WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Part 5 (Optimization)

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

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

In Part 1 of this series, we described the traffic automation process, and explained why using an expertly configured WordPress website or blog is the key to automating traffic to your website …

(With an expertly configured WordPress website or blog, all you have to do is publish new content on a consistent basis to automatically attract more web traffic!)

In Part 2, we discussed the setup phase. We helped you understand the best way to start if you don’t have a web presence yet, how to set everything up if you already have a site, and what to do if your existing site was built using WordPress.

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

In Part 3, we discussed important configuration decisions. We configured webhosting settings, internal settings, and external settings that can affect your website’s traffic-getting ability …

(In Part 3 you will configure all the settings (hosting, internal and external) that affect your website’s traffic-getting ability)

In Part 4, you learned how to set up various WordPress plugins that can drive new traffic automatically to your site just by posting content.

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

In this article, we look at ways to optimize traffic to your website with different tools and methods.

WordPress Web Traffic Automation Blueprint – Traffic Optimization Systems

In addition to getting your WordPress site expertly configured, the key to generating targeted traffic on a consistent basis is having a clear business vision, careful digital planning, and good systems and process in place.

(Generating regular traffic is the result of having a clear business vision, sound planning, and systems)

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

These include:

• Marketing Systems – How you create traffic for your business.
• Technical Systems – The systems used to keep your online presence up and running for receiving traffic.
• Business Systems – The systems used to manage and respond to new traffic.

(Use systems to grow, automate, 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 drive traffic to your website. Your online marketing systems can be tested by asking questions such as:

• What channels do you plan to use to drive new traffic (e.g. blogging, video marketing, etc)?
• What resources and portion of your budget will you allocate to these channels?
• How will you create and optimize your content, sales funnels, and run your marketing campaigns?
• How will you track conversions 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. Google AdWords) to help generate some initial results. If you’re tracking your marketing campaigns correctly, this should yield some actionable data, such as the keyword phrases people are searching online to find your website, which you can use to create content targeted specifically to your audience’s needs.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems keep your digital presence up and running for receiving traffic. There’s no point driving traffic to your site if your site is down or your web pages are taking a very long time to load.

Your systems need to be able to adequately handle areas like webhosting, website maintenance and support, installing, configuring, 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 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. if you experience difficulties?

Many potential issues can be minimized if your website planning and setup and configuration phases have been completed correctly. As with all technology, however, you can expect new problems to arise. Your technical systems need to be robust enough to handle these.

Business Systems

Your business systems help you manage the influx of traffic. These include:

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

If you plan to outsource your digital marketing and technical maintenance, then make sure you have good 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 do is focus on developing your “traffic loop”.

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

(An effective traffic loop)

Increase Reach & Visibility Online

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

Tips

• Your expertly configured WordPress site allows you to automatically publish your content on sites like Facebook, Twitter, GooglePlus, 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 can help you generate actionable data such as the keyword phrases people are searching online to find your website, 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 get website visitors using methods like Facebook advertising, solo ads, forum ads, etc.

Tools And Strategies

We’ve covered a number of useful plugins, tools, and methods in previous sections of this tutorial series.

Also, if you haven’t already, contact us to learn more about WordPress plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your site:

• Share your comments and posts online,
• Run contests, offer downloads or discounts for likes/shares,
• Display user generated content, feeds, etc.
• Publish and distribute content online in different media formats (e.g. videos, PDF guides, audio, etc.)

Build Authority And Credibility

Getting more of your content published is a great first step, but for this activity to be really effective, your content needs to be building authority and credibility with users.

Publishing authoritative content not only helps to establish your credibility, it also improves your chances of getting more views from social sharing and hence more visitors.

Traffic Optimization Tips

• Create and publish content that will add value to potential users and showcase your expertise. This includes content that informs and educates readers, training content, user reviews, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing instructional PDF guides or special reports that can be sold or distributed online.

Plugins, Tools, & Strategies

We have created an entire course on content creation that you can plug into at no cost here:

Also, if you haven’t already, ask us about plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your website or blog:

• 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 tap.” You can achieve this by building a list or starting a community.

With “Traffic On Tap,” all of your traffic comes from customers or subscribers – people who already like you and trust you. Your influence and reputation can be used to generate new traffic with every blog post you publish or broadcast you send out.

Useful Tips & Ideas

• Encourage visitors to leave comments and start discussions on your site.
• Add an autoresponder newsletter and encourage people to subscribe.
• Add a paid or free membership site.
• Create or join an online group on Facebook/LinkedIn.

Tools And Methods

Many solutions and WordPress plugins are available that can help increase your influence and improve engagement. For example:

• Autoresponders (e.g. Aweber, MailChimp, etc.)
• Contact Forms, Live Chat
• Forums and Discussion Groups (e.g. bbPress, BuddyPress)
• Polls & 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 your visitors need, you can develop new solutions, all of which can provide you with new opportunities to generate new sources of traffic.

Useful Tips And Ideas

• Create a free or paid online training program.
• Publish an e-book that can be sold or distributed online.
• Add an e-commerce store to your site.

Plugins, Tools, & Methods

If you plan to provide solutions online (as opposed to just providing information), contact us to learn more about plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your website:

• Membership Sites (e.g. Wishlist Member, S2 Member, etc.)
• Learning Management Systems (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 gives you the opportunity to discover new ways to create additional traffic.

Hopefully, by now you already have installed an analytics tool (e.g. Google Analytics) on your site. Make sure you understand the metrics and features and can interpret the data.

WordPress Web 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 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 (consider also investing in 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 if required to build authority, trust, 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, this article has given you a blueprint that will help you automate and optimize the process of driving traffic to your WordPress website and build a better business online.

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