WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Part 5 (Optimization)

Welcome to Part 5 of our Website Traffic Blueprint article series, where we show you how to drive new traffic automatically to your site using WordPress.

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

In Part One of this series, we explain why using an expertly configured WordPress site is the key to automating traffic to your website …

(With an expertly configured WordPress web site, all you have to do to automatically begin bringing more web traffic is post content on a consistent basis!)

In Part Two, we look at critical setup decisions. We explain the best way to get started 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 site was built with WordPress.

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

In Part Three, we look at the configuration phase. We configured all the settings (hosting, WordPress and external) that can affect your site’s traffic-getting ability …

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

In Part Four, we discussed ways to automate the traffic system using a number of plugins.

(Publish once, automate the rest!)

In this article, we look at ways to optimize the traffic generation process using different tools and methods.

WordPress Web Traffic Blueprint – Traffic Optimization Systems

In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress website or blog, the key to generating successfully on a consistent basis is having a well-defined business vision, careful digital planning, and great systems in place.

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

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

These systems include:

• Marketing Systems – The processes and methods used to drive traffic to your website.
• Technical Systems – How you keep your digital 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, automate, optimize, and manage your web traffic)

Let’s review the importance of the above systems briefly:

Marketing Systems

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

• What is your content marketing/online marketing strategy?
• What resources and portion of your marketing budget will you apply to these channels?
• How will you create your content, sales funnels, and run your marketing campaigns?
• How will you test and measure the cost-effectiveness of your 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 you generate some 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.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems and processes ensure that your digital presence remains optimized for receiving traffic. There’s no point driving traffic to your website if your site is constantly experiencing problems or your pages take too long to load.

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

You can test your technical systems by questions such as:

• Who is looking after my webhosting?
• Who will look after my website and keep my site maintained and up-to-date?
• Who will fix errors, troubleshoot problems, provide technical support and advice, etc. should issues arise?

Many potential issues can be minimized if your website planning process and setup and configuration phases have been done correctly. Like all technology, however, new problems will arise. Your technical systems need to be able to handle these.

Business Systems

Your business systems help you manage traffic. These include:

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

If you intend to outsource key aspects of your digital marketing and technical support, then make sure you also implement excellent systems for managing all outsourcing processes.

WordPress Web Traffic Automation Blueprint – Traffic Optimization Methods

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

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

(Implementing, automating and optimizing your traffic loop)

Increase Reach And Visibility

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

Useful Tips And Ideas

• An expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to automatically distribute your content to sites like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, 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 data, which you can use to create web content better targeted to your audience’s needs.
• Repurpose your content to leverage different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to increase more web traffic using methods like paid advertising, banner ads, email ads, etc.

Plugins, Tools, & Methods

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

Also, ask us about plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your WordPress 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 different media formats (e.g. videos, PDF guides, slides, etc.)

Build Authority And Credibility

Getting more of your content published is great, but for this activity to be really effective, your content needs to build authority and credibility with your audience.

Publishing authoritative content improves your chances of getting it shared around and viewed by more people and hence more traffic.

Useful Tips

• Create and publish content that adds value to potential users and that showcases your expertise. This includes content that informs and educates readers, training content, case studies, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing a special report or even an e-book that can be sold or distributed online (e.g. sell on Amazon.

Tools, Plugins, & Strategies

We have created an entire course on how to develop a content marketing strategy, how to promote your business with content, and how to never run out of new ideas for web content that you can plug into at no cost here:

Also, see other posts and tutorials on this site to learn more about WordPress plugins that let you 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 & Engagement

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

With “Traffic On Tap,” most 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 traffic with every post you publish, forum post you add, or broadcast you send out.

Useful Tips

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

Tools, Plugins, And Strategies

Many solutions and WordPress plugins are available that are easy to implement and can help grow your influence and improve engagement. For example:

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

Identify Needs/Problems And Provide Solutions To These

By taking advantage of incoming traffic to listen to what problems your users are trying to solve, you can have an endless funnel of ideas for new solutions, all of which can provide you with new opportunities to generate additional traffic.

Tips

• Create an e-learning program.
• Consider publishing special guides that you can sell or distribute online.
• Add e-commerce to your business.

Tools, Plugins, & Methods

If you plan to provide services, products, and 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 Sites (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 traffic opportunities.

Hopefully, by now you have already installed an analytics tool like Google Analytics on your site. Make sure you also learn how to interpret the data.

WordPress Web Traffic System – Summary

Once you implement the above strategies, all you have to do is repeat the same process, 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 (with some paid advertising to drive traffic and generate useful data) to increase your reach and visibility online,
• Add plugins, list-building strategies, and other solutions if needed to build authority and credibility, and also to improve 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 website and grow your business online.

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