Welcome to Part 5 of our Web Traffic Blueprint article series, where we show you how to grow your business online automatically using the WordPress CMS.
So far, here is what we have covered in this series:
In Part 1, 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 blog, all you have to do is publish great content on a consistent basis to automatically start driving web traffic!)
In Part Two, we looked at critical setup decisions. We helped you understand the best way to start if you don’t have a web presence yet, how to set things up if you already have a site, and what to do if your site was built with WordPress.
(In Part two we show you where to set up a WordPress site on your domain)
In Part Three, we look at the configuration phase. We explained how to configure all the settings (hosting, WordPress and external) that affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically …
(In Part 3 we show you how to configure all the settings that affect your site’s traffic-getting ability)
In Part 4, you learned how to set up various plugins that can help drive web traffic automatically to your website or blog whenever you begin to post web content regularly.
(Publish once to WordPress and automate your content distribution to all other services!)
In Part Five of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint article series, we look at ways to optimize traffic generation with different tools and methods.
WordPress Web Traffic System – Systems
In addition to getting your WordPress site expertly configured, generating high-quality traffic consistently is achieved by having a clearly-defined business vision, sound digital planning, and good systems in place.
(Optimizing traffic is the result of a business vision, planning, and great systems)
Let’s briefly review the systems that will help you grow and manage your traffic.
These include:
- Marketing Systems – How you drive traffic to your website.
- Technical Systems – How you ensure that your online presence remains operating efficiently for receiving new traffic.
- Business Systems – How you manage and respond to new traffic.
(Systems help you grow, automate, optimize, and manage your traffic)
Let’s review the importance of the above systems briefly:
Marketing Systems
Your marketing systems consist of the processes and methods used to drive new traffic to your business. 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 allocate your marketing budget and resources to these channels?
- How will you create your content, sales funnels, and marketing campaigns?
- How will you measure the ROI 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 to help generate some initial actionable data, such as the keywords people are searching online to find your site, which you can use to create web content better targeted to your audience’s needs.
Technical Systems
Your technical systems ensure that your digital presence remains optimized for receiving new traffic. There’s no point driving traffic to your website if your site is down or your pages are taking a long time to load.
Your technical 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 looks after my webhosting?
- Who is looking after my website and keeping my site maintained and up-to-date?
- Who will fix errors, troubleshoot problems, provide technical support and advice, etc. when issues arise?
Many potential problems can be minimized if your planning and setup and configuration phases have been completed correctly. Like all technology, however, you should expect problems. You will need the right technical systems in place to handle these.
Business Systems
Your business systems help you manage traffic. This includes:
- Communication systems
- Managing human and financial resources
- Handling sales inquiries
- Order fulfillment
- Customer service/training
- etc.
If you plan to outsource your digital marketing and technical support, then make sure you have good systems in place for managing all outsourcing processes.
WordPress Web Traffic Automation System – Optimizing Traffic Generation
If your business objectives are clear and your systems and processes are in place, all you need to do is focus on 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 diagram below …
(Implementing, optimizing and automating your traffic loop)
Increase Reach And Visibility
Step 1 of the process is to increase visibility for your business and website.
Useful Tips And Ideas
- An expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to automatically syndicate your content to places 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 better targeted to your audience.
- Repurpose your content to leverage the power, appeal, and reach of different media formats.
- Continue learning about ways to increase more traffic using methods like LinkedIn ads, banner ads, Reddit, etc.
Tools, Plugins, & Methods
We’ve covered a number of useful tools, plugins, and strategies in previous sections of this article series.
Also, if you haven’t already, see other posts and tutorials on this site to learn more 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 different media formats (e.g. videos, PDF guides, infographics, etc.)
Build Authority And Credibility
Getting more of your content out there is great, but for this activity to be really effective, your content 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.
Useful Tips
- Create and publish content that will add value to users and showcase your expertise. This includes content that educates and informs readers, training content, user reviews, adding testimonials, etc.
- Consider publishing a special report or PDF guide that you can sell or distribute online.
Tools & Strategies
If you need help coming up with endless ideas for content that you can post on your website or blog, we recommend subscribing to our email training course on content marketing here:
Also, learn more about plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your WordPress site:
- 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 an online network.
With “Traffic On Tap,” all 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 traffic with a single post or email broadcast.
Useful Tips And Ideas
- Encourage commenting and discussions on your site.
- Add an autoresponder 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 plugins are available that are easy to implement and can help grow your influence and improve engagement. For example:
- Autoresponders (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 And Provide Solutions
By taking advantage of incoming traffic to discover what problems your visitors are trying to solve, you should have no problem coming up with ideas for new products, services, and solutions, all of which can provide you with new opportunities to generate additional web traffic.
Traffic Ideas
- Consider creating a free or paid online training course.
- Publish instructional PDF guides that you can sell or distribute online.
- Consider adding an e-commerce store to your business.
Tools, Plugins, & Strategies
If you plan to provide services, products, and solutions 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 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 to collect and analyze data. By interpreting data gathered from existing traffic, you can discover new opportunities to create additional traffic.
You should have already installed an analytics program 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 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 (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 solutions as required to help build authority 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 information has given you a blueprint that will help you automate and optimize the process of driving visitors to your WordPress web site and build a more successful 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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