Welcome to Part Five of our Website 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 1, 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 automatically attract traffic is post fresh content regularly!)
In Part 2, we focused on the setup phase. 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 website, and what to do if your site has been built with WordPress.
(In Part two we show you where to set up WordPress on your domain)
In Part Three, we look at the configuration phase of the automation system. We configured all the settings that affect your website’s traffic-getting ability …
(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 Four, we showed you how to set up various plugins that can drive visitors automatically to your site just by publishing new content regularly.
(Publish content once and automate your content distribution to all other channels!)
In this article, we look at ways to optimize traffic to your website using a number of tools and strategies.
WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Systems
In addition to getting your WordPress website expertly configured, generating consistent traffic of high quality comes from a clear business vision, careful digital planning, and excellent systems in place.
(Generating automated traffic is the product of a business vision, sound planning, and great systems)
Let’s review the systems that will help you grow and manage this traffic.
These include:
- Marketing Systems – The processes and strategies used to drive new traffic to your business.
- Technical Systems – The systems and processes used to keep your digital presence optimized for receiving new traffic.
- Business Systems – The systems used to manage and respond to traffic.
(Systems help you grow and manage your traffic)
Let’s review the above systems briefly:
Marketing Systems
Your marketing systems consist of the processes and strategies used to create new traffic for your website. Your marketing systems can be tested by asking questions such as:
- What channels will you use to drive new traffic (e.g. blogging, video marketing, etc)?
- What resources and portion of your budget will you apply to your marketing channels?
- Who will create your content and marketing campaigns?
- How will you track conversions and measure the cost-effectiveness of your online 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 website, which you can use to create web content targeted specifically to your audience’s needs.
Technical Systems
Your technical systems and processes ensure that your online presence remains up and running for receiving new traffic. There’s no point driving traffic to your website if your site is constantly experiencing problems or your web pages are taking too long to load.
Your technical systems include handling technical areas like webhosting, website maintenance and support, installing, configuring, and updating software (e.g. plugins), customization, integration, troubleshooting, etc.
You can test your technical systems by questions such as:
- Who looks after my webhosting?
- Who will look after my website and keep my site maintained and up-to-date?
- Who will fix errors, troubleshoot problems, provide technical support and advice, etc. if you experience difficulties?
Many potential issues can be minimized if your website planning and setup and configuration phases have been done correctly. Like all technology, however, you will run into new problems. You will need the right technical systems in place to handle these.
Business Systems
Your business systems help you manage the influx of new traffic. These include:
- Communication systems
- Managing human and financial resources
- Handling sales enquiries
- Order fulfillment
- Customer training/service
- etc.
If you plan to outsource your digital marketing and technical services, then make sure you have implemented good systems for managing all outsourcing.
WordPress Web Traffic System – Traffic Loops
If your business objectives are clear and your systems and processes are in place, all you need to focus on is how to implement a “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 …
(Traffic loop)
Increase Reach & Visibility Online
Step 1 of the process is to increase visibility for your website or blog.
Useful Tips
- Your expertly configured WordPress site allows you to instantly share your content on 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 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 targeted specifically to your audience.
- Repurpose your content to leverage different media formats.
- Continue learning about ways to get traffic using methods like LinkedIn ads, social media, cross promotions, etc.
Tools & Strategies
See earlier sections of this article series for a number of excellent plugins, tools, and methods we’ve already covered to help you reach more potential users.
Also, learn more about plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your WordPress website or blog:
- Share your posts online,
- Run contests, offer discounts or downloads for shares/likes,
- Display user generated content, feeds, etc.
- Publish and distribute content online in other media formats (e.g. videos, PDF guides, slides, etc.)
Build Authority & Credibility
Getting more content out there is a great first step, but for this activity to be really effective, your content 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.
Traffic Optimization Tips
- Create and publish content that adds value to your audience and that showcases your expertise. This includes content that informs and educates readers, training content, case studies, adding testimonials, etc.
- Consider publishing educational guides or special reports that you can sell or distribute online.
Tools And Strategies
We have created a comprehensive email 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 content ideas that you can plug into for free here:
Also, see other posts and tutorials on this site 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 Recognition
Grow Influence & Engagement
At some point, you may want to consider developing “traffic on demand.” You can do this by building a list or starting an online community.
With “Traffic On Demand,” most of your traffic will come 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 training course and encourage people to subscribe.
- Add a free or paid membership site, online forum, or social community.
- Create or join a Facebook/LinkedIn Group.
Tools, Plugins, And Methods
There are many solutions and plugins that are easy to implement and can help grow your influence and improve engagement. For example:
- Autoresponders/Email Newsletters (e.g. Aweber, GetResponse, 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 & Provide Solutions To These
If you take advantage of incoming traffic to discover what problems your users are trying to solve, you can have an endless funnel of ideas for new products, services, and solutions, all of which can provide you with new opportunities for generating new sources of web traffic.
Useful Tips And Ideas
- Create a free or paid online training program.
- Publish educational guides or special reports that can be sold or distributed online (e.g. sell on Amazon.
- Consider adding e-commerce to your business.
Tools And 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 consider adding to your site include:
- Membership Sites (e.g. Wishlist Member, S2 Member, etc.)
- e-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 opportunities to generate content that can bring you additional traffic.
You should already have installed an analytics tool like Google Analytics on your website. Make sure you also learn how to interpret the data.
WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Summary
Once you implement the above strategies, all you have to do is repeat the process, 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 good marketing, technical and business systems,
- Implement a content marketing strategy (consider adding 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 improve 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 article has given you a blueprint that will help you drive more visitors automatically to your website and get better results 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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