WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Part 5 (Optimization)

Welcome to Part Five of our Web Traffic Blueprint article series, where we explain how to turn a site into an automated web traffic machine using the WordPress CMS platform.

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

In Part 1 of this series, we explained why using an expertly configured WordPress website is the key to generating automated web traffic …

(With an expertly configured WordPress web site, all you have to do is publish new content regularly to begin bringing new web traffic!)

In Part Two, we focused on critical setup decisions. We helped you understand the best way to start if you don’t have a web presence yet, how to set everything up if you already have a site, and what to do if your existing website was built with WordPress.

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

In Part 3, we discuss the configuration phase of this blueprint. 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 can affect your website’s traffic-getting ability)

In Part Four, we discussed ways to automate the traffic-getting process with plugins.

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

In this section of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint article series, we discuss ways to optimize the traffic system using various tools and methods.

WordPress Traffic Automation System – Systems

In addition to getting your WordPress website expertly configured, generating quality traffic consistently is the result of having a clearly-defined business vision, careful digital planning, and excellent systems in place.

(Automated traffic is the result of a business vision, planning, and great systems)

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

These 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 online presence remains optimized for receiving traffic.
• Business Systems – The systems used to manage and respond to traffic.

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

Let’s briefly review the above systems:

Marketing Systems

Your marketing systems consist of the processes and methods used to drive new traffic to your business. Your online marketing systems can be tested by asking questions such as:

• What channels will you use to drive new traffic (e.g. blogging, video marketing, etc)?
• How will you allocate your marketing budget and resources to these channels?
• Who will create and optimize your content and marketing campaigns?
• How will you test and measure the results 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 to help you generate some 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 site, which you can use to create web content better targeted to your audience’s needs.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems and processes keep your online presence operating efficiently for receiving new traffic. There’s no point driving traffic to your website if your site is constantly experiencing problems or your pages take a long time to load.

Your technical systems need to be able to adequately handle technical areas like webhosting, website maintenance and support, installing and updating software (e.g. plugins), customization, integration, troubleshooting, etc.

You can test your technical systems by questions such as:

• Who looks after my webhosting?
• Who is looking after my website and keeping my site maintained and up-to-date?
• Who will fix errors, troubleshoot problems, provide technical support and advice, etc. should things go wrong?

Many potential issues can be minimized if your website planning and setup and configuration phases have been completed correctly. As with all technology, however, you will always run into many problems. You will need the right technical systems in place to handle these.

Business Systems

Your business systems and processes help you manage and respond to the influx of traffic. This includes:

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

If you intend to outsource your digital marketing and technical maintenance, then make sure you have implemented excellent systems to manage all outsourcing processes.

WordPress Web Traffic Automation System – Traffic Optimization

With clear business objectives and great systems in place, all you need to focus on is implementing, optimizing and automating 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 chart below …

(Implementing an effective traffic loop)

Increase Reach & Visibility Online

The first step of the process is to increase visibility for your website.

Traffic Optimization 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 on your site.
• As mentioned earlier, investing in some paid advertising can help you generate 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 get more visitors using methods like Facebook, podcasts, cross promotions, etc.

Tools & Strategies

We’ve covered a number of useful plugins, tools, and strategies in previous sections of this article series.

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

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

Build Authority & Credibility

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

Publishing better 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.

Useful Tips

• Create and publish content that adds value to users and that showcases 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.

Tools, Plugins, And Methods

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

Also, if you haven’t already, 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 Recognition

Grow Influence And Engagement

As your business grows, you may want to consider developing “traffic on demand.” You can achieve this by building a list or starting a membership site.

With “Traffic On Demand,” your traffic comes from customers or subscribers – people who already know you and trust you. Your influence and reputation can be used to generate new traffic with every post you publish, forum post you add, or email broadcast you send out.

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, online forum, or social community.
• Start or join an online group on Facebook.

Plugins, Tools, & Methods

There are many solutions and WordPress plugins that can help increase your online influence and improve user engagement. For example:

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

Identify Needs & Provide Solutions To These

If you take advantage of incoming traffic to find out what problems your users are trying to solve, you can develop new products, services, and solutions, all of which can provide you with new opportunities for generating new sources of traffic.

Useful Tips

• Consider creating a free or paid online training course.
• Consider publishing a special report that you can sell or distribute online.
• Consider adding e-commerce to your site.

Tools And Strategies

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

• 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. By learning to interpret data gathered from existing traffic, you can discover new ways to generate additional traffic.

Hopefully, by now you already have installed an analytics program like Google Analytics on your website. Make sure you also learn how to interpret the data.

WordPress Web Traffic Automation System – Summary

Once you implement the above strategies, all you have to do is repeat the process over and over again, 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 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 if required to 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 article has given you a blueprint that will help you automate and optimize the process of driving visitors to your web site and build a better business online.

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