WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Part 5 (Optimization)

Welcome to Part Five of our Web Site Traffic Blueprint article series, where we show you how to drive traffic automatically to your site using the WordPress CMS.

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

In Part 1, we describe the traffic automation process, and explain why using an expertly configured WordPress site is the key to automating traffic to your website …

(With an expertly configured WordPress website or blog, all you have to do is publish new content on a consistent basis to begin attracting more web traffic!)

In Part Two, we focus on the setup phase. We explain the best way to get started if you don’t have a web presence yet, how to set things up if you already have a website, and what to do if your website is built with WordPress.

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

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

(In Part 3 you will configure all the settings (hosting, WordPress and external) that affect your website’s traffic-getting ability)

In Part 4, we explained how to set up various WordPress plugins that can help bring web traffic automatically to your website or blog simply by adding fresh content.

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

In Part 5 of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint article series, we discuss ways to optimize the traffic-getting process using various tools and methods.

WordPress Web Traffic System – Systems

In addition to getting your WordPress website expertly configured, generating targeted traffic on a consistent basis comes from having a well-defined business vision, careful digital planning, and great systems and process in place.

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

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

These include:

• Marketing Systems – The processes and methods used to create new traffic for your business.
• Technical Systems – How you ensure that your online presence remains up and running for receiving traffic.
• Business Systems – The systems used to manage and respond to new traffic.

(Systems help you grow, automate, and manage your 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 website. Your marketing systems can be tested by asking questions such as:

• What is your content marketing strategy?
• How will you apply your marketing budget and resources to these channels?
• Who will create and optimize your content, sales funnels, and marketing campaigns?
• How will you test and measure the results of your online 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 you generate some initial 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.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems keep your online presence optimized for receiving new traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your site if your site is constantly experiencing problems or your pages take a long time to load.

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

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

• Who looks after my server?
• Who looks after my website and keeps 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 occur?

Many potential issues 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 and processes help you manage the influx of traffic. This includes:

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

If you plan to outsource key aspects of your digital marketing and technical services, then make sure you also implement good systems for managing all outsourcing.

WordPress Web Traffic System – Traffic Loops

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

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

(WordPress can help you implement, optimize, and automate a traffic loop)

Increase Reach & Visibility

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

Tips

• Your expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to instantly notify and publicize your content to traffic-getting sources like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, 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. Facebook ads) can help generate some initial actionable and intelligent data such as the keyword phrases people are searching online to find your site, which you can use to create web content targeted specifically to your audience.
• Repurpose your content to leverage the power and reach of different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to get more web traffic using methods like Twitter ads, YouTube, StumbleUpon, etc.

Tools, Plugins, & Methods

See previous sections of this tutorial series for many excellent plugins, tools, and methods we’ve already covered to help you reach more potential users.

Also, contact us to learn more about plugins that let you easily add the following to your WordPress website or blog:

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

Build Authority And Credibility

Getting more of your content published is good, but for this activity to be really effective, your content needs to be building authority and credibility with visitors.

Publishing better quality content not only helps to establish your credibility, it also improves your chances of getting it shared on other sites and hence more visitors.

Traffic Ideas

• Create and publish content that adds value to potential visitors and that showcases 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 Clickbank.

Tools, Plugins, And Methods

We have created an entire course on content creation that you can plug into for free here:

Also, contact us to learn more about plugins that allow you to 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 Trust

Grow Influence And Engagement

At some point, you may want to consider developing “traffic on tap.” You can achieve this by growing a list or starting a forum or network.

With “Traffic On Tap,” all of your traffic comes from customers or subscribers – people who already know you and trust you. Your influence and credibility can be used to generate new traffic with a single blog post or email.

Tips

• Encourage users to leave comments and start discussions on your site.
• Add an email training course and encourage people to subscribe.
• Add a free or paid membership site.
• Start or join an online group on LinkedIn.

Tools & Methods

There are many solutions and WordPress plugins that 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 & Discussion Groups (e.g. bbPress, BuddyPress)
• Polls & Surveys
• Webinars (e.g. Webinar JEO)
• Comment sharing
• Add media, image galleries, etc.

Identify Needs And Provide Solutions To These

If you take advantage of incoming traffic to listen to what problems your users are trying to solve, you can develop new solutions, all of which can provide you with new opportunities to generate additional web traffic.

Tips

• Consider creating an online training course.
• Consider publishing educational guides or special reports that you can sell or distribute online.
• Consider adding e-commerce to your site.

Tools, Plugins, & Strategies

If you plan to provide products and services online (as opposed to just providing information), ask us about plugins that let you easily add the following to your website:

• 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 the collection and analysis of data. Learning to gather and interpret data from existing traffic lets you discover new opportunities to create additional traffic.

Hopefully, by now you have already installed an analytics program (e.g. Google Analytics) on your site. Make sure you understand the metrics and features and can 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 solid marketing, technical and business systems,
• Implement a content marketing strategy (consider also investing in some paid advertising to drive traffic and generate useful data) to increase your reach and visibility online,
• Add plugins, list-building strategies, and other methods as required 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, now you have a blueprint that will help you automate and optimize the process of driving visitors to your website and build a better business online.

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