How to Hire a Virtual Assistant for Internet Marketing: A Step-by-Step Guide

Digital marketing is a make-or-break factor for businesses to reach audiences and drive sales. Hiring a virtual assistant for eCommerce is a powerful step to save time, reduce marketing costs, and scale your impact. In this article, we’ll show you how to hire a virtual assistant for Internet marketing, where to find one, and how to pick the right candidate for your business needs.

Why Hire a Virtual Assistant for Internet Marketing?

Virtual assistants can fill many roles, from administrative to marketing. Put simply, they help with the day-to-day work of your business. Here’s a quick overview of what a VA can do for you in internet marketing:

• Efficiency: You can spend less time doing the daily work that keeps your business running and more time on your long-term strategy.
• Cost: An internet marketing assistant can save you up to 78% compared to full-time employees, with reduced expenses in HR, benefits, and overhead.
• Expert Knowledge: A VA can have the right skills for your business. These may include SEO (Search Engine Optimization), social media management, content creation, email marketing, and PPC (Pay Per Click).
• Flexibility: You can scale your team up or down based on your business needs, without the commitment of full-time hires.

Key Services an Internet Marketing VA Can Provide

Now that you know the basics, here are some specifics of how an online virtual marketing assistant can help.

Social Media Management

Social media is a powerful outreach tool. A VA can put out content regularly to promote engagement and raise awareness. This strategy might include

• Industry News
• Company Photos and Videos

• Information Videos

• User-Generated Content

• Polls

• Q&As
• Educational Blogs

 

A VA can schedule and monitor this content to maximize reach and engagement. They’ll also answer customer questions and respond to comments, good or bad. A committed marketing specialist can mitigate the fallout, too. 

Global Reach comments that “32 percent of customers share negative experiences on social media. By responding and resolving issues publicly, businesses not only appease the concerned customer but also showcase their dedication to customer satisfaction to a broader audience.”

If your customers have questions, your VA can answer them quickly, building credibility for your business online.

SEO Support

SEO is a must to reach audiences. Backlinko explains that “Only 9% of users make it to the bottom of the first page of Google” and that “Only .44% of searchers go to the second page of Google’s search results.” Put simply, you want your industry website to rank on the first page when users search for topics related to your industry. The more your articles, blogs, and other content appease the algorithm, the higher it will rank. 

A digital marketing assistant can use the right keywords to pull users to your site. They can also optimize on-page elements and work in the background to ensure your website is indexed favorably. They can then track SEO performance using tools to revise and improve SEO strategies for long-term success.

A VA can also write blog content to let your audience know about the industry with a focus on scoring high in search engines. These blogs not only help your audience learn more about your company, but they can also build online credibility.

Content Marketing

Putting out content shows your online audience that you’re active. A VA can create marketing copy for your business and cross-post it on different platforms, with minor tweaks. This saves time and money on marketing and improves your reach. 

An internet marketing expert can tailor this content to the specific platform to make sure it is relevant and engaging. They can also make sure you release and update content regularly to stay relevant on fast-paced platforms. 

Email Marketing

Email campaigns can reach thousands of leads. A virtual assistant can tag users into groups and automate marketing to reach customers. They can also analyze how customers interact with those emails to plan for future campaigns. 

eCommerce Marketing

A VA doesn’t just make your website look nice and rank well on Google. They can also set up listings for you so that customers can purchase your products online. A VA can adjust the site layout to drive user sales, as well as directly handle customer questions.

Another aspect of eCommerce is PPC ads, which can make your product known to a target audience and increase conversion rates. This includes creating compelling headlines and linking the ads to your website. PPC web traffic also feeds into SEO strategies to generate traffic for your website.

Where to Find a Qualified Virtual Marketing Assistant

An online marketing virtual assistant might be closer than you think. To find one, you can check agencies, freelance platforms, job boards, or your industry connections.

VA Agencies

An agency has a unique advantage. Their candidates are vetted, so you know they’re worth the investment. You can expect high-quality work from an agency, but the costs may be higher. In addition, VA agencies tend to have restrictions for their assistants, which may not be right for you if flexibility is important.

Freelance Platforms (e.g., Upwork, Fiverr)

The traditional agency model isn’t for everyone. On a freelance site, you get a wide talent pool that you can browse based on your project’s scope and specifications. Here, you can visit assistant profiles to see their skills and relevant experience, as well as their earnings and reputation on the site. You could find a VA with industry experience and passion that’s a good fit. 

The challenge is that quality varies on any freelance platform. You may want to check reviews, consider work experience, and have more oversight for vetting and management.

Job Boards (e.g., Indeed, LinkedIn)

Job boards can attract new talent to your project. Many professionals go through boards to find work, and you can find the perfect assistant for your needs. Just be aware that it may take a lot of time to sift through those applications. To reduce the number of unhelpful ones, make sure your post is as specific as possible. Define your needs clearly and highlight daily tasks and required skills so that candidates understand the job.

