Tag: WordPress Traffic Blueprint

Welcome to Part 5 of our Web Traffic Blueprint article series, where we explain how to automate traffic to your website using the WordPress CMS.

So far, we have covered the following in this series:

In Part 1 of this series, we explain why using an expertly configured WordPress website is the key to automating traffic to your site …

(With an expertly configured WordPress website, all you have to do is post web content on a regular basis to begin bringing web traffic!)

In Part 2, we discuss the setup phase. We help 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 website was built with WordPress.

(In Part 2 we show you how to set up WordPress on your domain)

In Part 3, we discuss configuring WordPress. We explained how to configure web hosting settings, internal settings, and external settings that can affect your site’s traffic-getting ability …

(In Part Three we explain how to configure all the settings that affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically)

In Part Four, we looked at ways to automate the traffic system using various plugins.

(Publish content once and automate your content distribution to all other marketing channels!)

In this article, we look at ways to optimize the traffic-getting process with a number of different tools and methods.

WordPress Web Traffic Blueprint – Traffic Optimization Systems

In addition to getting your WordPress website expertly configured, the key to generating high-quality traffic on a consistent basis is having a clearly-defined business vision, sound digital planning, and excellent systems and process in place.

(Automating traffic is the result of a business vision, planning, and systems)

Let’s briefly review the systems that will help you grow and manage all traffic.

These systems include:

• Marketing Systems – The processes and methods used to create traffic for your business.
• Technical Systems – The systems and processes used to keep your online presence optimized for receiving traffic.
• Business Systems – The systems used to manage and respond to traffic.

(Systems help you grow, automate, optimize, and manage your web traffic)

Let’s review the above systems briefly:

Marketing Systems

Your marketing systems consist of the processes and methods used to create new traffic for your business. Your marketing systems can be tested by asking questions such as:

• What channels do you plan to use to generate traffic (e.g. blogging, facebook advertising, video marketing, etc)?
• What resources and portion of your budget will you apply to these channels?
• Who will create and optimize your content, sales funnels, and run your marketing campaigns?
• How will you test and measure the results 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. Facebook ads) to help you generate some initial data, such as the keyword phrases 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 keep your digital presence up and running for receiving traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your website if your site is constantly down or your pages take too long to load.

Your systems need to be able to adequately handle technical areas like webhosting, website maintenance and support, installing and updating new software (e.g. plugins), customization, integration, troubleshooting, etc.

You can test your technical systems by questions such as:

• Who is looking after my server?
• 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. should anything go wrong?

Many potential issues can be minimized if your website planning and setup and configuration phases have been done correctly. As with all technology, however, you will run into problems. You will need the right technical systems in place to handle these.

Business Systems

You need good business systems and processes to help you manage and respond to traffic. This includes:

• Communication systems
• Resources management – human, financial
• Handling sales enquiries
• Order fulfillment
• Customer service/training
• etc.

If you plan to outsource your digital marketing and technical support, then you will need to put excellent systems in place for managing all outsourcing.

WordPress Web Traffic System – 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 developing your “traffic loop”.

Let’s go through an example of implementing, optimizing, and automating a traffic loop. Take a look at the illustration below …

(Traffic loop)

Increase Reach & Visibility Online

Step 1 of the process is to increase visibility for your business.

Useful Tips

• An expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to instantly share your content on traffic-getting sources 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. Google AdWords) can help you generate data, which you can use to create web content targeted specifically to your audience.
• Repurpose your content to leverage different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to attract visitors using methods like Pinterest, banner ads, forum signatures, etc.

Tools & Methods

We’ve covered many excellent tools and methods in previous sections of this tutorial 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 or downloads for likes/shares,
• Accept user generated content, feeds, etc.
• Publish and distribute content online in various media formats (e.g. videos, PDF guides, infographics, etc.)

Build Authority & Credibility

Getting more of your content out there is great, but to make this more effective, your content needs to build authority and credibility with visitors.

Publishing better 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

• 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 PDF guides that you can sell or distribute online (e.g. sell on Amazon.

Tools, Plugins, & Methods

We have created a detailed course on content creation that you can plug into at no cost 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

At some point, 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,” your traffic comes from an audience of customers or subscribers – people who already like you and trust you. Your influence and credibility can be used to generate new traffic with every blog post you publish or email you send out.

Traffic Optimization Ideas

• Encourage commenting and discussions on your site.
• Add an autoresponder training course and encourage people to subscribe.
• Add a paid or free membership site, online forum, or social community.
• Start or join an online group on Facebook.

Tools, Plugins, & Methods

Many solutions and WordPress plugins are available that are easy to implement and can help grow your influence and improve engagement. For example:

• Autoresponders (e.g. Aweber, GetResponse, etc.)
• Contact Forms, Live Chat
• Forums & Social Communities (e.g. bbPress, BuddyPress)
• Polls and Surveys
• Webinars (e.g. Webinar JEO)
• Comment sharing
• Add media, image galleries, etc.

Identify Needs & Provide Solutions

By taking advantage of incoming traffic to listen to what problems your users are trying to solve, you can have an endless funnel of ideas for developing new services, products, and solutions, all of which can provide you with new opportunities for generating new sources of traffic.

Useful Tips & Ideas

• Consider creating an online training course.
• Consider publishing educational guides that you can sell or distribute online.
• Consider adding an e-commerce store to your business.

Tools, Plugins, And Methods

If you plan to provide products and services online (as opposed to just providing information), look for WordPress plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your website:

• 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 to collect and analyze data. Gathering and interpreting data from existing traffic lets you discover new traffic opportunities.

You should already have installed an analytics tool (e.g. Google Analytics) on your website. Make sure you can also understand the data.

WordPress Traffic System – 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 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 (with some paid advertising to drive traffic and generate useful data) to increase your reach and visibility online,
• Add plugins, list-building strategies, and other methods if 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, now you have a blueprint that will help you drive more visitors automatically to your WordPress website and improve your business online.

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