WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Part 5 (Optimization)

Welcome to Part 5 of our Web Traffic Blueprint article series, where we show you how to grow your business online automatically using WordPress.

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 web traffic …

(With an expertly configured WordPress web site, all you have to do to start attracting traffic is post web content on a regular basis!)

In Part Two, we focused on critical setup decisions. We explained the best way to start if you don’t have a web presence yet, how to set everything up if you already have a site, and what to do if your site has been built using WordPress.

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

In Part 3, we discuss the configuration phase. We explained how to configure all the settings (hosting, internal and external) that can affect your site’s ability to generate traffic automatically …

(In Part Three you learn how to configure all the settings (hosting, internal and external) that can affect your site’s ability to generate traffic automatically)

In Part 4, we explained how to set up various WordPress plugins that can bring new traffic automatically to your website just by posting fresh content consistently.

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

In Part Five of the WordPress web traffic automation blueprint series, we discuss ways to optimize your traffic using a number of tools and strategies.

WordPress Web Traffic Blueprint – Systems

In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress website or blog, generating targeted traffic on a consistent basis is the outcome of a clear business vision, great digital planning, and good systems and process in place.

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

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

These systems include:

• Marketing Systems – The processes and methods used to drive traffic to your website.
• Technical Systems – The systems used to keep your digital presence optimized for receiving traffic.
• Business Systems – The systems and processes used to manage and respond to new traffic.

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

Let’s briefly review how important these systems are:

Marketing Systems

Your marketing systems consist of the processes and methods used to create traffic for your business. You can test your online marketing systems by asking questions such as:

• What channels do you plan to use to generate new traffic (e.g. blogging, facebook advertising, video marketing, etc)?
• How will you assign your marketing budget and resources to these channels?
• Who will create your content, sales funnels, and marketing campaigns?
• How will you test and measure the cost-effectiveness 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 actionable data, such as the keywords people are searching online to find your website, which you can use to create web content targeted specifically to your audience.

Technical Systems

Your technical systems keep your digital presence up and running for receiving new traffic. There’s no point sending traffic to your website if your site is constantly experiencing problems or your web pages take a long time to load.

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

You can test your technical systems by 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. 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, you should expect to face new problems. You will need the right technical systems in place to handle these.

Business Systems

You need good business systems and processes in place to help you manage traffic. This includes:

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

If you plan 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 System – Optimizing Traffic Generation

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

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

(Implementing an effective traffic loop)

Increase Reach & Visibility

Step 1 of the process is to get your business exposed to as many members of your target audience as your time and resources will allow.

Useful Tips & Ideas

• Your expertly configured WordPress site will allow you to automatically publish your content on places like Facebook, Twitter, GooglePlus, 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 (e.g. pay-per-click ads) can help you generate 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 more web site visitors using methods like Facebook ads, solo ads, email, etc.

Plugins, Tools, And Methods

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

Also, learn more about WordPress plugins that allow you to easily add the following to your website or blog:

• Share your comments and posts online with others,
• Run contests, offer downloads or discounts for likes/shares,
• Display 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 for this activity to be really effective, your content needs to build authority and credibility with visitors.

Publishing authoritative content improves your chances of getting more views from social sharing and hence more traffic.

Tips

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

Plugins, Tools, And Methods

We have created a complete email course aimed at helping you come up with unlimited content ideas for posting to your website or blog:

Also, if you haven’t already, look for 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 demand.” You can do this by building a list or starting an online group.

With “Traffic On Tap,” most of 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 broadcast.

Useful Tips

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

Tools, Plugins, And Methods

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

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

Identify Problems And 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 provide new opportunities for generating additional web traffic.

Useful Tips

• Create an e-learning course.
• Consider publishing expert guides that you can sell or distribute online.
• Add an e-commerce store to your site.

Tools & Strategies

If you plan to provide products, services, and solutions online (as opposed to just providing information), look for plugins that let you easily add the following to your WordPress website or blog:

• 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 to collect and analyze data. By interpreting data gathered from existing traffic, you can discover new opportunities to create content that can generate you additional traffic.

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

WordPress Web Traffic Automation 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 initial traffic and generate useful data) to increase your reach and visibility online,
• Add plugins, list-building strategies, and other methods as 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, now you have a blueprint that will help you drive more visitors automatically to your web site and build a better business online.

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