How to Find the Best Web Designer for Your Business: Freelance vs Agency

Posted on 8 February 202323 December 2022 by Shannon Payne

Your Guide to Reveal How to Find the Perfect Business Partner and Web Designer to Take Care of All Your Website Needs

Whether you’re opening up your own eCommerce store, or launching your artist portfolio, finding the right partner to take care of your website is a BIG decision.

So much so, you’ll probably find yourself asking one of these three questions…

“How do I find the best web designer for ME?”
“Where are all the GREAT designers hiding?”
“Where do I even *start* my search?!”

Am I right? 🤔

If this is resonating with you, then I want to take you on a journey to help you figure out how to find the best web designer for your business. Comparing freelance web designers to agency web designers, so YOU can find what works best for your business, and most importantly… What doesn’t.

Tell me, are you ready to build your website?

What’s the Difference Between Freelance vs Agency Developers?

As you’ve probably gathered, both types of web designers deliver the same results.

A sparkling new website, ready for the world to see.

BUT, their journeys getting there are *incredibly* different.

A freelancer is a person offering their services to many clients at one time. They’re not necessarily committed to a specific employer long-term and generally work for themselves.

While an agency is a group of experienced professionals that work together under one roof. They’re not allowed to pick up a project on their own. Instead, one person assigns them a particular task to work on.

Why Work With a Freelance Web Designer?

1. They’re More Affordable

It’s true!

Generally, freelance web developers are more affordable than agencies because their money goes directly into their hands.

Rather than being passed indirectly through a ‘middleman’.

And that means they’re able to set their own rates. Allowing them to be more flexible when it comes to budgeting than a web design agency.

2. They’re Hands-On

Freelancers work for themselves, and because of that…

They’re deeply invested.

They involve themselves in all aspects of the job and if they can’t get it done themselves, they’ll refer you to someone close to them who can.

3. You’re Working One-to-One

Meaning it’s all about that personal touch.

You’re speaking to a real person who cares about the results. They want to do the best job they can because they’ve put their heart and soul into their business.

And they want to do the same for yours too.

Why Work With a Web Design Agency?

1. They Have a Diverse Array of Skills

Web design agencies often have HUGE teams.

They employ SEO experts, copywriters, and web developers and designers (to name a few) which means their clients don’t need to worry about searching for multiple freelancers to complete their projects.

2. They Offer Support Around the Clock

With an agency, web support is often available to you 24/7.

Meaning if your website is down, or you need support, you’ll be able to get it quicker. Resulting in fewer mishaps and unforeseen bumps along the road.

3. They Have Tighter Turnaround Times

Big teams equal tighter schedules.

That’s because more people means more hands on deck and experts working behind the scenes. So if you need something done quickly or within short notice, chances are, they’ll be able to do it for you.

How Do You Choose the Right One for Your Business?

When it comes to how to find the best web designer for your business there’s no ‘one recipe’ for everyone.

However, what you can do is brainstorm your business’s needs, jobs, budget, flexibility, and time. Then use your newfound knowledge to selectively decide which one fits best.

For example, you should hire a freelancer IF…

You value a personal touch
You can dedicate more time to your website project
You have a conscious budget

Or, you should hire an agency IF…

You have a tight turnaround schedule
You want all your resources in one place
You want to save time and let the experts take over

Do you still have questions or need advice about building your business website?

Then I’m always happy to help!

As a Canberra-based web developer and technical virtual assistant, I have personal experience in the industry. And I’ll ALWAYS do my best to answer any questions you might have.

Get in contact here with any queries. And if you’re thinking about hiring a freelancer for your website needs, feel free to check out my services page too.

We might just be the perfect match!

5 Signs To Look Out For: The Benefits of a Website Redesign For Your Business

Posted on 31 August 202231 August 2022 by Shannon Payne

Your Go-To Guide To Help You Understand The Benefits of a Website Redesign and What It Can Bring To Your Business

When you set up your business, one of the first things you think about is, “What will my website look like?”

