Do you simply NOT have enough time to be a blogger anymore? Have you found that you just might not be the expert at everything when it comes to running your blog?
You might need to make a list of tasks to outsource because burnout is approaching and it is unforgiving.
There are many tasks you can outsource as a blogger, including email management, community management, customer service, content writing, editing/proofreading, video production, bookkeeping, copywriting, and more. As long as you find a quality service provider and have a budget, you can outsource.
But, how do you figure out what to outsource first? And, how much to budget for?
Great questions!
I’ll address those questions as well as 17 tasks that you can easily outsource as a blogger.
Let’s get started!
What Should You Outsource First?
Ideally, you want to start with tasks that are taking up the majority of your time that you have a process for.
But, it’s important that you simply don’t outsource something because you don’t like doing it. You should develop proficiency for these tasks before you outsource them so you can be a good manager.
That’s why I recommend against hiring a Pinterest manager for most bloggers (they simply haven’t nailed getting traffic down).
If you identify the tasks that hog up your time, you’re one step closer to outsourcing them. Just make sure that you have the budget for them (we’ll discuss that later) and that you can effectively supervise the work being done.
As you grow and scale your business, you want to make sure that YOU are only doing things that YOU can do.
You don’t want to become a bottleneck, so outsource things slowly and you can eventually hire a middle manager to supervise this stuff so you can focus on being an amazing visionary for your blog.
That’s something my friend Breanne articulated well in The Delegation Deception, which is truly a fantastic guide on some of the common pitfalls of outsourcing.
When Should You Outsource?
You should outsource when it’s strategic to do so.
Meaning that:
- You have the budget
- The time could be better used on high ROI tasks
You should make these decisions evaluating your business from an external, outside perspective, not your internal perspective.
You’re inherently biased.
Ask your friends and family what you typically complain about doing in your business and that will probably be a reasonable place to start since your time can better be used elsewhere.
Where to Find People to Outsource To?
Great question!
You’ll want to find reputable service providers.
You can find them on:
- Fiverr
- Upwork
But, you’ll have to dig a little deeper on job boards like that to find the right service providers. It’s just additional vetting.
As a freelancer and someone who’s made hiring decisions before for 7-figure bloggers, my preference has always been to hire from Facebook groups, and especially from your audience.
They’re hungrier for the opportunity and they’ll work harder for your company.
Those are the employees you want. I started out that way and I think it positively framed my success in online business.
You can probably get away with paying new freelancers less because of inexperience, but don’t mistake their help as free labor. Service providers need to be compensated fairly (decide on that between you and the provider), regardless of inexperience.
You may also find that offshoring instead of outsourcing is friendlier to your budget, provided you can work around the communication barrier (if one exists).
Now, let’s get into the 17 tasks to outsource as a busy blogger!
17 Tasks to Outsource as a Busy Blogger Approaching Burnout
Congrats on making the decision to outsource something in your business!
If you’re a first-timer, it’s a lot of fun, but there are some outsourcing risks you should be aware of, such as:
- Budget going overboard
- Deadlines aren’t met
- Unqualified freelancers
You also need an independent contractor agreement, or freelance contract, to help protect you and your business.
I outlined all the important sections of a freelance contract here, but if you’d rather buy a template that can easily be customized to your business, you can do so here.
Contracts and legalities aside, I don’t want you to be afraid of outsourcing.
It’s something you WILL need to do as a blogger, so approach it slowly, and maximize what you get from your initial outsourcing adventures so you feel comfortable with doing it in the future.
Here are the 17 tasks to outsource as a blogger:
- WordPress maintenance
- Email management
- Community management
- Customer service
- Content writing
- SEO Editing
- Editing/Proofreading
- Video production
- Bookkeeping
- Copywriting
- Course creation
- Administrative work
- Social media management
- Email marketing
- Podcast production
- Graphic design
- Calendar management
Let’s explore these in some more depth!
(Beware, this post will likely be a few thousand words when it’s completed, so I encourage you to bookmark it or save it to Pinterest and come back to it later when you can read through it fully.)
