WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Part 5 (Optimization)

Welcome to Part 5 of our Website Traffic Blueprint article series, where we explain how to grow your business online automatically using the WordPress CMS.

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

In Part One of this series, we explain why using an expertly configured WordPress website is the key to generating automated web traffic …

(With an expertly configured WordPress blog, all you have to do is post new content regularly to automatically start attracting traffic!)

In Part 2, we looked at the setup phase. We explained the best way to get started if you don’t have a web presence yet, how to set everything up if you already have a website, and what to do if your existing website has been built using WordPress.

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

In Part Three, we focused on important configuration decisions. We explained how to configure webhosting settings, WordPress settings, and external settings that can 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 website’s ability to generate traffic automatically)

In Part Four, you learned how to set up various plugins that can bring new visitors automatically to your site as you begin to post content on a regular basis.

(Publish once to WordPress and automate the distribution of your content to all other services!)

In Part Five of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint article series, we look at ways to optimize traffic to your website using various tools and strategies.

WordPress Web Traffic Automation System – Traffic Optimization Systems

In addition to getting your WordPress site expertly configured, generating quality traffic on a consistent basis is the result of a well-defined business vision, great digital planning, and great systems and process in place.

(Generating regular traffic is the product of a business vision, planning, and excellent systems)

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

These include:

• Marketing Systems – The processes and strategies used to create traffic for your business.
• Technical Systems – How you keep your web presence operating efficiently for receiving new traffic.
• Business Systems – The systems and processes used to manage and respond to new traffic.

(Systems help you grow and manage your traffic)

Let’s briefly review how important the above systems are for optimizing traffic:

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 is your content marketing strategy/online marketing strategy?
• How will you apportion your marketing budget and resources to these channels?
• How will you create your content and run your marketing campaigns?
• How will you track conversions and measure the results of your online marketing 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 to help generate some data, such as the keywords people are searching online to find your website, which you can use to create web content better targeted to your audience’s needs.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems and processes keep your digital presence up and running for receiving new traffic. There’s no point driving 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 areas like webhosting, website maintenance and support, installing and updating new applications (e.g. plugins), integration, customization, troubleshooting, etc.

Your technical systems can be tested by asking questions such as:

• Who is looking after my server?
• Who is looking after my website and keeping my site, plugins, themes, etc. 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 completed correctly. Like all technology, however, new problems will arise. Your technical systems need to be able to handle these.

Business Systems

You need good operational systems and processes to help you manage new traffic. These include:

• Communication systems
• Managing human and financial resources
• Handling leads and sales enquiries
• Order fulfillment
• Customer service/training
• etc.

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

WordPress Traffic System – Optimizing Traffic Generation

If your business objectives are clear and your systems and processes are in place, all you need to focus on is growing, optimizing and automating a “traffic loop”.

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

(Implementing and optimizing your traffic loop)

Increase Reach And Visibility

Step 1 of the process is to get your business exposed to as many members of your target audience as you can.

Traffic Tips

• Your expertly configured WordPress site allows you to instantly notify and publicize your content to social media accounts 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 (e.g. Facebook ads) can help generate some initial data, which you can use to create content better targeted to your audience’s needs.
• Repurpose your content to leverage different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to bring web traffic using methods like Facebook ads, podcasts, updates, etc.

Plugins, Tools, And Methods

See previous sections of this tutorial series for a number of excellent tools and methods we’ve already covered to help you reach more members of your target audience.

Also, see other posts on this site to learn more about plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your WordPress website or blog:

• Share your comments and posts online with others,
• Run contests, offer downloads or discounts for shares/likes,
• Add user generated content, feeds, etc.
• Distribute content online in various media formats (e.g. videos, PDF guides, slides, etc.)

Build Authority & Credibility

Getting more content out there is good, but to make this activity more effective, your content needs to be building authority and credibility with your audience.

Publishing higher quality content improves your chances of getting it shared around and hence more traffic.

Useful Tips

• Focus on creating content that will add value to users and showcase your expertise. This includes content that educates and informs readers, training content, case studies, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing special reports that can be sold or distributed online.

Tools & Methods

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 new content ideas that you can plug into at no cost here:

Also, learn more about plugins that allow you to 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

As your business grows, you may want to consider developing “traffic on tap.” You can achieve this by building a list or starting your own community.

With “Traffic On Tap,” most of your traffic will come from customers or subscribers – people who already like you and trust you. Your influence and credibility can be used to generate new traffic with a single blog post or email.

Useful Tips

• Encourage users to leave comments and start discussions on your site.
• Add an email training course and encourage people to subscribe.
• Add a free, paid, or ‘freemium’ membership site.
• Create or join an online group on LinkedIn/Facebook.

Plugins, Tools, And Methods

There are many solutions and WordPress plugins that are easy to implement and can help increase your influence and improve engagement. For example:

• Autoresponders/Email Newsletters (e.g. Aweber, GetResponse, etc.)
• Contact Forms, Live Chat
• Forums and Discussion Groups (e.g. bbPress, BuddyPress)
• Polls and Surveys
• Webinars (e.g. Webinar JEO)
• Comment sharing
• Add media, video galleries, etc.

Identify Needs/Problems & Provide Solutions

If you take advantage of incoming traffic to listen to what your visitors need, you should have no problem developing new products and services, all of which can provide you with new opportunities for generating new streams of web traffic.

Traffic Tips

• Create an e-learning program.
• Publish a PDF guide that can be sold or distributed online.
• Consider adding e-commerce to your business.

Tools, Plugins, & Strategies

If you plan to provide 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 or blog include:

• Membership Site plugins (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. Gathering and interpreting data from existing traffic gives you the opportunity to discover new ways to create additional traffic.

Hopefully, by now you already have installed an analytics program like Google Analytics on your website. Make sure you can also understand the data.

WordPress Web Traffic Blueprint – Summary

All you have to do once you implement the above strategies is repeat the cycle, 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 (consider adding 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 build authority 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, this post has given you a blueprint that will help you drive more traffic automatically to your WordPress web site and get better results online.

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