You go to great heights making a super sleek professional website and at the time, it’s a masterpiece.

But as life moves forward, the priority of your website is pushed back, and suddenly, your state-of-the-art website isn’t so state-of-the-art anymore. Instead, it’s five years out-of-date, not optimised to today’s standards, and is not doing your brand the justice it deserves.

84% of consumers think having a website makes a business look more credible, so it’s a no-brainer to utilise its power to bring your business back into the limelight.

Come with me as I explore the FIVE most common signs to look for when deciding whether it’s time to update your website. Plus what the benefits of a website redesign can bring to your business.

1. It’s Not Reflecting Your Brand Anymore

As your business grows and develops, things can often change.

Perhaps you want to focus on a different ideal client?
Perhaps you’ve changed your branding colours?
Perhaps you’ve decided to direct your business in a different direction?

Whatever it is, it’s vital your website is an accurate representation of your brand now.

That means your branding has to be consistent across all platforms (such as Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, AND your website) to maintain a professional appearance.

2. It’s Not Mobile Optimised

In today’s society, we treat our mobile phone like it’s an extra limb.

So if your website is outdated and not mobile-friendly, you’re ruling out A LOT of traffic.

Responsive design ensures that your website adapts to whatever device a user is using, making it a positive experience for everyone.

One of the main benefits of a website redesign means you’ll open yourself up to more people and ultimately direct more traffic to your website. In turn, you’ll be able to connect with more potential clients and customers!

3. It’s Not Bringing in Leads

It’s all well and good to focus on a good-looking website, but it also needs the content to match.

So if you’re struggling to find leads, it’s time to revisit your landing pages, calls-to-action, and conversion paths and see where you’re falling short. If you don’t give visitors a clear idea of what you want them to do (in other words, a strong call to action) they probably won’t stay on your site for very long.

Be direct about what you want people to do when they come to your site.

TOP TIP: Check out your Search Engine Optimisation and see if you are ranking for any keywords. If Google can’t find you, then it’s very likely your audience can’t too!

4. It’s Very Slow To Load

When your website is slow to load, you’re directing your audience STRAIGHT into the hands of your competitors.

If you’re unsure why your website’s slow, there’re actually several aspects of your site that can cause it to be slow such as:

Unnecessarily large images
Huge video files
Bloated code
Inefficient page builders

And much more!

By staying on top of your website’s loading speed, you can make sure your audience stays engaged and doesn’t end up elsewhere.

5. It’s Hard To Navigate

Not everyone has the patience to jump from one page to another to find what they’re looking for.

Bad navigation can HUGELY affect your bounce rate, and therefore the number of people who choose to do business with you. That’s why it’s so important to make sure your website’s easy to get around.

After all, you built your website for your audience, right?

And the benefits of a website redesign show you care about their experience. Building up trust and loyalty, and the likely hood of increased business.

So what do you think?

I hope this blog has helped show you where your website might be in need of an update and has opened your eyes to the benefits of a website redesign. If you’re in need of any advice or have a current website you’re interested in updating, then don’t hesitate to get in touch.

I’m always happy to answer any questions you have!

Do any of these reasons ring true for you?

Shopify vs WooCommerce: Which One Is Best For Your eCommerce Store?

Posted on 17 August 202216 August 2022 by Shannon Payne

Helping You Break Down The Major Differences So You Can Figure Out Which Platform Is Best For Your eCommerce Business

You’ve decided on your product, you’re about to set up your online eCommerce website, and now lies the million-dollar question.

Shopify vs WooCommerce… Which one’s really best?

Well, the truth is, it depends.

There’s no doubt setting up your business’ website is going to be one of the biggest investments you’ll ever make. That’s why choosing the right eCommerce platform that fits your business needs is crucial to your success.

In this blog, come with me as I explore how Shopify and WooCommerce compare in a battle of the eCommerce platforms. Delving into the main features of each platform so you don’t have to.

