Welcome to Part Five of our Web Site Traffic Blueprint article series, where we explain how to create an automated traffic generating machine using the WordPress CMS platform.
So far, here is what we have covered in this series:
In Part One, we provided an overview of the traffic automation process, and explained why using an expertly configured WordPress website is the key to automating traffic to your website …
(With an expertly configured WordPress site, all you have to do to automatically bring web traffic is publish new content on a regular basis!)
In Part 2, we focused on critical setup decisions. We helped 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 how to set up a WordPress web site on your domain)
In Part Three, we look at important configuration decisions. We configured all the settings that affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically …
(In Part Three you learn how to configure hosting settings, internal settings, and external settings that affect your website’s traffic-getting ability)
In Part 4, we showed you how to set up various WordPress plugins that can bring new traffic automatically to your website.
(Publish once to WordPress and automate the distribution of your content to all other services!)
In this section of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint article series, we look at ways to optimize the traffic system using different tools and strategies.
WordPress Web Traffic System – Systems
In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress site, the key to generating high-quality traffic on a consistent basis is having a well-defined business vision, careful digital planning, and good systems in place.
(Generating automated traffic is the product of a business vision, planning, and systems)
Let’s review the systems that will help you grow and manage this traffic.
These systems include:
- Marketing Systems – How you drive new traffic to your business.
- Technical Systems – How you ensure that your online presence remains operating efficiently for receiving traffic.
- Business Systems – How you manage and respond to traffic.
(Use systems to grow, automate, and manage your traffic)
Let’s review the above systems briefly:
Marketing Systems
Your marketing systems consist of the processes and strategies used to create traffic for your website. You can test your online marketing systems by asking questions such as:
- What channels will you use to drive traffic (e.g. blogging, video marketing, etc)?
- What resources and portion of your budget will you assign to these channels?
- How will you create your content, sales funnels, and run your marketing campaigns?
- How will you measure the cost-effectiveness of your online 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 initial intelligence. 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 web content better targeted to your audience.
Technical Systems
Your technical systems keep your online presence up and running for receiving traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your website if your site is experiencing problems or your web pages take a very long time to load.
Your technical systems need to be able to adequately handle technical areas like webhosting, website maintenance and support, installing, configuring, and updating new applications (e.g. plugins), customization, integration, troubleshooting, etc.
You can test your technical systems by questions such as:
- Who is looking 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 any issues occur?
Many potential problems can be minimized if your website planning and setup and configuration phases have been done correctly. Like all technology, however, you should expect to face new problems. You will need the right technical systems in place to handle these.
Business Systems
You need good business systems to help you manage and respond to traffic. These include:
- Communication systems
- Resources management – human, financial
- Handling sales inquiries
- Order fulfillment
- Customer service/training
- etc.
If you intend to outsource key aspects of your digital marketing and technical maintenance, then make sure you also implement good systems for managing all outsourcing.
WordPress Traffic Automation System – Traffic Loops
With clear business objectives and great systems in place, all you need to focus on is how to grow a “traffic loop”.
Let’s walk through an example of implementing, optimizing, and further automating a traffic loop. Take a look at the chart below …
(Implement and optimize a traffic loop)
Increase Reach & Visibility Online
The first step of the process is to increase visibility for your website or blog.
Useful Tips
- An expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to instantly share your content on traffic-getting sources 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 can help generate some initial actionable data, which you can use to create content better targeted to your audience’s needs.
- Repurpose your content to leverage different media formats.
- Continue learning about ways to get visitors using methods like SEO, solo ads, email, etc.
Plugins, Tools, & Methods
We’ve covered many useful tools, plugins, and methods in earlier sections of this tutorial series.
Also, look for plugins that let you easily add the following to your WordPress site:
- Share your posts online,
- Run contests, offer downloads or discounts for likes/shares,
- Add user generated content, feeds, etc.
- Distribute content online in various media formats (e.g. videos, PDF guides, slides, etc.)
Build Authority & Credibility
Getting more of your content published is a great first step, but for this activity to be really 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.
Traffic Optimization Ideas
- Focus on content that will add value to potential visitors and showcase your expertise. This includes content that educates and informs 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, & Strategies
We have created a complete email training series aimed at helping you come up with limitless content ideas for posting to your website:
Also, if you haven’t already, learn more about plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your site:
- Legal Pages
- Testimonials
- Customer Support (e.g. Helpdesk, Live Chat, etc.)
- Ratings
- User Reviews
- Badges/Certificates Of Trust
Grow Influence And Engagement
At some point, you may want to consider developing “traffic on demand.” You can achieve this by growing a list or starting an online group.
With “Traffic On Demand,” most of your traffic will come from an audience of customers or subscribers – people who already like you and trust you. Your influence and credibility can be used to generate new traffic with a single post or broadcast.
Useful Tips
- Encourage commenting and discussions on your site.
- Add an email newsletter and encourage people to subscribe.
- Add a paid, free, or ‘freemium’ membership site.
- Start or join an online group on LinkedIn/Facebook.
Tools & Methods
Many solutions and plugins are available that can help increase your online influence and improve user engagement. For example:
- List-Building Software (e.g. Aweber, GetResponse, 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/Problems & Provide Solutions
By taking advantage of incoming traffic to find out what problems your visitors are trying to solve, you should have no problem coming up with ideas for new products, services, and solutions, all of which provide new opportunities for generating additional traffic.
Tips
- Create a free or paid e-learning course.
- Consider publishing an e-book that you can sell or distribute online (e.g. sell on Amazon.
- Add an e-commerce store to your site.
Tools & Methods
If you plan to provide solutions online (as opposed to just providing information), then some of the more useful WordPress plugins you may want to consider adding 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 interpreting data gathered from existing traffic, you can discover new ways to create content that can help you generate additional traffic.
Hopefully, by now you already have installed an analytics program like Google Analytics on your website. Make sure you also learn how to interpret the data.
WordPress Web Traffic System – 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 improve your results.
In summary:
- Start with an expertly configured WordPress site backed by solid 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 methods as necessary 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 post has given you a blueprint that will help you automate and optimize the process of driving traffic to your web site and build a better business online.
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