WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Part 5 (Optimization)

Welcome to Part 5 of our WordPress Website Traffic Blueprint article series, where we explain how to create an automated traffic generating machine using the WordPress CMS.

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

In Part 1, we explain 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 publish fresh content consistently to automatically start generating traffic!)

In Part Two, we focus on the setup phase of the blueprint. We explain the best way to start if you don’t have a web presence yet, how to set things up if you already have a site, and what to do if your existing website is built using WordPress.

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

In Part 3, we look at configuring the system. We configured webhosting settings, internal settings, and external settings that can affect your website’s traffic-getting ability …

(In Part 3 we show you how to configure all the settings that can affect your site’s traffic-getting ability)

In Part 4, we discussed ways to automate the traffic system with WordPress plugins.

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

In Part 5 of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint article series, we discuss ways to optimize the traffic generation process using various tools and strategies.

WordPress Web Traffic Automation System – Traffic Optimization Systems

In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress site, generating consistent traffic of high quality comes from having a clear business vision, careful digital planning, and great systems in place.

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

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

These include:

• Marketing Systems – How you create traffic for your website.
• Technical Systems – How you keep your web presence operating efficiently for receiving traffic.
• Business Systems – The systems and processes used to manage and respond to new traffic.

(Use systems to grow 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 traffic to your website. You can test your marketing systems by asking questions such as:

• What is your content marketing strategy?
• What resources and portion of your budget will you apportion to these channels?
• Who will create and optimize your content and 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 (e.g. Facebook ads) 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 keep your online presence up and running for receiving traffic. There’s no point driving traffic to your site if your site is down or your web pages are taking a very long time to load.

Your technical systems include handling 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 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. if you experience difficulties?

Many potential problems can be minimized if your website planning and setup and configuration phases have been completed correctly. Like all technology, however, new problems will always arise. Your technical systems need to be able to handle these.

Business Systems

You need good operational systems and processes to help you manage new traffic. These include:

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

If you plan to outsource your digital marketing and technical maintenance, then make sure you have implemented good systems for managing all outsourcing.

WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Traffic Loops

With clear business objectives and great systems in place, all you need to focus your efforts on is growing and optimizing your “traffic loop”.

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

(Traffic loop)

Increase Reach & Visibility

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

Useful Tips & Ideas

• An expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to automatically publish your content on sites like Facebook, Twitter, GooglePlus, 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 some initial data, which you can use to create content better targeted to your audience.
• Repurpose your content to leverage the power and reach of different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to increase traffic using methods like Pinterest advertising, podcasts, joint ventures, etc.

Tools & Methods

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

Also, if you haven’t already, contact us to learn more about WordPress plugins that let you easily add the following to your website or blog:

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

Build Authority & Credibility

Getting more content published is good, but for this activity to be really effective, your content needs to be building authority and credibility with users.

Publishing better quality content not only helps to establish your credibility, it also improves your chances of getting more people to share it around and hence more traffic.

Useful Tips

• Create and publish content that will add value to your audience and showcase your expertise. This includes content that educates and informs readers, training content, user reviews, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing PDF guides or special reports that can be sold or distributed online (e.g. sell on on the Amazon Kindle book store.

Plugins, Tools, And Strategies

We have created a complete email series designed to help you never run out of content for your website:

Also, 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 Trust

Grow Influence & Engagement

At some point, you may want to consider developing “traffic on demand.” You can do this by building a list or starting a community.

With “Traffic On Tap,” 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 broadcast.

Useful Tips & Ideas

• Encourage users to leave comments and start discussions on your site.
• Add an autoresponder 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.

Plugins, Tools, And Methods

There are many solutions and plugins that are easy to implement and 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, image galleries, etc.

Identify Needs/Problems & Provide Solutions To These

By taking advantage of incoming traffic to find out what problems your users are trying to solve, you should have no problem developing new products and services, all of which provide new opportunities for generating new streams of web traffic.

Useful Tips

• Create an online training program.
• Publish educational guides or special reports that you can sell or distribute online.
• Consider adding an e-commerce store to your site.

Tools, Plugins, And Methods

If you plan to provide products, services, 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-Courses (e.g. Courseware)
• Event Registrations (e.g. EventEspresso)

Analyze Data & Feedback

The final step of the process is to collect and analyze data. By learning to interpret data gathered from existing traffic, you can discover new traffic opportunities.

Hopefully, by now you already have installed an analytics program (e.g. Google Analytics) on your website. Make sure you understand the metrics and can interpret the data.

WordPress Traffic 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 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 (with 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 required to help 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 traffic to your web site and get better results online.

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