WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Part 5 (Optimization)

Welcome to Part Five of our Website Traffic Blueprint article series, where we show you how to automate traffic to your site using WordPress.

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

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

(With an expertly configured WordPress blog, all you have to do is post fresh content on a consistent basis to automatically generate traffic!)

In Part 2, we look at the setup phase. We help 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 with WordPress.

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

In Part Three, we focused on the configuration phase. We explained how to configure hosting settings, WordPress settings, and external settings that affect your site’s ability to generate traffic automatically …

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

In Part 4, you learned how to set up various WordPress plugins that can bring web traffic automatically to your website.

(Publish content once, automate the rest!)

In Part 5 of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint series, we discuss ways to optimize traffic to your website with different tools and methods.

WordPress Web Traffic System – Traffic Optimization Systems

In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress website, the key to generating successfully on a consistent basis is having a clear business vision, sound digital planning, and excellent systems and process in place.

(Generating automated traffic is the product of having a clear business vision, sound planning, and excellent systems)

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

These include:

• Marketing Systems – The processes and methods used to drive new traffic to your business.
• Technical Systems – How you keep your digital presence optimized for receiving new traffic.
• Business Systems – The systems used to manage and respond to new traffic.

(Systems help you grow, automate, and manage your web traffic)

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

Marketing Systems

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

• What channels will you use to drive traffic (e.g. blogging, PPC advertising, video marketing, etc)?
• What resources and portion of your budget will you allocate to these channels?
• Who will create your content and run your marketing campaigns?
• How will you test and 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 to help you generate some actionable data, such as the keywords 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 keep your digital presence up and running for receiving traffic. There’s no point driving traffic to your site if your site is experiencing problems or your pages are taking too long to load.

Your systems need 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 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. should any issues arise?

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 arise. You will need the right technical systems in place to handle these.

Business Systems

Your business systems help you manage and respond to traffic. These include:

• Communication systems
• Resources management – human, financial
• Handling leads and sales enquiries
• Order fulfillment
• Customer training/service
• etc.

If you plan to outsource your digital marketing and technical support, then make sure you also implement great systems to manage all outsourcing.

WordPress Traffic System – Traffic Optimization

With clear business objectives and great systems in place, all you need to do is to grow your “traffic loop”.

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

(Implementing an effective traffic loop)

Increase Reach & Visibility Online

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

Useful Tips & Ideas

• Your expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to instantly notify and publicize your content to social media accounts like Facebook, Twitter, GooglePlus, 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 can help you generate data, which you can use to create web content targeted specifically to your audience’s needs.
• Repurpose your content to leverage the power and reach of different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to increase web visitors using methods like Twitter advertising, podcasts, Reddit, etc.

Plugins, Tools, And Methods

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

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

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

Build Authority And Credibility

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

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

Tips

• Focus on creating content that adds value to potential visitors and that showcases your expertise. This includes content that educates and informs readers, training content, case studies, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing a special report that can be sold or distributed online.

Plugins, Tools, & Methods

If you need endless content ideas for your site, then subscribe to our email training series on growing your business with content marketing here:

Also, look for 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 Trust

Grow Influence And Engagement

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

With “Traffic On Demand,” your traffic will come from an audience of existing customers or subscribers – people who already know you and trust you. Your influence and credibility can be used to generate traffic with every blog post you publish or email you send out.

Tips

• Encourage commenting and discussions on your site.
• Add an autoresponder training course and encourage people to subscribe.
• Add a paid or free membership site, online forum, or social community.
• Create or join an online group on LinkedIn.

Tools & Methods

Many solutions and WordPress plugins are available that are easy to implement and can help increase your online 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 and Surveys
• Webinars (e.g. Webinar JEO)
• Comment sharing
• Add media, video galleries, etc.

Identify Needs/Problems & Provide Solutions

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

Traffic Optimization Ideas

• Create an e-learning program.
• Publish a special report or even an e-book that can be sold or distributed online.
• Consider adding an e-commerce store to your business.

Tools & Strategies

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 add to your website include:

• Membership Site plugins (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. By interpreting data gathered from existing traffic, you can discover new traffic opportunities.

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

WordPress Traffic Blueprint – Summary

Once you implement the above strategies, all you have to do 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 (with 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 methods as necessary to 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 information has given you a blueprint that will help you automate and optimize the process of driving visitors to your web site and improve your business online.

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