Welcome to Part 5 of our Website Traffic Blueprint article series, where we show you how to turn your website into an automated traffic machine using the WordPress CMS.
So far, here is what we have covered in this article series:
In Part One of this series, we provide an overview of the traffic automation process, and explain why using an expertly configured WordPress site is the key to generating automated web traffic …
(With an expertly configured WordPress website or blog, all you have to do is publish new content on a regular basis to generate more web traffic!)
In Part Two, we focused on critical setup decisions. 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 site, and what to do if your existing website has been built with WordPress.
(In Part 2 we show you how to set up WordPress on your domain)
In Part 3, we look at configuring WordPress. We explained how to configure all the settings that affect your site’s traffic-getting ability …
(In Part Three you learn how to 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 a number of WordPress plugins.
(Publish once to WordPress and automate your content distribution to all other services!)
In Part 5 of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint series, we discuss ways to optimize traffic generation with a number of different tools and methods.
WordPress Web Traffic Automation System – Traffic Optimization Systems
In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress website or blog, generating targeted traffic on a consistent basis is the result of having a clear business vision, great digital planning, and good systems in place.
(Consistent traffic is the result of having a clear business vision, sound planning, and systems)
Let’s review the systems that will help you grow and manage all traffic.
These include:
- Marketing Systems – How you drive new traffic to your business.
- Technical Systems – The systems used to ensure that your web presence remains up and running for receiving traffic.
- Business Systems – How you manage and respond to traffic.
(Use systems to grow, automate, optimize, and manage your traffic)
Let’s review the above systems briefly:
Marketing Systems
Your marketing systems consist of the processes and methods used to drive new traffic to your website. You can test your marketing systems by asking questions such as:
- What is your content marketing strategy/online marketing strategy?
- How will you allocate your budget and resources to your marketing channels?
- How will you create and optimize your content, sales funnels, and run your marketing campaigns?
- How will you test and measure the results of your marketing 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 to help you generate some initial intelligence. If you’re tracking your marketing campaigns correctly, this should yield some actionable data, such as the keywords 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 and processes keep your digital presence up and running for receiving traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your site if your site is experiencing problems or your pages are taking a long time to load.
Your technical systems need to adequately handle areas like webhosting, website maintenance and support, installing and updating software (e.g. plugins), customization, integration, troubleshooting, etc.
Your technical systems can be tested by asking questions such as:
- Who is looking after my server?
- Who will look after my website and keep my site maintained and up-to-date?
- Who will fix errors, troubleshoot problems, provide technical support and advice, etc. if any problems occur?
Many potential problems can be minimized if your website planning and setup and configuration phases have been done correctly. Like all technology, however, you will run into many problems. You will need the right technical systems in place to handle these.
Business Systems
Your business systems and processes help you manage new traffic. These include:
- Communication systems
- Resources management – human, financial
- Handling leads and sales enquiries
- Order fulfillment
- Customer service/training
- etc.
If you intend to outsource your digital marketing and technical maintenance, then make sure you have implemented great systems to manage all outsourcing.
WordPress Web Traffic Automation System – Traffic Loops
With clear business objectives and great systems in place, all you need to focus on is developing, optimizing and further automating your “traffic loop”.
Let’s walk through an example of how to implement, optimize, and automate a traffic loop. Take a look at the diagram below …
(Traffic loop)
Increase Reach & Visibility
The first step of the process is to increase visibility for your website.
Traffic Tips
- Your expertly configured WordPress site allows you to instantly share your content on social media accounts like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, 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 (e.g. pay-per-click ads) can help generate some initial actionable and intelligent data such as the keywords people are searching online to find your site, which you can use to create web content better targeted to your audience’s needs.
- Repurpose your content to leverage the power and reach of different media formats.
- Continue learning about ways to bring web site visitors using methods like Facebook, solo ads, updates, etc.
Tools, Plugins, And Strategies
See previous sections of this article series for a number of excellent tools, plugins, and strategies we’ve already covered to help you reach more members of your target audience.
Also, ask us about plugins that let you easily add the following to your website:
- Share your comments and posts online with others,
- Run contests, offer discounts/downloads for shares/likes,
- Accept user generated content, feeds, etc.
- Distribute content online in various media formats (e.g. videos, PDF guides, audio, etc.)
Build Authority And Credibility
Getting more content out there is good, but to make this activity more effective, your content needs to build authority and credibility with your audience.
Publishing better quality content improves your chances of getting it shared on other sites and viewed by more people and hence more visitors.
Useful Tips
- Focus on creating 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 educational guides that can be sold or distributed online.
Tools & Strategies
If you need help coming up with great topics for posting content on your site, then subscribe to our FREE email training series on growing your business with content marketing here:
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
At some point, you may want to consider developing “traffic on tap.” You can achieve this by building a list or starting an online group.
With “Traffic On Tap,” most of your traffic comes from an audience of customers or subscribers – people who already like you and trust you. Your influence and reputation can be used to generate new traffic with every blog post you publish, forum post you add, or email you send out.
Useful Tips
- Encourage commenting and discussions on your site.
- Add an email newsletter and encourage people to subscribe.
- Add a free or paid membership site.
- Create or join a Facebook/LinkedIn Group.
Tools, Plugins, & Strategies
Many solutions and WordPress plugins are available that are easy to implement and can help grow your influence and improve engagement. For example:
- Autoresponders/Email Newsletters (e.g. Aweber, MailChimp, etc.)
- Contact Forms, Live Chat
- Forums & Discussion Groups (e.g. bbPress, BuddyPress)
- Polls & Surveys
- Webinars (e.g. Webinar JEO)
- Comment sharing
- Add media, video galleries, etc.
Identify Problems And Provide Solutions
By taking advantage of incoming traffic to discover what problems your visitors are trying to solve, you can have an endless funnel of ideas for developing new products, services, and solutions, all of which can provide you with new opportunities for generating additional traffic.
Useful Tips And Ideas
- Create an online training course.
- Consider publishing a PDF guide that you can sell or distribute online.
- Add an e-commerce store to your business.
Tools, Plugins, & Methods
If you plan to provide solutions online (as opposed to just providing information), ask us about WordPress plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your website or blog:
- 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 additional traffic.
Hopefully, by now you have already installed an analytics program (e.g. Google Analytics) on your site. 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 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:
- Begin with an expertly configured WordPress site backed by good marketing, technical and business systems,
- Implement a content marketing strategy (consider adding some paid advertising to drive traffic and generate useful data) to increase your reach and visibility online,
- Add plugins, list-building strategies, and other methods 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 drive more traffic automatically to your web site and build a better business online.
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"If you're new to WordPress, this can stand on its own as a training course and will stay with you as you progress from beginner to advanced and even guru status." - Bruce (Columbus, Ohio)
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