1. WordPress Maintenance
This is the first thing that I outsourced as a blogger and I have not looked back.
While I would consider myself technically savvy, I am by no means, a WordPress expert.
I recognize that and there’s only so much time in the day to fix it.
That’s why I hired Grayson Bell and his team at iMark Interactive for monthly WordPress maintenance and support at an affordable rate.
He helps with things like:
- Plugin updates
- Core WordPress updates
- Theme complications
- Small CSS customizations
- Spam blocking
- Security
- Backups
His WordPress services are seriously a steal.
Even before I was making money with the blog, I was outsourcing this because it gave me the peace of mind that I so desperately needed because I didn’t want my blog to be hacked!
Do you remember when Social Warfare got hacked and was redirecting its customers’ sites to spam?
I do, but because of Grayson’s advice, we were off of Social Warfare and on Social Pug long before the issue arose.
That’s the power of outsourcing WordPress maintenance and support to a reliable and AFFORDABLE service provider.
Total cost investment: Plans starting at $27 per month
2. Email Management
This is one of the ways that I got my start as a freelancer!
I was managing an inbox for a client that simply did not have the time.
Tasks within this include:
- Responding to client emails
- Filtering out newsletters
- Deleting spam
- Approving/denying requests for affiliate programs
- Customer service
There are SO many opportunities within this realm.
If email takes up a lot of the time in your day, consider outsourcing it!
Even just a few hours of email management services a week can free up time for you to do more important things.
Total cost investment: $15 to $25+ per hour
3. Community Management
I also did this when I started out.
I used to manage Facebook groups for bloggers that had students but couldn’t be available to answer questions daily. This is also a great option if you have a thriving free community.
The same applies to communities hosted on Mighty Networks, Ning, and other forum-based communities.
Some of the tasks included:
- Approving/Denying requests
- Moderating for spam
- Answering customer questions
- Creating engagement posts
- Live support
There are many options!
As I said earlier, the best place to hire for this sort of stuff is right from your audience since they know your content best.
Total cost investment: $15 to $25+ per hour
4. Customer Service
Customer service work kind of includes the last two tasks to outsource, but it encompasses a little more, so I wanted to keep it separate.
I held the fancy title of “customer service manager” for quite a few 6-figure and 7-figure blogs simultaneously and it was a fun job to do. I really enjoyed interacting with the customers.
I’ve since moved on, but I still stay in touch with my former clients and the customers I’ve helped.
Some tasks within the customer service realm include:
- Operating live chat
- Email management
- Calendar management
- Affiliate program management
- Community management
- Handling support requests
Not every customer service manager will do all these things, so it’s important for you to identify areas that you want to outsource within customer service so you can find the right virtual assistant.
5. Content Writing
I’ve also dabbled in content writing, not only from the freelancer side but from the outsourcing side, too.
Content writers can assist with writing:
- Blog posts
- Newsletters
- Guest posts
And more!
Totally up to you and the freelance writer that you hire.
Just make sure the freelance writer you hire has an understanding of your niche so that they can write about it with confidence.
Total cost investment: $0.10 to $0.30+ per word depending on experience
6. SEO Editing
Do you struggle with SEO? Do you have a lot of old blog posts waiting to be updated that you need help with?
That’s what I used to do when I performed SEO editing services for bloggers.
Some of the tasks involved are:
- Restructuring the article for maximum logical flow
- Adding in content as needed
- Reworking the meta description
And more!
My clients traditionally found great results working with me, so if you find the right SEO editor, you, too, can see an increase in Google rankings.
Total cost investment: $100 to $250+ per article, depending on the length and amount of work needed
7. Editing/Proofreading
How’s your grammar? Have readers commented that you might need some help in the spelling and punctuation department?
If so, then editing and proofreading services might be the right thing for you to outsource.