(Woo-hoo!)

So What’s The REAL difference?

While Shopify is said to power over 800,000 online stores, WooCommerce is said to be the plugin of choice for 93.7% of WordPress stores.

But they both have very different approaches.

WooCommerce is an eCommerce plugin that turns any WordPress website into a powerful online store. It’s an open-source platform, making it free to install and highly customisable.

Shopify is a little simpler.

It’s a fully hosted all-in-one commerce platform that cuts out the need for technical knowledge. You only need to buy one of their available packages and you can start monetising straight away.

1. Ease of Use

If you want a platform that cuts out the technical jargon, Shopify is the platform for you!

It takes care of the technical side and every aspect is included in your plan (such as hosting, security, domain, etc.) Plus, you don’t have to install or update any software either.

With WooCommerce, there’s a much steeper learning curve. And as it’s installed in WordPress, you need to source your own domain and hosting, plus consider other factors (like maintenance) that’ll need to be dealt with.

WINNER: Shopify

2. Cost of Running

Although Shopify is good if you want a simple website, the more complex you get, the more your monthly fees will increase. That’s why it’s more suited to smaller operations.

For more complex stores, WooCommerce is most likely a cheaper solution overall.

The software itself is free to install and with that, it’s highly customisable. Plus there’s a HUGE variety of extensions that are reasonably priced if you need them.

WINNER: WooCommerce

3. Versatility

Part of setting up an eCommerce website is making it look AMAZING!

When you buy a Shopify package, you have access to a directory of over 70 free and paid themes to choose from. Customising them is simple and it’s possible to do it without any help.

But if you want a design that’s never been seen before…

Then WooCommerce is where it’s AT.

Because WooCommerce is a WordPress plugin, the sky’s your limit when it comes to customisation. And there are thousands of free and paid themes, that can be customised further with a bit of coding knowledge. Plus you can go the drag-and-drop builder route for an easier way to customise without needing to code.

WINNER: WooCommerce

4. Online Support

If you’re not techy, the amount of support available can be make or break.

Shopify is the most user-friendly of the two. It has 24/7 online support to walk you through any issues via phone, email, and live chat. Plus an enormous database of FAQs.

WooCommerce has free public assistance for individual plugins and features, and you can get dedicated support from plugin developers. However, this can make it harder to navigate and much more time-consuming.

WINNER: Shopify

5. Search Engine Optimisation

Both platforms will always help you make sure your products are appearing in front of the right people.

Shopify has a great range of SEO apps in its App Store and you can optimise your content when building your site.

But WooCommerce is much more powerful.

Because it’s part of a WordPress website, you have increased control and the ability to implement more complex SEO strategies. You’re able to install an SEO plugin (free or paid) specific to the job making it much more effective.

WINNER: WooCommerce

And there we go!

I hope this blog has been able to break down the five major differences I’ve found between Shopify vs WooCommerce.

If you’re thinking about setting up an eCommerce store with WooCommerce and need some friendly advice, then get in touch now. Or if you’re interested in creating a custom website, take a look at my WordPress designs to get some inspiration.

I’m a Canberra-based web developer who is always happy to help anyone who needs it!

How To Make More Money Selling Online: 5 Powerful Signs It’s Time To Move From Etsy To WordPress

Posted on 3 August 20223 August 2022 by Shannon Payne

A Guide To Open Your Eyes To The World of WordPress and Explain How Breaking AWAY From Etsy Might Be What You’ve Been Looking For

You poured your heart and soul into creating your online business and decided to market your products on one of the biggest small business platforms there is…

ETSY!

At the time, it was cost-effective, easy to set up, and full of promise.

But now you’ve established your foundations and you’re making a consistent monthly income, your mind is looking at how to make more money on Etsy and expand your brand.

In this blog, I want to explain to you how looking beyond Etsy can be a turning point for your business. Come with me as I delve into the power of what a WordPress website can do and the signs to look out for that mean it will be revolutionary for you and your brand.

