Category: WordPress Sales Funnel

Welcome to Part Five of our Web Site Traffic Blueprint article series, where we show you how to create an automated web traffic machine using the WordPress CMS platform.

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

In Part One of this series, we provide an overview of the traffic automation process, and explain why using an expertly configured WordPress website is the key to automating traffic to your website …

(With an expertly configured WordPress website or blog, all you have to do to start generating more web traffic is post new content consistently!)

In Part 2, we looked at the setup phase. We explained the best way to get started 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 site was built using WordPress.

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

In Part Three, we looked at configuring WordPress. We explained how to configure all the settings (hosting, internal and external) that can affect your site’s ability to generate traffic automatically …

(In Part Three we explain how to configure all the settings (hosting, internal and external) that affect your website’s traffic-getting ability)

In Part 4, you learned how to set up various WordPress plugins that can get new traffic automatically to your website or blog when you begin posting new content.

(Publish once, automate the rest!)

In this article, we discuss ways to optimize the traffic system with different tools and strategies.

WordPress Traffic Blueprint – Traffic Optimization Systems

In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress website or blog, generating traffic successfully on a consistent basis is the product of a clear business vision, great digital planning, and great systems and process in place.

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

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

These systems include:

• Marketing Systems – The processes and methods used to drive traffic to your business.
• Technical Systems – The systems used to ensure that your online presence remains up and running for receiving traffic.
• Business Systems – How you manage and respond to traffic.

(Use systems to grow, automate, optimize, and manage your traffic)

Let’s review the above systems briefly:

Marketing Systems

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

• What channels do you plan to use to generate traffic (e.g. blogging, facebook advertising, video marketing, etc)?
• What resources and portion of your budget will you apply to these marketing channels?
• Who will create and optimize your content, sales funnels, and marketing campaigns?
• How will you measure the ROI of your online marketing 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 actionable data, such as the keywords people are searching online to find your site, which you can use to create web content targeted specifically to your audience’s needs.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems and processes keep your online presence operating efficiently for receiving traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your website if your site is experiencing problems or your pages take a very long time to load.

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

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

• Who will look after my server?
• Who is looking after my website and keeping 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 and setup and configuration phases have been completed correctly. Like all technology, however, you should expect new problems. You will need the right technical systems in place to handle these.

Business Systems

Your business systems help you manage and respond to the influx of traffic. These include:

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

If you intend to outsource areas of your digital marketing and technical services, then make sure you have implemented good systems for managing all outsourcing processes.

WordPress Web Traffic Automation Blueprint – Traffic Optimization Tools And Strategies

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

Let’s walk through an example of implementing, optimizing, and automating a traffic loop. Take a look at the processes illustrated 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 your resources will allow.

Useful Tips & Ideas

• Your expertly configured WordPress site allows you to automatically publish your content on sites 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 you generate some initial 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 web visitors using methods like LinkedIn advertising, YouTube, email ads, etc.

Plugins, Tools, & Methods

See previous sections of this article series for a number of useful tools and methods we’ve already covered to help you reach more potential users.

Also, if you haven’t already, see other posts and tutorials on this site to learn more about plugins that let you easily add the following to your website:

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

Build Authority & Credibility

Getting more content out there is good, but for this activity to be really effective, your content also needs to build authority and credibility with your audience.

Publishing higher quality content not only helps to establish your credibility, it also improves your chances of getting more people to share it with others and hence more traffic.

Useful Tips And Ideas

• Create and publish content that will add value to users and showcase your expertise. This includes content that informs and educates readers, training content, case studies, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing an e-book that you can sell or distribute online (e.g. sell on on the Amazon Kindle store.

Plugins, Tools, & Strategies

If you need help coming up with topics for content that you can post on your website, then subscribe to our email training series here:

Also, if you haven’t already, look for WordPress 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 Demand,” all 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 traffic with every blog post you publish, forum post you add, or email you send out.

Traffic Ideas

• Encourage users to leave comments and start discussions on your site.
• Add an email 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 & Strategies

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

• List-Building Solutions (e.g. Aweber, GetResponse, etc.)
• Contact Forms, Live Chat
• Forums & Discussion Groups (e.g. bbPress, BuddyPress)
• Polls and 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 find out what problems your users are trying to solve, you can develop new services and products, all of which can provide you with new opportunities for generating new streams of web traffic.

Tips

• Create an e-learning course.
• Consider publishing educational guides or special reports that can be sold or distributed online.
• Consider adding e-commerce to your business.

Tools & Strategies

If you plan to provide products and services 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 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 learning to interpret data gathered from existing traffic, you can discover new opportunities to create content that can generate you additional traffic.

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

WordPress Web Traffic Automation System – Summary

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

In summary:

• Start 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 initial traffic and generate useful data) to increase your reach and visibility online,
• Add plugins, list-building strategies, and other solutions as needed to help build authority, trust, 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, this information has given you a blueprint that will help you automate and optimize the process of driving traffic to your website and build a better business online.

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