50 tasks your virtual assistant can do to save you time

This article is a submission by The Virtual Assistant Company. The Virtual Assistant Company is a family-run, multi-award-winning team of dedicated Virtual Assistants.

What tasks can a virtual assistant do to save you time?

A virtual assistant can handle admin, website support, content, marketing, design, and many other tasks, so you free up time to grow your business.

• They take over routine admin and scheduling work.
• They support your website, content, and marketing.
• They handle design, research, and daily operations.

“Should I start outsourcing?” If you are asking this, your business may be ready to grow with help. So think about the tasks that are vital but do not need your personal expertise. These are the ones you can easily pass to another pair of hands.

By outsourcing these tasks, you can focus on the areas that truly need your time. Outsourcing to a virtual assistant is a great way to free up your day. For a wider view, see these benefits of hiring a virtual assistant. Now let us look at the tasks they can help with.

General admin

Admin matters for any business, yet it eats up time. So why not let a virtual assistant take care of your day-to-day admin? Here are some examples of admin tasks a VA could handle for you.

1. Calendar/diary management: have your VA manage your calendar and help keep you organized.

2. Setting up meetings: for example, your VA can set up meetings, Zoom calls, and send calendar invites.

3. CRM management: have your VA tidy up your CRM by updating names and contact details.

4. Research tasks: need some research done? So have your VA do this for you.

5. Book travel: also, your VA can book flights, tickets, or hotels, and even plan your whole trip.

6. Event planning: whether it is a personal or business event, your VA can help.

7. Minute-taking: a VA can take notes from your meetings.

8. Document formatting: so delegate this to your VA, or have them build templates and slide deck designs.

9. Personal to-do list: your VA can help with personal tasks too. For example, they can organize your travel, family calendar, parties, and holidays.

Website support

Your website is the digital shopfront for your business. Often, it is the first place a client finds you. So a strong first impression matters. It also helps to update your site often, which supports SEO too. Your VA can help update and maintain your website. Here are some tasks they can take care of.

10. Content updates: so have your VA update your website as needed.

11. Blog writing: also, a virtual assistant can write, edit, and publish blog posts to your site.

12. Content writing: need to refresh your website copy? Then a VA can write effective copy for you.

13. Design and maintenance: for example, VAs who focus on website design and upkeep can help here.

Content creation

Content is a key part of social posts, blogs, and other marketing. So save time and outsource content creation to your virtual assistant. Here are some examples of what they can help with.

14. Blogging: a VA can write blog posts and also research trending topics. In addition, they can reach out to third parties for link-building collaborations.

15. Social media content: also, specialized VAs can design on-brand graphics for your social channels. They can write the posts too.

16. Engagement and blog commenting: your VA can give your site an SEO boost by leaving comments on relevant blogs with a link back.

They can also engage on social media with target clients and relevant accounts. So this gives your profiles a boost too.

17. Newsletters: do you send a regular newsletter, or need to start one? So have your VA write the content and run the whole campaign, from design to tracking the stats.

Marketing support

Marketing matters for any business. If you lack an in-house marketing team, why not pass these tasks to your virtual assistant? For example, a skilled virtual assistant service can cover a wide range of marketing work. Here are some marketing tasks they can support you with.

18. Social media outreach: so your VA can find and contact potential clients to build relationships and generate leads.

19. Forum discussion: for example, have your VA join forums tied to your industry. So this helps increase reach and brand awareness.

20. Social media group discussion: also, your VA can join relevant groups on Facebook and LinkedIn to boost reach.

21. Lead generation: so have your VA find and contact potential customers.

22. Moderating comments: moderating blog and social comments takes time. So have your VA handle this for you.

23. Proofreading: also, your VA can proofread content before it goes live.

24. Presentations and slide decks: for example, VAs can design, edit, proofread, or write content for presentations.

Design

Creating professional graphics needs real skill. So a VA who focuses on graphic design can build on-brand graphics for your business. Here are examples of what they can help with.

25. Graphic design: a specialist VA can create professional graphics for your brand.

26. Logo design: also, a VA skilled in graphic design can help with logo design too.

27. Social media graphics: for example, specialized VAs can design on-brand graphics for your social channels.

28. Web design: so a specialist VA can build websites and landing pages for your business.

29. Design for printing: need materials printed? Then have your VA design them and arrange the printing and delivery.

30. Business cards, brochures, letterheads: also, your VA can design your cards, brochures, letterheads, and other documents.

Other support

Wondering what else a virtual assistant can do? Here are more tasks you can outsource to your VA. For higher-level needs, you may also want an executive assistant.

31. Tech tasks: need basic IT help? So a virtual assistant can help with that.

32. Project management: also, your VA can assist with all aspects of project management.

33. Customer support: a VA can act as the face of your business and be the first point of contact. For example, they can manage inquiries, live chat, and calls. This pairs well with customer service outsourcing.

34. Invoicing, expenses, and receipts: so have your VA invoice customers, track expenses, and manage receipts.

35. Analytics and reporting: also, have your VA manage your marketing stats, including website and social data.

36. Hashtag research: for example, your VA can research hashtags that fit your brand and industry.

37. Social media posting and scheduling: so have your VA schedule and publish social content for you.

38. Social media set up and design: your VA can set up your social profiles. In addition, they can add custom cover images and a professional bio.

39. Audio transcription: also, save time and outsource audio transcription to your VA.

40. Remote file management: have your VA organize your files. For example, they can tidy DropBox, SharePoint, Google Drive, or another platform.

41. Email outreach: so a skilled VA can run cold email outreach for you.

42. E-commerce assistance: also, your VA can update product listings, descriptions, images, and more.

43. Property admin: your VA can manage property admin for estate agents and property owners. For example, they can create listings, brochures, and window cards, and manage tenants.

44. Influencer outreach: so have your VA contact influencers for collaborations and partnerships.

45. Designing infographics: also, a VA can create infographics for your social media or blog.

46. WordPress management: specialized VAs can help with ongoing management of your WordPress website, including plugin and software updates.

47. Research potential customers: so have your VA research potential clients and gather their contact details.

48. HR and recruitment: also, your VA can assist with your HR and recruitment work.

49. YouTube management: for example, VAs can upload video content, moderate comments, and manage the channel.

50. Prepare training resources: so your VA can create training materials, video tutorials, and more.

When you grow a business, there comes a time when you need some support. Sometimes it frees up time for more important work. Other times it brings in skills outside your own area. To get started, you can learn how to hire a virtual assistant that fits your needs.

So outsourcing to a virtual assistant is a flexible, cost-effective way to hire. In short, you get help without the commitment of a full in-house employee. A VA can take much off your plate in daily life too. For example, a busy parent could hire a VA to book appointments, plan events, and even do the online grocery shop.

Frequently asked questions

What is the most common virtual assistant task?

General admin is the most common. For example, VAs manage calendars, set up meetings, and handle email. So this frees your time for core work.

Can a virtual assistant handle marketing tasks?

Yes. A VA can run social media, write content, and generate leads. In addition, they can design graphics and manage campaigns. So they support many marketing needs.

How much time can a virtual assistant save me?

It depends on the tasks you delegate. However, most owners free up several hours each week. As a result, they focus on growth instead of routine work.

Do I need a specialist virtual assistant?

For skilled work like design or web development, yes. For general admin, a generalist VA works well. So match the VA to the task you need done.

Is hiring a virtual assistant cost-effective?

Yes. A VA costs less than a full-time, in-house hire. So you pay for the work you need, when you need it. As a result, small firms save money while they grow.