Read on to find out more!

1. You’re Tired Of Charging Less

Do you find because there’s so much competition, you’re forced to reduce your prices to have any chance of selling?

When small brands come to me to set up their own website, this is one of the biggest things they have in common.

You want to charge the premium prices you deserve, right?!

Why WordPress: Having your own custom WordPress store means you can charge whatever you like and NOT have your listing next to your competitors.

2. You’re Done With Paying Selling Fees

Every fee you pay is potential money out of your pocket, so it’s only natural you want to keep them to a minimum.

Here’s a breakdown of Etsy’s selling fees:

Listing Fee: $0.20 on each product listing
Transaction Fee: 5% of each transaction
Payment Processing Fee: 3% + $0.25 per transaction

When you think about it, that’s a lot, right?

The answer of how to make more money from Etsy, could actually be weighing up the costs and deciding if it’s worth breaking away.

Why WordPress: When you build your own WordPress website many eCommerce software (like WooCommerce) don’t charge transaction fees, so you take home MORE of your profits.

WooCommerce itself is free to install. Meaning the transaction fees you pay depend on the payment integration you choose to use. For example, if you decided to take payment via Stripe, their fees are 2.9% + 30c for international transactions, or you could choose to only accept bank transfers that have zero fees.

3. You Want Your Own Brand Identity

When you list your items on Etsy, you’re listed next to your competitors with no branding to help you stand out.

That means no recognition, no familiarity, and minimal opportunity to build brand loyalty.

Why WordPress: By building your own site, you’re able to differentiate yourself from the competition and make it less likely that customers will look elsewhere. Building up a brand that stands out from the crowd.

4. You Want Your Store To Rank on Google

Building your own WordPress website means you have control of how many eyes see your products (within reason of course!)

Because the thing is, when Google displays Etsy on the first page of search results, it tends to lead to an Etsy search page, NOT an individual store or product.

What I mean is, that by using the power of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), you have the power to choose the keywords you want to try and rank for. And target your ideal audience with more precision.

Why WordPress: Never underestimate the power SEO can have! WordPress gives you the opportunity to market your business effectively using the power of the web and doesn’t stunt its reach.

5. You Want To Take Control

Etsy is a company in its own right, and any shop that exists within the marketplace is under its authority.

Meaning, that as much as it’s your shop, YOU don’t have full control. If Etsy decides your product doesn’t meet their standards, they have the right to remove you and shut down your business. No questions asked!

Why WordPress: When you build your own custom website, you own the rights to your store and are no longer at the mercy of ‘the Etsy Gods’. So feel free to list what you wish and present it how YOU want to.

Is this blog inspiring you yet?

If you’ve been thinking about how to make more money on Etsy and wondering where to go, I hope I’ve opened your eyes! Helping you realise the world of opportunities a WordPress website can give you and your business.

Sure, Etsy is a great place to start and set up your business.

But as you grow, it’s important the way you market your business does too. So if you ever think, “YES, I want to build my own customised eCommerce store” then get in touch.

I’m always happy to answer any questions about the process and provide advice!

How to Pick a Domain Name: 5 Tips and Tricks To Help You Stand Out

Posted on 20 July 202220 July 2022 by Shannon Payne

Your Go-To Guide To Pick A Punchy Domain Name That Will Stand The Test of Time

Choosing a domain name isn’t a big deal, right? It’s not that important…

Said no one ever!

As a business owner, choosing the right domain name is probably one of the biggest decisions you’ll make when building your website.

In the past you might have heard people say, “It’s fine, you can just change it later” or “if you have a good quality business, people will visit no matter what”, but the truth is, your domain is one of the key elements that make up your site.

So getting it right early on is crucial.

So, Why is Your Domain Name so Important?

First off, your domain name is your brand’s first impression.

And your URL is the first thing people will type into their browser. That’s why learning how to pick a domain name that will fit and grow with your brand is incredibly important.

