WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Part 5 (Optimization)

Welcome to Part 5 of our WordPress Web Site Traffic Blueprint article series, where we explain how to create an automated web 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 described the traffic automation process, and explained why using an expertly configured WordPress website is the key to automating traffic to your website …

(With an expertly configured WordPress web site, all you have to do is publish new content on a consistent basis to automatically start attracting web traffic!)

In Part 2, we look at the setup phase. We explain 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 site is built with WordPress.

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

In Part 3, we discussed configuring the system. We configured web hosting settings, WordPress settings, and external settings that can affect your website’s traffic-getting ability …

(In Part 3 we explain how to configure hosting settings, WordPress settings, and external settings that can affect your site’s ability to generate traffic automatically)

In Part Four, we discussed ways to automate the traffic system using plugins.

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

In this section of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint article series, we discuss ways to optimize the traffic generation process with a number of different tools and methods.

WordPress Web 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 good systems and process in place.

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

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

These systems include:

• Marketing Systems – How you create traffic for your website.
• Technical Systems – How you keep your web 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 methods used to create new traffic for your business. Your online marketing systems can be tested by asking questions such as:

• What channels do you plan to use to drive traffic (e.g. blogging, PPC advertising, video marketing, etc)?
• What resources and portion of your marketing budget will you allocate to these channels?
• How will you create your content, sales funnels, and 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 (e.g. Google AdWords) to help generate some 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 and processes keep your web presence up and running for receiving traffic. There’s no point driving traffic to your website if your site is constantly experiencing problems or your pages are taking a very long time to load.

Your technical systems include handling areas like webhosting, site 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 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 anything go wrong?

Many potential issues can be minimized if your website planning process and setup and configuration phases have been completed correctly. As with all technology, however, you will run into new problems. Your technical systems need to be able to handle these.

Business Systems

You need good business systems and processes to help you manage the influx of traffic. These include:

• 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 support, then make sure you have implemented good systems to manage all outsourcing processes.

WordPress Traffic Automation System – Traffic Loops

If your business objectives are clear and your systems and processes are in place, all you need to do is focus on how to develop, optimize, and further automate a “traffic loop”.

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

(Implement, optimize, and automate a traffic loop)

Increase Reach & Visibility

Step 1 of the process is to get your business exposed to as many potential users as your resources allow.

Useful Tips And Ideas

• Your expertly configured WordPress site allows you to instantly notify and publicize your content to social media accounts like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc. The easiest way to increase your reach and visibility online, therefore, is to simply publish more content through your expertly configured WordPress site.
• As mentioned earlier, investing in some paid advertising (e.g. Facebook ads) can help generate some initial 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 bring website traffic using methods like Twitter ads, YouTube, joint ventures, etc.

Tools And Methods

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

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

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

Build Authority And Credibility

Getting more of your content out there is good, but for this activity to be really effective, your content also needs to build authority and credibility with visitors.

Publishing higher quality content not only helps to establish your credibility, it also improves your chances of getting it shared around and viewed by more people and hence more visitors.

Tips

• Focus on content that adds value to your audience and that showcases your expertise. This includes content that informs and educates readers, training content, case studies, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing educational guides or special reports that can be sold or distributed online (e.g. sell on on the Amazon Kindle book store.

Plugins, Tools, And Methods

We have created a detailed course on how to develop a content marketing strategy, how to promote your business with content, content creation tools, and how to never run out of new ideas for content that you can plug into at no cost here:

Also, if you haven’t already, ask us about plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your WordPress 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 tap.” You can do this by building a list or starting an online forum or network.

With “Traffic On Demand,” your traffic comes from 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.

Useful Tips & Ideas

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

Tools And Methods

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

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

Identify Needs & Provide Solutions To These

By taking advantage of incoming traffic to find out what users want, you should have no problem coming up with ideas for new services, products, and solutions, all of which provide new opportunities to generate additional traffic.

Traffic Optimization Tips

• Create a free or paid e-learning course.
• Publish an instructional e-book that you can sell or distribute online.
• Consider adding e-commerce to your site.

Tools, Plugins, And Strategies

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

• Membership Sites (e.g. Wishlist Member, S2 Member, etc.)
• e-Learning Courses (e.g. Courseware)
• Event Registrations (e.g. EventEspresso)

Analyze Data & Feedback

The final step of the process is to collect and analyze data. Learning to interpret data gathered from existing traffic gives you the opportunity to discover new traffic opportunities.

You should already have installed an analytics program like Google Analytics on your site. Make sure you understand the metrics and can interpret the data.

WordPress Traffic Automation System – 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 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 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 improve 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 WordPress website and build a better business online.

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