WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Part 5 (Optimization)

Welcome to Part Five of our WordPress Website Traffic Blueprint article series, where we show you how to grow your business online automatically using the WordPress CMS.

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

In Part One of this series, we explained why using an expertly configured WordPress site is the key to generating automated web traffic …

(With an expertly configured WordPress website, all you have to do to start attracting web traffic is add new content on a regular basis!)

In Part 2, we look at the setup phase of this system. We explain the best way to get started if you don’t have a website yet, how to set everything up if you already have a website, and what to do if your website was built with WordPress.

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

In Part Three, we looked at the configuration phase. We configured web hosting settings, WordPress settings, and external settings that affect your site’s ability to generate traffic automatically …

(In Part 3 you will configure hosting settings, internal settings, and external settings that affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically)

In Part 4, we looked at ways to automate the traffic system with different plugins.

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

In Part 5 of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint series, we discuss ways to optimize the traffic system using various tools and strategies.

WordPress Traffic System – Traffic Optimization Systems

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

(Generating regular traffic is the product of having a clear business vision, sound 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 new traffic for your business.
• Technical Systems – How you keep your online presence operating efficiently for receiving new traffic.
• Business Systems – How you manage and respond to new traffic.

(Systems help you grow and manage your traffic)

Let’s review the above systems briefly:

Marketing Systems

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

• What channels will you use to generate traffic (e.g. blogging, facebook advertising, video marketing, etc)?
• How will you apply your budget and resources to these marketing channels?
• How will you create your content, sales funnels, and run your marketing campaigns?
• How will you track conversions and measure the results of your 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 generate some data, such as the keyword phrases people are searching online to find your site, which you can use to create content better targeted to your audience.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems keep your web presence operating efficiently for receiving new traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your site if your site is experiencing problems or your pages are taking a long time to load.

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

You can test your technical systems by questions such as:

• Who is looking 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. if problems arise?

Many potential issues can be minimized if your website planning and setup and configuration phases have been completed correctly. As with all technology, however, there will always be problems. You will need the right technical systems in place to handle these.

Business Systems

You need good operational systems and processes in place to help you manage the influx of traffic. This includes:

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

If you plan to outsource your digital marketing and technical support, then you will need to put systems in place for managing all outsourcing.

WordPress Traffic System – Traffic Optimization Methods

If your business objectives are clear and your systems and processes are in place, all you need to focus on is growing a “traffic loop”.

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

(Traffic loop)

Increase Reach And Visibility

The first step of the process is to increase visibility for your business and website.

Traffic Ideas

• An expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to instantly share your content on social media accounts 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 can help generate actionable data such as the keyword phrases people are searching online to find your site, which you can use to create content targeted specifically to your audience’s needs.
• Repurpose your content to leverage different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to attract more visitors using methods like Facebook, PPC advertising, forum ads, etc.

Tools & Strategies

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

Also, if you haven’t already, see other posts on this site to 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/downloads for shares/likes,
• Accept user generated content, feeds, etc.
• Distribute content online in other media formats (e.g. videos, PDF guides, infographics, etc.)

Build Authority And Credibility

Getting more content published is a great first step, but to make this more effective, your content needs to be building authority and credibility with your audience.

Publishing authoritative content improves your chances of getting it shared around and hence more visitors.

Useful Tips

• Focus on creating and publishing content that adds value to users and that showcases your expertise. This includes content that educates and informs readers, training content, user reviews, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing a special report or PDF guide that you can sell or distribute online (e.g. sell on Clickbank.

Tools, Plugins, And Strategies

If you need endless content ideas for your web site, we recommend subscribing to our FREE email training course on growing your business online with content marketing here:

Also, learn more about plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your site:

• 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 demand.” You can achieve this by growing a list or starting an online membership site.

With “Traffic On Demand,” all of your traffic will come from an audience of existing customers or subscribers – people who already know you and trust you. Your influence and reputation can be used to generate 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 newsletter and encourage people to subscribe.
• Add a free, paid, or ‘freemium’ membership site.
• Create or join an online group on LinkedIn/Facebook.

Plugins, Tools, & Methods

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

• List-Building Tools (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 & Provide Solutions

By taking advantage of incoming traffic to discover what users want, you should have no problem coming up with ideas for new solutions, all of which can provide you with new opportunities to generate new streams of web traffic.

Tips

• Consider creating a free or paid online training program.
• Consider publishing instructional PDF guides that can be sold or distributed online (e.g. sell on on the Amazon Kindle store.
• Add an e-commerce store to your site.

Plugins, Tools, & Methods

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

• 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. By learning to interpret data gathered from existing traffic, you can discover new opportunities to create content that can generate you additional traffic.

You should have already installed an analytics tool (e.g. Google Analytics) on your website. Make sure you can also understand the data.

WordPress Web Traffic Automation System – Summary

All you have to do once you implement the above strategies is repeat the process over and over again, 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 solid 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 build authority, trust, 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, now you have a blueprint that will help you automate and optimize the process of driving visitors to your website and build a more successful business online.

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