Category: WordPress Sales Funnel

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

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

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

(With an expertly configured WordPress website or blog, all you have to do to begin bringing new web traffic is add fresh content regularly!)

In Part Two, we focus on the setup phase of the traffic automation process. We help you understand the best way to start 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 site was built with WordPress.

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

In Part Three, we focused on the configuration phase. We configured all the settings (hosting, WordPress and external) that can affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically …

(In Part 3 we show you how to configure hosting settings, WordPress settings, and external settings that affect your site’s traffic-getting ability)

In Part 4, we looked at ways to automate traffic generation using a number of WordPress plugins.

(Publish content once, automate the rest!)

In this article, we discuss ways to optimize your traffic using various tools and methods.

WordPress Web Traffic Blueprint – Traffic Optimization Systems

In addition to getting your WordPress site expertly configured, generating consistent traffic of high quality is the product of a clear business vision, careful digital planning, and excellent systems and process in place.

(Automating traffic is the product of a business vision, sound planning, and systems)

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

These systems include:

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

(Use systems to grow and manage your traffic)

Let’s review the importance of the above systems briefly:

Marketing Systems

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

• What is your online marketing strategy?
• How will you apportion your budget and resources to your marketing channels?
• How will you create and optimize your content and marketing campaigns?
• How will you test and measure the results 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 to help generate some initial 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 and processes ensure that your online presence remains optimized for receiving new traffic. There’s no point driving traffic to your site if your site is constantly experiencing problems or your pages take a long time to load.

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

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

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

Many potential problems can be minimized if your website planning process and setup and configuration phases have been completed correctly. Like all technology, however, you will always run into many problems. You will need the right technical systems in place to handle these.

Business Systems

You need good business systems in place to help you manage traffic. These include:

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

If you intend to outsource key aspects of your digital marketing and technical support, then you will need to put systems in place to manage all outsourcing.

WordPress Web Traffic Automation Blueprint – Traffic Optimization

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

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

(Traffic loop)

Increase Reach And Visibility

Step 1 of the process is to get your business exposed to as many traffic generation sites and channels as possible.

Useful Tips & Ideas

• An expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to instantly share your content on social media accounts like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, 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 (e.g. pay-per-click ads) can help you generate actionable data, which you can use to create content better targeted to your audience’s needs.
• Repurpose your content to leverage the power, appeal, and reach of different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to attract more traffic using methods like LinkedIn ads, solo ads, joint ventures, etc.

Plugins, Tools, & Methods

See earlier sections of this tutorial series for many useful plugins, tools, and strategies we’ve already covered to help you reach more members of your target audience.

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

• Share your posts online,
• Run contests, offer downloads or discounts for shares/likes,
• 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 out there is good, but for this activity to be really effective, your content also needs to be building authority and credibility with visitors.

Publishing better quality content not only helps to establish your credibility, it also improves your chances of getting more views from social sharing and hence more visitors.

Useful Tips And Ideas

• Focus on creating 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 a special report or PDF guide that you can sell or distribute online.

Tools, Plugins, And Strategies

We have created a detailed course on content creation that you can plug into at no cost here:

Also, if you haven’t already, contact us to learn more 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 Recognition

Grow Influence And 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 community.

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

Useful Tips

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

Tools, Plugins, And Strategies

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

• List-Building Solutions (e.g. Aweber, MailChimp, etc.)
• Contact Forms, Live Chat
• Forums & Discussion Groups (e.g. bbPress, BuddyPress)
• Polls & Surveys
• Webinars (e.g. Webinar JEO)
• Comment sharing
• Add media, video galleries, etc.

Identify Needs And Provide Solutions To These

If you take advantage of incoming traffic to listen to what users are looking for, you should have no problem coming up with ideas for new solutions, all of which provide new opportunities for generating new sources of web traffic.

Traffic Ideas

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

Tools, Plugins, & Methods

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

• 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 have already installed an analytics tool (e.g. Google Analytics) on your website. Make sure you can also understand the data.

WordPress Traffic Blueprint – Summary

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

In summary:

• Begin 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 initial traffic and generate useful data) to increase your reach and visibility online,
• Add plugins, list-building strategies, and other methods as needed 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 drive more visitors automatically to your web site and build a better business online.

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