Virtual assistants provide cost-effective support services so you can focus on your business’ core functions. Whether you manage a large enterprise or a small business, VAs can help take your company to new heights.
However, finding the right virtual assistant and managing them properly can seem daunting.
Thankfully, there are loads of informative virtual assistant resources available online.
To make it easier for you, we’ve created a list of the most useful virtual assistant articles on the internet.
If you want to know what a virtual assistant does, how to manage them, which industries they suit, or where to find the best ones, you’ll discover all you need to know in these articles.
This article includes:
(Jump to a specific section using the below links)
- 25 Informative Virtual Assistant Articles
- General Virtual Assistant Information
- Managing Virtual Assistants
- Industry-Specific Virtual Assistants
- Virtual Assistants in Specific Countries
- 5 Bonus Virtual Assistant Articles
Let’s get started.
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25 informative virtual assistant articles
Below is a list of articles to guide you through the entire process of hiring and managing a virtual assistant (VA).
1. General virtual assistant information
Whether you’re a small business owner, fledgling entrepreneur, or running a large corporation, these articles will help you understand the fundamentals of hiring a virtual assistant.
A. Virtual assistants: What they do & how to hire
Discover what exactly a virtual assistant is, what they do, how to hire one, and how much they will cost working full-time or part-time.
B. 5 key reasons to hire a virtual assistant for your business
If you’re wondering how a virtual assistant can benefit you, discover the five key reasons for hiring a virtual assistant every business owner should know.
C. 100 tasks you can outsource to virtual assistant services
Interested in outsourcing your mundane tasks?
Find out what task you can outsource to a virtual assistant.
Examples include making travel arrangements, social media management, customer support, project management, and digital marketing tasks.
D. Virtual assistant vs. employee: Which is right for you?
Discover whether you should hire a virtual assistant (a remote independent contractor/ freelancer) or an in-house employee. Make the right choice after exploring the advantages and disadvantages of both types of team members.
E. Top 25 virtual assistant websites for VA services
There are countless websites where you can find individuals and companies offering virtual assistant services, so how do you choose the right one? Find out the key features to look for in a VA website and the 25 best virtual assistant websites today.
F. How much does it cost you to hire a virtual assistant?
Need help finding a virtual assistant with the right skill set that fits your budget?
Explore the factors that determine a VAs salary and how much to pay your virtual assistant.
G. How to start a virtual assistant business
If you’re interested in being self-employed and starting your own virtual assistant business, it’s now easier than ever. But you’ll need more than just an internet connection.
Discover what it takes to start a successful VA business, as well as the pros and cons of doing so.
2. Managing virtual assistants
Once you know the virtual assistant basics, you’ll need to learn how to manage them effectively. Here are a few informative articles to help.
A. 51 best virtual sssistant software tools to optimize productivity
This list of 51 of the top tools will help you decide on the best software for optimization of your virtual assistants’ productivity.
B. 10 smart tips for successful remote employee productivity management
Since most virtual assistants work remotely, managing their productivity may be tricky. Here are 10 tips to help you monitor your virtual assistants’ performance and ensure they’re working to their full potential.
C. The guide to virtual assistant training (benefits, courses, FAQs)
Once you’ve hired the best virtual assistant, you’ll need to train them. Discover what to look for in a training program, three of the best virtual assistant courses, and the training cost for each.
D. Virtual assistant contracts: The ultimate guide (process + tips)
Virtual assistant contracts aren’t the same as employee contracts.
Since your VA will be working from a remote location, it’s important to specify the ground rules in their contract, including job description, working hours, and so on.
Find out the three main forms of contracts and what to include in your virtual employee contract.
E. Top 10 virtual team communication tools (features, pricing)
Once you hire your virtual assistant, you’ll need an efficient means of communication.
We’ve reviewed the top 10 communication tools to help you easily choose the best one for your company.
3. Industry-specific virtual assistants
If you’re looking for more industry-specific information, the following articles will help you hire and manage the right virtual assistants for your industry.
A. How to hire and manage a healthcare virtual assistant (tips + tools)
Virtual assistants have become an indispensable part of the healthcare industry, handling tasks like updating medical records, billing patients, scheduling appointments, etc.
Discover how to hire a dedicated virtual assistant for your healthcare business, plus get tips and tools to manage them effectively.
B. Virtual assistant business operations: How to hire & manage
Instead of hiring an administrative assistant that works within your office space, you can hire a virtual office assistant or an executive assistant who works remotely from their home office.
This person can handle time-consuming tasks, like fielding incoming calls, so you can avoid wasting time on unproductive phone calls, and focus on qualified client leads and potential customers.
