Welcome to Part 5 of our WordPress Web Site Traffic Blueprint article series, where we show you how to automate traffic to your website using the WordPress CMS.
So far, we have covered the following in this series:
In Part One, we describe the traffic automation process, and explain why using an expertly configured WordPress website is the key to automating traffic to your site …
(With an expertly configured WordPress blog, all you have to do is add great content on a regular basis to automatically begin bringing more web traffic!)
In Part 2, we discussed critical setup decisions. We explained the best way to start if you don’t have a web presence yet, how to set everything up if you already have a site, and what to do if your existing website has been built using WordPress.
(In Part 2 we show you how to set up WordPress on your domain)
In Part Three, we focused on the configuration phase. We explained how to configure webhosting settings, WordPress settings, and external settings that affect your website’s traffic-getting ability …
(In Part 3 you will configure hosting settings, internal settings, and external settings that can affect your site’s traffic-getting ability)
In Part Four, we explained how to set up various WordPress plugins that can bring web traffic automatically to your website simply by publishing new content.
(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 series, we discuss ways to optimize traffic to your website using various tools and strategies.
WordPress Web Traffic Blueprint – Traffic Optimization Systems
In addition to getting your WordPress website expertly configured, the key to generating targeted traffic on a consistent basis is having a clear business vision, great digital planning, and great systems in place.
(Consistent traffic is the result of a business vision, planning, and great systems)
Let’s review the systems that will help you grow and manage new traffic.
These systems include:
- Marketing Systems – How you drive new traffic to your business.
- Technical Systems – How you keep your web presence up and running for receiving traffic.
- Business Systems – The systems and processes used to manage and respond to traffic.
(Use systems to grow, automate, optimize, 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 drive traffic to your business. Your marketing systems can be tested by asking questions such as:
- What channels will you use to drive traffic (e.g. blogging, PPC advertising, video marketing, etc)?
- What resources and portion of your budget will you allocate to your marketing channels?
- How will you create and optimize your content and marketing campaigns?
- How will you track conversions and measure the results of your 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. pay-per-click ads) to help generate some data, such as the keyword phrases people are searching online to find your website, which you can use to create web content better targeted to your audience’s needs.
Technical Systems
Your technical systems and processes ensure that your online presence remains operating efficiently for receiving new traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your website if your site is experiencing problems or your web pages are taking a very long time to load.
Your technical systems include handling 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 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 planning and setup and configuration phases have been done correctly. Like all technology, however, there will always be new 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. This includes:
- Communication systems
- Resources management – human, financial
- Handling sales enquiries
- Order fulfillment
- Customer service/training
- etc.
If you intend to outsource areas of your digital marketing and technical maintenance, then make sure you have good systems in place for managing all outsourcing processes.
WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Traffic Optimization
With clear business objectives and great systems in place, all you need to focus your efforts on is implementing, optimizing and further automating a “traffic loop”.
Let’s walk through an example of how to implement, optimize, and further automate a traffic loop. Take a look at the chart below …
(An effective traffic loop)
Increase Reach & Visibility
The first step of the process is to get your business exposed to as many members of your target audience as your time and resources will allow.
Traffic Optimization Ideas
- An expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to automatically syndicate your content to sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. The easiest way to increase your reach and visibility online, therefore, is to simply publish more content.
- As mentioned earlier, investing in some paid advertising (e.g. Facebook ads) 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 site traffic using methods like Facebook advertising, PPC advertising, email, etc.
Tools, Plugins, & Strategies
See earlier sections of this tutorial series for a number of useful tools, plugins, and methods we’ve already covered to help you reach more members of your target audience.
Also, if you haven’t already, contact us to learn more about plugins that let you easily add the following to your website or blog:
- Share your comments and posts online,
- Run contests, offer discounts/downloads for likes/shares,
- Add user generated content, feeds, etc.
- Distribute content online in various media formats (e.g. videos, PDF guides, audio, etc.)
Build Authority And Credibility
Getting more content published is a great first step, but to make this more effective, your content needs to build authority and credibility with visitors.
Publishing better quality content improves your chances of getting it shared on other sites and viewed by more people and hence more traffic.
Useful Tips And Ideas
- Create and publish content that adds value to potential visitors and that showcases your expertise. This includes content that educates and informs readers, training content, user reviews, adding testimonials, etc.
- Consider publishing expert reports that you can sell or distribute online.
Tools & Strategies
We have created a comprehensive email course on content creation that you can plug into for free here:
Also, look for plugins that allow you to 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 & Engagement
As your business grows, you may want to consider developing “traffic on tap.” You can achieve this by building a list or starting a membership site.
With “Traffic On Demand,” most of your traffic comes from an audience of existing customers or subscribers – people who already know you and trust you. Your influence and credibility can be used to generate new traffic with a single post or email broadcast.
Useful Tips
- Encourage commenting and 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 a Facebook/LinkedIn Group.
Tools & Strategies
Many solutions and WordPress plugins are available that can help grow your online influence and improve engagement. For example:
- List-Building Software (e.g. Aweber, GetResponse, etc.)
- Contact Forms, Live Chat
- Forums & Social Communities (e.g. bbPress, BuddyPress)
- Polls & Surveys
- Webinars (e.g. Webinar JEO)
- Comment sharing
- Add media, video galleries, etc.
Identify Needs/Problems And Provide Solutions
By taking advantage of incoming traffic to discover what users are looking for, you can develop new products, services, and solutions, all of which provide new opportunities to generate new streams of traffic.
Traffic Ideas
- Create an online training course.
- Consider publishing a special report that can be sold or distributed online.
- Add an e-commerce store to your business.
Tools, Plugins, And Methods
If you plan to provide products and services online (as opposed to just providing information), then some of the more useful 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 to collect and analyze data. Gathering and interpreting data from existing traffic gives you the opportunity to discover new ways to create additional traffic.
Hopefully, by now you have already installed an analytics program like Google Analytics on your website. Make sure you can also understand the data.
WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Summary
Once you implement the above strategies, all you have to do is rinse and repeat, 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 if necessary to help build authority 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 traffic automatically to your WordPress website and grow your business online.
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