Can Virtual Assistants provide social networking support?
While many Virtual Assistants already do offer these services, some VAs and clients may actually be wondering, SHOULD they?
Social networking became the trendiest way to stay connected in 2008. As a result, clients in many industries are seeking VAs with proven expertise to manage their social media presence. As a hot new niche market, it’s natural that training programs have sprung up for VAs who want to offer this service.
This phenomenal growth of a new medium has me asking some questions:
- Just because you use social media, does that qualify you to charge other people to let you handle their social networking activities?
- Who decides what the standards are when you are representing another person? I think this raises some ethical dilemmas. For instance, can I represent you, by posting links to your newest blog posts and responding to all your Twitter DM’s, forwarding to you just the ones I think you’ll want to review? If so, how does someone chatting on LinkedIn, know if they are really talking to the person they are addressing or to an assistant? Should I limit my VA services to profile creation on your preferred SM platforms and then turn the job over to you for handling day to day posts?
- If I am a client contracting with an assistant to manage my social networking communications, how do I know if this assistant is aware of protocol if I don’t know the protocol myself?
- At what point are you entitled to describe yourself as expert in a media that is still in its infancy?
Jennie Cromie wrote 8 Surefire Ways to Tick Off the Twitterverse. Jennie’s “twittequette” is a good place to start whether you’re a VA looking for work, or a client trying to figure it all out.
By the way, Jennie’s piece was published on Twitip, which is another in the lineup of fantastic blogs by Darren Rowse, and can help you begin the process of refining your understanding and use of Twitter.
Among the training options for VAs who want to add this niche to their services list are:
www.vaclassroom.com, which offers a Social Networking training component. Craig and Kelly Cannings own this company, which provides training in such areas as Affiliate Marketing, Search Engine Marketing, Web Analytics, Blogging, and, yes, Social Media Marketing.
www.virtualassist.net/blog/category/virtual-assistant-training, where you can find help and support in many areas, whether you are a VA or a client looking for VA services. Andrea Kalli is the publisher of www.virtualassist.net and has written extensively on how to use social media for business. She offers training and support in many services, including social networking. Here is just one article that Andrea has written, which includes a link to a class she presented for fellow virtual assistants: How to Use Twitter for Business)
Speaking of this, here are some relevant posts from elsewhere in Loosely Speaking:
Calendar of Events for Bloggers and VAs
Eligibility vs. Suitability for Your Profession
Interested in Becoming a Virtual Assistant? Here’s Your F.A.Q.
Are Social Media today’s biggest time suck?
Unintended Outcomes (of Social Media)
From Bulletin Boards to Brightkite: How we stay in touch
Loopt, Brightkite Invites: I’m Confused!?
Tapping the Power of LinkedIn
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Comment // January 23rd, 2009 // 5:12 pm
I love those resources! They will be very helpful for me, and for the virtual assistant who handles some of my social media for me. It’s so exciting to see the different niches you can choose as a VA. One other place where you can learn more about specializing in different niches as a VA is at VAnetworking.com
My own VA and I have overcome many of the concerns you raised by working together. I’ve let her know what my specific goals are, and we work together to come up with ways to use social media to accomplish those goals. She also connects with other VAs to discuss new trends in social networking, and find out how they can benefit me. I don’t know where I would be without her!
Comment // January 23rd, 2009 // 6:04 pm
Denise, I think that’s the point. Not everyone is born with or learns tghe necessary communication skills to learn to work as a team with a VA. Or, for that matter, working with ANYone in a team environment.
I’d love to know more about what types of tasks you delegate to your VA, though understand if you don’t want to disclose.
Thank you for your input.
Comment // January 24th, 2009 // 4:19 pm
Sure, some things she helps me with are:
responding to email inquiries
managing my twitter account
moderating my forum
distribution
research and draft my blog posts
As we work together longer, we discover more ways I can utilize her talents, so our relationship is continually evolving.
Comment // February 3rd, 2009 // 4:22 am
Hiring a VA is the smartest thing to do. Your business will grow in an instance while the payment for a VA is not that high as i expected.
Comment // March 6th, 2009 // 2:37 am
I agree.. Social networking has became very important part these days…Its business or friends.. Its just important to stay in touch..