What exactly is a Virtual Assistant?

Are you an owner of a creative small business and feel like there’s so much administration work that you feel like you’re getting buried by all the small stuff? Then hiring a Virtual Assistant (VA) might be a great option for you!

What is a Virtual Assistant?

A virtual assistant is a person who works remotely, logging into your website or other online platforms and performs work for you. This type of work varies widely, depending on the specialties of the virtual assistant. By outsourcing this work, you as the owner are able to focus on the work you’d prefer to do, rather than on the ‘busy work’ you can delegate. A virtual assistant works under a contract, rather than as an employee of your business. This means they’ll be doing their own accounting and taxes, and all you’ll need to worry about is paying an invoice, based on how the VA sets up their business. Creative vs. Administrative Virtual Assistants There are two major types of Virtual Assistants, Creative and Administrative. Creative VAs, specializes in creating content for you and your website. This content can include:

• Instagram posts and captions

• Blog content

• Graphic design

• Content calendar creation

• Branding

• Marketing

• Newsletter creation

Administrative VAs specialize in working on administrative tasks like:

• Email organization and management

• Payroll

• Organizing a Google Drive

• Bookkeeping

• Behind-the-scenes website management

• Shipping

How much does a Virtual Assistant cost? This can vary, depending on the experience and expertise of the Virtual Assistant you’re hiring. Many new VAs start at $20/hour, with expert VAs charging $50-60 an hour. Depending on the VA, there may also be a minimum number of hours they’ll be hired for. You might also encounter Virtual Assistants that prefer to charge by package, rather than per hour. Some popular packages include Social Media Management, Pinterest Setup and Management, and general VA work. Now that you know the basics about Virtual Assistants, you have more information for hiring your own virtual assistant! Interested in having me as your virtual assistant? Find more about my services here.