You may have heard the term before but you may be wondering, exactly what is a virtual assistant? A virtual assistant, often abbreviated as VA, is a highly skilled professional who works independently to provide support services to a business. These services may range in description from administrative to creative to technical and some virtual assistants may incorporate all of these duties. The biggest difference between a virtual assistant and a traditional administrative assistant is the cost to your business. Outsourcing your administrative duties can save you a lot of money upfront and over the long run. A virtual assistant, in many cases, may even provide more beneficial support to your business.
What is a Virtual Assistant Compared to an Administrative Assistant?
A virtual assistant will be skilled in all areas of business support that a traditional administrative assistant would typically handle. They will also be highly qualified in providing services for your online business. When considering a virtual you should look for some of the unique talents that an online professional will offer. Browse through our list below to discover the important qualities a virtual assistant will have that will benefit your online business.
What Types of Service a Virtual Assistant Can Do for an Online Business?
Website Design – If you had a traditional brick and mortar storefront, you would put a significant amount of time into the design and style of that store. You would ensure that your goods and services were clearly displayed and that customers could easily navigate shopping and purchasing. A virtual assistant who is skilled as a professional website designer will work with you to develop your style into a web presence. They will be able to provide you with an easy to use platform to sell your goods and services. The easier it is for your potential customers to navigate your website, the more sales you can expect.
Customer Support – A professional virtual assistant will be trained and highly skilled in handling all functions of customer support. They will work to familiarize themselves with your products or services and policies. Your customers will receive direct attention and satisfactory customer support from your virtual assistant. Any issues will be immediately and effectively resolved to your customers’ satisfaction.
Writing – You have heard time and time again that content is king online. Your website copy directly affects your business’ search engine rankings which effects the number of people who know about your business. The more people who can easily find your business through an internet search, the higher your potential income. Outsourcing your writing needs to your virtual assistant will result in professional copy for your website. Professional copy gets more results.
Search Engine Optimization – Even amazing content will never be seen without quality search engine optimization. An expert in search engine optimization will ensure that the copy on your website is designed to attract search engines. Professional link-building is also a must for online entrepreneurs. A professional will be able to design links that send visitors back to your website. More links and excellent search engine optimization mean more search engine results leading to your website. Working with a virtual assistant who is experienced in content, search engine optimization and link-building will guarantee more traffic to your website.
Blogging – Consider your online presence like that of a brick and mortar business owner in their community. Customers build relationships with owners who are directly involved with them. Blogging is a great way to stay in touch with your customers, to provide valuable advice and to show that you are interested in being an essential part of their community. A virtual assistant who is a skilled writer can build and develop a blog for your business, regularly posting ghostwritten blog entries that will keep your customers up to date with all the happenings in your business.
Knowing all that a virtual assistant can do, your only question is: what is a virtual assistant going to do for my bottom line? A virtual assistant will essentially provide your business with even more skills than a traditional administrative assistant and typically cost significantly less. A virtual assistant is paid as a contractor, not a full-time employee. You will not be responsible for paying their taxes, benefits or vacation time. Further, a virtual assistant is already equipped to fully support your business. You will not be required to purchase office equipment as you would with a traditional administrative assistant. These actual cost savings combined with the potential sales increases through the use of a virtual assistant will add up to significant benefits for your business.
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