Blogging can be a full-time job, and at times there’s not enough time to do everything that needs to be done without help. You may need help regularly, or just on occasion when your work load builds up. If you normally do everything for yourself, you may not even know where to start outsourcing your tasks. It’s not always easy to know which tasks to outsource and which to do yourself, but it’s not difficult once you get the hang of it.
There are no right and wrong answers when deciding how to manage the tasks related to your blog and business, but there are ways to figure out what’s right for you. Think about what you feel is important for you to handle and what is less important. Also, think about what you’re good at and what you need improvement on. Consider these things when deciding what to outsource. If you’re not sure what can be outsourced, below there are 9 tasks to consider outsourcing so that you can do what is most important in your business.
Blog Writing – Writing is probably one of the most common tasks bloggers outsource. Many bloggers outsource some of their blog writing. Some publish the blog posts as is, and some add personalization to the blog post before publishing. This is a personal choice, and can depend on the quality of the writing. When outsourcing writing, be sure to articulate what you’re looking for and any preferences you have. You may want to try out different writers before you place a large order so that you can evaluate quality.
Email Writing – You may choose to do the writing for your blog, but outsource your email writing, newsletters, or lengthy social media posts. You can place your orders as you need them, or you may come up with an ongoing arrangement for regular emails or newsletters if you find someone who fits your needs.
Editing and Formatting – Hiring someone to edit and format your content is a great way to save time, especially if proper grammar isn’t a strength. Sometimes it’s nice to be able to do a rough draft, and then let someone else clean up your writing.
Keyword Research – If you like doing all the writing for your blog and business, you may consider letting someone else do your keyword research. You may not be good at finding long tail keywords or you may just detest doing keyword research. Either way, keyword research is a great task to outsource.
Market Research – If you’re entering a new niche, or need help finding out what people in your niche are looking for, outsourcing market research can be a great way to save time. Let someone else do the research while you do other tasks in your business.
Answering Email – Email can be overwhelming for some people, and it’s a great task to outsource if you get more email than you can handle. Be careful who you trust with this task, and make sure they know what to handle themselves, and what to forward to you to handle.
Image Design – Everyone isn’t skilled in creating images, and outsourcing this task can be a time saver. You can purchase pre-made image packs, or get a designer to create images especially for you.
Video Production – Sometimes it’s necessary to use videos to accent or promote a blog. Outsourcing this task is a great way to free up your time for other tasks. If you need a more professional video, let a professional handle this task.
Social Media and Networking – Outsourcing social media and networking is a great time saver. You can hire someone to post to social media sites for you, interact with your readers, and make notes of important issues that may need your attention. You can also hire someone to teach you how to handle networking and social media if that is a better option for you.
No matter what tasks you choose to outsource, you’re going to free yourself up to do the tasks that matter most to you. Take your time when choosing what to outsource, especially when you are accustomed to doing everything on your own. Try outsourcing a few tasks, and see what feel right. Use the ideas above, but also spend some time brainstorming tasks you may want to outsource in the future.
