Are You a Blogger? If So, You Need a Virtual Assistant

There’s an incredible amount of money to be made from blogging. Actually, some bloggers earn more than CEOs. If you think that blogging is one of the easiest things in the world, think again. It’s one of the most challenging things you’ll ever do. Blogging is a full-time job, meaning that it requires dedication, patience, creativity, commitment, marketing skills, and more. Do you need … an assistant? Why, yes! The more popular your blog is, the more work you have to put in to keep it running. Running a blog involves more than just writing posts and hoping people will read them.

Blogging As a Full-Time Job Brings Some Unique Challenges 

In case you didn’t know, it’s harder to grow a blog than a YouTube channel. You have to push your articles and grab people’s attention. Here comes one of the most heart-breaking problems: you work hard on your pieces of writing, have informative and interesting content, but your posts don’t get traffic. It’s as if search engines are hiding your blogs from potential readers. The blogging world can be fulfilling, but it takes a lot of time and effort to build a career. You’ll face many challenges during your blogging journey, so you need all the help you can get.  

A virtual assistant (VA) can do a range of tasks, depending on your needs, and take the pressure of a mounting list off your mind. You’ll become a better blogger, as you can dedicate more time to core activities and improve the quality of your content. Put simply, hiring a VA frees up time to focus on things that require your skills and talents. You won’t have a hard time balancing work and life in general, and you’ll actually have a life away from the computer. If you’re not accustomed to asking for help, there’s no better time than now to start. 

What Can a Virtual Assistant Do? 

Well, if you must know, a virtual assistant can perform any task that doesn’t require them to be physically present. Examples include but aren’t limited to: 

• Generating trend-responsive blog post ideas. So, you sit down to write a blog post and … nothing. You have no idea whatsoever. Everyone gets stuck at times, but there’s a better way of coming up with ideas than staring at the computer screen. Brainstorm new ideas with your VA. All you need is a pair of fresh new eyes. Take turns brainstorming over chat or Skype.  
• Writing first drafts. Drafts help organise ideas into words. Even if you’ll erase entire paragraphs or rewrite them, you have a clear idea of what you want your final article to look like. If you don’t have too much time on your hands, ask your VA to write a blog post for you. Provide the requirements for the article and, when it’s completed, you can infuse the post with your voice (and make other necessary changes). Keep in mind that you’re not working with just about anyone, but a skilled professional. 
• Editing posts. Post-editing is necessary to eliminate the errors that slip through the cracks. If you want more traffic through search engines, editing is justifiable. You can streamline your workflow by delegating editing posts. Some tasks don’t need your direct involvement. 
• Social media management. Social media is vital for promotion and marketing. Put simply, you can’t grow a blog without social media. You can engage with your audience, eliminate disappointments, and learn from the people who do blogging best. The problem is that social media management requires as much time as blogging. If you don’t have a social media background, you should better pass the task to a VA. Your virtual assistant will prepare a strategy for all the platforms you’re active on. 
• Creating email newsletters. A newsletter reconnects you to your readers and builds a community around your blog. Even if people are bombarded with subscriptions these days, they’ll want to stay in touch with their favourite brands. You can write the content, while your VA can create the layout and handle automation. The result is a newsletter that looks good on all devices. 

As you can see, a virtual assistant can be invaluable. Your VA can work from home, possibly in another country. Determine what tasks you want to outsource and which ones you want to keep on doing. The things you hate doing should be at the top of the list. 

So, How Can a Blogger Find A Virtual Assistant? 

Apparently, it’s not that difficult. If you’re part of a Facebook group, you can post an announcement. Also, you can use sites such as Upwork. A virtual assistant will most likely have a web presence where they can discuss their business. You can review the services they offer, their experience, and business details like hourly rates, refunds, contact details, and so on. The UK, in particular, has witnessed a notable rise in the number of virtual assistants. If you want to outsource, you can look a little bit further. A virtual assistant UK can free you from seemingly endless tasks. Nonetheless, take into account aspects such as data security, the time zone, cultural/language barriers, skills, and experience.

Review the applications that come in and schedule up to 4 or 5 interviews. When talking to each candidate, don’t ask just about experience and skills. Know their goals, hobbies, how they like to work, things like that. If you’re not sure what candidate might be a good fit, give your top candidates a test. People that look great on paper aren’t so great in real life. When hiring a VA, you should always know what you want. Someone with a background in office management doesn’t grasp the fine art of blogging. If you set clear expectations from the very beginning, micromanaging isn’t necessary. 

Final Thoughts 

If opportunities are coming in faster than you can handle, hiring a virtual assistant is a good idea. You can’t juggle too many responsibilities. The VA will take some of the stress away. Your time will be more efficiently used in activities that provide a higher dollar amount per hour. Practicing the jack of all trades is the biggest mistake you can make.