Welcome to Part Five of our WordPress Website Traffic Blueprint article series, where we show you how to drive new visitors automatically to your site using the WordPress CMS.
So far, we have covered the following in this series:
In Part One, we provide an overview of 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 blog, all you have to do to begin attracting more traffic is add great content regularly!)
In Part 2, we look at critical setup decisions. We help you understand the best way to start 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 is built with WordPress.
(In Part 2 we show you where to set up WordPress on your domain)
In Part 3, we looked at the configuration phase. We explained how to configure all the settings (hosting, WordPress and external) that affect your website’s traffic-getting ability …
(In Part Three you will configure all the settings that can affect your website’s traffic-getting ability)
In Part 4, we looked at ways to automate the traffic system using a number of plugins.
(Publish once to WordPress and automate the distribution of your content to all other channels!)
In Part 5 of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint article series, we discuss ways to optimize your traffic with a number of different tools and strategies.
WordPress Web Traffic Blueprint – Systems
In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress website or blog, the key to generating consistent traffic of high quality is having a clearly-defined business vision, great digital planning, and excellent systems in place.
(Optimizing traffic is the result of having a clear business vision, planning, and excellent systems)
Let’s review 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 and processes used to ensure that your online presence remains optimized for receiving traffic.
- Business Systems – The systems and processes used to manage and respond to traffic.
(Systems help you grow, automate, optimize, and manage your traffic)
Let’s briefly review how important the above systems are for optimizing traffic:
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 channels will you use to generate traffic (e.g. blogging, facebook advertising, video marketing, etc)?
- How will you apportion your budget and resources to these channels?
- How will you create and optimize your content and run your marketing campaigns?
- How will you test and measure the cost-effectiveness 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. Facebook ads) to help you generate some data, such as the keywords people are searching online to find your website, which you can use to create content targeted specifically to your audience.
Technical Systems
Your technical systems ensure that your digital presence remains up and running for receiving traffic. There’s no point driving traffic to your site if your site is constantly experiencing problems or your pages take a long time to load.
Your technical systems need to handle technical areas like webhosting, site 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 is looking 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. should anything go wrong?
Many potential problems can be minimized if your website planning process and setup and configuration phases have been completed correctly. Like all technology, however, you can expect new problems. You will need the right technical systems in place to handle these.
Business Systems
You need good operational systems and processes in place to help you manage and respond to new traffic. This includes:
- Communication systems
- Managing human and financial resources
- Handling leads and sales inquiries
- Order fulfillment
- Customer training/service
- etc.
If you plan to outsource your digital marketing and technical maintenance, then make sure you have systems in place for managing all outsourcing processes.
WordPress Web Traffic System – Optimizing Traffic Generation
If your business objectives are clear and your systems and processes are in place, all you need to focus your efforts on is growing your “traffic loop”.
Let’s walk through an example of implementing, optimizing, and automating a traffic loop. Take a look at the chart below …
(WordPress can help you implement, optimize, and automate a traffic loop)
Increase Reach And Visibility
The first step of the process is to get your business exposed to as many potential users as your resources 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 online.
- As mentioned earlier, investing in some paid advertising can help you 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 increase web traffic using methods like Twitter ads, PPC advertising, forum ads, etc.
Plugins, Tools, & Methods
We’ve already covered a number of excellent tools, plugins, and strategies in previous sections of this tutorial series.
Also, see other posts on this site to learn more about WordPress plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your site:
- Share your comments and posts online,
- Run contests, offer discounts or downloads for likes/shares,
- Display user generated content, feeds, etc.
- Distribute content online in other media formats (e.g. videos, PDF guides, audio, etc.)
Build Authority And Credibility
Getting more of your content out there is good, but to make this more effective, your content needs to be building authority and credibility with visitors.
Publishing authoritative content improves your chances of getting more views from social sharing and hence more traffic.
Useful Tips
- Create and publish content that will add value to potential visitors and showcase your expertise. This includes content that educates and informs readers, training content, case studies, adding testimonials, etc.
- Consider publishing a special report that you can sell or distribute online (e.g. sell on Clickbank.
Plugins, Tools, And Methods
We have created a comprehensive course on content creation that you can plug into at no cost here:
Also, ask us about WordPress plugins that let you easily add the following to your site:
- Legal Pages
- Testimonials
- Customer Support (e.g. Helpdesk, Live Chat, etc.)
- Ratings
- User Reviews
- Badges/Certificates Of Trust
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 Tap,” your traffic comes from customers or subscribers – people who already like you and trust you. Your influence and reputation can be used to generate traffic with every blog post you publish or email broadcast you send out.
Traffic Tips
- Encourage visitors to leave comments and start discussions on your site.
- Add an autoresponder newsletter and encourage people to subscribe.
- Add a free, paid, or ‘freemium’ membership site, online forum, or social community.
- Start or join a Facebook/LinkedIn Group.
Tools And Strategies
Many solutions and plugins are available that can help grow your online influence and improve engagement. For example:
- Autoresponders/Email Newsletters (e.g. Aweber, GetResponse, etc.)
- Contact Forms, Live Chat
- Forums and Discussion Groups (e.g. bbPress, BuddyPress)
- Polls & Surveys
- Webinars (e.g. Webinar JEO)
- Comment sharing
- Add media, image galleries, etc.
Identify Needs/Problems & Provide Solutions To These
By taking advantage of incoming traffic to discover what users are searching for, you should have no problem developing new services, products, and solutions, all of which can provide you with new opportunities for generating additional traffic.
Useful Tips & Ideas
- Consider creating a free or paid e-learning program.
- Publish expert guides that you can sell or distribute online (e.g. sell on on the Amazon Kindle store.
- Consider adding e-commerce to your site.
Plugins, Tools, & Strategies
If you plan to provide services and products 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 website:
- 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 to collect and analyze data. Gathering and interpreting data from existing traffic allows you to discover new traffic opportunities.
You should already have installed an analytics tool like Google Analytics on your site. Make sure you understand the metrics and features and can interpret the data.
WordPress Web Traffic Blueprint – Summary
All you have to do once you implement the above strategies is rinse and repeat, fine-tuning and refining your methods as you go to grow your traffic and improve your results.
In summary:
- Start with an expertly configured WordPress site backed by solid 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 solutions if required 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 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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"These tutorials have so much information and are easy to understand. If you use WordPress or plan to in the future these will help you with everything you need to know." - Valisa (Mesa, Arizona)
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