Welcome to Part Five of our Web Traffic Blueprint article series, where we show you how to automate traffic to your site using the WordPress CMS platform.
So far, we have covered the following in this series:
In Part One of this series, we explained why using an expertly configured WordPress website is the key to generating automated web traffic …
(With an expertly configured WordPress web site, all you have to do to start generating web traffic is post new content on a consistent basis!)
In Part 2, we discuss the setup phase of the automation blueprint. We explain the best way to get started 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 has been built with WordPress.
(In Part two we show you where to set up WordPress on your domain)
In Part 3, we look at the configuration phase of the traffic automation blueprint. We configured all the settings that affect your site’s traffic-getting ability …
(In Part Three we show you how to configure all the settings (hosting, internal and external) that can affect your site’s traffic-getting ability)
In Part Four, we discussed ways to automate traffic generation using plugins.
(Publish content one-time, automate the rest!)
In this section of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint series, we look at ways to optimize the traffic system using a number of tools and methods.
WordPress Traffic Blueprint – Systems
In addition to getting your WordPress website or blog expertly configured, the key to generating successfully on a consistent basis is having a well-defined business vision, careful digital planning, and excellent systems and process in place.
(Generating regular traffic is the result of having a clear business vision, planning, and great systems)
Let’s review briefly the systems that will help you grow and manage your traffic.
These include:
- Marketing Systems – The processes and strategies used to drive traffic to your business.
- Technical Systems – How you ensure that your web presence remains up and running for receiving traffic.
- Business Systems – How you manage and respond to new traffic.
(Use systems to grow, automate, optimize, and manage your web traffic)
Let’s briefly review how important the above systems are:
Marketing Systems
Your marketing systems consist of the processes and methods used to create traffic for your website. You can test your online marketing systems by asking questions such as:
- What is your online marketing strategy?
- What resources and portion of your budget will you apportion to these channels?
- Who will create and optimize your content, sales funnels, and marketing campaigns?
- How will you test and measure the results 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. Facebook ads) to help generate some 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’s needs.
Technical Systems
Your technical systems keep your online presence operating efficiently for receiving new traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your site if your site is down or your web pages are taking a very long time to load.
Your technical systems need to adequately 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 looks after my webhosting?
- Who is looking after my website and keeping 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 problems can be minimized if your website planning process and setup and configuration phases have been completed correctly. As with all technology, however, new problems will always arise. You will need the right technical systems in place to handle these.
Business Systems
Your business systems and processes help you manage and respond to new traffic. These include:
- Communication systems
- Managing human and financial resources
- Handling sales inquiries
- Order fulfillment
- Customer training/service
- etc.
If you intend to outsource your digital marketing and technical maintenance, then you will need to put systems in place to manage all outsourcing processes.
WordPress Web Traffic Automation System – Traffic Optimization Tools And Methods
If your business objectives are clear and your systems and processes are in place, all you need to focus your efforts on is implementing your “traffic loop”.
Let’s walk through an example of implementing, optimizing, and automating a traffic loop. Take a look at the flowchart below …
(Implementing an effective traffic loop)
Increase Reach & Visibility Online
The first step of the process is to expose your business to as many potential users as your resources allow.
Useful Tips & Ideas
- Your expertly configured WordPress site allows you to instantly notify and publicize your content to traffic-getting sources 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. Facebook ads) can help you generate some initial data, which you can use to create content better targeted to your audience’s needs.
- Repurpose your content to leverage different media formats.
- Continue learning about ways to drive more web site traffic using methods like LinkedIn advertising, banner ads, forum signatures, etc.
Tools, Plugins, & Strategies
We’ve already covered a number of useful tools, plugins, and strategies in previous sections of this article series.
Also, look for plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your WordPress website or blog:
- Share your comments and posts online with others,
- Run contests, offer discounts or downloads for likes/shares,
- Add user generated content, feeds, etc.
- Distribute content online in other media formats (e.g. videos, PDF guides, slides, etc.)
Build Authority And Credibility
Getting more of your content published is great, but to make this activity more effective, your content also needs to be building authority and credibility with visitors.
Publishing higher quality content improves your chances of getting more views from social sharing and hence more traffic.
Tips
- Create and publish content that adds value to your audience and that showcases your expertise. This includes content that educates and informs readers, training content, case studies, adding testimonials, etc.
- Consider publishing a “how-to” e-book that you can sell or distribute online.
Plugins, Tools, And Methods
If you need help coming up with topics for content that you can post on your website or blog, we recommend subscribing to our FREE email training course on content marketing here:
Also, contact us to learn more 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 & Engagement
At some point, you may want to consider developing “traffic on tap.” You can do this by building a list or starting an online community or even your own social network.
With “Traffic On Demand,” all of your traffic will come from an audience of existing customers or subscribers – people who already like you and trust you. Your influence and credibility can be used to generate new traffic with a single post or email.
Traffic Ideas
- Encourage commenting and discussions on your site.
- Add an autoresponder training course and encourage people to subscribe.
- Add a free or paid membership site, online forum, or social community.
- Create or join an online group on LinkedIn/Facebook.
Plugins, Tools, And Strategies
Many solutions and plugins are available that can help grow your online influence and improve user engagement. For example:
- Autoresponders (e.g. Aweber, MailChimp, etc.)
- Contact Forms, Live Chat
- Forums & Social Communities (e.g. bbPress, BuddyPress)
- Polls and Surveys
- Webinars (e.g. Webinar JEO)
- Comment sharing
- Add media, image galleries, etc.
Identify Needs/Problems And Provide Solutions To These
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 new services and products, all of which provide new opportunities to generate new streams of web traffic.
Useful Tips
- Create a free or paid online training program.
- Publish educational guides that you can sell or distribute online.
- Add e-commerce to your site.
Tools & Strategies
If you plan to provide services and products online (as opposed to just providing information), then some of the more useful WordPress plugins you may want to add 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 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.
You should have already installed an analytics tool like Google Analytics on your website. Make sure you can also understand 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 get better your results.
In summary:
- Start with an expertly configured WordPress site backed by good 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 as needed to build authority and credibility, and also to increase 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 drive more traffic automatically to your WordPress website and get better results online.
***
"I was absolutely amazed at the scope and breadth of these tutorials! The most in-depth training I have ever received on any subject!" - Myke O'Neill, DailyGreenPost.com
***