Welcome to Part Five of our Website Traffic Blueprint article series, where we explain how to drive visitors automatically to your website using the WordPress CMS.
So far, we have covered the following in this series:
In Part 1 of this article series, we explained why using an expertly configured WordPress website or blog is the key to generating automated web traffic …
(With an expertly configured WordPress website or blog, all you have to do is publish new content consistently to automatically start generating 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 everything up if you already have a website, and what to do if your existing website was built with WordPress.
(In Part two we show you where to set up a WordPress website on your domain)
In Part 3, we discuss important configuration decisions. We configured webhosting settings, internal settings, and external settings that affect your site’s traffic-getting ability …
(In Part Three you will configure all the settings (hosting, WordPress and external) that can affect your website’s traffic-getting ability)
In Part Four, you learned how to set up various plugins that can help bring new visitors automatically to your website whenever you begin publishing content.
(Publish once to WordPress and automate the distribution of your content to all other channels!)
In Part 5 of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint article series, we look at ways to optimize traffic to your website using a number of tools and methods.
WordPress Web Traffic System – Traffic Optimization Systems
In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress website, generating high-quality traffic consistently is the product of a well-defined business vision, careful digital planning, and excellent systems and process in place.
(Generating regular traffic is the product of a business vision, planning, and systems)
Let’s review briefly the systems that will help you grow and manage this traffic.
These systems include:
- Marketing Systems – The processes and strategies used to create traffic for your website.
- Technical Systems – The systems and processes used to ensure that your web presence remains optimized for receiving new traffic.
- Business Systems – How you manage and respond to traffic.
(Systems help you grow, automate, 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 traffic for your business. You can test your marketing systems by asking questions such as:
- What is your online marketing strategy?
- What resources and portion of your marketing budget will you apply to these channels?
- How will you create your content and marketing campaigns?
- How will you measure the cost-effectiveness 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 web content targeted specifically to your audience.
Technical Systems
Your technical systems ensure that your web presence remains operating efficiently for receiving traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your website if your site is constantly down or your web pages take a very long time to load.
Your technical systems include handling areas like webhosting, website 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 will look after my webhosting?
- 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 planning and setup and configuration phases have been done correctly. As with all technology, however, you should expect new problems. Your technical systems need to be able to handle these.
Business Systems
Your business systems and processes help you manage the influx of traffic. These include:
- Communication systems
- Resources management – human, financial
- Handling leads and sales enquiries
- Order fulfillment
- Customer service/training
- etc.
If you plan to outsource key aspects of your digital marketing and technical support, then make sure you also implement excellent systems to manage all outsourcing.
WordPress Traffic Automation System – Traffic Optimization
If your business objectives are clear and your systems and processes are in place, all you need to focus on are ways to grow your “traffic loop”.
Let’s walk through an example of how to implement, optimize, and further automate a traffic loop. Take a look at the processes illustrated below …
(Implement, optimize, and automate your traffic loop)
Increase Reach & Visibility
Step 1 of the process is to expose your business to as many members of your target audience as you can.
Traffic Tips
- An expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to automatically syndicate your content to places like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, 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. Google AdWords) can help you generate data, which you can use to create web content better targeted to your audience’s needs.
- Repurpose your content to leverage different media formats.
- Continue learning about ways to drive more web visitors using methods like LinkedIn ads, banner ads, joint ventures, etc.
Tools & Methods
See previous sections of this tutorial series for many excellent tools, plugins, and methods we’ve already covered to help you reach more members of your target audience.
Also, look for plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your website:
- Share your posts online,
- Run contests, offer discounts or 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 of your content out there is good, but for this activity to be really effective, your content needs to be building authority and credibility with your audience.
Publishing higher quality content improves your chances of getting it shared around and viewed by more people and hence more traffic.
Useful Tips
- Create and publish content that will add value to potential visitors and showcase your expertise. This includes content that informs and educates readers, training content, case studies, adding testimonials, etc.
- Consider publishing PDF guides that can be sold or distributed online.
Tools, Plugins, And Strategies
We have created an entire email email-based training course designed to help you come up with unlimited content ideas for posting to your website or blog:
Also, if you haven’t already, look for plugins that let you easily add the following to your WordPress website:
- 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 Tap,” most 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 post or broadcast.
Traffic Optimization Tips
- Encourage visitors 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, online forum, or social community.
- Start or join an online group on LinkedIn/Facebook.
Plugins, Tools, & Methods
There are many solutions and 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 and Social Communities (e.g. bbPress, BuddyPress)
- Polls and Surveys
- Webinars (e.g. Webinar JEO)
- Comment sharing
- Add media, image galleries, etc.
Identify Needs/Problems And Provide Solutions To These
By taking advantage of incoming traffic to find out what problems your visitors are trying to solve, you can have an endless funnel of ideas for developing new products, services, and solutions, all of which provide new opportunities for generating new streams of traffic.
Useful Tips & Ideas
- Create an online training program.
- Publish PDF guides that you can sell or distribute online (e.g. sell on Clickbank.
- Add an e-commerce store to your business.
Tools & Strategies
If you plan to provide services and products online (as opposed to just providing information), look for plugins that let you easily add the following to your website or blog:
- 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 ways to generate content that can bring you additional traffic.
Hopefully, by now you have already installed an analytics tool (e.g. Google Analytics) on your site. Make sure you understand the metrics and can interpret the data.
WordPress Web Traffic Automation Blueprint – Summary
Once you implement the above strategies, all you have to do is repeat the process, fine-tuning and refining your methods as you go to grow your traffic and improve your results.
In summary:
- Start with an expertly configured WordPress site backed by good 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 help build authority 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 traffic to your WordPress website and build a better business online.
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"This is an awesome training series. I have a pretty good understanding of WordPress already, but this is helping me to move somewhere from intermediate to advanced user!" - Kim Lednum
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