Promoting and growing your virtual assistant (VA) business is essential for success. Luckily, the online world makes it easier than ever to market yourself, with a wealth of platforms at our fingertips. But with so many options, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Many VAs get stuck on a simple question: “Should I create a blog or post on social media?”
The answer isn’t always straightforward. Before you decide where to post, you need to step back and understand your content’s purpose. What do you want to achieve with it? Once you have a clear strategy, you’ll know exactly where each piece of content belongs.
Know Your Why
Every piece of content you create should have a clear goal. What is your overall content marketing strategy?
Are you promoting a specific service? Your content should lead people to a page on your website where they can learn more and book you.
Do you want to build credibility and showcase your expertise? This type of content helps your audience see you as a knowledgeable authority in your field.
Are you simply trying to raise awareness of your brand? This could be a short, engaging post that gets people talking.
Understanding your “why” is the foundation of an effective marketing plan. Without it, you’re just posting into the void.
Understanding the Different Platforms
Once you know your goal, you can decide which platform is best. The mistake many VAs make is thinking it’s a choice between a blog or social media. In reality, they work together. Each platform has a different function, and they all play a vital role in your online presence.
Your Business Website
Think of your website as your digital home base. It’s your online address and your business card. This is where you house your core services, your ‘About’ page, and all the key information about who you are and what you do. Every piece of content you create online should ultimately lead back here. Your social media posts are simply signposts pointing people towards your website.
Your Blog
Blogging is far from dead. A blog is an incredibly powerful tool for your business, and it should live on your website. It serves two crucial purposes:
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO): Your main website pages don’t change very often, so a blog allows you to regularly add new, relevant content. This tells search engines like Google that your site is active and useful, which can significantly improve your ranking and drive organic traffic.
Building Authority: A blog gives you a place to share valuable, in-depth content that shows your ideal clients why they should trust and hire you. It’s a space to showcase your knowledge and build a loyal audience.
Your Social Media Accounts
Social media platforms are the public squares where your ideal clients hang out. They make it easy to find and connect with people. Your social profiles allow you to show a bit more of your personality and build relationships. Social media is primarily a marketing tool designed to attract people and drive them back to your digital home—your website.
Different Platforms, Different Content
Since each platform has a different main function, the content you create for them needs to be adapted. A long, detailed blog post isn’t going to work on Twitter (now X), just as a quick, snappy post might feel out of place on LinkedIn.
Facebook is great for longer-form posts and community building.
X (formerly Twitter) is all about short, direct, and fast-paced updates.
Instagram is highly visual, focusing on images and short videos (Reels).
LinkedIn is business-oriented, perfect for professional insights and networking.
This doesn’t mean you have to create brand-new content for every single platform. That would be exhausting! Instead, you can save masses of time by repurposing your content.
The Power of Repurposing
Repurposing means taking one piece of content and adapting it for different platforms. For example, a single blog post can be transformed into:
Multiple short social media posts.
A series of Instagram Stories or a carousel post.
A series of key takeaways for LinkedIn.
A short video script for TikTok or Reels.
The smart solution is to start with a long-form piece of content—like a blog post—and then break it down into smaller, bite-sized pieces for social media. This strategy ensures you get the most value from every single thing you write. It’s a way of working smarter, not harder.
So, Blog or Social Media?
In summary, the answer is both.
For short, engaging copy that aims to raise awareness or spark a quick conversation, start with social media. You can always expand on the topic later with a full blog post and link your social post back to it.
For long-form, valuable content that builds authority and drives SEO, start with a blog post on your website. This is your foundation. From there, you can easily create a whole week’s worth of short-form social media content by repurposing key takeaways and quotes. This strategy guarantees that you’re using every tool at your disposal to grow your VA business and attract your ideal clients.
Promoting and growing your business is your top priority. By understanding what you’re posting, why you’re posting it, and where it works best, you can truly maximise your content marketing efforts and set your VA business up for success.
Ready to Maximise Your Marketing?
If you’d like more help with your online marketing and content creation, or if social media and your website still feel confusing, why not join the VA Membership?
The VA Membership is a monthly subscription group that provides the essential training, resources, and community support you need to truly ramp up your VA business. You’ll gain confidence, get practical marketing tips, and connect with other VAs who understand your journey. The best part? You can save £118 by choosing our annual membership or simply pay monthly on a flexible, cancel-anytime basis.
