5 Ways a Virtual Assistant Can Pave the Way to Social Media Success
A virtual assistant can help you:
- Curate Content for Social Media
- Design Graphics for All Platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Instagram, Linkedin, and Twitter)
- Write statuses based on your content, book, podcast, webinar, etc.
- Pre-Schedule social media posts to give you time to - Be Social
- Develop a strategy for your blog/business
I’ve been working as a V.A. since August 2015 trying to hone in on what I want to concentrate on. I like many things but not everything I like is needed by the people I serve.
One project I consistently receive job inquiries about is Social Media Management. People are overwhelmed by it and often abhor the amount of time needed to manage their online reputation.
In November of 2015, I did a little survey and asked a number of Facebook Group members what one service they would pay $7.00/month for. The results were unanimous - Social Media Management. More specifically, premade graphics, image quotes, and statuses as well as curated content (SlideDecks were another).
From this survey I created my first $7/month product called “Social Media Fairy Dust”. The name comes from by tagline “Magical To-Do List Annihilator” so sprinkling a little ‘fairy dust’ on your social media helps by offering ideas for statuses, curation, and even a few premade graphics. Below are sample images from my first issue released December 2015:
Inside you’ll find 26 social media graphics ready to post to Google plus, Facebook groups and pages, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter. You’ll also find prewritten content to post on G+, Facebook groups, and Twitter. Ideas for posts are suggested for your Fan Page. Bonus: 29 Pieces of Curated content to share invoking your audience’s emotions, need for information, and entertainment.
More recently I asked the following question and received the same request - Social Media Management.
Q. Let’s assume you have the financial resources to hire a virtual assistant, What would be the first task you’d want to outsource?
A. David Leonhardt (President, THGM Writers)
The first task I would assign would be social media dissemination. Not interaction, but dissemination. This would include monitoring amplifiers like Viral Content Buzz and Just Retweet. This would include ensuring that old blog posts still get shared. This would include monitoring for posts I might want to comment on (but not to actually make the comments for me).
A. Phil Turner (The 5 Currencies Guy)
The first task I would outsource would be social media tasks such as promoting posts by other bloggers in my niche. I find that social media tasks are a massive time-soak and that they take up a large amount of my creative time. Simple social media tasks like these are perfect for a third person to do
Now, let’s review the 5 Shortcuts to Social Media Success.
Shortcut 1: Content Curation
An assistant can search for topical content for you. She can also use resources like JustRetweet and Viral Content Buzz to find content to share.
Read my post 15 Sites to Curate Content
Shortcut 2: Design and Create Graphics for All Networks
It’s frustrating when each network has a specific image size as you have to resize your images for each channel. Hand this over to your assistant. In Social Media Fairy Dust, I created image blanks for each network so clients simply add their photo and text.
Facebook Blanks - Just Add Your Image and Text
Shortcut 3: Write Statuses From Your Content
Your assistant can create Facebook posts and Tweets from your blog content. Adding a tweetable to your blog post with plugins like ClicktoTweet encourages shares.
#VATIP Adding a tweetable to your blog post encourages shares Click To TweetShortcut 4: Schedule Social Media
Although it’s best that you be the source of socializing your assistant can pre-schedule quotes and old blog posts using tools like HootSuite, SocialOomph, BufferApp, or Postplanner.
Shortcut 5: Social Media Strategy
Your assistant can brainstorm a social media strategy for your blog/business. She can create a custom posting schedule and help track your analytics.
Social Media Success is attainable with a little help. You no longer need to dread creating content for your social sites. Enlist the help of an assistant and spend your valuable time socializing with your fans and connections.
YOUR TURN:
Do You Use a Blogger’s Assistant to help with your Social Media? What would be the first task you’d hand over?
Ashley says
I love all the social media management that comes with my blog! I am trying to figure out a way I can help others with it too but it seems hard to break into the virtual assistant arena.
Magical V.A. says
Which service do you use Ashley? Are they the auto post plugins or do you use a scheduler like Co-Schedule?
Roslyn says
Although I think its great to have a VA, my partner & I have our tasks dived up. Sometimes I fall behind, but I’m not ready to turn things over. Good luck.
Magical V.A. says
It is a big step to turn things over to an assistant. Sounds like you and your partner have a good thing going.
Helen says
Love the idea of Social Media Fairy Dust - we could all use some of that! One of the reasons I put making social media courses on the back burner for a while was because I could see small businesses didn’t so much need to know more about social media as to pay someone to do it for them. So I can see why your service is in such demand!
Magical V.A. says
Helen, yes we all can use a bit of fairy dust. ^_^
This product was a direct result from clients feedback and requests. Social Media Management is my highest selling service.
Sue Fleckenstein says
Great post and love this idea of handing it over to someone to help you with. As well as having a VA help with social media I would like to have someone create web 2.0 properties and set it up so that when I post on the main site, those sites get auto-populated too.
Magical V.A. says
Oh, that sounds great Susan. That would be such a time-saver. Do you know of an application that would do that for you?
Diana says
Thank you for mentioning Post Planner in your post!!! We are so grateful. 🙂 Have a wonderful week.
Magical V.A. says
What a lovely surprise! Thanks for stopping by my little blog to thank me. ^_^
Tami R Principe says
A virtual assistant would be something that I would consider. More and more people are using them. I linked all of my social networks together. I post once in the morning and it will hit my FB and Twitter, and then I post it on Google +. Thank you so much for all of the information. Definitely something to consider.
#YouAreLoved says
Tami, once bloggers decide to go beyond blogging for fun and really turning it into a Full-Time job, they contact me. When you have sponsored posts, original content, multiple contributors, affiliates, plus promoting it all, it gets a bit overwhelming. Sounds like you’re doing well. The key is to get into a routine. Do your ‘to-do’ list every day and it will eventually become a habit.