When most people think about virtual assistants (VAs) and the work they do, routine tasks like managing emails and scheduling appointments are usually the first to come to mind.

While these administrative tasks are undeniably important, the truth is that a skilled virtual assistant can handle so much more than the basics.

If you're a founder or small business owner and you’ve ever caught yourself thinking, “I wish I didn’t have to do this” or “There’s got to be a better way,” chances are, you’re probably right—and it might just involve your virtual assistant.

So while this list is by no means exhaustive, these are some of the diverse, impactful, and often overlooked ways your virtual assistant can make a difference—not just in your business, but in your personal life too.

Social media management

Struggling to balance your online presence without getting lost in the endless scroll? Your assistant can step in and save you from the social media time-sink while making sure your brand continues to shine.

Here's how an experienced virtual assistant can help:

Scheduling posts

Say goodbye to last-minute posting panic. Your VA can use tools like Hootsuite, Buffer, or Later to schedule posts weeks or even months in advance. This keeps your posts consistent across all your platforms, helping you stay top-of-mind with your audience without having to check in daily.

Engagement

Social media is all about connection. Your virtual assistant can:

• Respond to comments and direct messages promptly, making your audience feel heard and valued.
• Proactively engage with followers by liking, commenting, and sharing relevant content.
• Build relationships with potential customers, influencers, and collaborators by interacting with their posts.

Content curation

You don’t always have to create everything from scratch. Your VA can curate fresh, relevant content that aligns with your brand’s values and voice. This includes:

• Finding and sharing industry articles or blog posts that your audience will find valuable.
• Sourcing memes, quotes, or user-generated content to inject personality and relatability into your feed.
• Repurposing content from your own archives to maximize its lifespan and reach.

Researching trends

Social media moves fast, and staying on top of trends is key to staying relevant. A VA can:

• Monitor trending hashtags, viral content, or news in your niche.
• Identify content opportunities, such as relevant challenges, seasonal topics, or industry movements.
• Suggest creative ways to align your content with the trends to boost visibility and engagement.

See: 10 Social Media Tasks To Delegate To Your Virtual Assistant

Content creation

Creating compelling, high-quality content is essential for building your brand’s authority, engaging your audience, and driving growth. A virtual assistant with strong writing, editing, and creative skills can handle the heavy lifting, giving you back valuable hours to focus on strategy and big-picture goals.

Blog posts and articles

A skilled virtual assistant can handle the entire process of content creation, from conducting market research on trending topics and relevant keywords to drafting and formatting posts that align with your brand’s voice. With their support, your content consistently provides value and positions your business as an authority in your industry, attracting readers and boosting your online presence.

Newsletters and email campaigns

Whether it’s creating a monthly newsletter or crafting targeted email campaigns, an experienced VA can write compelling copy that captures your audience’s attention. They’ll keep your messages clear, engaging, and aligned with your marketing goals, helping you build stronger connections with your subscribers and drive conversions.

Proofreading and editing content

Sometimes, a fresh set of eyes can make all the difference. Your virtual assistant can review your content for grammatical errors, typos, and inconsistencies, refining it for a professional, polished finish. They can also make sure that your content maintains a consistent tone and voice, strengthening your brand identity and professionalism.

See: How To Successfully Outsource Your Content Writing To A Virtual Assistant

Creative tasks

Have a creative project in mind but lack the time or skills to bring it to life? With the right virtual assistant on your team, you can tackle these tasks with ease, saving time while achieving professional, polished results.

Designing basic logos or marketing materials

Whether you need a simple logo, a flyer, or social media graphics, an experienced VA can leverage their specialized skills in tools like Canva or Adobe Spark to create visually appealing designs that align with your brand’s style.

Creating slide decks for presentations

Need a professional, visually appealing slide deck for a pitch, webinar, or meeting? A skilled virtual assistant can design slides that align with your branding and effectively convey your message.

