WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Part 5 (Optimization)

Welcome to Part Five of our WordPress Web Traffic Blueprint article series, where we show you how to create an automated traffic generating machine using the WordPress CMS.

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

In Part One of this series, we provide an overview of the traffic automation process, and explain why using an expertly configured WordPress website is the key to automating traffic to your website …

(With an expertly configured WordPress blog, all you have to do to begin attracting more web traffic is post great content regularly!)

In Part 2, we discuss critical setup decisions. We help 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 website is built using WordPress.

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

In Part 3, we looked at the configuration phase of the blueprint. We explained how to configure all the settings (hosting, internal and external) that can affect your website’s traffic-getting ability …

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

In Part Four, we showed you how to set up various WordPress plugins that can get visitors automatically to your website.

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

In this article, we look at ways to optimize the traffic-getting process with a number of different tools and methods.

WordPress Web Traffic System – Systems

In addition to getting your WordPress site expertly configured, the key to generating consistent traffic of high quality is having a clearly-defined business vision, sound digital planning, and excellent systems in place.

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

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

These include:

• Marketing Systems – How you drive traffic to your website.
• Technical Systems – The systems and processes used to keep your online presence up and running for receiving traffic.
• Business Systems – The systems and processes used to manage and respond to traffic.

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

Let’s briefly review how important the above systems are:

Marketing Systems

Your marketing systems consist of the processes and strategies used to drive new traffic to your website. You can test your online marketing systems by asking questions such as:

• What is your online marketing strategy?
• How will you apportion your budget and resources to these marketing channels?
• Who will create and optimize your content and marketing campaigns?
• How will you track conversions and measure the ROI of your marketing 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 (e.g. pay-per-click ads) to help you generate some initial data, such as the keywords people are searching online to find your website, which you can use to create content better targeted to your audience’s needs.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems and processes keep your online presence up and running for receiving new traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your site if your site is experiencing problems or your pages are taking too long to load.

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

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

• Who looks after my server?
• 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. Like all technology, however, you will always run into new problems. Your technical systems need to be able to handle these.

Business Systems

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

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

If you intend to outsource your digital marketing and technical support, then you will need excellent systems in place for managing all outsourcing.

WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Traffic Optimization

With clear business objectives and great systems in place, all you need to focus on are ways to develop, optimize, and automate a “traffic loop”.

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

(Implement, optimize, and automate your traffic loop)

Increase Reach & Visibility Online

Step 1 of the process is to increase visibility for your website or blog.

Tips

• An expertly configured WordPress site allows you to instantly notify and publicize your content to traffic-getting sources like Facebook, Twitter, GooglePlus, 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 you generate some initial actionable and intelligent data, which you can use to create web content better targeted to your audience’s needs.
• Repurpose your content to leverage the power, appeal, and reach of different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to attract web visitors using methods like Pinterest ads, solo ads, email ads, etc.

Plugins, Tools, And Methods

We’ve already covered many excellent tools and methods in previous sections of this tutorial series.

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

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

Build Authority & Credibility

Getting more of your content published is good, but to make this activity more effective, your content also needs to be building authority and credibility with visitors.

Publishing authoritative content improves your chances of getting it shared around 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, user reviews, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing expert guides that can be sold or distributed online (e.g. sell on Amazon.

Plugins, Tools, & Methods

We have created an entire course on content creation that you can plug into at no cost here:

Also, if you haven’t already, learn more about plugins that let you 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 & Engagement

At some point, you may want to consider developing “traffic on tap.” You can do this by growing a list or starting a forum or network.

With “Traffic On Tap,” most of your traffic comes from an audience of existing customers or subscribers – people who already like you and trust you. Your influence and reputation can be used to generate traffic with every post you publish or broadcast you send out.

Tips

• Encourage users 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.
• Create or join an online group on LinkedIn.

Tools, Plugins, And Methods

Many solutions and plugins are available that can help grow your online influence and improve engagement. For example:

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

Identify Needs/Problems And Provide Solutions

By taking advantage of incoming traffic to listen to what your visitors are looking for, you can develop new products, services, and solutions, all of which can provide you with new opportunities to generate additional traffic.

Useful Tips

• Consider creating an e-learning course.
• Consider publishing a special report or even an e-book that can be sold or distributed online.
• Consider adding e-commerce to your business.

Tools And Strategies

If you plan to provide services and products online (as opposed to just providing information), see other posts and tutorials on this site to learn more about plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your WordPress website or blog:

• Membership Site plugins (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. Learning to interpret data gathered from existing traffic lets you discover new ways to generate additional traffic.

You should have already installed an analytics tool like Google Analytics on your site. Make sure you also learn how to interpret the data.

WordPress Web Traffic System – Summary

Once you implement the above strategies, all you have to do is repeat the cycle, 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 good 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 if necessary to help build authority 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 information has given you 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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