Welcome to Part Five of our Web Site Traffic Blueprint article series, where we show you how to automate traffic to your website using the WordPress CMS.
So far, we have covered the following in this article series:
In Part 1 of this series, we explain why using an expertly configured WordPress website is the key to generating automated traffic …
(With an expertly configured WordPress site, all you have to do is post fresh content regularly to automatically start attracting traffic!)
In Part Two, we discussed the setup phase of the blueprint. We helped 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 website was built using WordPress.
(In Part 2 we show you where to set up WordPress on your domain)
In Part 3, we discuss configuring the system. We explained how to configure all the settings that affect your site’s ability to generate traffic automatically …
(In Part Three you will configure all the settings (hosting, WordPress and external) that 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 website.
(Publish once, automate the rest!)
In Part Five of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint series, we discuss ways to optimize the traffic generation process with a number of different tools and methods.
WordPress Web Traffic Automation System – Traffic Optimization Systems
In addition to getting your WordPress site expertly configured, the key to generating quality traffic consistently is having a clear business vision, sound digital planning, and good systems in place.
(Generating regular traffic is the product of having a clear business vision, planning, and excellent 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 create traffic for your business.
- Technical Systems – The systems and processes used to ensure that your web presence remains operating efficiently for receiving traffic.
- Business Systems – How you manage and respond to traffic.
(Systems help you grow, automate, and manage your web traffic)
Let’s briefly review the importance of the above systems:
Marketing Systems
Your marketing systems consist of the processes and methods used to create new traffic for your website. You can test your online marketing systems by asking questions such as:
- What channels will you use to generate new traffic (e.g. blogging, video marketing, etc)?
- How will you apply your budget and resources to these channels?
- How will you create and optimize your content and marketing campaigns?
- How will you measure the results of your 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 you generate some data, such as the keywords people are searching online to find your website, which you can use to create web content targeted specifically to your audience.
Technical Systems
Your technical systems keep your web presence up and running for receiving traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your website if your site is experiencing problems or your web pages take too long to load.
Your technical systems include handling 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 server?
- Who looks after my website and keeps my site, plugins, themes, etc. maintained and up-to-date?
- Who will fix errors, troubleshoot problems, provide technical support and advice, etc. should things go wrong?
Many potential issues can be minimized if your website planning and setup and configuration phases have been completed correctly. As with all technology, however, there will always be problems. Your technical systems need to be robust enough to handle these.
Business Systems
Your business systems and processes help you manage new traffic. This includes:
- 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 make sure you also implement good systems for managing all outsourcing.
WordPress Traffic System – Traffic Optimization Strategies
With clear business objectives and great systems in place, all you need to do is focus on how to grow and optimize a “traffic loop”.
Let’s go through an example of how to implement, optimize, and further automate a traffic loop. Take a look at the diagram below …
(WordPress can help implement and optimize a traffic loop)
Increase Reach And Visibility Online
Step 1 of the process is to get your business exposed to as many potential users as your resources allow.
Useful Tips & Ideas
- An expertly configured WordPress site allows you to automatically syndicate your content to places like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, 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 generate some initial actionable data, which you can use to create content targeted specifically to your audience.
- Repurpose your content to leverage the power and reach of different media formats.
- Continue learning about ways to bring more web traffic using methods like Twitter, banner ads, joint ventures, etc.
Tools, Plugins, And Methods
See previous sections of this tutorial series for a number of useful plugins, tools, and methods we’ve already covered to help you reach more potential users.
Also, look for plugins that let you easily add the following to your WordPress site:
- Share your comments and posts online,
- Run contests, offer discounts or downloads for shares/likes,
- Add user generated content, feeds, etc.
- Distribute content online in various media formats (e.g. videos, PDF guides, audio, etc.)
Build Authority & Credibility
Getting more of your content published is great, but to make this activity more effective, your content also needs to be building authority and credibility with visitors.
Publishing authoritative 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.
Useful Tips And Ideas
- Create and publish content that adds value to your audience and that showcases your expertise. This includes content that educates and informs readers, training content, user reviews, adding testimonials, etc.
- Consider publishing an instructional PDF guide that you can sell or distribute online (e.g. sell on Clickbank.
Tools, Plugins, And Methods
We have created a detailed email course on how to develop a content marketing strategy, how to promote your business with content, and ways to never run out of content ideas that you can plug into for free here:
Also, learn more about plugins that let you easily add the following to your WordPress 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 achieve this by building a list or starting a group.
With “Traffic On Tap,” your traffic comes from an audience of customers or subscribers – people who already know you and trust you. Your influence and credibility can be used to generate new traffic with a single blog post or broadcast.
Useful Tips
- Encourage commenting and 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 And Methods
There are many solutions and WordPress plugins that are easy to implement and can help grow your online influence and improve engagement. For example:
- List-Building Software (e.g. Aweber, MailChimp, etc.)
- Contact Forms, Live Chat
- Forums and Social Communities (e.g. bbPress, BuddyPress)
- Polls & Surveys
- Webinars (e.g. Webinar JEO)
- Comment sharing
- Add media, video galleries, etc.
Identify Needs & Provide Solutions
By taking advantage of incoming traffic to find out what your visitors want, you can have an endless funnel of ideas for developing new services, products, and solutions, all of which provide new opportunities for generating additional traffic.
Traffic Optimization Tips
- Create an e-learning course.
- Publish a special report or even an e-book that you can sell or distribute online.
- Add e-commerce to your site.
Tools And Methods
If you plan to provide solutions online (as opposed to just providing information), ask us about plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your site:
- 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 allows you to discover new traffic opportunities.
Hopefully, by now you already have installed an analytics tool (e.g. Google Analytics) on your website. Make sure you also learn how to interpret the data.
WordPress Web Traffic Automation 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 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 also investing in 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, trust, 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, now you have a blueprint that will help you drive more traffic automatically to your WordPress website and expand your business online.
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"This is AMAZING! I had learnt about how to use WordPress previously, but this covers absolutely everything and more!! Incredible value! Thank you!" - Monique, Warrior Forum
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