Sourcing or editing photos

From finding royalty-free images for your website to touching up photos for a polished look, an experienced virtual assistant can handle image curation and editing, saving you valuable time.

Podcast and video production support

Launching a podcast or creating video content is one of the most engaging ways to connect with your audience and boost your brand’s visibility. Podcasts continue to surge in popularity, with 546.7 million listeners worldwide in 2024. Meanwhile, YouTube remains a dominant force, ranking just behind Facebook as the second-biggest social media platform with over 2.4 billion registered users—though the real number of users is likely even higher since no account is needed to watch videos.

So, if you're looking to tap into the incredible potential of podcasts or video content for your business, a virtual assistant can be an invaluable resource. While they may not be able to create any original content (this is best handled by your in-house team or an external agency!), they can still take on a number of time-consuming production and promotion tasks, allowing you to focus on delivering your message.

Researching guests or topics

A VA can save you hours of research time by exploring trending topics, audience pain points, or emerging industry insights to keep your content fresh, engaging, and relevant. They can also look into and reach out to potential thought leaders, influencers, or experts who would be valuable guests for your podcast or collaborators for your videos.

Basic audio or video editing

A virtual assistant with basic editing expertise can take your raw recordings and remove any errors, awkward pauses, or background noise, as well as add intro music, sound effects, or branding elements. This leaves you with a final product that's polished, professional, and enjoyable for your audience, whether they're tuning in via headphones or watching on a screen.

Posting and promoting content

Once your podcast or video content is ready, your virtual assistant can take care of uploading it to platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or any other hosting sites. Beyond posting, they can also craft engaging promotional materials, such as social media posts, email campaigns, or blog updates, to drive traffic to your episodes and maximize your reach.

Event planning

Whether it's a virtual webinar, an in-person conference, or a hybrid gathering, there are so many details—both big and small—involved in planning a successful event. From logistics to communication, every element needs careful coordination to make sure the event runs smoothly.

The good news is that experienced virtual assistants can be your secret weapon in keeping your event-planning a stress-free zone. Here’s how they can help:

Researching venues or virtual platforms

Whether you're scouting for the perfect conference center or weighing up different virtual event platforms, a VA can gather options, compare pricing, and make recommendations based on your needs and budget.

Coordinating with vendors and speakers

Managing communication with caterers, AV technicians, decorators, or guest speakers can be a lot to juggle. A virtual assistant can take charge of these touchpoints, confirming details, addressing special requirements, and helping to make sure everything aligns with your vision.

Creating event schedules and sending invitations

With plenty of guidance, an experienced virtual assistant can take the stress out of event planning by creating itineraries, sending out invitations, managing RSVPs, and following up with attendees, saving you time and keeping everything organized. This leaves you free to focus on enjoying the event or preparing for your role in it!

Financial admin

While a virtual assistant isn’t a replacement for a professional accountant, they can take a significant load off your shoulders by managing everyday finance-related tasks, including:

Invoicing clients and tracking payments

They can create and send professional invoices on your behalf, follow up on overdue payments, and keep an organized record of transactions, helping to make sure you get paid promptly and keep your cash flow steady.

Monitoring expenses and preparing reports

An experienced virtual assistant can track your day-to-day expenses, categorize them, and compile easy-to-understand reports to give you a clear picture of where your money is going. These insights can be invaluable for budgeting and financial planning.

Making online payments

Whether it’s paying suppliers, settling utility bills, or managing subscriptions, your assistant can handle online payments securely and on time, helping you avoid late fees and missed deadlines.

See: 5 Financial Admin Tasks To Delegate To A Virtual Assistant

E-Commerce support

Managing an e-commerce business comes with a long list of tasks, and juggling them all can quickly become overwhelming. Fortunately, a virtual assistant can step in to handle many of these responsibilities:

Adding and updating product listings

A virtual assistant can handle the time-consuming task of creating detailed and visually appealing product descriptions, uploading high-quality images, and ensuring accurate pricing and categorization to make your listings stand out.

