WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Part 5 (Optimization)

Welcome to Part 5 of our Website Traffic Blueprint article series, where we show you how to turn a site into an automated web traffic machine using the WordPress CMS platform.

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

In Part 1, we provided an overview of 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 blog, all you have to do to begin bringing web traffic is publish fresh content on a consistent basis!)

In Part Two, we looked at the setup phase. We helped you understand the best way to get started 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 site has been built with WordPress.

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

In Part 3, we looked at important configuration decisions. We explained how to configure all the settings (hosting, WordPress and external) that can affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically …

(In Part 3 we explain how to configure hosting settings, internal settings, and external settings that affect your site’s ability to generate traffic automatically)

In Part 4, we looked at ways to automate your traffic with WordPress plugins.

(Publish content one-time and automate your content distribution to all other channels!)

In this article, we look at ways to optimize the traffic-getting process using various tools and strategies.

WordPress Web Traffic Automation Blueprint – Systems

In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress website, the key to generating consistent traffic of high quality is having a well-defined business vision, sound digital planning, and good systems and process in place.

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

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

These include:

• Marketing Systems – How you create traffic for your business.
• Technical Systems – The systems used to ensure that your digital presence remains optimized for receiving traffic.
• Business Systems – The systems used to manage and respond to new traffic.

(Use systems to grow, automate, optimize, 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 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 allocate your budget and resources to these channels?
• How will you create and optimize your content, sales funnels, and marketing campaigns?
• How will you track conversions and measure the ROI of your 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 data, such as the keyword phrases people are searching online to find your site, which you can use to create web content targeted specifically to your audience’s needs.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems keep your digital presence optimized for receiving traffic. There’s no point driving traffic to your site if your site is constantly experiencing problems or your web pages are taking too long to load.

Your systems need to be able to adequately handle areas like webhosting, website maintenance and support, installing, configuring, and updating new applications (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 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. As with all technology, however, there will always be new problems. Your technical systems need to be robust enough to handle these.

Business Systems

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

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

If you plan to outsource areas of your digital marketing and technical support, then make sure you also implement great systems for managing all outsourcing.

WordPress Traffic System – Traffic Loops

With clear business objectives and great systems in place, all you need to do is to implement and optimize 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 chart below …

(Implementing and optimizing your traffic loop)

Increase Reach And Visibility

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

Traffic Tips

• An expertly configured WordPress site allows you to automatically distribute your content to places like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. The easiest way to increase your reach and visibility online, therefore, is to simply publish more content.
• 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.
• Repurpose your content to leverage the power and reach of different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to get more web site visitors using methods like SEO, banner ads, StumbleUpon, etc.

Plugins, Tools, And Methods

See earlier sections of this tutorial series for a number of excellent tools and methods we’ve already covered to help you reach more members of your target audience.

Also, look for plugins that let you easily add the following to your site:

• Share your posts online with others,
• Run contests, offer downloads or discounts for likes/shares,
• Add user generated content, feeds, etc.
• Publish and 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 a great first step, but to make this activity more effective, your content needs to build authority and credibility with users.

Publishing better quality content improves your chances of getting more people to link to it and share it with others and hence more traffic.

Useful Tips & Ideas

• Create and publish content that will add value to users and showcase your expertise. This includes content that educates and informs readers, training content, user reviews, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing educational guides or special reports that you can sell or distribute online (e.g. sell on Clickbank.

Tools, Plugins, And Strategies

If you need great content ideas for your web site, then subscribe to our email training course on growing your business online with content marketing here:

Also, see other posts and tutorials on this site to learn more about WordPress plugins that let you easily add the following to your website:

• Legal Pages
• Testimonials
• Customer Support (e.g. Helpdesk, Live Chat, etc.)
• Ratings
• User Reviews
• Badges/Certificates Of Recognition

Grow Influence And Engagement

At some point, you may want to consider developing “traffic on tap.” You can achieve this by growing a list or starting an online group.

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

Useful Tips

• Encourage commenting and discussions on your site.
• Add an email training course and encourage people to subscribe.
• Add a free or paid membership site.
• Create or join a Facebook/LinkedIn Group.

Plugins, Tools, & Methods

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

• Autoresponders (e.g. Aweber, GetResponse, etc.)
• Contact Forms, Live Chat
• Forums & Social Communities (e.g. bbPress, BuddyPress)
• Polls & Surveys
• Webinars (e.g. Webinar JEO)
• Comment sharing
• Add media, image galleries, etc.

Identify Problems & Provide Solutions

If you take advantage of incoming traffic to listen to what problems your users are trying to solve, you should have no problem developing new products, services, and solutions, all of which can provide you with new opportunities to generate additional web traffic.

Traffic Optimization Tips

• Create a free or paid e-learning program.
• Publish an instructional PDF guide that can be sold or distributed online.
• Add an e-commerce store to your business.

Plugins, Tools, And Methods

If you plan to provide products and services online (as opposed to just providing information), ask us about plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your site:

• Membership Site plugins (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. Gathering and interpreting data from existing traffic lets you discover new traffic opportunities.

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

WordPress Web Traffic Blueprint – 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 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 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 methods as necessary 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 post has given you a blueprint that will help you automate and optimize the process of driving traffic to your website and get better results online.

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