Category: WordPress Sales Funnel

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

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

In Part One of this series, we explain why using an expertly configured WordPress site is the key to automating traffic to your site …

(With an expertly configured WordPress website or blog, all you have to do is post fresh content consistently to attract web traffic!)

In Part 2, we discuss critical setup decisions. 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 existing site has been built with WordPress.

(In Part 2 we show you how to set up a WordPress website or blog on your domain)

In Part 3, we focus on the configuration phase. We explained how to configure all the settings (hosting, WordPress and external) that can affect your site’s traffic-getting ability …

(In Part 3 you will configure hosting settings, WordPress settings, and external settings that affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically)

In Part Four, we looked at ways to automate the traffic-getting process using a number of WordPress plugins.

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

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

WordPress Web Traffic System – Systems

In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress website, generating high-quality traffic consistently is the product of a clear business vision, great digital planning, and great systems in place.

(Generating automated traffic is the result of a business vision, planning, and excellent systems)

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

These systems include:

• Marketing Systems – How you drive new traffic to your website.
• Technical Systems – The systems and processes used to keep your digital presence operating efficiently for receiving traffic.
• Business Systems – How you manage and respond to traffic.

(Use systems to grow and manage your traffic)

Let’s briefly review how important the above systems are for optimizing traffic:

Marketing Systems

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

• What channels do you plan to use to drive traffic (e.g. blogging, facebook advertising, video marketing, etc)?
• How will you assign your budget and resources to these marketing channels?
• How will you create your content and run your 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 (e.g. Facebook ads) to help generate some results. If you’re tracking your marketing campaigns correctly, this should yield some actionable 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 and processes keep your online presence optimized for receiving traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your website if your site is experiencing problems or your web pages take too long to load.

Your technical systems include handling technical areas like webhosting, site maintenance and support, installing and updating software (e.g. plugins), customization, integration, 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 maintained and up-to-date?
• Who will fix errors, troubleshoot problems, provide technical support and advice, etc. should problems arise?

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

Business Systems

You need good operational systems and processes to help you manage and respond to 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 key aspects of your digital marketing and technical support, then you will need good systems in place for managing all outsourcing processes.

WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Traffic Optimization Tools And Strategies

With clear business objectives and great systems in place, all you need to focus on is developing your “traffic loop”.

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

(An effective traffic loop)

Increase Reach & Visibility

Step 1 of the process is to expose your business to as many members of your target audience as possible.

Tips

• Your expertly configured WordPress site allows 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 on your site.
• As mentioned earlier, investing in some paid advertising (e.g. Google AdWords) can help generate some initial data, which you can use to create web content better targeted to your audience.
• Repurpose your content to leverage the power and reach of different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to increase more traffic using methods like Pinterest ads, YouTube, Reddit, etc.

Plugins, Tools, & Strategies

We’ve covered many useful tools and strategies in earlier sections of this tutorial series.

Also, if you haven’t already, contact us to learn more about WordPress plugins that let you easily add the following to your site:

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

Build Authority And Credibility

Getting more of your content out there is great, but to make this activity more effective, your content also needs to be building authority and credibility with users.

Publishing better quality content improves your chances of getting more views from social sharing and hence more visitors.

Useful Tips & Ideas

• Focus on content that will add value to your audience and showcase your expertise. This includes content that informs and educates readers, training content, user reviews, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing PDF guides or special reports that you can sell or distribute online.

Tools, Plugins, And Methods

We have created an entire email course on content creation that you can plug into for free here:

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

• 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 a community.

With “Traffic On Demand,” all of your traffic comes from customers or subscribers – people who already like you and trust you. Your influence and credibility can be used to generate traffic with a single post or broadcast.

Tips

• Encourage commenting and discussions on your site.
• Add an email newsletter and encourage people to subscribe.
• Add a free, paid, or ‘freemium’ membership site.
• Create or join an online group on Facebook.

Tools, Plugins, And Methods

There are many solutions and WordPress plugins that can help increase your influence and improve user engagement. For example:

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

Identify Needs & Provide Solutions To These

If you take advantage of incoming traffic to find out what users are looking for, you should have no problem developing new products and services, all of which provide new opportunities for generating additional traffic.

Useful Tips

• Consider creating an e-learning program.
• Publish instructional PDF guides that you can sell or distribute online.
• Consider adding e-commerce to your site.

Plugins, Tools, And Methods

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 consider adding to your website or blog 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. Learning to interpret data gathered from existing traffic allows you to discover new opportunities to generate additional traffic.

Hopefully, by now you have already installed an analytics tool (e.g. Google Analytics) on your site. Make sure you understand the metrics and can interpret the data.

WordPress Traffic Blueprint – 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 get better your results.

In summary:

• Begin with an expertly configured WordPress site backed by solid 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 solutions if required to build authority and credibility, and also to improve 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 traffic to your web site and build a more successful business online.

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