WordPress Traffic Automation Blueprint – Part 5 (Optimization)

Welcome to Part 5 of our Website Traffic Blueprint article series, where we show you how to create an automated web traffic machine using WordPress.

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

In Part 1, we provide an overview of the traffic automation process, and explain why using an expertly configured WordPress site is the key to automating traffic to your site …

(With an expertly configured WordPress website or blog, all you have to do is publish new content on a regular basis to automatically generate more traffic!)

In Part Two, we look at the setup phase of the blueprint. We explain the best way to get started if you don’t have a website yet, how to set things up if you already have a site, and what to do if your existing website has been built with WordPress.

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

In Part Three, we looked at the configuration phase. We explained how to configure hosting settings, internal settings, and external settings that can affect your site’s traffic-getting ability …

(In Part 3 you learn how to configure hosting settings, internal settings, and external settings that affect your website’s ability to generate traffic automatically)

In Part 4, we discussed ways to automate traffic to your website with WordPress plugins.

(Publish content one-time, automate the rest!)

In this article, we look at ways to optimize the traffic system with different tools and strategies.

WordPress Web Traffic Automation Blueprint – Systems

In addition to having an expertly configured WordPress website, the key to generating successfully on a consistent basis is having a clear business vision, great digital planning, and great systems in place.

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

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

These include:

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

(Use systems to grow 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 traffic for 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 marketing budget and resources to these channels?
• How will you create your content, sales funnels, and marketing campaigns?
• How will you test and measure the results of your online 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 data, such as the keyword phrases people are searching online to find your website, which you can use to create content targeted specifically 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 website if your site is down or your pages are taking a very long time to load.

Your systems need to be able to adequately handle 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 webhosting?
• 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. should things go wrong?

Many potential problems can be minimized if your website planning process and setup and configuration phases have been done correctly. Like all technology, however, you can expect problems. Your technical systems need to be robust enough to handle these.

Business Systems

Your business systems help you manage and respond to traffic. This includes:

• Communication systems
• Resources management – human, financial
• 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 excellent systems for managing all outsourcing.

WordPress Traffic Blueprint – Traffic Optimization

If your business objectives are clear and your systems and processes are in place, all you need to do is focus on how to develop a “traffic loop”.

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

(Implementing an effective traffic loop)

Increase Reach & Visibility

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

Traffic Optimization Tips

• Your expertly configured WordPress site allows you to instantly notify and publicize your content to social media accounts like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, 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 can help you generate some initial actionable and intelligent data, which you can use to create web content better targeted to your audience.
• Repurpose your content to leverage different media formats.
• Continue learning about ways to attract visitors using methods like Facebook ads, banner ads, cross promotions, etc.

Tools And Methods

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

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

• Share your posts online,
• Run contests, offer discounts or 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 And Credibility

Getting more of your content out there is great, but for this activity to be really effective, your content needs to be building authority and credibility with your audience.

Publishing higher quality content not only helps to establish your credibility, it also improves your chances of getting more shares and views and hence more visitors.

Useful Tips & Ideas

• Focus on creating and publishing content that adds value to users and that showcases your expertise. This includes content that informs and educates readers, training content, user reviews, adding testimonials, etc.
• Consider publishing a special report that you can sell or distribute online.

Tools, Plugins, & Methods

We have created a comprehensive email course on content creation that you can plug into for free here:

Also, if you haven’t already, ask us about WordPress 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 Recognition

Grow Influence And Engagement

As your business grows, you may want to consider developing “traffic on tap.” You can achieve this by building a list or starting your own community.

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

Tips

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

Tools, Plugins, & Methods

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

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

Identify Needs And Provide Solutions

If you take advantage of incoming traffic to find out what your visitors need, you can have an endless funnel of ideas for developing new products and services, all of which can provide you with new opportunities for generating new streams of web traffic.

Tips

• Consider creating an online training course.
• Consider publishing a special report that can be sold or distributed online (e.g. sell on Amazon.
• Consider adding an e-commerce store to your site.

Tools & Methods

If you plan to provide services and products online (as opposed to just providing information), then some of the more useful plugins you may want to add to your site include:

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

You should have already installed an analytics tool (e.g. Google Analytics) on your website. Make sure you also learn how to interpret the data.

WordPress Web Traffic Automation Blueprint – Summary

Once you implement the above strategies, all you have to do is repeat the same 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 good marketing, technical and business systems,
• Implement a content marketing strategy (consider adding 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 required to help build authority and credibility, and also to increase 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, this article has given you a blueprint that will help you drive more traffic automatically to your WordPress web site and grow your business online.

***

***