Managing inventory and stock levels

Keep your online store well-stocked without the stress. A VA can monitor inventory levels, update stock availability, and notify you when it’s time to reorder products, making sure that you never miss a sale due to an out-of-stock item.

Processing orders and returns

From confirming orders to coordinating returns or refunds, a virtual assistant can manage these processes efficiently, keeping your operations running smoothly and your customers satisfied.

See: 7 E-Commerce Tasks To Delegate To A Virtual Assistant

Customer service support

Customer satisfaction is the backbone of any successful business. A happy customer doesn’t just come back—they bring others with them. Your virtual assistant can help you provide a seamless and positive experience for your clients, making sure that they feel valued and supported every step of the way.

Here’s how your VA can transform your customer support:

Responding to routine inquiries

Timely and thoughtful responses are key to building trust and credibility. With plenty of guidance and clear instructions, your virtual assistant can provide valuable administrative support by handling tasks such as:

• Answering customer questions via email, your customer service inbox, or even social media platforms like Facebook or Instagram.
• Providing clear and helpful information about your products, services, pricing, or policies.
• Using templated responses for common inquiries while personalizing each reply to make customers feel heard.

Processing refunds or orders

If you sell products or services, the admin work can pile up quickly. Your virtual assistant can:

• Manage order processing, from confirming purchases to updating tracking information.
• Handle refund requests efficiently, ensuring customers are satisfied while adhering to your business policies.
• Keep your systems and customer databases up-to-date, ensuring accuracy and smooth operations.

Collecting customer feedback

Gathering feedback is invaluable for improving your offerings and showcasing your success. Your virtual assistat can:

• Follow up with customers after a purchase or service to ask for their thoughts.
• Collect reviews, testimonials, and ratings via email or follow-up surveys.
• Organize and present this feedback so you can use it to highlight wins or address recurring pain points.
• Identify happy customers for case studies or success stories that strengthen your brand credibility.

See: How A Virtual Assistant Can Help Increase Customer Retention In Your Business

Personal tasks and life admin

We all know that when life gets busy, it’s not just work tasks that pile up. Thankfully, virtual assistants aren’t just strictly business; they can help simplify your personal life, too.

Here are a few ways a virtual assistant can help keep your home life running smoothly behind the scenes, giving you more time and energy for what matters most.

Manage your calendar and schedule personal appointments

From doctor’s appointments to dinner reservations, a virtual assistant can organize your personal schedule, making sure you never miss an important date or double-book your time.

Find and send thoughtful gifts for special occasions

Need a perfect birthday or anniversary gift but short on time? A virtual assistant can research, purchase, and even arrange for the wrapping and delivery of a thoughtful present tailored to your loved one’s preferences.

Organize your digital files and photos

Virtual assistants can declutter your digital world—categorizing files, creating easy-to-navigate folders, and organizing your cherished photos, making sure everything is easily accessible and backed up securely.

Manage household services

Need to schedule a plumber, book a cleaning service, or arrange for a grocery delivery? With plenty of instructions and guidance, your virtual assistant can coordinate these services on your behalf, saving you time and hassle.

See: How A Virtual Assistant Can Help You With Personal Tasks And Life Admin

What's the bottom line?

Hiring a virtual assistant allows you to focus on what you do best. It’s more than just lightening your load—it’s creating space for creativity, growth, and a healthier work-life balance.

If you haven’t tapped into the full potential of your virtual assistant yet, now is the perfect time to start.

Enter your regular tasks into our to-do list optimizer, and we'll show you which ones can be handed off to a virtual assistant and which ones should stay on your plate.

Or, you can answer a few simple questions, and our task wizard will give you personalized recommendations tailored to your needs and business. (You'll get $150 off your first month of virtual assistant support with Time etc if you don't already have one!)

The real question isn’t, “What else can my virtual assistant do?” It’s, “What could I achieve if I fully embraced their potential?”

The answer is yours to discover!