Here’s the difference:
- Editing tends to work with the content and structure or develop it as needed to have the best impact
- Proofreading fixes the grammatical and spelling errors and is the final pass before publishing
Here are some things you may need help from an editor or proofreader with:
- Blog posts
- Opt-ins
- eBooks
- eCourses
- Webinar scripts
There are many different uses for a good editor and proofreader!
Total cost investment: $25 to $35+ per hour
8. Video Production
Do you have a YouTube channel or are you looking to start one?
If so, then video production might be the thing to outsource.
If you are NOT savvy in any way regarding video production and editing, I’d highly recommend it. Many viewers will judge you on the quality and professionalism of your videos as your channel grows.
Video producers and editors can help with:
- Green screen editing
- Adding in special effects
- Sound mixing
Basically, making your videos look top-notch!
Total cost investment: $25 to $50 per hour
9. Bookkeeping
Bookkeeping is something that I presently outsource and like WordPress support and maintenance, it’s been one of my better business investments.
You may see this service masked as “Virtual CFO Services,” but they are really the same, with the exception that a Virtual CFO will provide strategy and a bookkeeper will simply do the books.
My bookkeeper is amazing!
He helps with:
- Reconciling bank accounts
- Categorizing transactions
- Advising on estimated taxes
- Budgeting and forecasting for future expenses
He’s seriously a life-saver!
You can check out my Virtual CFO, Ben, on our team page.
Total cost investment: $200 to $350+ per month, depending on needs
10. Copywriting
You know those fancy-schmancy webpages that make you swoon because of how well they’re written?
Yep!
Well, they can be outsourced, too.
When I talk about outsourcing copywriting, I’m referring to outsourcing your:
- Landing pages
- Sales pages
- Newsletters
- Launch sequences
Copywriters can be a BIG help if you need help with launching your own course. They just come in and make your product seem as justified on the sales page as it is in real life.
Note that copywriters have superhuman language skills and have a way with words most people don’t, so this isn’t going to be the cheapest task to outsource, but think of it from the perspective of how many additional students you’ll get.
Are the costs of a copywriter paid off by your improved conversions?
With a qualified copywriter, the answer is yes.
Total cost investment: $35 to $100 per hour, depending on experience and most will charge a project rate for the deliverable instead of an hourly rate.
11. Course Creation
If you have an idea for a course but aren’t sure that you have the techy skills or time to figure it out from the backend, then a course creation virtual assistant might be the best thing for you.
Some possible tasks these people can perform are:
- Uploading your material to the LMS (learning management software)
- Curriculum development
- Course design
My friend Melody at HerDesignedLife does this and her background in instructional design helps her get great results for clients.
I even dabbled in this, helping my friends Kelan and Brittany Kline put together their course, Bloggers’ Secrets, on the backend of Teachable.
In case you’re unfamiliar, some of the common LMSs are:
- Teachable
- Thinkific
- Podia
- Kajabi
You’ll find course creation specialists that work out of specific platforms and some that can be flexible with your needs.
12. Administrative Work
We call people who do this General VAs or Admin VAs.
They help you with the entry-level tasks you don’t want to deal with. These are typically entry-level VAs, so the skillset matches the tasks in terms of difficulty.
Some tasks in this category include:
- Spreadsheet maintenance
- Data entry
- Billing and invoicing
- Updating links
It’s really up to you and the VA!
There are plenty of options and if you need help with something, then ask the VA if they can accommodate you.
Just be careful to NOT give away all of your tasks to a General VA because if they move on or uplevel their services, you’re out of help and have to start all over.
Total cost investment: $15 to $25+ per hour, depending on experience. You can even find some international VAs for $5 to $15 per hour.
13. Social Media Management
Social media management can get more specific and it can stay broad.
At large, we’re talking about platforms that include:
- YouTube
You’ll typically find specialists that will help you on one specific platform. My friend Anna McNaught does that with Instagram as she’s built a 6-figure business off of it.
You’ll also find some generalists that try to help you in all areas (and in some cases, aren’t qualified to do so).
With any social media manager, they should help you:
- Respond to comments
- Create content and images
- Provide strategy
- Develop analytics reports
Please get someone serious who has a track record for helping clients IN A SIMILAR SPACE.
