Welcome to Part Five of our WordPress Website Traffic Blueprint article series, where we explain how to create an automated traffic machine using the WordPress CMS.
So far, we have covered the following in this series:
In Part One of this series, we explain why using an expertly configured WordPress site is the key to automating traffic to your site …
(With an expertly configured WordPress web site, all you have to do is add new content on a regular basis to attract new web traffic!)
In Part 2, we discussed 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 site, and what to do if your existing site has been built using WordPress.
(In Part 2 we show you how to set up a WordPress website or blog on your domain)
In Part 3, we discussed the configuration phase of the traffic automation system. We configured all the settings that can affect your website’s traffic-getting ability …
(In Part 3 you learn how to configure all the settings that can affect your site’s traffic-getting ability)
In Part Four, we looked at ways to automate traffic to your website using various WordPress plugins.
(Publish once to WordPress and automate your content distribution to all other marketing channels!)
In Part Five of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint series, we look at ways to optimize traffic to your website using various tools and methods.
WordPress Web Traffic Automation System – Systems
In addition to getting your WordPress website or blog expertly configured, generating traffic successfully on a consistent basis is the outcome of a clear business vision, sound digital planning, and excellent systems in place.
(Optimized traffic is the product of having a clear business vision, sound planning, and great systems)
Let’s briefly review the systems that will help you grow and manage your new traffic.
These systems include:
- Marketing Systems – The processes and methods used to create new traffic for your website.
- Technical Systems – How you ensure that your digital presence remains operating efficiently for receiving new traffic.
- Business Systems – The systems and processes used to manage and respond to traffic.
(Systems help you 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 business. Your marketing systems can be tested by asking questions such as:
- What is your content marketing/online marketing strategy?
- What resources and portion of your budget will you apply to these channels?
- How will you create and optimize your content and marketing campaigns?
- How will you test and measure the cost-effectiveness of your online 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 to help generate some data, such as the keywords people are searching online to find your site, which you can use to create content targeted specifically to your audience’s needs.
Technical Systems
Your technical systems ensure that your online presence remains up and running for receiving traffic. There’s no point driving traffic to your site if your site is constantly experiencing problems or your web pages take a long time to load.
Your technical systems include handling technical areas like webhosting, site maintenance and support, installing, configuring, and updating new software (e.g. plugins), integration, customization, troubleshooting, etc.
You can test your technical systems by questions such as:
- Who looks 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 planning and setup and configuration phases have been done correctly. As with all technology, however, there will always be problems. Your technical systems need to be robust enough to handle these.
Business Systems
You need good operational systems and processes to help you manage new traffic. This includes:
- Communication systems
- Resources management – human, financial
- Handling sales inquiries
- Order fulfillment
- Customer service/training
- etc.
If you intend to outsource your digital marketing and technical support, then you will need to put systems in place for managing all outsourcing.
WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Traffic Optimization Tools & Strategies
If your business objectives are clear and your systems and processes are in place, all you need to do is to develop and optimize your “traffic loop”.
Let’s walk through an example of implementing, optimizing, and further automating a traffic loop. Take a look at the flowchart below …
(Implementing, optimizing and automating your 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.
Tips
- An expertly configured WordPress site allows you to automatically syndicate your content to places 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 you generate 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 more visitors using methods like LinkedIn, banner ads, Reddit, etc.
Plugins, Tools, And Strategies
See earlier sections of this article series for a number of useful plugins, tools, and strategies we’ve already covered to help you reach more members of your target audience.
Also, ask us about plugins that let you easily add the following to your site:
- Share your comments and posts online with others,
- Run contests, offer discounts/downloads for likes/shares,
- Display user generated content, feeds, etc.
- Publish and distribute content online in various media formats (e.g. videos, PDF guides, infographics, etc.)
Build Authority And Credibility
Getting more of your content out there is good, but to make this activity more effective, your content needs to build authority and credibility with your audience.
Publishing authoritative content not only helps to establish your credibility, it also improves your chances of getting it shared on other sites and hence more visitors.
Useful Tips & Ideas
- Create and publish content that adds value to users and that showcases your expertise. This includes content that informs and educates readers, training content, case studies, adding testimonials, etc.
- Consider publishing an instructional PDF guide that can be sold or distributed online.
Plugins, Tools, & Strategies
We have created a comprehensive course on how to develop a content marketing strategy, how to promote your business with content, and ways to never run out of content ideas that you can plug into at no cost here:
Also, ask us about WordPress 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 & Engagement
As your business grows, you may want to consider developing “traffic on demand.” You can achieve this by building a list or starting a community.
With “Traffic On Demand,” your traffic will come from an audience of existing customers or subscribers – people who already like you and trust you. Your influence and reputation can be used to generate new traffic with every blog post you publish or broadcast you send out.
Useful Tips & Ideas
- Encourage commenting and discussions on your site.
- Add an email newsletter and encourage people to subscribe.
- Add a free, paid, or ‘freemium’ membership site, online forum, or social community.
- Create or join a Facebook/LinkedIn Group.
Tools, Plugins, And Methods
There are many solutions and plugins that are easy to implement and can help grow your influence and improve engagement. For example:
- Autoresponders (e.g. Aweber, GetResponse, etc.)
- Contact Forms, Live Chat
- Forums and Discussion Groups (e.g. bbPress, BuddyPress)
- Polls and 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 discover what your visitors are looking for, you should have no problem developing new services and products, all of which can provide you with new opportunities to generate additional traffic.
Useful Tips And Ideas
- Consider creating an online training program.
- Consider publishing PDF guides that can be sold or distributed online (e.g. sell on Clickbank.
- Consider adding an e-commerce store to your site.
Plugins, Tools, & Methods
If you plan to provide services, products, and solutions online (as opposed to just providing information), contact us to learn more about plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your WordPress site:
- Membership Sites (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. Learning to interpret data gathered from existing traffic allows you to discover new ways to generate content that can bring you additional traffic.
Hopefully, by now you already have installed an analytics tool (e.g. Google Analytics) on your website. Make sure you understand the metrics and can interpret the data.
WordPress Web 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 good 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 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 article has given you a blueprint that will help you automate and optimize the process of driving visitors to your website and build a more successful business online.
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