Welcome to Part 5 of our Web Site Traffic Blueprint article series, where we show you how to turn your site into an automated web traffic generating machine using the WordPress CMS.
So far, we have covered the following in this article series:
In Part 1 of this article series, we provided an overview of the traffic automation process, and explained why using an expertly configured WordPress site is the key to generating automated web traffic …
(With an expertly configured WordPress blog, all you have to do to automatically begin bringing new traffic is publish new content on a regular basis!)
In Part 2, we looked at critical setup decisions. We helped you understand the best way to get started if you don’t have a website yet, how to set things up if you already have a site, and what to do if your existing site has been built using WordPress.
(In Part two we show you where to set up a WordPress website on your domain)
In Part Three, we focused on the configuration phase of the traffic automation blueprint. We configured all the settings (hosting, WordPress and external) that can affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically …
(In Part 3 you will configure hosting settings, WordPress settings, and external settings that can affect your website’s traffic-getting ability)
In Part 4, we discussed ways to automate traffic generation with different plugins.
(Publish once to WordPress and automate the distribution of your content to all other marketing channels!)
In Part Five of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint article series, we look at ways to optimize the traffic-getting process with different tools and methods.
WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Traffic Optimization Systems
In addition to getting your WordPress site expertly configured, the key to generating high-quality traffic on a consistent basis is having a clear business vision, careful digital planning, and excellent systems in place.
(Optimized traffic is the result of having a clear business vision, sound planning, and excellent systems)
Let’s review briefly the systems that will help you grow and manage your traffic.
These systems include:
- Marketing Systems – The processes and methods used to create traffic for your website.
- 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 traffic.
(Use systems to grow and manage your traffic)
Let’s briefly review the importance of the above systems:
Marketing Systems
Your marketing systems consist of the processes and methods used to drive traffic to your website. Your online marketing systems can be tested by asking questions such as:
- What is your content marketing strategy?
- What resources and portion of your budget will you apportion to these marketing channels?
- How will you create and optimize your content, sales funnels, and run your marketing campaigns?
- How will you test and measure the results 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 (e.g. Google AdWords) to help generate some initial data, such as the keyword phrases people are searching online to find your website, which you can use to create web content targeted specifically to your audience’s needs.
Technical Systems
Your technical systems keep your web presence up and running for receiving traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your site if your site is experiencing problems or your web pages take too long to load.
Your technical systems include handling technical areas like webhosting, website maintenance and support, installing, configuring, and updating software (e.g. plugins), customization, integration, troubleshooting, etc.
You can test your technical systems by questions such as:
- Who looks after my webhosting?
- 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. should anything go wrong?
Many potential issues can be minimized if your website planning and setup and configuration phases have been done correctly. Like all technology, however, you should expect new problems to arise. Your technical systems need to be able to handle these.
Business Systems
Your business systems and processes help you manage and respond to the influx of traffic. This includes:
- Communication systems
- Managing human and financial resources
- Handling sales inquiries
- Order fulfillment
- Customer training/service
- etc.
If you intend to outsource your digital marketing and technical maintenance, then make sure you also implement excellent systems to manage all outsourcing.
WordPress Traffic System – Traffic Optimization Strategies
If your business objectives are clear and your systems and processes are in place, all you need to focus on are ways to implement, optimize, and automate your “traffic loop”.
Let’s go through an example of implementing, optimizing, and automating a traffic loop. Take a look at the illustration below …
(Implementing and optimizing your traffic loop)
Increase Reach & Visibility
The first step of the process is to increase visibility for your website or blog.
Useful Tips
- Your expertly configured WordPress site allows you to automatically publish your content on places like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc. The easiest way to increase your reach and visibility online, therefore, is to simply publish more content through your expertly configured WordPress site.
- As mentioned earlier, investing in some paid advertising can help you generate data, which you can use to create content targeted specifically to your audience.
- Repurpose your content to leverage different media formats.
- Continue learning about ways to attract more web site traffic using methods like SEO, videos, cross promotions, etc.
Tools, Plugins, And Methods
We’ve covered many excellent tools, plugins, and strategies in earlier sections of this article series.
Also, if you haven’t already, see other posts and tutorials on this site to learn more about plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your site:
- Share your comments and posts online with others,
- Run contests, offer downloads or discounts for likes/shares,
- Accept user generated content, feeds, etc.
- Distribute content online in different media formats (e.g. videos, PDF guides, infographics, etc.)
Build Authority And Credibility
Getting more content published is good, but to make this more effective, your content also needs to build authority and credibility with visitors.
Publishing authoritative content not only helps to establish your credibility, it also improves your chances of getting it shared around and viewed by more people and hence more traffic.
Traffic Optimization Ideas
- Focus on creating and publishing content that will add value to users and showcase your expertise. This includes content that educates and informs readers, training content, user reviews, adding testimonials, etc.
- Consider publishing an instructional PDF guide that can be sold or distributed online.
Tools & Methods
If you need help coming up with great ideas for content that you can post on your website or blog, we recommend subscribing to our email training course on growing your business with content marketing here:
Also, contact us to 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 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 an online community or even your own social site.
With “Traffic On Tap,” most of your traffic comes from 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 email broadcast.
Useful Tips & Ideas
- Encourage visitors to leave comments and start discussions on your site.
- Add an email training course and encourage people to subscribe.
- Add a paid, free, or ‘freemium’ membership site.
- Start or join an online group on LinkedIn/Facebook.
Plugins, Tools, & Methods
Many solutions and WordPress plugins are available that are easy to implement and can help grow your online influence and improve engagement. For example:
- Autoresponders (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, image galleries, etc.
Identify Needs/Problems & Provide Solutions
If you take advantage of incoming traffic to discover what problems your visitors are trying to solve, you should have no problem developing new products, services, and solutions, all of which can provide you with new opportunities to generate new sources of web traffic.
Useful Tips
- Consider creating an online training program.
- Publish a special report that can be sold or distributed online (e.g. sell on on the Amazon Kindle store.
- Add e-commerce to your site.
Plugins, Tools, And Strategies
If you plan to provide products, services, and solutions online (as opposed to just providing information), ask us about WordPress plugins that let you easily add the following to your website:
- Membership Sites (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 to collect and analyze data. By interpreting data gathered from existing traffic, you can discover new opportunities to create content that can generate you additional traffic.
Hopefully, by now you already have installed an analytics program (e.g. Google Analytics) on your website. 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 improve 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 adding 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 if needed to help build authority, trust, and credibility, and also to increase 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 drive more traffic automatically to your website and build a better business online.
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"This is an awesome training series. I have a pretty good understanding of WordPress already, but this is helping me to move somewhere from intermediate to advanced user!" - Kim Lednum
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