(Reading time: 2 – 3 minutes)
Every blogger wants to make sure that their blog posts are visually attractive, easy to understand and error free.
As most bloggers are aware, blogging has many benefits and can increase traffic to your website, move your site up in search engine results organically, build a community, allow you to showcase your expertise, and so much more.
However, any serious blogger knows that maintaining a blog takes commitment and time. If you find yourself with plenty of blog topic ideas but lack the time, considering hiring a Virtual Assistant to assist with many of the tasks associated with blogging.
Problem: Posts may not be easy to understand or have spelling and grammatical errors.
How a Virtual Assistant can help:
- Working with someone who may not be in your industry you give you the opportunity to receive feedback on your blog post, to ensure your post is understandable to someone who may not be familiar with industry jargon.
- A Virtual Assistant can proof blog posts to assure they are free of typos and grammatically correct prior to it being published.
Why: Often our mind reads what we have written and intuitively corrects our written mistakes. When we are writing to convey a message we “know” what we mean, yet the reader may not find something clear or easy to understand. Having a third-party such as a Virtual Assistant review your work for accuracy and understanding will assure your blog posts are both easy to understand and free of typos and grammatical errors.
Quick case study
Marketing Companies who work with clients getting them started blogging can benefit from a Virtual Assistant as well. I work with a marketing company in Missouri who frequently has me handle the proofing/editing on her client blogs.
This has numerous benefits for her:
- She can focus on more complicated tasks that only she can perform,
- My rates are probably substantially less than what she charges,
- Her clients have blogs that are error free and easy to understand.
The end result? Her clients look good, she shines and can leverage her time and skills.
What about you?
Are you working with a virtual assistant right now? If not, do you plan on it in the future?
If so, what have you found is the biggest benefit of having professional assistance with your business?
Michelle Mangen is owner of Your Virtual
Assistant in Venice, Florida, providing virtual assistance
to small business owners who realize their time is better spent on
high value, high ROI tasks. Visit Michelle at
Your Virtual Assistant.
Folks, Michelle will be writing about Virtual Assistants for blogging on the 3rd Wednesday every month. This is going to be a great little series for several reasons. One of these reasons has to with the semantic web notions I wrote about a couple of weeks ago. Stay tuned for more on both Virtual Assistants and the semantic web.
Michelle, thanks loads for this series!
.-= Dave Doolin´s last blog ..Secrets of the Tomorrow Blog, Today =-.
Dave:
1. Love the new site look! Meant to mention that when I was here earlier this week.
2. Thank you bunches for allowing me this opportunity!
3. I better go find your post on the semantic web.
Cheers!
Dave – Nice new look!
Michelle – I use a VA. She started with me a couple of months ago and is doing a tremendous job. Lisa’s a real asset to the business, organising things for me. But above all, she’s proactive in recommending processes and tools to make things flow more smoothly.
Mike:
I love that you are working with a Virtual Assistant. Where do you live, if you don’t mind me asking? It seems that some areas are more familiar with how a Virtual Assistant can help them than in other areas. Though, in my opinion, with social media what it is has certainly helped increase awareness and understanding.
I’m in WI and frequently have to explain what a VA is and all the fun stuff accompanied with that.
Look forward to chatting with you more in the future!
My wife checks all my blog posts and emails before I publish / send.
I find it really difficult to see my own mistakes – as you point out.
Andrew
P.S. She doesn’t check my comments though – so hopefully no mistakes here!
.-= Andrew @ Blogging Guide´s last blog ..Make A Blog Income Without Working Hard =-.
Andrew:
You know you really aren’t alone with that. Our minds have a tendency to “show” us what we believe is there rather than what is truly the case sometimes.
Even though I do a lot of proofing for clients I always give my stuff (blog posts are an exception though) to others to proof. Since I do my own proofing on blog posts I do, from time to time, get someone who points out a typo. (I’m not perfect either!)
P.S. No typos in your comment. LOL :-)
Hey Michelle, nice to meet you. :)
I don’t use a VA yet, though I can see a possible need for one in the future. The series sounds like it’ll be excellent.
.-= Heather´s last blog ..The Mayans: Intruder! =-.
Heather:
Great to meet you as well. If you get to the point where you need a Virtual Assistant reach out to me and I’ll help steer you in the right direction. We all have different strengths, skill sets, etc.
I have passively been working on building relationships with more and more VA’s so that I can hand off referrals to others for the things I don’t do or can’t do. So far I have a list of about 30 and know that list will continue to grow. It’s my hope, at some point, to be known as the “go-to” person when someone needs a VA.
