Tips for a Employer looking to hire a Virtual Assistant

1. How Hiring A Virtual AssistantCan BoostYour Blog
Content marketing is quickly becoming the most relevant advertising tool. Large
billboards and paid ads are no longer the only way to get your business’ name out there.
Instead, developing an engaging online presence and cultivating a community have
become the preferred ways to attract clients and customers.
But blogging is not as simple as banging out a post about your company’s latest activities
and hitting “Publish”. While blogging sounds like an easy advertising strategy, like most
things in life it is only effective when done well. In order to make the most of any content
marketing strategy, business owners have to plan interesting posts, review their analytics,
share their content on social media, and keep their site up to date.
And then of course they have to actually write.
Previously I discussed how helpful it is for virtual assistants to find their niche. Blogging
and content management can be one of those specialties. Hiring a virtual assistant can
help take your blog from an obscure diary someplace on the web to a thriving community
hub for readers and clients. Virtual assistants help you do this by assuming several key
roles.
Publisher
Sounds like something you can do on your own, right? Not so fast. Publishing a post
takes a lot of additional work that can be a time drain for a busy business owner. Before
an article is made public it needs to be formatted, the in-text links must be checked, and
pictures have to be inserted to make the text less intimidating. And that’s just before you
hit publish!
After that is done, links to the post have to be shared on social media to ensure your
writing reaches the widest audience. All of these steps are vital for making your site look
professional.
Community Manager
A blog is much more interactive than a spread in a magazine or a TV advertisement.
You’re not just building an audience – you are cultivating a community. To do this, you
need active engagement. Most business owners would be happy to do this, but in addition
to running a business, writing blog posts, and living their personal lives, there simply is
not enough time.
Virtual assistants act as community managers in a sense. They can approve comments on
your blog, engage with regular readers, and answer or screen your emails. You reap what
you sow, and if your blog audience notices you taking an active interest in them, they will
reciprocate by sticking around to participate in your growth.

2. Staff Administrator
Perhaps writing is not really your thing and you have some room in your budget. This
means you may want to hire ghostwriters and guest bloggers to contribute to your
website. Sure, this removes the creative burden, but it does add an administrative layer.
Freelancers need assignments, direction, questions answered, and payment. All of these
are menial but necessary tasks that use up valuable time.
Instead of answering the same questions multiple times, relay your expectations to a
virtual assistant and let them take the reins when it comes to coordinating with your
freelancers. If there are any concerns, you only need to communicate with one person –
your virtual assistant – who can handle the rest.
Technical and Analytical Whiz
Running a successful website means having one that is operational, and this requires a
decent amount of updates and tune-ups. Your virtual assistant can keep tabs on plug-in
updates or address specific bugs. Additionally, virtual assistants can compile reports on
your site’s analytics. Many bloggers have access to extremely useful data about their
site’s performance, but do not have the time to look them over which prevents them from
acting on helpful insights.
Your company website and blog are vital tools for your business’ success. Leverage them
to the best of your ability by hiring a virtual assistant that can help facilitate a smoother
operation.