Welcome to Part Five of our Website Traffic Blueprint article series, where we show you how to drive new visitors automatically to your website using the WordPress CMS platform.
So far, here is what we have covered in this series:
In Part One of this article series, we describe the traffic automation process, and explain why using an expertly configured WordPress site is the key to automating traffic to your website …
(With an expertly configured WordPress website, all you have to do is add great content on a regular basis to begin attracting new web traffic!)
In Part 2, we looked at the setup phase of this system. We helped you understand the best way to get started if you don’t have a website yet, how to set things up if you already have a site, and what to do if your existing website has been built using WordPress.
(In Part two we show you where to set up WordPress on your domain)
In Part 3, we focused on the configuration phase of the traffic automation process. We explained how to configure all the settings that can affect your website’s traffic-getting ability …
(In Part 3 you learn how to configure hosting settings, WordPress settings, and external settings that affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically)
In Part 4, we looked at ways to automate traffic generation using various WordPress plugins.
(Publish once to WordPress and automate the distribution of your content to all other channels!)
In Part Five of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint series, we discuss ways to optimize traffic generation using different tools and strategies.
WordPress Web Traffic System – Systems
In addition to getting your WordPress website or blog expertly configured, the key to generating successfully on a consistent basis is having a clear business vision, sound digital planning, and good systems in place.
(Optimized traffic is the result of a business vision, sound planning, and great systems)
Let’s review briefly the systems that will help you grow and manage your traffic.
These include:
- Marketing Systems – How you create new traffic for your business.
- Technical Systems – The systems used to keep your web presence up and running for receiving traffic.
- Business Systems – The systems used to manage and respond to new traffic.
(Systems help you grow and manage your traffic)
Let’s briefly review the importance of the above systems:
Marketing Systems
Your marketing systems consist of the processes and methods used to drive traffic to your website. You can test your marketing systems by asking questions such as:
- What channels do you plan to use to drive traffic (e.g. blogging, video marketing, etc)?
- How will you apply your marketing budget and resources to these channels?
- How will you create and optimize your content and run your marketing campaigns?
- How will you track conversions and 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 you generate some initial actionable data, such as the keywords people are searching online to find your site, which you can use to create content better targeted to your audience.
Technical Systems
Your technical systems and processes keep your online presence operating efficiently for receiving new traffic. There’s no point driving traffic to your site if your site is down or your pages take too long to load.
Your technical systems need to be able to adequately handle technical areas like webhosting, website 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 looks 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. when issues occur?
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 can expect to face problems. Your technical systems need to be able to handle these.
Business Systems
You need good operational systems and processes to help you manage new traffic. This includes:
- Communication systems
- Resources management – human, financial
- Handling sales inquiries
- Order fulfillment
- Customer service/training
- etc.
If you plan to outsource your digital marketing and technical services, then make sure you have excellent systems in place for managing all outsourcing processes.
WordPress Web Traffic System – Traffic Optimization
With clear business objectives and great systems in place, all you need to do is focus on developing a “traffic loop”.
Let’s walk through an example of implementing, optimizing, and automating a traffic loop. Take a look at the flowchart below …
(Implement, optimize, and automate your traffic loop)
Increase Reach & Visibility
Step 1 of the process is to expose your business to as many members of your target audience as your resources will allow.
Traffic Optimization Tips
- An 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 through your expertly configured WordPress site.
- As mentioned earlier, investing in some paid advertising (e.g. pay-per-click ads) can help you generate actionable data, which you can use to create web content better targeted to your audience’s needs.
- Repurpose your content to leverage the power, appeal, and reach of different media formats.
- Continue learning about ways to drive more web site traffic using methods like Twitter, podcasts, forum ads, etc.
Plugins, Tools, & Methods
See previous 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 posts online with others,
- Run contests, offer discounts or downloads for shares/likes,
- Add user generated content, feeds, etc.
- Distribute content online in different media formats (e.g. videos, PDF guides, audio, etc.)
Build Authority & Credibility
Getting more content out there is great, but for this activity to be really effective, your content also needs to build authority and credibility with users.
Publishing authoritative content not only helps to establish your credibility, it also 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, user reviews, adding testimonials, etc.
- Consider publishing educational guides or special reports that can be sold or distributed online (e.g. sell on on the Amazon Kindle store.
Tools, Plugins, And Strategies
We have created an entire email course designed to help you never run out of great content for posting to your site:
Also, contact us 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 Trust
Grow Influence & Engagement
As your business grows, you may want to consider developing “traffic on demand.” You can achieve this by building a list or starting your own community.
With “Traffic On Demand,” most of your traffic comes from customers or subscribers – people who already know you and trust you. Your influence and reputation can be used to generate new traffic with every blog post you publish or email you send out.
Tips
- Encourage visitors to leave comments and start discussions on your site.
- Add an email training course and encourage people to subscribe.
- Add a free or paid membership site.
- Create or join a Facebook/LinkedIn Group.
Plugins, Tools, And Methods
Many solutions and WordPress plugins are available that are easy to implement and can help grow your online influence and improve engagement. For example:
- List-Building Solutions (e.g. Aweber, GetResponse, etc.)
- Contact Forms, Live Chat
- Forums and Discussion Groups (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
By taking advantage of incoming traffic to discover what problems your users 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 to generate additional web traffic.
Tips
- Create a free or paid e-learning course.
- Consider publishing instructional PDF guides or special reports that can be sold or distributed online.
- Add an e-commerce store to your site.
Tools, Plugins, 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 website include:
- Membership Site plugins (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 to collect and analyze data. By learning to interpret data gathered from existing traffic, you can discover new traffic opportunities.
Hopefully, by now you have already installed an analytics tool (e.g. Google Analytics) on your site. Make sure you understand the metrics and features and can interpret the data.
WordPress Web Traffic System – 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 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 needed to build authority, trust, 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, now you have a blueprint that will help you drive more visitors automatically to your WordPress website and improve 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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