Welcome to Part Five of our Web Site Traffic Blueprint article series, where we explain how to drive new visitors automatically to your site using the WordPress CMS.
So far, here is what we have covered in this series:
In Part 1 of this series, we provide an overview of the traffic automation process, and explain why using an expertly configured WordPress website is the key to automating traffic to your website …
(With an expertly configured WordPress blog, all you have to do is post fresh content on a regular basis to start generating more traffic!)
In Part Two, we discuss the setup phase of the blueprint. We help you understand 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 using WordPress.
(In Part two we show you where to set up a WordPress website or blog on your domain)
In Part Three, we discuss the configuration phase of the traffic automation blueprint. We configured hosting settings, internal settings, and external settings that can affect your site’s ability to generate traffic automatically …
(In Part 3 we explain how to configure all the settings that affect your website’s traffic-getting ability)
In Part Four, we discussed 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 series, we look at ways to optimize your traffic using various tools and strategies.
WordPress Traffic System – Traffic Optimization Systems
In addition to getting your WordPress website expertly configured, generating consistent traffic of high quality is the outcome of a clear business vision, great digital planning, and great systems and process in place.
(Optimized traffic is the product of having a clear business vision, planning, and great systems)
Let’s briefly review the systems that will help you grow and manage your traffic.
These systems include:
- Marketing Systems – The processes and methods used to drive traffic to your business.
- Technical Systems – The systems used to ensure that your digital presence remains operating efficiently for receiving new traffic.
- Business Systems – The systems used to manage and respond to new traffic.
(Systems help you grow, automate, and manage your web traffic)
Let’s briefly review the above systems:
Marketing Systems
Your marketing systems consist of the processes and methods used to drive traffic to your business. You can test your online 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 these marketing channels?
- Who will create your content, sales funnels, and run your marketing campaigns?
- How will you measure the results of your 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. pay-per-click ads) to help you generate some initial actionable data, such as the keyword phrases 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 keep your web presence optimized for receiving new traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your site if your site is down or your pages take a long time to load.
Your technical systems need to be able to adequately handle technical areas like webhosting, website maintenance and support, installing and updating new applications (e.g. plugins), customization, integration, troubleshooting, etc.
You can test your technical systems by questions such as:
- Who is looking 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. if any issues arise?
Many potential problems can be minimized if your website planning and setup and configuration phases have been done correctly. As with all technology, however, you should expect to face problems. Your technical systems need to be robust enough to handle these.
Business Systems
Your business systems help you manage the influx of traffic. These include:
- Communication systems
- Resources management – human, financial
- Handling sales inquiries
- Order fulfillment
- Customer service/training
- etc.
If you intend to outsource your digital marketing and technical support, then you will need good systems in place for managing all outsourcing.
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 your efforts on is growing, optimizing and further automating your “traffic loop”.
Let’s walk through an example of how to implement, optimize, and further automate a traffic loop. Take a look at the chart below …
(Implementing, optimizing and automating a traffic loop)
Increase Reach & Visibility
The first step of the process is to increase visibility for your business.
Traffic Ideas
- Your expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to instantly share your content on social media accounts like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, 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 some initial actionable and intelligent data, which you can use to create web content targeted specifically to your audience’s needs.
- Repurpose your content to leverage the power, appeal, and reach of different media formats.
- Continue learning about ways to bring more web traffic using methods like Twitter ads, YouTube, forum signatures, etc.
Tools, Plugins, & Strategies
We’ve already covered many excellent tools and strategies in previous sections of this article series.
Also, if you haven’t already, ask us about WordPress plugins that let you easily add the following to your site:
- Share your posts online with others,
- 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, infographics, etc.)
Build Authority And Credibility
Getting more content out there is great, but to make this more effective, your content needs to build authority and credibility with visitors.
Publishing higher quality content not only helps to establish your credibility, it also improves your chances of getting it shared on other sites and viewed by more people and hence more visitors.
Traffic Tips
- Focus on content that will add value to potential visitors and showcase your expertise. This includes content that informs and educates readers, training content, user reviews, adding testimonials, etc.
- Consider publishing PDF guides or special reports that can be sold or distributed online (e.g. sell on Amazon.
Tools & Strategies
We have created a comprehensive course on how to develop a content marketing strategy, how to promote your business with content, content creation tools, and how to never run out of ideas for web content that you can plug into for free here:
Also, ask us 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 And Engagement
At some point, you may want to consider developing “traffic on demand.” You can do this by growing a list or starting an online group.
With “Traffic On Tap,” most of your traffic will come from an audience of customers or subscribers – people who already know you and trust you. Your influence and reputation can be used to generate traffic with every post you publish or email broadcast you send out.
Useful Tips
- Encourage users to leave comments and start discussions on your site.
- Add an autoresponder training course and encourage people to subscribe.
- Add a free or paid membership site.
- Start or join a Facebook/LinkedIn Group.
Tools & Methods
There are many solutions and WordPress plugins that can help increase 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, video galleries, etc.
Identify Problems & Provide Solutions To These
If you take advantage of incoming traffic to find out what your visitors are looking for, you can have an endless funnel of ideas for new solutions, all of which provide new opportunities to generate additional traffic.
Useful Tips & Ideas
- Consider creating a free or paid e-learning program.
- Publish a “how-to” e-book that can be sold or distributed online.
- Consider adding e-commerce to your business.
Plugins, Tools, & Strategies
If you plan to provide services, products, and solutions online (as opposed to just providing information), then some of the more useful plugins you may want to consider adding to your site include:
- 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 interpret data gathered from existing traffic allows you to discover new traffic opportunities.
Hopefully, by now you have already installed an analytics tool (e.g. Google Analytics) on your site. Make sure you can also understand the data.
WordPress Web Traffic Automation 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 get better 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 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 if required 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, this article has given you a blueprint that will help you automate and optimize the process of driving traffic to your web site 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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