Not to mention, your choice of domain can actually affect your SEO (Search Engine Optimisation.) That means Google can pick up any keywords in your URL and rank you higher in the search results.

Does all this make you want to learn how to pick a domain name that supports your brand?

If the answer is YES, then keep on reading!

1. Use The Right Domain Name Extensions (.au .com .uk etc.)

According to a study from Domain Name Stat, 37% of all domains have the .com extension.

That’s because .com is a TLD (Top Level Domain) and it’s the most widely recognised domain extension.

But don’t worry if .com is not available. Country specific is good too. For example, you can clearly see as an Australian Web Developer I opted for the .com.au domain.

It’s mostly about what’s available to you and what your budget is. You can read more about it in detail in my blog post HERE.

NOTE: .org is generally for non-profit organisations. And try to avoid those uncommon extensions like “.wine” or “.pizza”

2. The Shorter, The Better

Here’s another stat for you…

According to research by Data Genetics, the most common name length is 12 characters.

Remember, it needs to be memorable, and that’s why shorter is always better.

Aim for around 6 to 14 characters. You might find some of the shorter domain names were taken a LONG time ago. But if you can’t find something short, then make it brandable instead.

3. Make Sure It’s Easy To Pronounce and Type

As quickly as your domain name rolls off the tips of your fingers, it should roll off the tip of your tongue!

Having a domain you can actually say aloud makes it easier for visitors to share your domain name by word-of-mouth.

If you’re unsure whether your domain is easy to pronounce, hand it to your friends and family and ask them to read it aloud. If they struggle, then you know you need to simplify it.

4. Avoid Hyphens And Numbers

This might be obvious but hyphens and numbers generally don’t go well with domain names.

You want your brand to be one of a kind.

NOT a variation of something else.

For example, shannon-payne-174.com.au just doesn’t look as good as shannonpayne.com.au. And it’s definitely not as memorable or easy to say, right?

5. Consider Using “Niche” Keywords That Reflect Your Website

Don’t underestimate the power of keywords in your domain name.

It can give your SEO a boost (if it’s used naturally) and it also helps people identify what you do too.

BONUS TIP: Check if it’s trademarked or already used by using THIS website.

I hope you’ve found this information useful, and you now have a better understanding of how to pick a domain name that will represent your brand and stand the test of time.

If you ever need any advice on anything website related or want to take the next step and create a custom WordPress website, then don’t hesitate to get in touch.

I’m always happy to answer any questions you have!

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Is .com or .com.au Better for My Australian Business Domain?

Posted on 9 January 202226 May 2022 by Shannon Payne

It’s a question I asked myself when I first started, and if I’m being honest I agonised over it for hours, days… weeks! It seems like such a simple question… but it’s not. There are so many different factors to consider when choosing the right domain extension for your business.

Now looking at my domain I clearly went with .com.au, but it wasn’t my first choice. I actually juuuust missed out on the .com version… but I’m not going to go into that now, it’s a long story I’ll save for another time.

Everyone you speak to will have a different opinion on whether you should be using .com or .com.au for your Australian based business. But it really does depend on you, your business and your business goals.

Before we dive into that we should look at exactly what .com and .com.au are, so let’s start there!

What is .com and .com.au?

.com

.com is a TLD (Top Level Domain) and it’s the most widely recognised domain extension. It was first added in 1985 and it is derived from the word ‘commercial’. This domain extension is one of the original TLDs, the others are .edu, .gov, .mil, .net, .org and .int.

.com.au

.com.au is a ccTLD (Country Code Top Level Domain) and is allocated for Australian businesses. There are some rules that apply to owning a .com.au domain. But generally speaking, as long as you have an ABN (Australian Business Number) you can apply for a .com.au for 1-5 years.

Ok so now that we know the difference between them, it’s time to start thinking about what option is best suited for your business.

I’ve condensed it down to 4 important factors for you to consider when choosing your domain. They are; where your business and target market are located, if you have plans to scale internationally, is it available to buy and what your budget is.

