Welcome to Part 5 of our Website Traffic Blueprint article series, where we explain how to grow your business online automatically using the WordPress CMS.
So far, we have covered the following in this series:
In Part 1, we provided an overview of the traffic automation process, and explained why using an expertly configured WordPress website is the key to generating automated traffic …
(With an expertly configured WordPress website or blog, all you have to do to bring more traffic is add fresh content consistently!)
In Part 2, we discussed the setup phase of this blueprint. 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 website, and what to do if your site has been built using WordPress.
(In Part two we show you how to set up a WordPress website or blog on your domain)
In Part 3, we look at the configuration phase of this blueprint. We explained how to configure all the settings (hosting, WordPress and external) that can affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically …
(In Part Three you learn how to configure hosting settings, internal settings, and external settings that affect your site’s ability to generate traffic automatically)
In Part 4, we looked at ways to automate the traffic system using a number of plugins.
(Publish content once, automate the rest!)
In Part Five of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint article series, we look at ways to optimize traffic generation with different tools and methods.
WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Systems
In addition to getting your WordPress website expertly configured, generating traffic successfully on a consistent basis is the result of having a well-defined business vision, great digital planning, and good systems and process in place.
(Optimizing 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 all traffic.
These systems include:
- Marketing Systems – How you create new traffic for your business.
- Technical Systems – The systems and processes used to keep your online presence operating efficiently for receiving new traffic.
- Business Systems – How you manage and respond to traffic.
(Use systems to grow and manage your traffic)
Let’s review the importance of the above systems briefly:
Marketing Systems
Your marketing systems consist of the processes and methods used to create traffic for your website. You can test your marketing systems by asking questions such as:
- What is your content marketing/online marketing strategy?
- What resources and portion of your budget will you apportion to these channels?
- How will you create your content and run your marketing campaigns?
- How will you measure the ROI of your online 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. Facebook ads) to help generate some initial data, such as the keywords people are searching online to find your site, which you can use to create web content targeted specifically to your audience’s needs.
Technical Systems
Your technical systems keep your digital presence optimized for receiving traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your site if your site is constantly down or your web pages take too long to load.
Your technical systems need to handle technical areas like webhosting, website maintenance and support, installing, configuring, and updating software (e.g. plugins), customization, integration, troubleshooting, etc.
Your technical systems can be tested by asking questions such as:
- Who will look after my webhosting?
- 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 website planning process and setup and configuration phases have been done correctly. Like all technology, however, you can expect new problems to arise. You will need the right technical systems in place to handle these.
Business Systems
You need good operational systems to help you manage and respond to the influx of traffic. These include:
- Communication systems
- Managing human and financial resources
- Handling leads and sales inquiries
- Order fulfillment
- Customer training/service
- etc.
If you plan to outsource your digital marketing and technical support, then make sure you have implemented good systems for managing all outsourcing processes.
WordPress Web Traffic Automation System – Traffic Loops
With clear business objectives and great systems in place, all you need to focus on is how to develop 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 processes illustrated below …
(WordPress can help you implement, automate, and optimize your traffic loop)
Increase Reach & Visibility
The first step of the process is to get your business exposed to as many potential users as possible.
Useful Tips & Ideas
- An expertly configured WordPress site allows you to automatically distribute your content to sites 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. pay-per-click ads) can help you generate actionable and intelligent data, which you can use to create content targeted specifically to your audience’s needs.
- Repurpose your content to leverage the power and reach of different media formats.
- Continue learning about ways to attract more visitors using methods like Facebook advertising, banner ads, StumbleUpon, etc.
Tools, Plugins, And Strategies
See earlier sections of this article series for a number of useful tools, plugins, and strategies we’ve already covered to help you reach more potential users.
Also, learn more about WordPress plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your site:
- Share your comments and posts online,
- Run contests, offer downloads or discounts for shares/likes,
- Display 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 of your content published is a great first step, but to make this more effective, your content needs to build authority and credibility with users.
Publishing authoritative content improves your chances of getting more views from social sharing and hence more visitors.
Tips
- Create and publish content that will add value to potential users and showcase your expertise. This includes content that informs and educates readers, training content, case studies, adding testimonials, etc.
- Consider publishing educational guides that can be sold or distributed online (e.g. sell on on the Amazon Kindle book store.
Plugins, Tools, And Strategies
We have created an entire email course aimed at helping you come up with endless content ideas for your website:
Also, learn more about plugins that let you 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
As your business grows, you may want to consider developing “traffic on tap.” You can do this by growing a list or starting an online group.
With “Traffic On Tap,” all of your traffic will come from an audience of customers or subscribers – people who already like you and trust you. Your influence and credibility can be used to generate new traffic with every post you publish or broadcast you send out.
Useful Tips & Ideas
- Encourage commenting and discussions on your site.
- Add an autoresponder newsletter and encourage people to subscribe.
- Add a free or paid membership site.
- Start or join an online group on LinkedIn/Facebook.
Tools, Plugins, & Strategies
There are many solutions and WordPress plugins that are easy to implement and can help grow your online influence and improve user engagement. For example:
- List-Building Tools (e.g. Aweber, MailChimp, etc.)
- Contact Forms, Live Chat
- Forums & Discussion Groups (e.g. bbPress, BuddyPress)
- Polls and Surveys
- Webinars (e.g. Webinar JEO)
- Comment sharing
- Add media, image galleries, etc.
Identify Problems And 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 coming up with ideas for new services, products, and solutions, all of which can provide you with new opportunities to generate additional web traffic.
Tips
- Create a free or paid online training course.
- Publish a special report that you can sell or distribute online (e.g. sell on Clickbank.
- Add e-commerce to your business.
Tools, Plugins, & Strategies
If you plan to provide services and products online (as opposed to just providing information), then some of the more useful plugins you may want to consider adding to your website include:
- 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 to collect and analyze data. By interpreting data gathered from existing traffic, you can discover new traffic opportunities.
Hopefully, by now you already have installed an analytics tool like Google Analytics on your website. Make sure you also learn how to interpret the data.
WordPress Traffic 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 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 also investing in 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 as necessary to 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 automate and optimize the process of driving visitors to your website and grow your business online.
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"This is an awesome training series. I have a pretty good understanding of WordPress already, but this is helping me to move somewhere from intermediate to advanced user!" - Kim Lednum
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