We’ve already talked a good deal about website seo tasks for virtual website assistants here. But how much does work from a good virtual website assistant actually cost, and how much value do they create? Can we expect to pay the same rate for a virtual website assistant as we do for a more general virtual assistant or specialized virtual assistant? Should we accept high rates from virtual website assistants for specific tasks? A quick analysis of the market reveals true value virtual website assistants provide.
In my first post on virtual website assistants, I mentioned that doing a quick search for search engine optimization on elance yielded at least 2,500 results. Most individual virtual website assistants and virtual website assistant companies offer core SEO functions like keyword research, on-site optimization, and backlink building, and the average virtual website assistant charges between $8.00 and $18.00 per hour for these services.
These rates are certainly more expensive than the rates for generalized virtual assistants; the average virtual assistant on elance charges between $5.00 and $15.00 per hour. Is paying for a virtual website assistant really efficient?
To understand the real cost savings involved in hiring a virtual website assistant, it’s important to look at the rates that so-called “SEO experts” charge for their services. An article at SEOmoz on SEO Pricing and Costs reveals that mid-tear SEO companies charge up to $200 per hour for their services. That’s over a 1000% difference. In other words, it costs roughly five times less to hire a mid-tier virtual website assistant than it does to hire a mid-tier SEO expert!
Considering that both virtual website assistants and SEO gurus work from their own offices and communicate with clients via email and phone, the level of customer interaction they provide is entirely comparable. Likewise, a quick credential check on most of the virtual website assistant services in elance reveals high numbers of satisfied customers. People actually enjoy working with virtual website assistants, and they, like most virtual assistants, accomplish their tasks quickly and effectively. Virtual website assistant services clearly provide an incredible value to those companies that use them. It’s hard to beat getting the exact same services for one fifth of the price.
My virtual assistants have done a lot for me. By scheduling meetings, sorting through data, and even researching international business opportunities, my virtual assistants have saved me time and money in ways I never expected. In fact, I’ve used them so successfully, that one of my good friends, Greg Herring of Emergent Energy, recently asked me to talk with him about virtual assistants and the extent to which one could use them for personal and business productivity. Our conversation got me thinking about all the functions VAs have, and one in particular that’s becoming increasingly important: website search engine optimization and traffic-building.
Search engine optimization (SEO) is an incredibly time-consuming task no matter how much of an expert you are. But it doesn’t have to be your time that’s consumed. In fact, an increasing number of virtual assistants have added the title virtual website assistant to their CVs.
Continue reading “The Virtual Website Assistant Edge”
Virtual assistants are a great resource for any SEO worker or webmaster. I mentioned in my previous post, the Virtual Website Assistant Edge, that hiring a virtual website assistant can significantly improve the productivity of your website as a marketing, sales, and informational tool. Virtual assistants are, of course, as good if not better at online tasks as they are with offline ones. But what exactly should you expect a virtual website assistant to do? What tasks are best-suited for virtual website assistants, and how can they increase your website’s efficacy? Here are the top 10 website tasks for virtual assistants:
10. Keyword Reasearch
Keyword research is possibly the most important function for any SEO worker. Knowing what keywords have become common and what keywords are up-and-coming can help you determine what areas within your niche are information-saturated and what topics are ripe for discussion. This knowledge will in turn help you and your team know what your audience is looking for and what kind of content to create; knowing your customers this well gives you an incredible means to create content that’s effective. If you have a virtual website assistant or are considering using one, make sure both you and your virtual assistant are well-versed in the art and science of keyword research.
9. On-Site SEO Optimization
Optimizing your site for search engines by getting down and dirty with the html, css, and backend code is definitely not a fun job, but, as they say, somebody’s gotta do it. If you’re new to SEO and you want to know what to expect from your virtual website assistant in terms of on-site optimization, be sure to check out SEOmoz’s 24 On-site SEO Checkups For Clueless Developers / Marketers.
