Welcome to Part 5 of our WordPress Website Traffic Blueprint article series, where we explain how to grow your business online automatically using the WordPress CMS.
So far, here is what we have covered in this article series:
In Part 1, we explained why using an expertly configured WordPress site is the key to automating traffic to your website …
(With an expertly configured WordPress website, all you have to do to generate traffic is add great content consistently!)
In Part 2, we focus on 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 site, and what to do if your existing website was built using WordPress.
(In Part 2 we show you where to set up WordPress on your domain)
In Part 3, we looked at the configuration phase of the traffic automation process. We explained how to configure all the settings (hosting, WordPress and external) that affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically …
(In Part 3 you will configure all the settings (hosting, internal and external) that affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically)
In Part 4, we discussed ways to automate the traffic system using a number of plugins.
(Publish once to WordPress and automate the distribution of your content to all other marketing channels!)
In this article, we look at ways to optimize your traffic using different tools and methods.
WordPress Web Traffic Blueprint – Systems
In addition to getting your WordPress site expertly configured, the key to generating high-quality traffic on a consistent basis is having a well-defined business vision, careful digital planning, and great systems in place.
(Generating automated traffic is the result of a business vision, planning, and great systems)
Let’s review briefly the systems that will help you grow and manage your new traffic.
These include:
- Marketing Systems – How you create traffic for your business.
- Technical Systems – The systems used to keep your online presence optimized for receiving traffic.
- Business Systems – The systems used to manage and respond to new traffic.
(Systems help you grow, automate, and manage your web traffic)
Let’s briefly review the importance of the above systems:
Marketing Systems
Your marketing systems consist of the processes and methods used to drive traffic to your business. You can test your online marketing systems by asking questions such as:
- What is your content marketing strategy/online marketing strategy?
- How will you apply your marketing budget and resources to these channels?
- Who will create your content, sales funnels, and run your marketing campaigns?
- How will you track conversions and measure the cost-effectiveness 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 to help generate some initial actionable 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 and processes keep your online 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 web pages take a very long time to load.
Your technical systems need to adequately handle areas like webhosting, site maintenance and support, installing and updating new software (e.g. plugins), integration, customization, troubleshooting, etc.
Your technical systems can be tested by asking questions such as:
- Who is looking after my webhosting?
- 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 issues can be minimized if your website planning and setup and configuration phases have been done 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
You need good operational systems to help you manage and respond to new traffic. This includes:
- Communication systems
- Managing human and financial resources
- Handling sales inquiries
- Order fulfillment
- Customer service/training
- etc.
If you intend to outsource your digital marketing and technical maintenance, then you will need to put systems in place for managing all outsourcing processes.
WordPress Web Traffic Automation System – Traffic Optimization Tools & Methods
If your business objectives are clear and your systems and processes are in place, all you need to focus your efforts on is developing and optimizing your “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 …
(Implement, automate, and optimize a traffic loop)
Increase Reach & Visibility
Step 1 of the process is to expose your business to as many potential users as possible.
Useful Tips & Ideas
- Your expertly configured WordPress site allows you to automatically distribute your content to sites like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc. The easiest way to increase your reach and visibility online, therefore, is to simply publish more content online.
- As mentioned earlier, investing in some paid advertising (e.g. Facebook ads) can help generate some initial actionable and intelligent data, which you can use to create content better targeted to your audience.
- Repurpose your content to leverage different media formats.
- Continue learning about ways to bring traffic using methods like Pinterest, YouTube, updates, etc.
Tools And Methods
See earlier sections of this article series for a number of excellent plugins, tools, 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 comments and posts online,
- Run contests, offer discounts/downloads for likes/shares,
- Accept user generated content, feeds, etc.
- Distribute content online in other media formats (e.g. videos, PDF guides, slides, etc.)
Build Authority & Credibility
Getting more of your content out there is good, but to make this activity more effective, your content also needs to be building authority and credibility with your audience.
Publishing authoritative content not only helps to establish your credibility, it also improves your chances of getting more views from social sharing and hence more visitors.
Useful Tips & Ideas
- Focus on creating and publishing content that adds value to your audience and that showcases your expertise. This includes content that educates and informs readers, training content, case studies, adding testimonials, etc.
- Consider publishing expert guides that can be sold or distributed online (e.g. sell on Clickbank.
Tools, Plugins, And Methods
We have created a detailed course on content creation that you can plug into at no cost here:
Also, contact us to learn more about plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your site:
- Legal Pages
- Testimonials
- Customer Support (e.g. Helpdesk, Live Chat, etc.)
- Ratings
- User Reviews
- Badges/Certificates Of Trust
Grow Influence & Engagement
As your business grows, you may want to consider developing “traffic on tap.” You can achieve this by building a list or starting your own community.
With “Traffic On Demand,” 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 every blog post you publish, forum post you add, or broadcast you send out.
Traffic Ideas
- Encourage visitors to leave comments and start discussions on your site.
- Add an autoresponder newsletter and encourage people to subscribe.
- Add a free or paid membership site, online forum, or social community.
- Create or join a Facebook/LinkedIn Group.
Tools And Strategies
Many solutions and WordPress plugins are available that are easy to implement and can help grow your online influence and improve engagement. For example:
- Autoresponders (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, video galleries, etc.
Identify Problems & Provide Solutions To These
By taking advantage of incoming traffic to discover what problems your users are trying to solve, you can develop new solutions, all of which provide new opportunities for generating additional traffic.
Traffic Ideas
- Create a free or paid online training program.
- Consider publishing expert reports that can be sold or distributed online.
- Consider adding e-commerce to your site.
Plugins, Tools, And Strategies
If you plan to provide products, services, and solutions online (as opposed to just providing information), then some of the more useful WordPress plugins you may want to add 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 to collect and analyze data. Learning to interpret data gathered from existing traffic gives you the opportunity to discover new traffic opportunities.
Hopefully, by now you already have installed an analytics program like Google Analytics on your website. Make sure you can also understand the data.
WordPress Web 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:
- Start with an expertly configured WordPress site backed by solid marketing, technical and business systems,
- Implement a content marketing strategy (consider adding some paid advertising to drive initial traffic and generate useful data) to increase your reach and visibility online,
- Add plugins, list-building strategies, and other solutions as needed 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, this information has given you a blueprint that will help you automate and optimize the process of driving visitors to your website and get better results online.
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"If you're new to WordPress, this can stand on its own as a training course and will stay with you as you progress from beginner to advanced and even guru status." - Bruce (Columbus, Ohio)
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