Welcome to Part 5 of our 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 article series:
In Part One of this article series, we describe the traffic automation process, and 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 publish content on a regular basis to start generating more web traffic!)
In Part 2, we look at critical setup decisions. We help 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 with WordPress.
(In Part 2 we show you where to set up a WordPress site on your domain)
In Part Three, we discuss configuring the system. We explained how to configure all the settings that can affect your site’s ability to generate traffic automatically …
(In Part Three we show you how to configure hosting settings, internal settings, and external settings that can affect your site’s ability to generate traffic automatically)
In Part Four, we explained how to set up various plugins that can bring new traffic automatically to your website or blog simply by posting content on a regular basis.
(Publish once and automate your content distribution to all other services!)
In this section of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint series, we discuss ways to optimize your traffic using different tools and strategies.
WordPress Traffic Blueprint – Traffic Optimization Systems
In addition to getting your WordPress site expertly configured, generating traffic successfully on a consistent basis is the product of a well-defined business vision, great digital planning, and excellent systems in place.
(Generating regular traffic is the result of having a clear business vision, sound planning, and systems)
Let’s briefly review the systems that will help you grow and manage your traffic.
These systems include:
- Marketing Systems – The processes and strategies used to drive new traffic to your website.
- Technical Systems – How you ensure that your digital presence remains operating efficiently for receiving traffic.
- Business Systems – The systems and processes used to manage and respond to new traffic.
(Systems help you grow, automate, and manage your traffic)
Let’s briefly review the above systems:
Marketing Systems
Your marketing systems consist of the processes and methods used to drive new traffic to your business. Your online 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 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 online 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. Google AdWords) 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 targeted specifically to your audience’s needs.
Technical Systems
Your technical systems ensure that your web presence remains operating efficiently for receiving traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your website if your site is constantly experiencing problems or your pages are taking too long to load.
Your systems include handling areas like webhosting, site maintenance and support, installing, configuring, and updating new applications (e.g. plugins), customization, integration, troubleshooting, etc.
Your technical systems can be tested by asking questions such as:
- Who will look after my server?
- Who looks after my website and keeps my site, plugins, themes, etc. maintained and up-to-date?
- Who will fix errors, troubleshoot problems, provide technical support and advice, etc. if you experience difficulties?
Many potential issues can be minimized if your website planning and setup and configuration phases have been completed 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
You need good operational systems and processes to help you manage the influx of traffic. This includes:
- Communication systems
- Resources management – human, financial
- Handling leads and sales inquiries
- Order fulfillment
- Customer service/training
- etc.
If you plan to outsource your digital marketing and technical maintenance, then make sure you have systems in place for managing all outsourcing.
WordPress Traffic Automation System – Traffic Optimization Strategies
With clear business objectives and great systems in place, all you need to focus on are ways to grow, optimize, and further automate a “traffic loop”.
Let’s go through an example of implementing, optimizing, and further automating a traffic loop. Take a look at the flowchart below …
(Implement, optimize, and automate a traffic loop)
Increase Reach And Visibility Online
The first step of the process is to get your business exposed to as many members of your target audience as you can.
Useful Tips And Ideas
- Your expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to instantly share your content on traffic-getting sources like Facebook, Twitter, GooglePlus, 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 such as the keywords people are searching online to find your site, which you can use to create content targeted specifically to your audience.
- Repurpose your content to leverage the power and reach of different media formats.
- Continue learning about ways to bring web traffic using methods like Pinterest, social media, joint ventures, etc.
Tools And Methods
We’ve covered many useful tools, plugins, and methods in previous sections of this tutorial series.
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 WordPress website:
- Share your comments and posts online with others,
- Run contests, offer discounts or downloads for shares/likes,
- Accept 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 great, but for this activity to be really effective, your content needs to build authority and credibility with visitors.
Publishing better quality content improves your chances of getting more people to share it with others and hence more visitors.
Tips
- Create and publish content that will add value to potential visitors and showcase your expertise. This includes content that informs and educates readers, training content, case studies, adding testimonials, etc.
- Consider publishing an instructional PDF guide that you can sell or distribute online (e.g. sell on on the Amazon Kindle book store.
Tools & Strategies
We have created an entire course on how to develop a content marketing strategy, how to promote your business with content, content creation tools, and how to never run out of ideas for content that you can plug into for free here:
Also, see other posts and tutorials on this site to 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 & Engagement
As your business grows, you may want to consider developing “traffic on demand.” You can do this by building a list or starting an online community.
With “Traffic On Tap,” all of your traffic will come from an audience of existing customers or subscribers – people who already know you and trust you. Your influence and reputation can be used to generate traffic with every blog post you publish, forum post you add, or broadcast you send out.
Traffic Optimization Ideas
- Encourage users to leave comments and start 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
Many solutions and plugins are available that are easy to implement and can help grow your online influence and improve user engagement. For example:
- List-Building Software (e.g. Aweber, MailChimp, etc.)
- Contact Forms, Live Chat
- Forums and Discussion Groups (e.g. bbPress, BuddyPress)
- Polls & Surveys
- Webinars (e.g. Webinar JEO)
- Comment sharing
- Add media, image galleries, etc.
Identify Problems And Provide Solutions
If you take advantage of incoming traffic to find out what problems your visitors are trying to solve, you can have an endless funnel of ideas for developing new solutions, all of which can provide you with new opportunities for generating new sources of traffic.
Tips
- Consider creating a free or paid e-learning course.
- Consider publishing a “how-to” e-book that can be sold or distributed online.
- Consider adding e-commerce to your site.
Tools And Methods
If you plan to provide products and services online (as opposed to just providing information), then some of the more useful WordPress plugins you may want to consider adding 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 interpreting data gathered from existing traffic, you can discover new opportunities to create content that can help you generate additional traffic.
You should already have installed an analytics tool (e.g. Google Analytics) on your site. Make sure you can also understand the data.
WordPress Web Traffic Blueprint – Summary
All you have to do once you implement the above strategies is repeat the same 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 solid marketing, technical and business systems,
- Implement a content marketing strategy (consider also investing in 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 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, this article has given you a blueprint that will help you automate and optimize the process of driving visitors to your web site and get better results 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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