Where is your business based and where is your target market located?

If you answered Australia to that, then that’s the first sign you should be using a .com.au domain, this is for two reasons:

Trust and Familiarity

Using .com.au immediately identifies you as an Australian business. I have seen countless discussions in business groups with people saying that when they see .com.au it instils a sense of trust. Not only that, but more and more now people are wanting to support local business, this immediately identifies you as an Australian business as you can’t actually own a .com.au domain without an ABN.

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

As mentioned above .com.au is a ccTLD, and that provides an extra layer of information for search engines to use as a ranking factor for your website. For example, if you are in Ireland and you search for ‘best hairdresser in Dublin’ it is highly unlikely you will see any results with a .com.au domain. Google has crawled through all websites and has determined that a hairdresser in Australia with a .com.au domain is not a relevant search result for someone in Dublin, Ireland looking for a hairdresser. Since you need an ABN to register a .com.au, search engines can be confident that the only people using .com.au domains are Australian businesses.

Do you currently or in the future offer your services globally?

If the answer is yes, then you should seriously be considering .com.

We covered earlier that it is unlikely for a .com.au domain to be found in another country, .com being one of the original TLDs has a huge amount of power worldwide and has a higher chance of appearing in search engines results worldwide.

Is .com available?

Given its popularity, it is harder to find .com domains that are available to purchase. If you have decided on your business name and you search for the .com and it is not available, well then I guess your decision has been made for you.

You can easily search for domain availability online, my preferred website is GoDaddy to purchase domains and they have an easy Domain Availability Search.

What is your budget?

There are a lot of people out there who make a lot of money from buying and selling domains. To give you an idea of how much money I’m talking about, just while writing this blog post I went to Google Domains and searched for prettywebsites.com

$5000!!!!!

I know what you’re thinking though why would you pay $5000 for a domain. Two words (or acronyms) SEO and ROI.

SEO

If someone went to Google and searched ‘pretty website’, there is a high chance your website would appear on page one of the search results.

ROI

That little SEO boost you got, all you would need to do is sell 1-2 websites to make back the investment.

Now let’s search for the .com.au variation of this.

Much more affordable right? Couple reasons for that, first being to own .com.au you need to have an ABN. According to abs.gov.au as of June 2021 there were approximately 2.4 million active businesses in Australia. That means 2.4 million businesses are allowed to buy this domain, versus .com which is available to everyone and with the current world population close to hitting 8 billion well you can see you’ve got a bit more competition.

Now the second reason, we’re going back to local SEO. Yes it’s still a valuable domain, but it’s only really valuable to you if you have an Australian business or are doing business in Australia.

So those are the things you should be considering when choosing a domain; where you are located, where your clients are located, your future plans for scaling, domain availability and your budget.

What would I do if both were available and both were reasonably priced? Buy both! Why wouldn’t you?

If you’re still unsure of what is the best option for you and your business I’m happy to chat it through with you. Get in touch via my contact page.

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20 FREE Google Font Pairings

Posted on 3 November 20205 March 2021 by Shannon Payne

Did you know that there are 992 FREE Google fonts and they’ve been downloaded an incredible 43 trillion times!

Crazy right?

Typography is so important these days and there is a certain art to creating the perfect font pairing. It is recommended that you use a maximum of three fonts when working on a project. However, with the use of bold, italics, and underline variations, two fonts is usually sufficient.

I put together this list of 20 Google font pairings and the best part is they are all licensed under the Open Font License. This means they are FREE to download and use for all non-commercial AND commercial projects! WOOHOO!

1. Lora & Bad Script

Download Lora HERE.
Download Bad Script HERE.

2. Ultra & Slabo

Download Ultra HERE.
Download Slabo HERE.

3. Sedgwick Ave & Montserrat

Download Sedgwick Ave HERE.
Download Montserrat HERE.

4. Abril Fatface & Lato

Download Abril Fatface HERE.
Download Lato HERE.

