Welcome to Part 5 of our Website Traffic Blueprint article series, where we show you how to turn your site into an automated web traffic generation machine using the WordPress CMS platform.
So far, we have covered the following in this series:
In Part One of this series, we provided an overview of the traffic automation process, and explained why using an expertly configured WordPress website or blog is the key to automating traffic to your site …
(With an expertly configured WordPress site, all you have to do to automatically attract more traffic is add content regularly!)
In Part 2, we discuss the setup phase of the traffic automation blueprint. We explain the best way to start if you don’t have a website yet, how to set everything up if you already have a site, and what to do if your website is built using WordPress.
(In Part 2 we show you where to set up WordPress on your domain)
In Part Three, we look at important configuration decisions. We explained how to configure all the settings (hosting, WordPress and external) that affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically …
(In Part 3 you learn how to configure hosting settings, internal settings, and external settings that affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically)
In Part 4, we discussed ways to automate traffic generation using various WordPress plugins.
(Publish once to WordPress and automate the distribution of your content to all other marketing channels!)
In Part 5 of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint article series, we discuss ways to optimize the traffic-getting process using a number of tools and methods.
WordPress Web Traffic System – Traffic Optimization Systems
In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress site, the key to generating consistent traffic of high quality is having a well-defined business vision, great digital planning, and great systems in place.
(Optimized traffic is the result of a business vision, planning, and excellent systems)
Let’s briefly review the systems that will help you grow and manage new traffic.
These systems include:
- Marketing Systems – The processes and methods used to create new traffic for your business.
- Technical Systems – The systems and processes used to keep your web presence operating efficiently for receiving traffic.
- Business Systems – How you manage and respond to new traffic.
(Systems help you grow, automate, and manage your web traffic)
Let’s review the above systems briefly:
Marketing Systems
Your marketing systems consist of the processes and strategies used to create new traffic for your business. You can test your online marketing systems by asking questions such as:
- What channels will you use to drive new traffic (e.g. blogging, PPC advertising, video marketing, etc)?
- What resources and portion of your budget will you allocate to your marketing channels?
- Who will create your content and marketing campaigns?
- How will you track conversions and measure the ROI 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 (e.g. pay-per-click ads) to help generate some initial actionable data, such as the keywords people are searching online to find your site, which you can use to create content better targeted to your audience.
Technical Systems
Your technical systems ensure that your online presence remains optimized for receiving new traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your site if your site is down or your pages take a very long time to load.
Your technical systems need to be able to adequately handle areas like webhosting, website maintenance and support, installing, configuring, and updating software (e.g. plugins), integration, customization, troubleshooting, etc.
Your technical systems can be tested by asking questions such as:
- Who is looking after my server?
- 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 you experience difficulties?
Many potential problems can be minimized if your website planning and setup and configuration phases have been completed correctly. As with all technology, however, you can expect new problems to arise. Your technical systems need to be robust enough 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 leads and sales enquiries
- Order fulfillment
- Customer service/training
- etc.
If you plan to outsource your digital marketing and technical services, then make sure you also implement good systems for managing all outsourcing.
WordPress Traffic System – Traffic Loops
With clear business objectives and great systems in place, all you need to focus on is how to grow and optimize a “traffic loop”.
Let’s go through an example of implementing, optimizing, and automating a traffic loop. Take a look at the chart below …
(Implement, optimize, and automate your traffic loop)
Increase Reach & Visibility
The first step of the process is to expose your business to as many potential users as possible.
Traffic Optimization Ideas
- An expertly configured WordPress site allows you to automatically publish your content on places like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, 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 actionable data, which you can use to create web content better targeted to your audience.
- Repurpose your content to leverage different media formats.
- Continue learning about ways to get website visitors using methods like LinkedIn ads, podcasts, forum ads, etc.
Tools, Plugins, And Strategies
We’ve already covered many useful tools and strategies in previous sections of this article series.
Also, look for plugins that let you easily add the following to your website or blog:
- Share your posts online,
- Run contests, offer downloads or discounts for likes/shares,
- Accept 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 content published is good, but for this activity to be really effective, your content also needs to be building authority and credibility with your audience.
Publishing authoritative content improves your chances of getting it shared on other sites and hence more traffic.
Useful Tips & Ideas
- Focus on creating and publishing content that adds value to potential visitors and that showcases your expertise. This includes content that informs and educates readers, training content, case studies, adding testimonials, etc.
- Consider publishing instructional PDF guides or special reports that can be sold or distributed online.
Plugins, Tools, And Methods
We have created a complete email email-based training course designed to help you never run out of great content ideas for posting to your website or blog:
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 Recognition
Grow Influence And Engagement
At some point, you may want to consider developing “traffic on demand.” You can do this by building a list or starting an online network.
With “Traffic On Tap,” 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 broadcast.
Traffic Ideas
- Encourage commenting and discussions on your site.
- Add an autoresponder newsletter and encourage people to subscribe.
- Add a paid or free membership site, online forum, or social community.
- Create or join an online group on LinkedIn.
Tools And Methods
Many solutions and WordPress plugins are available that are easy to implement and can help increase 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, image galleries, etc.
Identify Problems & Provide Solutions To These
If you take advantage of incoming traffic to find out what problems your visitors are trying to solve, you should have no problem developing new solutions, all of which can provide you with new opportunities to generate additional web traffic.
Traffic Tips
- Create a free or paid e-learning course.
- Publish instructional PDF guides or special reports that can be sold or distributed online (e.g. sell on Clickbank.
- Consider adding e-commerce to your business.
Tools & Methods
If you plan to provide products, services, and solutions online (as opposed to just providing information), then some of the more useful plugins you may want to add to your site include:
- 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. By learning to interpret data gathered from existing traffic, you can discover new opportunities to create content that can generate you additional traffic.
Hopefully, by now you have already installed an analytics program like Google Analytics on your website. Make sure you also learn how to interpret the data.
WordPress 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:
- Start 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 traffic and generate useful data) to increase your reach and visibility online,
- Add plugins, list-building strategies, and other solutions if required to build authority and credibility, and also to improve 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, this information has given you a blueprint that will help you automate and optimize the process of driving traffic to your WordPress web site and build a better 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
***