WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Part 5 (Optimization)

Welcome to Part 5 of our Web Site Traffic Blueprint article series, where we explain how to automate traffic to your website 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 provide an overview of the traffic automation process, and explain why using an expertly configured WordPress website or blog is the key to generating automated traffic …

(With an expertly configured WordPress web site, all you have to do to automatically bring more traffic is add fresh content regularly!)

In Part 2, we focused on critical setup decisions. We explained the best way to get started if you don’t have a web presence yet, how to set everything up if you already have a website, and what to do if your existing website has been built with WordPress.

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

In Part 3, we discussed configuring the system. We explained how to configure all the settings (hosting, WordPress and external) that can affect your site’s ability to generate traffic automatically …

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

In Part Four, you learned how to set up various plugins that can help get web traffic automatically to your website or blog.

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

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

WordPress Traffic Blueprint – Systems

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

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

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

These systems include:

• Marketing Systems – How you drive new traffic to your website.
• Technical Systems – How you ensure that your web presence remains up and running for receiving new traffic.
• Business Systems – The systems used to manage and respond to traffic.

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

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

Marketing Systems

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

• What is your content marketing strategy?
• What resources and portion of your budget will you allocate to your marketing channels?
• How will you create and optimize your content and marketing campaigns?
• How will you measure the results of your 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 (e.g. Google AdWords) to help generate some initial 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.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems keep your web presence optimized for receiving traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your website if your site is down or your web pages are taking a very long time to load.

Your technical systems need to handle 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 looks after my server?
• Who looks after my website and keeps my site maintained and up-to-date?
• Who will fix errors, troubleshoot problems, provide technical support and advice, etc. should anything go wrong?

Many potential issues can be minimized if your website planning and setup and configuration phases have been done correctly. Like all technology, however, you should expect to face new problems. Your technical systems need to be robust enough to handle these.

Business Systems

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

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

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

WordPress Web Traffic Automation Blueprint – Traffic Optimization Methods

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

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

(Traffic loop)

Increase Reach & Visibility Online

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

Useful Tips And Ideas

• An expertly configured WordPress site allows you to instantly share your content on traffic-getting sources like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc. The easiest way to increase your reach and visibility online, therefore, is to simply publish more content.
• As mentioned earlier, investing in some paid advertising (e.g. pay-per-click ads) can help generate actionable data such as the keyword phrases people are searching online to find your site, which you can use to create web content better targeted to your audience’s needs.
• Repurpose your content to leverage the power, appeal, and reach of different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to attract more traffic using methods like Pinterest advertising, PPC advertising, email, etc.

Tools And Methods

We’ve covered a number of useful tools and methods in previous sections of this tutorial series.

Also, see other posts and tutorials on this site to learn more about plugins that let you easily add the following to your site:

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

Build Authority & Credibility

Getting more of your content published is great, but to make this more effective, your content also needs to be building authority and credibility with users.

Publishing better quality content improves your chances of getting it shared around and hence more traffic.

Traffic Optimization Ideas

• Create and publish content that will add value to potential visitors and showcase your expertise. This includes content that educates and informs readers, training content, user reviews, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing PDF guides or special reports that can be sold or distributed online (e.g. sell on Amazon.

Plugins, Tools, & Strategies

We have created a complete email email-based training course aimed at helping you never run out of great content ideas for posting to your web site:

Also, if you haven’t already, contact us to learn more about 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 demand.” You can do this by growing a list or starting a community.

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

Tips

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

Tools And Strategies

Many solutions and WordPress plugins are available that can help increase your influence and improve engagement. For example:

• Autoresponders (e.g. Aweber, MailChimp, etc.)
• Contact Forms, Live Chat
• Forums & Discussion Groups (e.g. bbPress, BuddyPress)
• Polls & Surveys
• Webinars (e.g. Webinar JEO)
• Comment sharing
• Add media, image galleries, etc.

Identify Problems And Provide Solutions To These

If you take advantage of incoming traffic to find out what your visitors are searching for, you can have an endless funnel of ideas for developing new products, services, and solutions, all of which provide new opportunities to generate new sources of traffic.

Tips

• Consider creating a free or paid e-learning course.
• Publish a “how-to” e-book that can be sold or distributed online.
• Consider adding an e-commerce store to your site.

Tools & Strategies

If you plan to provide 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.)
• e-Courses (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 generate additional traffic.

Hopefully, by now you already have installed an analytics program (e.g. Google Analytics) on your website. Make sure you can also understand the data.

WordPress Web Traffic Blueprint – Summary

Once you implement the above strategies, all you have to do 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 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 solutions as necessary to help 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, this post has given you a blueprint that will help you drive more visitors automatically to your website and build a more successful business online.

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