5. Pompiere & Open Sans

Download Pompiere HERE.
Download Open Sans HERE.

6. Sacramento & Alice

Download Sacramento HERE.
Download Alice HERE.

7. Permanent Marker & Raleway

Download Permanent Marker HERE.
Download Raleway HERE.

8. Marck Script & Roboto

Download Permanent Marker HERE.
Download Raleway HERE.

9. Oswald & Merriweather

Download Oswald HERE.
Download Merriweather HERE.

10. Charmonman & Chakra Petch

Download Charmonman HERE.
Download Chakra Petch HERE.

11. Libre Baskerville & Cutive

Download Libre Baskerville HERE.
Download Cutive HERE.

12. Open Sans Condensed & Roboto

Download Open Sans Condensed HERE.
Download Roboto HERE.

13. Amatic SC & Andika

Download Amatic SC HERE.
Download Andika HERE.

14. Clicker Script & Raleway

Download Click Script HERE.
Download Raleway HERE.

15. Courier Prime & Poppins

Download Courier Prime HERE.
Download Poppins HERE.

16. Finger Paint & Lato

Download Finger Paint HERE.
Download Lato HERE.

17. Parisienne & Cormorant Garamonde

Download Parisienne HERE.
Download Cormorant Garamond HERE.

18. Bangers & Antic

Download Bangers HERE.
Download Antic HERE.

19. Cardo & Josefin Sans

Download Cardo HERE.
Download Josefin Sans HERE.

20. Sniglet & Cabin

Download Sniglet HERE.
Download Cabin HERE.

So there we have it!

20 Google Font Pairings for you to use in your next design project, I hope it helps you out!

BONUS: I’ve turned this into a downloadable PDF for you so you can save it to your computer for later.

Download ’20 FREE Google Font Pairings’

Subscribe!

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What is a Virtual Assistant?

Posted on 1 November 20206 March 2021 by Shannon Payne

The Virtual Assistant (VA) industry is growing rapidly with more and more VAs popping up every day. Yet if you stopped someone in the street and asked them what a VA was you’d probably be met with blank stares.

No, it’s not another name for Siri or Alexa (unless of course you’re a VA and that is your name). I thought I’d lay it all out for you because that’s how generous us VAs are!

What is a Virtual Assistant (VA)?

To put it simply, a VA is a skilled professional who provides various services to entrepreneurs or businesses from a remote location.

They could live in another country, another city, or even just down the road from the business they work with. However, all work is done online and it is unlikely you would ever meet them in person.

In the early days, VAs were hired for tasks such as calendar/email management, answering incoming calls, drafting correspondence and other general admin duties.

As the virtual world has grown, VAs have grown with it. There is now a multitude of tasks being offered, some of these are:

Social Media Management (Instagram, Facebook)
Pinterest Management
Website Design/Maintenance
Blog Writing
Content Repurposing
SEO
Travel Planning

Podcast Editing
Video Editing
Graphic Design
Transcription
Copywriting
E-book Formatting
Email Marketing
Calendar/Email Management

You get the picture!

Anything that can be done online, I guarantee there is someone out there offering that service. (For a break down of the services I offer click here)

There are general VAs who will work across all industries and there are some VAs with a specific niche such as travel, real estate, health/fitness etc.

VAs are appealing to entrepreneurs and business owners because they find themselves needing help but either cannot bring on staff to their location or they don’t want the costs associated with bringing on staff (office space, supplies, taxes, insurance etc.). Many businesses will hire a VA when they want to take their brick and mortar business to the online world through social media.

VAs can be hired for on-going work or one-off jobs, they can charge hourly or sell packages. This is at the discretion of the individual VA.

So that’s the quick overview of what a VA does! As you can see it is not a straight forward answer, but at the end of the day, VAs are there to help you with the tasks you don’t have time for and to help you grow your business.

If you find yourself struggling with any aspect of your business I’d love to chat about what I can do for you! To get the ball rolling schedule a FREE 20-minute consultation!