to consider developing “traffic on tap.” You can achieve this by building a list or starting an online network.

With “Traffic On Demand,” most of your traffic will come from customers or subscribers – people who already know you and trust you. Your influence and reputation can be used to generate traffic with a single blog post or email.

Tips

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

Tools & Strategies

There are many solutions and plugins that are easy to implement and can help grow your influence and improve engagement. For example:

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

Identify Problems & Provide Solutions

If you take advantage of incoming traffic to discover what problems your users are trying to solve, you can have an endless funnel of ideas for new products, services, and solutions, all of which provide new opportunities to generate additional traffic.

Useful Tips & Ideas

• Create a free or paid e-learning course.
• Publish instructional PDF guides or special reports that you can sell or distribute online (e.g. sell on Clickbank.
• Consider adding an e-commerce store to your site.

Tools & Methods

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

• Membership Site plugins (e.g. Wishlist Member, S2 Member, etc.)
• e-Learning 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. By learning to interpret data gathered from existing traffic, you can discover new opportunities to create content that can generate you additional traffic.

You should already have installed an analytics program like Google Analytics on your website. Make sure you understand the metrics and can interpret the data.

WordPress Traffic Automation System – Summary

All you have to do once you implement the above strategies is repeat the process, 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 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 methods as required to help build authority, trust, and credibility, and also to increase 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 automate and optimize the process of driving traffic to your WordPress web site and get better results online.

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