C. Ultimate guide to virtual assistant call center services (tips & tools)
Automating your call answering or adopting call center AI (artificial intelligence) may seem tempting, but most people prefer hearing natural language rather than talking to machines. A potential client will appreciate speaking to a real person rather than a Siri like voice.
So instead of adopting AI virtual assistance, opt for human VA call center services.
Read our guide for more on the benefits, hiring, and management of call center VAs.
D. What you need to know about virtual assistant bookkeeping
If you’re a business owner or manager who would rather avoid the expense of hiring a full-time employee, a virtual bookkeeping assistant is a good idea. They can assist you with managing your accounts, calculating taxes, etc.
Here’s everything you need to know about bookkeeping VAs.
E. Ultimate guide to social media virtual assistants (tools + tips)
A good social media virtual assistant can help you save time by managing LinkedIn, Facebook, or any other social media account for your business.
Discover tips and tools to recruit and manage a social media virtual assistant successfully.
F. How to hire and manage a legal virtual assistant (ultimate guide)
Businesses in the legal field have to deal with an enormous amount of administrative tasks, like legal data entry, transcription, and legal research. Legal virtual assistants can ease the heavy workload on the entire team.
G. How to hire a real estate virtual assistant
Learn how hiring a real estate virtual assistant can help you close more deals. Also, discover the different tasks VAs can take on in the real estate industry, like data entry, scheduling meetings with prospective clients, and so on.
H. How to successfully hire and manage digital marketing virtual assistants
Digital marketing involves using the internet, mobile devices, social media, search engines, display advertising, and other online channels to reach consumers.
However, it requires a lot of time and effort – a problem a virtual assistant can help solve.
Discover how to hire virtual professionals on a once-off basis for a specific task like adding opt-ins during web design. Or recruit VAs for more regular tasks like email marketing and search engine optimization (SEO).
4. Virtual assistants in specific countries
If you run a small business or are looking to minimize expenses, sourcing virtual staff internationally is a great solution.
The following articles can help you make informed decisions regarding where you source your virtual assistants from:
A. 10 best virtual assistant countries for finding excellent VAs
The popularity of virtual assistants has skyrocketed recently. But which country has the best VAs? Find out the top ten VA countries and what they have to offer.
B. Virtual assistant China: Top services, tips
Low labor costs and a wide variety of services on offer have made China, a top provider of virtual assistant services. Discover the best platforms and tips for hiring a VA in China.
C. Virtual assistant Philippines: How to hire, pay & more
The Philippines has emerged as a leading provider of virtual assistants due to its well-educated workforce and high level of English proficiency. Explore how to hire an affordable, professional, and dedicated virtual assistant suited to your industry.
D. The top 5 virtual assistant companies in the USA
Whether you’re looking for an ecommerce site developer or an office assistant, there are dozens of USA-based virtual assistant service providers to choose from.
Fortunately, you don’t have to research them all; we’ve compiled a list of the top five, including Upwork and Belay.
E. Virtual assistant Australia: Top services, pricing, & more
Find the best Australian virtual assistant company to suit your needs and how much it’ll cost you. Or, if you’re interested in a virtual assistant job, discover how to become a VA in Australia.
Next, let’s check out a few additional virtual assistant blog posts that you may find useful.
5 bonus virtual assistant articles
We’ve combed through the internet to find some practical advice on virtual assistants from other trusted sources.
A. 6 tips for hiring international virtual assistants
Get tips on how you can save money by hiring international VAs for basic admin task management like scheduling appointments with multiple clients, content writing, answering emails, etc.
B. 8 reasons why hiring a healthcare virtual assistant can benefit your practice
If you run a medical practice, a healthcare virtual assistant can help your business run smoothly without costing you an arm and a leg.
C. Level up your content with a video editing virtual assistant
Learn how to leverage great content created by a video editing virtual assistant to expand your brand’s reach and grow your company.
D. 20 qualities of a good virtual assistant
Discover five important qualities to look for when hiring a virtual assistant for your business.
E. The 7 best apps to hire a real personal assistant through your phone
Convenience is one of the main reasons entrepreneurs and managers seek virtual assistance. One of the most convenient ways of sourcing virtual professionals is via your mobile phone.
Here are seven of the best apps you can use to find a virtual personal assistant.
Final thoughts
If you’re looking to free up your time to focus on key business activities and expand your business, hiring a virtual assistant is the way to go.
But, to find the right VA for your business, you’ll need to do your research first.
This comprehensive list of articles should help you get started. And for the latest information and developments on the virtual assistant industry, feel free to visit the Time Doctor blog.