Again, great to meet you!
I’m just starting out here so am not working with a VA yet but do plan to in the future. My core strengths are writing and communicating, and if I’m smart I’ll spend most of my time doing those things and less of my time doing anything else.
I’m from Wisconsin too, Michelle. I live in Bloomer, which is a bit north of Eau Claire.
.-= Jean Sarauer´s last blog ..How to Backup a WordPress Blog =-.
Jean:
From one cheese head to another….great to meet you.
I’ve heard of Bloomer but have never been there.
I see that your last post in on How to Backup WordPress. Think I will have to mosey over and possibly send your post to others. (I’m still aghast every time I run across a new client who isn’t backing up their site).
You understand the concept of why working with a Virtual Assistant is beneficial. We all have strengths and if we work outside of those strengths often we procrastinate on those things because we dislike them so much.
People often laugh at me because even being a Virtual Assistant I give things I don’t like for my own business to other VA’s who do enjoy those things.
My theory – life is too short to do the things we dislike!
Where do you find good VA’s and what kind of fees do they charge?
.-= Mike Roosa´s last blog ..Plugins Are Your Friend And Checklists And Backups Too =-.
Mike:
Many great places to find Virtual Assistants – if you are on social networks such as Twitter and LinkedIn those would be two great places to start.
Fees range based on a lot of different factors (years in service, specialties, etc.) but a pretty normal price is between $35-$40/hr. Of course, that is the average so you will find some that are more and some that are less.
If you decide you need help with something let me know and I can steer you in the right direction as I have a little network built up.
Never considered a VA… maybe I need a mrs! :)
.-= rob sellen´s last blog ..Talent trumps many things =-.
Rob – LOL or maybe you need both!
Oh I don’t know, my blog’s not that bad, is it. :P
A mrs, yep, need on of those for sure! :)
.-= rob sellen´s last blog ..Affiliate marketing works both ways =-.
Great post, Michelle! Thanks for spreading the word about our beloved profession! Will be coming back here to check out your future posts!
Sarah
http://twitter.com/sarahsantacroce
Sarah:
Thanks for stopping by! If you do WordPress at all I suggest you favorite Dave’s site as he shares tons and tons of useful info!
I think it’s an interesting concept but not sure how long it would take before your VA knows exactly how you do things. I guess you have to work out very clear instructions before taking anyone on.
.-= Jorgen @ Personal Branding´s last blog ..Social Bookmarking Made Easy by Caroline Middlebrook and the IMAutomator =-.
Jorgen:
Clear communication when working with a Virtual Assistant (or anyone really) is always a desirable thing.
In most instances the learning curve should be fairly minimal.
On the money with this topic – as ever with subjects that enthral and inspire us, Mr D. And Michelle, fascinating to hear it from the VA’s perspective.
I have a recommendation for anyone interested in going down the VA route.
I’ve long been a big fan and follower of Cliff Ravenscraft (he of Generally Speaking Podcast Network and the Podcast Answer Man himself) and recently he outdid himself (it’s getting harder) by launching the Virtual Assistant Podcast.
He’s on ep #7 but already it’s showing some great signs of taking root.
Check it out here:
http://gspn.tv/category/technology/va/
.-= Dave Thackeray´s last blog ..The Secret 2.0 =-.
Dave:
Thanks for both the comment and the resource. Cliff’s name is not familiar to me so I will have to check out the link you provided.
Have you listened to the episodes? If so, does he speak more on how to hire and work with a VA or does he talk about how to become one?
Great to meet you!
Hey Michelle!
The VA Podcasts are all about hiring a VA. Great content, them all.
Talking podcasts… Dave? ;-)
Ps well done implementing wptouch. Makes all the difference!
.-= Dave Thackeray´s last blog ..The Secret 2.0 =-.
Thanks for the reply to this. Will def have to check them out as they may be good podcasts for me to link to from my own blog posts. (which I am super behind on).
Michelle,
I also just started blogging and I’m looking forward to the rest of your tips. And thanks also for spreading news and information about VA, this really help us get clients.
Michelle,
I also just started blogging and I’m looking forward to the rest of your tips. And thanks also for spreading news and information about VA, this really help us get clients. Thanks to you!
Michelle,
I have been using a VA for about two weeks. So far my experience is positive and my biggest handicap is me. I need to learn how to communicate with a foreign English speaker, 40 years younger than I am. Because I am unsure about what I need for him to do, I don’t set tasks. I am following a plan which he presented when I was introduced to him. I am slowly getting my act together but it is almost as difficult as understanding what Dave is talking about.