Welcome to Part 5 of our Web Site Traffic Blueprint article series, where we explain how to automate traffic to your website using the WordPress CMS platform.
So far, we have covered the following in this article series:
In Part 1 of this article series, we explain why using an expertly configured WordPress website is the key to automating traffic to your website …
(With an expertly configured WordPress blog, all you have to do is post web content consistently to drive more traffic!)
In Part 2, we focused on the setup phase. We helped you understand the best way to start if you don’t have a web presence yet, how to set everything up if you already have a website, and what to do if your existing website was built using WordPress.
(In Part 2 we show you how to set up WordPress on your domain)
In Part 3, we discussed the configuration phase. We explained how to configure all the settings that can affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically …
(In Part 3 you learn how to configure all the settings (hosting, internal and external) that can affect your site’s ability to generate traffic automatically)
In Part 4, we explained how to set up various WordPress plugins that can help bring new visitors automatically to your site.
(Publish once to WordPress and automate the distribution of your content to all other marketing channels!)
In this article, we discuss ways to optimize traffic to your website with different tools and strategies.
WordPress Web Traffic System – Systems
In addition to getting your WordPress website or blog expertly configured, generating traffic successfully on a consistent basis is the result of a clearly-defined business vision, great digital planning, and great systems and process in place.
(Generating automated traffic is the product of having a clear business vision, planning, and systems)
Let’s review briefly the systems that will help you grow and manage your new traffic.
These include:
- Marketing Systems – How you drive traffic to your business.
- Technical Systems – The systems used to ensure that your digital presence remains optimized for receiving traffic.
- Business Systems – The systems used to manage and respond to traffic.
(Systems help you grow, automate, optimize, and manage your traffic)
Let’s briefly review how important these systems are:
Marketing Systems
Your marketing systems consist of the processes and methods used to create new traffic for your website. You can test your marketing systems by asking questions such as:
- What channels do you plan to use to generate new traffic (e.g. blogging, video marketing, etc)?
- How will you allocate your budget and resources to these channels?
- Who will create your content, sales funnels, and marketing campaigns?
- How will you track conversions and measure the cost-effectiveness of your marketing 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 to help generate some initial actionable data, such as the keyword phrases people are searching online to find your site, which you can use to create content better targeted to your audience’s needs.
Technical Systems
Your technical systems and processes ensure that your digital presence remains optimized for receiving traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your website if your site is down or your pages are taking too long to load.
Your systems include handling technical areas like webhosting, site 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 problems arise?
Many potential problems can be minimized if your website planning and setup and configuration phases have been done correctly. As with all technology, however, you can expect to face new problems. You will need the right technical systems in place to handle these.
Business Systems
Your business systems help you manage the influx of 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 make sure you also implement excellent systems to manage all outsourcing.
WordPress Traffic Blueprint – Traffic Optimization Tools And Methods
With clear business objectives and great systems in place, all you need to focus on are ways to develop, optimize, and further automate your “traffic loop”.
Let’s go through an example of implementing, optimizing, and further automating a traffic loop. Take a look at the illustration below …
(Implement, automate, and optimize your traffic loop)
Increase Reach & Visibility
The first step of the process is to increase visibility for your business.
Useful Tips
- An expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to automatically distribute your content to places like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, 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 (e.g. pay-per-click ads) can help generate some initial data, which you can use to create web content better targeted to your audience.
- Repurpose your content to leverage the power, appeal, and reach of different media formats.
- Continue learning about ways to increase more traffic using methods like Pinterest ads, podcasts, updates, etc.
Tools, Plugins, And Methods
We’ve covered a number of useful plugins, tools, and strategies in previous sections of this article series.
Also, if you haven’t already, look for plugins that let you easily add the following to your WordPress website or blog:
- Share your posts online with others,
- Run contests, offer downloads or discounts for shares/likes,
- Add user generated content, feeds, etc.
- Publish and distribute content online in various media formats (e.g. videos, PDF guides, slides, etc.)
Build Authority And Credibility
Getting more of your content out there is good, but for this activity to be really effective, your content needs to build authority and credibility with your audience.
Publishing better quality content not only helps to establish your credibility, it also improves your chances of getting more views from social sharing and hence more traffic.
Tips
- Focus on content that adds value to potential users and that showcases your expertise. This includes content that informs and educates readers, training content, case studies, adding testimonials, etc.
- Consider publishing a “how to” guide that you can sell or distribute online (e.g. sell on Amazon.
Tools, Plugins, & Strategies
We have created an entire 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, if you haven’t already, ask us about 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 Trust
Grow Influence & 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 network.
With “Traffic On Demand,” all of your traffic comes from customers or subscribers – people who already know you and trust you. Your influence and reputation can be used to generate traffic with every post you publish, forum post you add, or email you send out.
Useful Tips
- Encourage visitors to leave comments and start discussions on your site.
- Add an autoresponder newsletter and encourage people to subscribe.
- Add a free or paid membership site.
- Start or join a Facebook/LinkedIn Group.
Plugins, Tools, And Methods
There are many solutions and WordPress plugins that can help increase your influence and improve user engagement. For example:
- List-Building Solutions (e.g. Aweber, GetResponse, etc.)
- Contact Forms, Live Chat
- Forums and Social Communities (e.g. bbPress, BuddyPress)
- Polls & Surveys
- Webinars (e.g. Webinar JEO)
- Comment sharing
- Add media, image galleries, etc.
Identify Problems And Provide Solutions
By taking advantage of incoming traffic to discover what problems your users are trying to solve, you should have no problem developing new products, services, and solutions, all of which can provide you with new opportunities for generating additional web traffic.
Tips
- Create a free or paid online training course.
- Publish PDF guides that can be sold or distributed online (e.g. sell on Amazon.
- Add an e-commerce store to your business.
Tools And Methods
If you plan to provide products and services online (as opposed to just providing information), look for plugins that let you easily add the following to your site:
- 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 the collection and analysis of data. Gathering and interpreting data from existing traffic gives you the opportunity to discover new traffic opportunities.
Hopefully, by now you already have installed an analytics program (e.g. Google Analytics) on your site. Make sure you also learn how to interpret the data.
WordPress Web Traffic Automation System – 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 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 (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 as required to build authority, trust, 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 automate and optimize the process of driving traffic to your WordPress web site and improve your business online.
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"I have used the tutorials to teach all of my clients and it has probably never been so easy for everyone to learn WordPress ... Now I don't need to buy all these very expensive video courses that often don't deliver what they promise." - Stefan Wendt, Internet Marketing Success Group
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