WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Part 5 (Optimization)

Welcome to Part Five of our WordPress Web Traffic Blueprint article series, where we show you how to create an automated traffic generation machine using WordPress.

So far, here is what we have covered in this series:

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

(With an expertly configured WordPress site, all you have to do is publish content consistently to drive more web traffic!)

In Part Two, we focused on critical setup decisions. 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 existing website was built using WordPress.

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

In Part Three, we discussed important configuration decisions. We configured all the settings (hosting, internal and external) that affect your website’s traffic-getting ability …

(In Part 3 we explain how to configure all the settings (hosting, WordPress and external) that affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically)

In Part 4, we discussed ways to automate traffic generation using plugins.

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

In Part Five of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint article series, we look at ways to optimize traffic generation using different tools and methods.

WordPress Web Traffic Blueprint – Systems

In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress website, generating consistent traffic of high quality is achieved by having a well-defined business vision, careful digital planning, and great systems in place.

(Optimized traffic is the result of having a clear business vision, planning, and great systems)

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

These include:

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

(Systems help you grow and manage your traffic)

Let’s briefly review how important these systems are for traffic:

Marketing Systems

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

• What is your content marketing strategy/online marketing strategy?
• What resources and portion of your budget will you apportion to these marketing channels?
• How will you create and optimize your content and run your marketing campaigns?
• How will you track conversions and measure the cost-effectiveness of your online marketing 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 generate some data, such as the keywords people are searching online to find your website, which you can use to create content targeted specifically to your audience.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems and processes ensure that your web presence remains operating efficiently for receiving new traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your site if your site is constantly experiencing problems or your web pages take a long time to load.

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

You can test your technical systems by questions such as:

• Who will look after my webhosting?
• 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 problems can be minimized if your website planning and setup and configuration phases have been done correctly. As with all technology, however, new problems will always arise. Your technical systems need to be able to handle these.

Business Systems

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

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

If you intend to outsource areas of your digital marketing and technical services, then make sure you also implement good systems to manage all outsourcing processes.

WordPress Web Traffic Automation Blueprint – Traffic Optimization

With clear business objectives and great systems in place, all you need to do is focus on how to implement, optimize, and further automate your “traffic loop”.

Let’s walk through an example of how to implement, optimize, and automate a traffic loop. Take a look at the diagram below …

(Implementing and optimizing your traffic loop)

Increase Reach And Visibility Online

The first step of the process is to get your business exposed to as many potential users as your time and resources will allow.

Traffic Ideas

• An expertly configured WordPress site allows you to automatically publish your content on sites like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc. The easiest way to increase your reach and visibility online, therefore, is to simply publish more content.
• As mentioned earlier, investing in some paid advertising (e.g. Google AdWords) can help generate actionable and intelligent data, which you can use to create content targeted specifically to your audience.
• Repurpose your content to leverage different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to increase more traffic using methods like paid ads, solo ads, joint ventures, etc.

Plugins, Tools, And Methods

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

Also, learn more about plugins that let you easily add the following to your website or blog:

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

Build Authority & Credibility

Getting more of your content out there is great, but for this activity to be really 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

• Focus on creating content that will add value to potential visitors and showcase your expertise. This includes content that informs and educates readers, training content, user reviews, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing a special report that can be sold or distributed online (e.g. sell on Clickbank.

Tools & Strategies

If you need help coming up with great ideas for posting content on your web site, then subscribe to our FREE email training series on content marketing here:

Also, 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 Trust

Grow Influence And Engagement

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

With “Traffic On Tap,” all of your traffic comes from an audience of existing customers or subscribers – people who already like you and trust you. Your influence and credibility can be used to generate new traffic with every post you publish, forum post you add, 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 free or paid membership site.
• Start or join a Facebook/LinkedIn Group.

Plugins, Tools, & Strategies

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

• Autoresponders (e.g. Aweber, MailChimp, etc.)
• Contact Forms, Live Chat
• Forums and 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 users want, you should have no problem coming up with ideas for new products and services, all of which can provide you with new opportunities for generating new streams of web traffic.

Useful Tips And Ideas

• Consider creating a free or paid e-learning program.
• Publish a “how to” guide that can be sold or distributed online.
• Add e-commerce to your business.

Plugins, Tools, & Strategies

If you plan to provide products, services, and solutions online (as opposed to just providing information), ask us about plugins that let you easily add the following to your site:

• 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. By learning to interpret data gathered from existing traffic, you can discover new ways to generate additional traffic.

Hopefully, by now you have already installed an analytics program like Google Analytics on your site. 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 (consider adding 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 as 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, this article has given you a blueprint that will help you automate and optimize the process of driving traffic to your web site and build a better business online.

***

***