Helping a client get amazing brand exposure as a fashion blogger on Instagram doesn’t necessarily mean they can help someone in the business space.
Always vet your freelancers and agencies in advance and look for their testimonials.
Total cost investment: $200 to $500+ per platform, per month
14. Email Marketing
Yes, there are even email marketing unicorns and they come in all shapes, sizes, forms, and automations 😉
Some of the common email marketing service providers are:
- ConvertKit (they’re who I use and I love them!)
- Mailerlite
- Drip
- ActiveCampaign
- Infusionsoft
- Ontraport
I used to do this for a little while for a six-figure coach. I helped her with ActiveCampaign, but it’s a similar process for each platform.
Some of the tasks involved are:
- Newsletter formatting
- Automation/Campaign development
- Tagging and mapping customers
- Sequence development
Most people won’t need this at first, but I’ve found that even a simple 1-hour chat with a specialist can shed a lot of clarity for how you should be running your email marketing.
15. Podcast Production
Do you have a podcast? Are you thinking of starting a podcast?
(I’m totally in the category of starting a podcast…think I should? Let me know in the comments below.)
If you know that sound mixing is NOT your thing and would rather have someone take care of the editing, then podcast production might be the task to outsource for you.
I’ve worked on teams with podcast producers and editors before and they can typically have a quick turnaround if production for your podcast is simple, but the further you can work in advance, the better.
Like video producers, podcast producers can help with:
- Sound mixing
- Piecing together your intro, conclusion, and interview
- Creating a cohesive brand sound and feel
You don’t see many experienced podcasters doing this themselves, so definitely consider outsourcing this if you have a podcast.
Total cost investment: $50 to $100+ per episode, depending on length and experience
16. Graphic Design
I’ve outsourced graphic design here and there.
I got an amazing infographic from a vetted seller on Fiverr for one of my old career advice posts that looks amazing and is formatted exceptionally well.
Here are some graphics and products you can outsource:
- Logos
- eBooks
- Pins
- Social media graphics
- Infographics
- Printables
- Webpages
There are sooooo many things that it would be challenging to list them all.
When you work with a graphic designer, make sure you give brand guidelines for overall appearance and that you get a copy of the source file so that it can be updated at a later date.
In some cases, getting versions in color and in black and white is helpful.
Total cost investment: $25 to $150+ per hour, depending on experience and the complexity of the product, but most will give a flat fee for the project with an included number of revisions
17. Calendar Management
Calendar management can be a lot of fun (for people that don’t have crazily hectic schedules)!
I’ve done calendar management for some 6-figure bloggers before and I enjoyed it. It’s fun helping creators arrange their schedules.
Some of the tasks within this category include:
- Reminding invitees of the meeting
- Booking interviews, meetings, and podcasts
- Creating coaching call appointments
- Organize client meetings
You can even get geeky within Google Calendar and color code different parts of the schedule.
If you have a busy schedule and have a lot of meetings weekly, then a calendar management virtual assistant might be exactly what you need.
Total cost investment: $25 to $45+ per hour, depending on experience and involvement
Conclusion
Have you figured out which tasks to outsource yet?
Before you jump into outsourcing, remember to purchase an independent contractor agreement. It’s what you’ll use with freelancers to specify terms and deliverables and I don’t want you to get burned by a freelancer for not having one.
You can buy a reasonably priced freelance contract right here.
To quickly recap, we discussed outsourcing these tasks:
- WordPress maintenance
- Email management
- Community management
- Customer service
- Content writing
- SEO Editing
- Editing/Proofreading
- Video production
- Bookkeeping
- Copywriting
- Course creation
- Administrative work
- Social media management
- Email marketing
- Podcast production
- Graphic design
- Calendar management
Did I forget a task that you had in mind and were thinking of outsourcing? Not sure of how to begin outsourcing?
Let me know in the comments below 🙂
And, don’t forget to bring a freelance contract to the negotiations table.
Cheers to your outsourcing success!
