In Part One of our WordPress Web Site Traffic Blueprint article series, we explained that the key to turning a website into an automated traffic generation machine is to use an “expertly configured” WordPress website.
As we also explained, an expertly configured WordPress website or blog is different than a professionally-configured WordPress website. An expertly configured WordPress website is a blog that is not only built using WordPress, but has also been expertly set up and configured (either by yourself or professionally) to take full advantage of the enormous power, ease-of-use and functionality of WordPress and the way it can be integrated with other services, specifically in areas like SEO, third-party site syndication and analytics.
(With an expertly configured WordPress blog, all you have to do is publish great content regularly to automatically drive more web traffic!)
Once your WordPress site has been fully set up and expertly configured, all you need to do then to start driving traffic is publish content on a regular basis.
As outlined in Part One of this article series, the components of the automated traffic blueprint are as follows:
- Setup
- Configure
- Automate
- Optimize
In this article, we discuss the “Setup” phase of the blueprint. You will learn the best way to start if you don’t have a web presence yet, or if you already have an existing site that may or may not have been built using WordPress.
Contents
WordPress Web Traffic Automation Blueprint – Setup
If You Don’t Have A Website Yet
If you don’t have a web presence yet, then it’s really quite simple … get WordPress!
WordPress is the most powerful, flexible, cost-effective and the easiest to use content management system available. We provide loads of articles, tutorials, and tips on this site about the benefits and advantages of using WordPress to grow your business online.
For example, to learn just how popular WordPress has become as a web publishing platform, see this article: WordPress: How Popular Is It? Statistics About WordPress Usage
After making the choice to build your website with WordPress, the next step is to decide which WordPress platform you will use to run your web presence on.
This step is important because there are 2 types of WordPress platforms you can choose from …
WordPress – Hosted Or Self-Hosted?
(Self-Hosted vs Hosted WordPress Site)
WordPress offers users a ”hosted” and a “self-hosted” option.
WordPress.org lets you download the full-featured WordPress application at no cost and self-host a WordPress site or blog under your own domain name. This is the “self-hosted” WordPress option.
In the “hosted option”, WordPress hosts your blog for free at WordPress.com. There are, however, some limitations on what you can and can’t do with your site when it is hosted for free at WordPress.com.
If you plan to build a professional web presence and you want to set up the traffic system described here, then you should choose the “self-hosted” WordPress version. The benefits of choosing the “self-hosted” option (WordPress.org) far outweigh those of hosting a free site at WordPress.com. You can fully customize your web presence and avoid the limitations of the hosted option. Keep in mind that you can overcome the limitations of the free hosting platform by upgrading to a paid option, but then why not just start off with a WordPress site hosted on your domain and avoid the hassles of upgrading later?
If You Have An Existing Web Site
If you already have an existing website, first, check if your web site has been built using WordPress.
If you need help with this step, check this article: Tell-Tale Signs It’s A WordPress Site And WP-Checking Tools
If your existing web site is a WordPress website, move to the next step, and make sure that your site’s internal settings have been properly configured. We cover this step in more detail in another tutorial.
If your website is not a WordPress web site, you have some choices to make.
Take a look at the diagram below. It will help you decide where to set up WordPress on your domain …
(Use the above flowchart to help you decide where to set up a WordPress website on your domain)
Basically, you have two choices:
- Replace your existing website with a WordPress site, or
- Keep your existing web site and add a WordPress blog. Your WordPress blog will then be used to drive traffic to your main site.
If you choose to keep your existing website and add a WordPress blog, make sure to use the self-hosted version of WordPress, which requires a domain name and web hosting, but allows you to fully configure your blog’s settings and customize the design of your existing web site using a suitable theme for WordPress.
To use WordPress as your main website, install it in the “root” directory of your domain name (e.g. http://www.mydomainname.com).
If you already have a website, then you will want to install WordPress in a subfolder of your domain, e.g. www.mydomainname.com/blog (you can name your subfolder whatever you like).
If you already have a website that you don’t want to delete or replace with a WordPress site, you can choose to set up your WordPress site or blog on an entirely different domain.
This way:
- mydomainname.com – goes to your existing website
- myotherdomain.com – goes to your WordPress site
Once you have set up your WordPress site, the next step is to configure it. This step is explained in the next article in the series.
This is the end of Section Two
To read the rest of this article, click here:
This article is part of an tutorial series designed to help you learn how to grow your business online cost-effectively and drive traffic sustainably with a WordPress-driven website or blog and proven marketing methods that are easy to implement.
Subscribe Using The Form Below And Get Notified Of New WordPress Tutorials!
***
"I was absolutely amazed at the scope and breadth of these tutorials! The most in-depth training I have ever received on any subject!" - Myke O'Neill, DailyGreenPost.com
Disclaimer: We are not directly associated with WordPress or any of the WordPress products mentioned on this website. We may receive an affiliate commission from sales of any services and products advertised on our site. All images and descriptions sourced from product websites are the copyright of their respective owners and are being used solely for training or illustrative purposes.
***
Have you found this article useful? If so, please consider sharing this information with anyone thinking of starting a business online using the social links below.
Like It? Share It:
