Welcome to Part 5 of our Website Traffic Blueprint article series, where we show you how to turn a site into an automated web traffic generating machine using WordPress.
So far, here is what we have covered in this article series:
In Part One of this series, we provided an overview of the traffic automation process, and explained why using an expertly configured WordPress site is the key to automating traffic to your website …
(With an expertly configured WordPress web site, all you have to do to automatically begin attracting new web traffic is publish content consistently!)
In Part 2, we look at the setup phase. We explain the best way to start if you don’t have a web presence yet, how to set things up if you already have a website, and what to do if your website has been built using WordPress.
(In Part 2 we show you where to set up a WordPress site on your domain)
In Part 3, we look at configuring the system. We configured webhosting settings, WordPress settings, and external settings that can affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically …
(In Part 3 you learn how to configure all the settings (hosting, WordPress and external) that can affect your site’s traffic-getting ability)
In Part 4, we looked at ways to automate traffic generation using plugins.
(Publish once to WordPress and automate the distribution of your content to all other services!)
In this section of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint article series, we look at ways to optimize traffic to your website with a number of different tools and strategies.
WordPress Traffic System – Systems
In addition to getting your WordPress website expertly configured, the key to generating consistent traffic of high quality is having a clear business vision, sound digital planning, and good systems in place.
(Generating automated traffic is the result of a business vision, planning, and excellent systems)
Let’s briefly review the systems that will help you grow and manage new traffic.
These systems include:
- Marketing Systems – How you drive traffic to your business.
- Technical Systems – The systems used to ensure that your web presence remains optimized for receiving new traffic.
- Business Systems – The systems used to manage and respond to traffic.
(Systems help you grow and manage your web traffic)
Let’s briefly review how important the above systems are for traffic:
Marketing Systems
Your marketing systems consist of the processes and methods used to create traffic for your business. You can test your marketing systems by asking questions such as:
- What is your content marketing strategy?
- How will you apply your budget and resources to these marketing channels?
- How will you create your content and marketing campaigns?
- How will you test and measure the cost-effectiveness 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 (e.g. Facebook ads) to help you generate some initial results. If you’re tracking your marketing campaigns correctly, this should yield some actionable data, such as the keyword phrases people are searching online to find your website, which you can use to create content better targeted to your audience’s needs.
Technical Systems
Your technical systems and processes ensure that your online presence remains operating efficiently for receiving traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your website if your site is down or your pages take a long time to load.
Your systems include handling technical areas like webhosting, website maintenance and support, installing, configuring, and updating new software (e.g. plugins), customization, integration, troubleshooting, etc.
Your technical systems can be tested by asking questions such as:
- Who will look after my webhosting?
- Who looks after my website and keeps my site maintained and up-to-date?
- Who will fix errors, troubleshoot problems, provide technical support and advice, etc. should problems arise?
Many potential issues can be minimized if your website planning and setup and configuration phases have been completed correctly. Like all technology, however, you should expect new problems to arise. You will need the right technical systems in place to handle these.
Business Systems
You need good business systems in place to help you manage and respond to 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 implemented good systems to manage all outsourcing.
WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Traffic Optimization Tools & Strategies
If your business objectives are clear and your systems and processes are in place, all you need to do is focus on how to grow a “traffic loop”.
Let’s walk through an example of implementing, optimizing, and automating a traffic loop. Take a look at the flowchart below …
(WordPress can help you implement and optimize your traffic loop)
Increase Reach & Visibility Online
Step 1 of the process is to get your business exposed to as many potential users as you can.
Useful Tips And Ideas
- An expertly configured WordPress site allows you to instantly notify and publicize your content to social media accounts 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 generate data, which you can use to create web 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 visitors using methods like LinkedIn, social media, email, etc.
Tools, Plugins, And Methods
See earlier sections of this article series for a number of excellent tools and strategies we’ve already covered to help you reach more members of your target audience.
Also, learn more about WordPress plugins that let you easily add the following to your website or blog:
- Share your posts online,
- Run contests, offer downloads or discounts for likes/shares,
- Display user generated content, feeds, etc.
- Publish and distribute content online in other media formats (e.g. videos, PDF guides, infographics, etc.)
Build Authority & Credibility
Getting more of your content out there is great, but for this activity to be really effective, your content also needs to be building authority and credibility with users.
Publishing better quality content improves your chances of getting more shares and views and hence more visitors.
Traffic Optimization Ideas
- Focus on content that will add value to your audience and showcase your expertise. This includes content that educates and informs readers, training content, user reviews, adding testimonials, etc.
- Consider publishing special guides that you can sell or distribute online.
Plugins, Tools, And Methods
If you need endless great ideas for posting content on your website or blog, then subscribe to our email training series on growing your business with content marketing here:
Also, if you haven’t already, look for WordPress plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your website or blog:
- Legal Pages
- Testimonials
- Customer Support (e.g. Helpdesk, Live Chat, etc.)
- Ratings
- User Reviews
- Badges/Certificates Of Recognition
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 a 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 a single post or email broadcast.
Useful Tips
- Encourage commenting and discussions on your site.
- Add an email newsletter and encourage people to subscribe.
- Add a paid, free, or ‘freemium’ membership site, online forum, or social community.
- Start or join a Facebook/LinkedIn Group.
Tools, Plugins, & Strategies
Many solutions and plugins are available that can help grow your online influence and improve engagement. For example:
- List-Building Tools (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/Problems And Provide Solutions To These
By taking advantage of incoming traffic to listen to what problems your visitors are trying to solve, you can develop new solutions, all of which can provide you with new opportunities for generating new streams of web traffic.
Useful Tips & Ideas
- Create an e-learning course.
- Consider publishing an instructional e-book that you can sell or distribute online.
- Add an e-commerce store to your business.
Tools, Plugins, And Methods
If you plan to provide services, products, and solutions online (as opposed to just providing information), see other posts and tutorials on this site to learn more about plugins that let you easily add the following to your site:
- 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. Learning to gather and interpret data from existing traffic gives you the opportunity to discover new traffic opportunities.
Hopefully, by now you already have installed an analytics tool like Google Analytics on your website. Make sure you also learn how to interpret the data.
WordPress 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 good marketing, technical and business systems,
- Implement a content marketing strategy (with 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 help build authority and credibility, and also to increase 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, this information has given you a blueprint that will help you automate and optimize the process of driving traffic to your WordPress website and build a better 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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