WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Part 5 (Optimization)

Welcome to Part 5 of our Web Site Traffic Blueprint article series, where we explain how to create an automated traffic machine using the WordPress CMS platform.

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

In Part 1 of this article series, we describe the traffic automation process, and explain why using an expertly configured WordPress website is the key to generating automated web traffic …

(With an expertly configured WordPress website, all you have to do to start driving traffic is publish new content regularly!)

In Part Two, we focus on the setup phase. We help you understand the best way to get started if you don’t have a web presence yet, how to set things up if you already have a site, and what to do if your site was built with WordPress.

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

In Part 3, we look at the configuration phase of the traffic automation blueprint. We explained how to configure all the settings (hosting, internal and external) that affect your site’s ability to generate traffic automatically …

(In Part Three you learn how to configure all the settings that can affect your website’s traffic-getting ability)

In Part 4, we discussed ways to automate traffic generation with different WordPress plugins.

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

In this article, we discuss ways to optimize traffic generation using various tools and strategies.

WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Systems

In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress website, the key to generating consistent traffic of high quality is having a clearly-defined business vision, great digital planning, and great systems and process in place.

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

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

These systems include:

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

(Systems help you grow and manage your traffic)

Let’s briefly review how important these systems are:

Marketing Systems

Your marketing systems consist of the processes and methods used to create new traffic for your website. Your online marketing systems can be tested by asking questions such as:

• What channels do you plan to use to generate new traffic (e.g. blogging, video marketing, etc)?
• What resources and portion of your budget will you apply to your marketing channels?
• How will you create and optimize your content and run your marketing campaigns?
• How will you measure the ROI 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. pay-per-click ads) to help you generate some initial data, such as the keywords people are searching online to find your site, which you can use to create content targeted specifically to your audience’s needs.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems and processes ensure that your digital presence remains optimized for receiving new traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your site if your site is down or your pages are taking too long to load.

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

You can test your technical systems by questions such as:

• Who is looking after my server?
• Who will look after my website and keep 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 completed correctly. Like all technology, however, you can expect problems. You will need the right technical systems in place to handle these.

Business Systems

Your business systems 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 services, then you will need to put good systems in place for managing all outsourcing processes.

WordPress Web Traffic Automation System – Traffic Loops

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

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

(Implementing an effective traffic loop)

Increase Reach & Visibility

Step 1 of the process is to get your business exposed to as many traffic generation sites and channels as possible.

Traffic Optimization Ideas

• An expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to automatically syndicate your content to sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. The easiest way to increase your reach and visibility online, therefore, is to simply publish more content on your site.
• As mentioned earlier, investing in some paid advertising (e.g. pay-per-click ads) 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 web content targeted specifically to your audience.
• Repurpose your content to leverage different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to drive more visitors using methods like paid advertising, PPC advertising, email ads, etc.

Plugins, Tools, & Methods

We’ve already covered many useful tools, plugins, and methods in previous sections of this article series.

Also, if you haven’t already, ask us about WordPress plugins that let you easily add the following to your site:

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

Build Authority And Credibility

Getting more of your content published is a great first step, but to make this more effective, your content also needs to build authority and credibility with users.

Publishing authoritative content improves your chances of getting more people to link to it and share it around and hence more visitors.

Useful Tips & Ideas

• 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 guides that you can sell or distribute online (e.g. sell on on the Amazon Kindle store.

Plugins, Tools, And Methods

We have created an entire email course aimed at helping you come up with limitless content for posting to your web site:

Also, if you haven’t already, ask us 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

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

With “Traffic On Demand,” your traffic comes from an audience of 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 or broadcast you send out.

Useful Tips And Ideas

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

Tools, Plugins, And Strategies

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

• Autoresponders (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, image galleries, etc.

Identify Needs & Provide Solutions

If you take advantage of incoming traffic to listen to what users need, you should have no problem coming up with ideas for new solutions, all of which can provide you with new opportunities for generating new streams of web traffic.

Useful Tips

• Create an e-learning program.
• Publish expert reports that you can sell or distribute online.
• Consider adding e-commerce to your business.

Plugins, Tools, & Strategies

If you plan to provide products, services, and solutions online (as opposed to just providing information), then some of the more useful WordPress plugins you may want to add to your site include:

• Membership Site plugins (e.g. Wishlist Member, S2 Member, etc.)
• e-Learning 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 allows you to discover new ways to generate content that can bring you additional traffic.

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

WordPress Web Traffic Automation System – Summary

All you have to do once you implement the above strategies is rinse and repeat, fine-tuning and refining your methods as you go to grow your traffic and get better 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 as needed to 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 automate and optimize the process of driving visitors to your WordPress web site and get better results online.

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