WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Part 5 (Optimization)

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

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

In Part 1 of this article series, we provided an overview of the traffic automation process, and 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 automatically generate traffic is add great content on a consistent basis!)

In Part 2, we discuss the setup phase. 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 website, and what to do if your existing site is built using WordPress.

(In Part 2 we show you how to set up WordPress on your domain)

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

(In Part Three you learn how to configure all the settings that affect your site’s ability to generate traffic automatically)

In Part 4, you learned how to set up various WordPress plugins that can help bring web traffic automatically to your site.

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

In this section of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint article series, we look at ways to optimize your traffic using different tools and strategies.

WordPress Web Traffic Blueprint – Traffic Optimization Systems

In addition to getting your WordPress website expertly configured, generating high-quality traffic consistently comes from a clear business vision, careful digital planning, and excellent systems in place.

(Generating regular traffic is the product of having a clear business vision, planning, and great systems)

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

These include:

• Marketing Systems – How you create new traffic for your business.
• Technical Systems – The systems and processes used to keep your online presence optimized for receiving new traffic.
• Business Systems – How you manage and respond to traffic.

(Systems help you grow and manage your 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 new traffic to your business. Your marketing systems can be tested by asking questions such as:

• What is your content marketing strategy/online marketing strategy?
• What resources and portion of your budget will you allocate to these channels?
• Who will create your content, sales funnels, and marketing campaigns?
• How will you track conversions and measure the cost-effectiveness of your 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 you generate some initial results. If you’re tracking your marketing campaigns correctly, this should yield some actionable data, such as the keywords 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 ensure that your online presence remains up and running for receiving traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your site if your site is constantly experiencing problems or your web pages take too long to load.

Your systems include handling technical areas like webhosting, site maintenance and support, installing, configuring, and updating new applications (e.g. plugins), customization, integration, troubleshooting, etc.

Your technical systems can be tested by asking questions such as:

• Who is looking after my server?
• Who will look after my website and keep my site maintained and up-to-date?
• Who will fix errors, troubleshoot problems, provide technical support and advice, etc. when problems arise?

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

Business Systems

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

• Communication systems
• Resources management – human, financial
• Handling leads and sales inquiries
• Order fulfillment
• Customer training/service
• etc.

If you plan to outsource key aspects of your digital marketing and technical support, then make sure you have implemented good systems to manage all outsourcing processes.

WordPress Traffic Automation System – Traffic Loops

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

Let’s walk through an example of implementing, optimizing, and automating a traffic loop. Take a look at the diagram below …

(Implement, automate, and optimize your traffic loop)

Increase Reach & Visibility

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

Useful Tips & Ideas

• Your expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to instantly share your content on 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 through your expertly configured WordPress site.
• As mentioned earlier, investing in some paid advertising can help you generate data, which you can use to create web content better targeted to your audience.
• Repurpose your content to leverage the power and reach of different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to drive more web traffic using methods like SEO, videos, forum signatures, etc.

Tools, Plugins, And Methods

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

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

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

Build Authority And Credibility

Getting more of your content out there is good, but to make this activity more effective, your content also needs to build authority and credibility with your audience.

Publishing authoritative content improves your chances of getting it shared around and viewed by more people and hence more traffic.

Tips

• Create and publish content that adds value to potential users and that showcases your expertise. This includes content that informs and educates readers, training content, user reviews, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing instructional PDF guides or special reports that you can sell or distribute online.

Tools, Plugins, & Strategies

We have created a complete email email-based training course aimed at helping you never run out of content ideas for posting to your website or blog:

Also, learn more about plugins that let you easily add the following to your WordPress 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 tap.” You can achieve this by growing a list or starting a community.

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

Traffic Tips

• Encourage users to leave comments and start discussions on your site.
• Add an autoresponder training course and encourage people to subscribe.
• Add a free, paid, or ‘freemium’ membership site, online forum, or social community.
• Start or join a Facebook/LinkedIn Group.

Tools And Methods

There are many solutions and plugins that are easy to implement and can help increase 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 & Surveys
• Webinars (e.g. Webinar JEO)
• Comment sharing
• Add media, image galleries, etc.

Identify Problems & Provide Solutions

By taking advantage of incoming traffic to discover what your visitors need, you can have an endless funnel of ideas for developing new services and products, all of which provide new opportunities to generate additional web traffic.

Useful Tips And Ideas

• Create a free or paid e-learning program.
• Publish a “how-to” e-book that can be sold or distributed online (e.g. sell on Clickbank.
• Add e-commerce to your site.

Tools, Plugins, & Strategies

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

• Membership Sites (e.g. Wishlist Member, S2 Member, etc.)
• e-Learning 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 allows you to discover new opportunities to generate content that can bring you additional traffic.

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

WordPress 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 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 (with 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 if needed to build authority and credibility, and also to improve 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, now you have a blueprint that will help you automate and optimize the process of driving traffic to your web site and build a more successful business online.

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