WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Part 5 (Optimization)

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

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

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

(With an expertly configured WordPress blog, all you have to do to begin bringing more web traffic is add great content consistently!)

In Part Two, we look at the setup phase of the automation system. We help you understand the best way to start 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 existing website is built with WordPress.

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

In Part Three, we looked at the configuration phase. We configured hosting settings, WordPress settings, and external settings that affect your website’s traffic-getting ability …

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

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

(Publish once, automate the rest!)

In this section of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint article series, we look at ways to optimize the traffic system with different tools and strategies.

WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Traffic Optimization Systems

In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress website, generating traffic successfully on a consistent basis is the product of a well-defined business vision, sound digital planning, and great systems and process in place.

(Generating automated traffic is the product of a business vision, planning, and great systems)

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

These include:

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

(Systems help you grow 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 strategies used to create new traffic for your business. You can test your 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 assign to these channels?
• Who will create your content and marketing campaigns?
• How will you track conversions and measure the results 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 results. If you’re tracking your marketing campaigns correctly, this should yield some actionable data, such as the keyword phrases people are searching online to find your website, which you can use to create content better targeted to your audience’s needs.

Technical Systems

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

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

Your technical systems can be tested by asking questions such as:

• Who is looking after my webhosting?
• Who is looking after my website and keeping my site 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 planning and setup and configuration phases have been completed correctly. Like all technology, however, you should expect to face problems. You will need the right technical systems in place to handle these.

Business Systems

Your business systems help you manage new traffic. This includes:

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

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

WordPress Traffic Blueprint – Traffic Optimization Tools And Strategies

With clear business objectives and great systems in place, all you need to focus on is how to develop a “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 …

(Implement and optimize your traffic loop)

Increase Reach And Visibility Online

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

Useful Tips & Ideas

• An expertly configured WordPress site allows you to instantly share your content on traffic-getting sources like Facebook, Twitter, GooglePlus, 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. Facebook ads) can help you generate actionable and intelligent data, 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 drive more visitors using methods like Facebook, videos, email, etc.

Tools & Strategies

We’ve already covered a number of excellent tools, plugins, and methods in earlier sections of this tutorial series.

Also, if you haven’t already, contact us to learn more about plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your WordPress website or blog:

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

Build Authority & Credibility

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

Publishing better quality content improves your chances of getting more views from social sharing and hence more visitors.

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, user reviews, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing instructional PDF guides or special reports that you can sell or distribute online (e.g. sell on Amazon.

Tools, Plugins, And Strategies

We have created a detailed email course on content creation that you can plug into at no cost here:

Also, if you haven’t already, contact us to 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 Trust

Grow Influence & Engagement

As your business grows, you may want to consider developing “traffic on demand.” You can do this by building a list or starting a forum or network.

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 traffic with a single blog post or email.

Traffic Optimization Ideas

• Encourage users to leave comments and start discussions on your site.
• Add an email newsletter and encourage people to subscribe.
• Add a free, paid, or ‘freemium’ membership site, online forum, or social community.
• Start or join a Facebook/LinkedIn Group.

Tools, Plugins, And Methods

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

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

Identify Needs/Problems And Provide Solutions To These

By taking advantage of incoming traffic to find out what problems your users are trying to solve, you should have no problem developing new products and services, all of which provide new opportunities for generating new streams of web traffic.

Useful Tips

• Consider creating an e-learning program.
• Publish an instructional PDF guide that can be sold or distributed online.
• Add an e-commerce store to your site.

Tools And 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.)
• 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 opportunities to generate content that can bring you additional traffic.

Hopefully, by now you already have installed an analytics tool (e.g. Google Analytics) on your website. Make sure you also learn how to interpret the data.

WordPress Web Traffic 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 improve your results.

In summary:

• Begin with an expertly configured WordPress site backed by solid marketing, technical and business systems,
• Implement a content marketing strategy (consider also investing in 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, trust, 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 build a more successful business online.

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