WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Part 5 (Optimization)

Welcome to Part 5 of our WordPress Web Traffic Blueprint article series, where we explain how to automate traffic to your website using WordPress.

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

In Part 1, we described the traffic automation process, and explained why using an expertly configured WordPress website is the key to generating automated traffic …

(With an expertly configured WordPress website or blog, all you have to do is post fresh content on a regular basis to automatically begin bringing more traffic!)

In Part 2, we discuss the setup phase. We help you understand the best way to get started 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 site is built using WordPress.

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

In Part 3, we focused on the configuration phase. We configured all the settings (hosting, internal and external) that affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically …

(In Part 3 we show you how to configure hosting settings, internal settings, and external settings that affect your website’s traffic-getting ability)

In Part Four, we discussed ways to automate traffic generation using various WordPress plugins.

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

In this article, we look at ways to optimize traffic to your website using a number of tools and strategies.

WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Systems

In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress site, the key to generating targeted traffic on a consistent basis is having a clear business vision, great digital planning, and good systems and process in place.

(Generating regular traffic is the result of a business vision, sound planning, and great systems)

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

These include:

• Marketing Systems – The processes and strategies used to drive traffic to your business.
• Technical Systems – The systems and processes used to ensure that your web presence remains up and running for receiving traffic.
• Business Systems – The systems and processes used to manage and respond to traffic.

(Systems help you grow, automate, 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 website. 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 apportion to these channels?
• Who will create and optimize your content and run your marketing campaigns?
• How will you test and measure the ROI of your marketing 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 you generate some initial intelligence. 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.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems and processes ensure that your digital presence remains up and running for receiving new traffic. There’s no point driving traffic to your website if your site is constantly experiencing problems or your web pages take a long time to load.

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

You can test your technical systems by questions such as:

• Who is looking after my server?
• Who is looking after my website and keeping 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 problems can be minimized if your website planning and setup and configuration phases have been completed correctly. As with all technology, however, you should expect problems. Your technical systems need to be able to handle these.

Business Systems

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

• Communication systems
• Managing human and financial resources
• Handling leads and sales enquiries
• Order fulfillment
• Customer training/service
• etc.

If you plan to outsource areas of your digital marketing and technical maintenance, then you will need systems in place to manage all outsourcing.

WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Traffic Optimization

If your business objectives are clear and your systems and processes are in place, all you need to do is focus on growing, optimizing and automating 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 …

(Traffic loop)

Increase Reach & Visibility

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

Useful Tips

• An expertly configured WordPress site allows you to instantly share your content on 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 can help generate some initial actionable and intelligent data, which you can use to create web content targeted specifically to your audience’s needs.
• Repurpose your content to leverage different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to bring more web site traffic using methods like Twitter, podcasts, cross promotions, etc.

Plugins, Tools, & Strategies

We’ve covered many useful plugins, tools, and methods in previous sections of this tutorial series.

Also, see other posts 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 downloads or discounts for likes/shares,
• Accept user generated content, feeds, etc.
• Distribute content online in various media formats (e.g. videos, PDF guides, infographics, 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 higher quality content improves your chances of getting more people to share it with others and hence more traffic.

Useful Tips And Ideas

• Focus on creating content that will add value to potential users and showcase your expertise. This includes content that educates and informs readers, training content, case studies, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing a “how-to” e-book that you can sell or distribute online (e.g. sell on Clickbank.

Tools, Plugins, & Strategies

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

Also, look for plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your website:

• 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 demand.” You can achieve this by building a list or starting an online community or even your own social site.

With “Traffic On Tap,” your traffic will come from an audience of customers or subscribers – people who already know you and trust you. Your influence and reputation can be used to generate new traffic with a single post or email broadcast.

Traffic Ideas

• Encourage commenting and discussions on your site.
• Add an autoresponder newsletter and encourage people to subscribe.
• Add a paid or free membership site.
• Start or join an online group on LinkedIn.

Tools And Methods

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

• List-Building Software (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 Needs & Provide Solutions To These

By taking advantage of incoming traffic to discover what users are searching for, you can develop new products and services, all of which can provide you with new opportunities for generating additional web traffic.

Useful Tips And Ideas

• Consider creating a free or paid e-learning program.
• Consider publishing educational guides or special reports that you can sell or distribute online.
• Consider adding an e-commerce store to your business.

Tools, Plugins, & Strategies

If you plan to provide services and products online (as opposed to just providing information), contact us to learn more about plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your website or blog:

• Membership Sites (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 the collection and analysis of data. Learning to gather and interpret data 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 website. Make sure you also learn how to interpret the data.

WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – 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 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 solutions as necessary to help build authority, trust, and credibility, and also to increase 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 drive more traffic automatically to your website and improve your business online.

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