Welcome to Part Five of our Website Traffic Blueprint article series, where we explain how to drive new traffic automatically to your site using the WordPress CMS.
So far, we have covered the following in this article series:
In Part One of this article series, we described 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 website, all you have to do to generate more traffic is post new content consistently!)
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 site has been built with WordPress.
(In Part two we show you where to set up WordPress on your domain)
In Part 3, we looked at important configuration decisions. We explained how to configure all the settings (hosting, internal and external) that can affect your website’s traffic-getting ability …
(In Part 3 we show you how to configure hosting settings, WordPress settings, and external settings that can affect your website’s traffic-getting ability)
In Part Four, we discussed ways to automate traffic generation with different WordPress plugins.
(Publish once to WordPress and automate your content distribution to all other marketing channels!)
In this section of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint article series, we look at ways to optimize traffic generation using various tools and strategies.
WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Systems
In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress site, the key to generating successfully on a consistent basis is having a clearly-defined business vision, careful digital planning, and great systems in place.
(Automated traffic is the product of having a clear business vision, planning, and great systems)
Let’s review briefly the systems that will help you grow and manage this traffic.
These include:
- Marketing Systems – How you drive new traffic to your website.
- Technical Systems – How you ensure that your digital presence remains up and running for receiving new traffic.
- Business Systems – The systems used to manage and respond to traffic.
(Use systems to grow, automate, optimize, and manage your web traffic)
Let’s review the above systems briefly:
Marketing Systems
Your marketing systems consist of the processes and methods used to drive traffic to your business. Your online marketing systems can be tested by asking questions such as:
- What channels do you plan to use to drive traffic (e.g. blogging, PPC advertising, video marketing, etc)?
- What resources and portion of your budget will you apportion to these channels?
- How will you create and optimize your content, sales funnels, and marketing campaigns?
- How will you test and measure the cost-effectiveness 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 actionable 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 keep your digital presence operating efficiently for receiving new traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your website if your site is constantly down or your web pages take a very long time to load.
Your systems need to adequately handle areas like webhosting, site maintenance and support, installing and updating new software (e.g. plugins), customization, integration, troubleshooting, etc.
You can test your technical systems by questions such as:
- Who looks after my webhosting?
- Who will look after my website and keep my site maintained and up-to-date?
- Who will fix errors, troubleshoot problems, provide technical support and advice, etc. should any problems occur?
Many potential issues can be minimized if your website planning and setup and configuration phases have been done correctly. As with all technology, however, you will run into many problems. Your technical systems need to be robust enough to handle these.
Business Systems
Your business systems help you manage new traffic. This includes:
- Communication systems
- Managing human and financial resources
- Handling sales enquiries
- Order fulfillment
- Customer training/service
- etc.
If you plan to outsource key aspects of your digital marketing and technical services, then you will need excellent systems in place for managing all outsourcing processes.
WordPress Web Traffic Blueprint – Traffic Optimization Methods
With clear business objectives and great systems in place, all you need to focus on is growing your “traffic loop”.
Let’s go through an example of implementing, optimizing, and automating a traffic loop. Take a look at the chart below …
(WordPress can help implement, automate, and optimize a 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 resources will allow.
Traffic Ideas
- Your expertly configured WordPress site will allow 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.
- As mentioned earlier, investing in some paid advertising (e.g. Facebook ads) can help generate data, which you can use to create content better targeted to your audience’s needs.
- Repurpose your content to leverage the power and reach of different media formats.
- Continue learning about ways to increase more web visitors using methods like Twitter ads, PPC advertising, email, etc.
Tools, Plugins, & Strategies
See earlier sections of this article series for many useful tools and strategies we’ve already covered to help you reach more potential users.
Also, look for plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your WordPress website:
- Share your posts online with others,
- Run contests, offer discounts/downloads for likes/shares,
- Add user generated content, feeds, etc.
- Publish and distribute content online in other media formats (e.g. videos, PDF guides, audio, etc.)
Build Authority And Credibility
Getting more content published is great, but for this activity to be really effective, your content also needs to build authority and credibility with your audience.
Publishing higher quality content improves your chances of getting more views from social sharing and hence more traffic.
Traffic Ideas
- Focus on creating content that will add value to your audience and showcase your expertise. This includes content that educates and informs readers, training content, case studies, adding testimonials, etc.
- Consider publishing an e-book that you can sell or distribute online.
Tools, Plugins, And Methods
We have created an entire email course on how to develop a content marketing strategy, how to promote your business with content, content creation tools, and ways to never run out of new content ideas that you can plug into at no cost here:
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 website or blog:
- Legal Pages
- Testimonials
- Customer Support (e.g. Helpdesk, Live Chat, etc.)
- Ratings
- User Reviews
- Badges/Certificates Of Trust
Grow Influence & Engagement
As your business grows, you may want to consider developing “traffic on tap.” You can achieve this by growing a list or starting an online group.
With “Traffic On Tap,” your traffic comes from an audience of 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 blog post or email.
Tips
- Encourage commenting and discussions on your site.
- Add an email training course and encourage people to subscribe.
- Add a free, paid, or ‘freemium’ membership site.
- Create or join an online group on Facebook.
Plugins, Tools, & Strategies
There are many solutions and WordPress plugins that are easy to implement and can help increase your influence and improve engagement. For example:
- List-Building Tools (e.g. Aweber, GetResponse, etc.)
- Contact Forms, Live Chat
- Forums and Social Communities (e.g. bbPress, BuddyPress)
- Polls and Surveys
- Webinars (e.g. Webinar JEO)
- Comment sharing
- Add media, image galleries, etc.
Identify Problems & Provide Solutions To These
If you take advantage of incoming traffic to discover what problems your visitors are trying to solve, you can develop new products, services, and solutions, all of which can provide you with new opportunities for generating new streams of traffic.
Useful Tips
- Create an e-learning program.
- Consider publishing a “how to” guide that can be sold or distributed online.
- Consider adding e-commerce to your business.
Tools, Plugins, And Methods
If you plan to provide products, services, and solutions online (as opposed to just providing information), ask us about plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your website:
- Membership Site plugins (e.g. Wishlist Member, S2 Member, etc.)
- e-Courses (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 opportunities to generate content that can bring you additional traffic.
You should have already installed an analytics program like Google Analytics on your website. Make sure you can also understand the data.
WordPress Web Traffic Automation System – Summary
Once you implement the above strategies, all you have to do 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 (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 required 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, now you have a blueprint that will help you drive more visitors automatically to your web site and improve your business online.
***
"I love the way your email series "Infinite Web Content Creation Training Series" is documented and presented. It is very absorbing and captivating. The links and tutorials are interesting and educational. This has motivated me to rewrite my content following the concepts I am learning from the email series." - Mani Raju, www.fortuneinewaste.com
***