Referrals and Networking

Check with your peers or industry contacts for leads. They may know someone who’s right for the job. If you find someone this way, you know that they have practice in your field, and that’s a huge plus. Industry expertise is very helpful for internet marketing, so it’s important that your VA understands the field, too. 

The con is that it may take time for those contacts to get back to you. The talent pool is also much smaller in scope, depending on the size of your contact list.

How to Evaluate and Hire the Right Internet Marketing VA

Before you make a hire, you’ll want to make sure you’re picking the right person. After all, a VA’s skills should fit your needs. A good match comes from clear communications, careful screening, and effective onboarding.

1. Define Your Needs Clearly

Without clear direction, your VA hire will not be as helpful. To plan, start by writing down a list of tasks and roles you want the VA to handle. Look for relevant skills when you go through the hiring process.

To define your needs, focus on areas of growth and ask yourself some questions. Do you need better website management? Do you need a social media campaign? Do you need a better way to track and convert leads? These are all specializations a VA can help with. Knowing where you need the most help can make onboarding easier so that your VA can start to excel.

2. Write a Comprehensive Job Description

VAs wear a lot of hats. When you create your listing, make sure to include all the relevant info so they know what you’re looking for. This saves you and them from a confusing disconnect of roles and responsibilities. Here are some basics you should include:

• Job Title

• Daily Tasks

• Required Skills
• Expected Hours

In your listing, it’s also helpful to include tools or software you use. For example, if you use Hootsuite for managing social media or SEMrush for SEO, let your VA know in the listing. This tells them that they should be familiar with these tools to work for you. Setting a baseline establishes clear lines of communication from the get-go.

3. Screen Candidates Effectively

Make sure to screen potential hires. Even with a good resume, a VA might not fit your business. Check if their portfolio is up to par. Then, consider relevant experience, completed projects, and client testimonials.

4. Conduct Interviews and Assess Skills

An in-person meeting is ideal to assess candidates. Prepare interview questions that focus on digital marketing. By the end, you should have a good grasp on what they’ve achieved in the past and how they can help your business grow. These questions should dig deeper into their digital marketing experience.

Consider asking for sample work or a trial task to see if their work is up to standard.

5. Onboard Your New VA Efficiently

Onboarding your VA properly is your job. An internet marketing virtual assistant isn’t magic. You still need to set them up with the right tools, training, and communication channels. Set up performance metrics and check in with them regularly to make sure you’re on the same page.

It may also help to pair them with an experienced employee for a time so they can learn the ropes quickly with supervision.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Hiring an Internet Marketing VA

It’s important to set your VA up for success. Try to avoid these pitfalls when hiring:

1. Unclear Expectations: Define the scope of work and communication channels upfront.
2. Overloading Your VA: Keep it simple while getting started. Avoid expecting your VA to handle highly specialized tasks outside their expertise.
3. Low-Quality Training: Spend time onboarding and sharing your business processes and goals. Schedule regular check-in meetings and progress reports to make sure they are on the right track.
4. Poor Time Sync: Plan ahead for potential communication challenges and schedule regular syncs.

Benefits of Hiring a VA from My OpsBox

If you’re hiring a VA, My OpsBox can make the choice easy. Here’s how.

Pre-Vetted Talent

Our VAs are rigorously screened and trained in digital marketing. They can manage email campaigns, social media accounts, and platforms to maximize reach and handle customer inquiries. If you want them to handle administrative tasks, scheduling, or something else, they can do that, too!

Customized Packages 

Unlike traditional hiring agencies, we offer tailored packages so you can fit your business size and needs. We aim to be your growth partner, which means finding the right talent to boost your productivity and handle the busy work.

Scalable Solutions

We’re in it for the long haul. Whether your business has 1 or 1000 employees, we can help you focus on growth by handling your online presence through scalable services. As your team grows, we can continue to provide custom support to manage your growing internet marketing needs.

Dedicated Support

With My OpsBox, you have access to both a VA and a fractional COO for strategic oversight. Plus, our support team is here to help if you have any questions or concerns. We can stay flexible to tackle your unique needs.

 

Conclusion

Without a virtual assistant, you may spend most of your time tackling busy work rather than focusing on long-term growth. A virtual assistant is a competitive advantage for Internet marketing and can help you plan for long-term success. With reliable, accountable work and a problem-solving mindset, My OpsBox offers a cost-effective solution to internet marketing.

To start the process, you can get in touch with us for a consultation to assess your business needs. Ready to streamline your marketing efforts and focus on growth? Contact My OpsBox today and get matched with your ideal internet marketing assistant today!

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