Welcome to Part Five of our Website Traffic Blueprint article series, where we explain how to drive traffic automatically to your website using the WordPress CMS platform.
So far, we have covered the following in this series:
In Part 1, we describe the traffic automation process, and explain why using an expertly configured WordPress site is the key to generating automated traffic …
(With an expertly configured WordPress website, all you have to do is publish content on a consistent basis to automatically bring web traffic!)
In Part Two, we discuss the setup phase. We help you understand the best way to start if you don’t have a web presence yet, how to set things up if you already have a site, and what to do if your existing website has been built with WordPress.
(In Part two 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 blueprint. We configured all the settings (hosting, WordPress and external) that can affect your site’s traffic-getting ability …
(In Part Three you will configure all the settings that can affect your site’s traffic-getting ability)
In Part Four, we looked at ways to automate traffic generation using WordPress plugins.
(Publish content once, automate the rest!)
In this section of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint article series, we look at ways to optimize traffic generation with different tools and strategies.
WordPress Web Traffic Blueprint – Systems
In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress website, the key to generating consistent traffic of high quality is having a clear business vision, careful digital planning, and great systems in place.
(Consistent traffic is the result of a business vision, planning, and systems)
Let’s review briefly the systems that will help you grow and manage all traffic.
These systems include:
- Marketing Systems – The processes and methods used to drive new traffic to your website.
- Technical Systems – How you ensure that your online presence remains up and running for receiving traffic.
- Business Systems – The systems used to manage and respond to traffic.
(Systems help you grow, automate, optimize, 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 traffic for your website. Your marketing systems can be tested by asking questions such as:
- What is your online marketing strategy?
- How will you assign your budget and resources to these channels?
- How will you create and optimize your content, sales funnels, and run your marketing campaigns?
- How will you track conversions and measure the results 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 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.
Technical Systems
Your technical systems ensure that your web presence remains optimized for receiving new traffic. There’s no point driving traffic to your website if your site is experiencing problems or your web pages are taking too long to load.
Your systems need to adequately handle areas like webhosting, site 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 will look after my server?
- Who will look after my website and keep my site, plugins, themes, etc. maintained and up-to-date?
- Who will fix errors, troubleshoot problems, provide technical support and advice, etc. should things go wrong?
Many potential issues can be minimized if your website planning process and setup and configuration phases have been completed correctly. Like all technology, however, you can expect to face problems. Your technical systems need to be robust enough to handle these.
Business Systems
Your business systems and processes help you manage new 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 key aspects of your digital marketing and technical services, then make sure you have implemented great systems for managing all outsourcing processes.
WordPress Web Traffic Blueprint – Traffic Optimization
If your business objectives are clear and your systems and processes are in place, all you need to focus on is how to implement, optimize, and further automate a “traffic loop”.
Let’s go through an example of how to implement, optimize, and automate a traffic loop. Take a look at the illustration below …
(An effective 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 time and resources will allow.
Useful Tips
- Your expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to automatically publish your content on sites like Facebook, Twitter, GooglePlus, 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 can help generate some initial actionable and intelligent data such as the keyword phrases people are searching online to find your site, which you can use to create web content better targeted to your audience.
- Repurpose your content to leverage the power and reach of different media formats.
- Continue learning about ways to attract traffic using methods like Facebook advertising, banner ads, joint ventures, etc.
Tools & Strategies
We’ve already covered a number of useful tools and strategies in previous sections of this tutorial series.
Also, if you haven’t already, contact us to learn more about plugins that let you easily add the following to your WordPress site:
- Share your comments and posts online,
- Run contests, offer discounts/downloads for shares/likes,
- Accept 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 for this activity to be really effective, your content needs to be building authority and credibility with your audience.
Publishing authoritative content improves your chances of getting more shares and views and hence more visitors.
Useful Tips
- Create and publish content that adds value to users and that showcases your expertise. This includes content that educates and informs readers, training content, case studies, adding testimonials, etc.
- Consider publishing instructional PDF guides or special reports that can be sold or distributed online (e.g. sell on Clickbank.
Plugins, Tools, And Strategies
We have created a detailed email course on content creation that you can plug into for free here:
Also, if you haven’t already, contact us to learn more about WordPress 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 Trust
Grow Influence And Engagement
As your business grows, you may want to consider developing “traffic on demand.” You can achieve this by growing a list or starting an online community or even your own social network.
With “Traffic On Tap,” your traffic comes from an audience of 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 email broadcast.
Tips
- Encourage commenting and discussions on your site.
- Add an autoresponder newsletter and encourage people to subscribe.
- Add a free or paid membership site, online forum, or social community.
- Start or join an online group on LinkedIn/Facebook.
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:
- Autoresponders/Email Newsletters (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, video galleries, etc.
Identify Needs And Provide Solutions
If you take advantage of incoming traffic to listen to what problems your users are trying to solve, you can develop new services and products, all of which can provide you with new opportunities for generating additional traffic.
Traffic Optimization Ideas
- Create an e-learning program.
- Consider publishing expert guides that you can sell or distribute online.
- Consider adding e-commerce to your site.
Plugins, Tools, And Methods
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 or blog 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 ways to generate content that can bring you additional traffic.
Hopefully, by now you have already installed an analytics program (e.g. Google Analytics) on your website. Make sure you also learn how to interpret the data.
WordPress Traffic System – Summary
Once you implement the above strategies, all you have to do is repeat the process over and over again, 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 (consider adding 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 solutions if required to help 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, now you have a blueprint that will help you drive more traffic automatically to your website and build a more successful business online.
***
"These tutorials have so much information and are easy to understand. If you use WordPress or plan to in the future these will help you with everything you need to know." - Valisa (Mesa, Arizona)
***