@weblogbetter
Latest posts by Kiesha (see all)
- The #1 Least Expensive Way to Outsource SOME of Your Blogging Tasks - September 17, 2011
Doing so means you get exposure to thousands and thousands of other CommentLuv users and your posts get sent out to the massive subscriber list.
Google loves this site and indexes it multiple times per day and posts always get lots of comments so you can be sure of some excellent exposure.
See the Write For Us page for more details
btw.. you can get this author box here
Before we even begin, please notice that I said “SOME” not “ALL” of your blogging tasks. Don’t get it twisted, you can’t outsource everything when it comes to blogging, but there are some things you can delegate to increase your productivity.
My biggest barrier when it comes to blogging, is NOT ideas. I’ve got tons of them rolling around in my brain just waiting to burst free. Surviving the Blog Reality Contest was one such idea that screamed for action. But actions take time, and every day it seems that I have less and less of it.
Contest Tasks
There were many tasks associated with blogging and this latest contest that I needed to outsource, but I wasn’t ready to make the financial investment in hiring someone. Maybe as things continue to progress, I’ll be able to justify the cost, but at this point it’s just not realistic.
So, I decided to contact a few colleges and universities in my area and present them with a unique, mutually beneficial opportunity.
Every semester, there are students who are required to participate in a certain amount of internship hours. It is a requirement for graduation. Those students must secure a position – paid or unpaid – in the industry they are preparing to enter.
Since, my business consists of freelance writing, editing, blogging and a host of related tasks, I decided to make this opportunity available to the English and Communications departments.
Be professional!
Now, before you rush off to contact a bunch of schools in your area, please”¦ PLEASE present yourself as a professional. If your blog doesn’t seriously support your business (your blog can be your business), then please, quickly click away from this post. Don’t waste another valuable moment of anyone’s time – students are not to be taken advantage of solely for your gain.
If you can’t give them a true opportunity to gain some training and experience in your area of expertise, then perhaps this isn’t the method for you. This is not a way to get some “free labor” out of someone.
Take the time to organize and develop an internship position with the kind of precision you would if you were looking to hire someone. That means you’ll need to develop a “Job Description,” a list of qualifications, and methods for contacting you.
Do your homework
Do a little bit of homework, first. Most colleges have a website and most of them have a “Career Services Department” – start there. Locate phone numbers and email addresses. Call and let them know that you have an internship position available and let them know the kinds of students you’re looking for. Ask them if you can email them your Internship Description.
Generally, they should be able to forward you to the appropriate departments and if you’re able to develop a rapport with the person, they may even put in a good word for you. That’s what happened when I contacted one of the nearby colleges. After I got in contact with the department head, he was very impressed by my well organized description and quickly set up a meeting to come in and speak with him about the details. Soon, I’ll be interviewing students and carefully selecting the most qualified.
So what does a good Internship Description look like?
Take a look at the description I created and feel free to borrow from or improvise its contents.
Internship Description:
This internship will provide an opportunity to strengthen blogging, writing and marketing skills. The intern will assist with social media marketing tasks as well as editing and potentially writing blog content.
This is an opportunity to learn how to write and develop a successful blog for business. This skill is becoming more and more of a commodity; as companies everywhere are beginning to embrace social media and see it as a valuable marketing tool.
Skills that will be developed during this internship include but are not limited to:
- Managing a blog
- Search Engine Optimization
- Writing and copy-editing
- Social Media Marketing
- Blog Design
- Business Management
- Developing customer relations
- Email Marketing
The ideal candidate:
- Major in English, Journalism, Marketing or related fields.
- GPA of at least 3.0
- Basic Computer Skills
- Computer with Internet Access
So, if you’ve been wondering about what you can do to outsource some of your blogging tasks, increase your productivity, and grow your blogging business, here’s an inexpensive way to do it.
So what do you think of this idea? Are there some tasks that you badly need to outsource? Have you ever worked with interns? Share your thoughts.
If you haven’t already had an opportunity to check out the details of the new and exciting contest that’s going on at WeBlogBetter, please visit the blog and consider participating in the Surviving the Blog Reality contest. I’ll be considering bloggers at all levels, so don’t let inexperience steer you away. See you there.
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/LianaFloresFuen
Nice post.
Just want to share something.
I’ve tried hiring intern students before and it was not a pleasant experience at all.Some of them just don’t care about your business.They leave works hanging, they get distracted easily and after the internship you’ll be left with more work and mediocre outputs. It might work for others but it’s not the best business solution for me I guess.
Liana recently posted..Ideas to Help the World updated Tue Sep 13 2011 12:27 am CDT
Twitter: rohitbatra14
I agree with mostly what you mentioned about students or people whom you take as Interns.. they don’t care much about your business.. But it’s our duty to look after that they don’t feel that they are just an Intern rather they shud feel that they are also an integral part of the business and they are needed to pay attention to it..
Rohit Batra recently posted..Facely HD for iPod Touch 4G [App]
Twitter: weblogbetter
Hi Rohit,
I like your approach – “to make the feel that they are also an integral part of the business” – that’s so profound because generally, people tend to mirror the way that they are treated. Even if you aren’t paying them much, if you can make them feel special and important, they tend to work harder.
Twitter: weblogbetter
Hi Liana,
I’m sorry to hear about your bad experience with interns. Sometimes, even when you’ve screened them the best that you can, some bad apples still get through. I’ve let students know early on what’s expected and try to catch mistakes early to minimize the effects. Supervising them in this manner may not be for everyone – that’s for sure.
Twitter: mcrapu
You can’t expect much from interns, but you can get the best of them by giving short and simple tasks that could be completed in 2 or 3 days. Rinse and repeat. Never give them jobs that take weeks to complete. It wont.
Mcrapu recently posted..Lisa Surihani Marrying Yusri KRU In 2012
What I did, base from experience, when I was looking for a graphic designer was to do a contest in outsourcing sites like giving out the criteria for my desired design and will pay the top 5 best designs. Where I save was I’d get almost 30 designs with only paying 5 of them, so I’d get to reserve the 30 designs since it’s already mine.
Jess recently posted..7 Types of Women To Avoid Dating
Twitter: weblogbetter
Hi Jess,
Holding a contest is a great way to find good talent. Two of WBB’s team members were winners from a contest. Contests bring out the best in people – I think.
Twitter: BlogStashDotCom
It is really really hard and time consuming to find the right person to outsource to. In my experience, I have found out that if you do take your time, you will eventually find the right person. Of course, that will take a lot of going through many many people and spending money.
satrap recently posted..Legitimate Work From Home Jobs
Twitter: weblogbetter
Hi Satrap,
Finding the right person is definitely time consuming! I totally agree. But it’s best not to rush. The right person is out there, it just may take a little time and effort to find them.
I’ve used oDesk to outsource several things with good results. Best to usually go with the mid-range bid, not the cheapest and not the most expensive.
I’ve also used virtual assistant companies in India and elsewhere, the majority of the time I have been pleased with the outcome and the cost.
Twitter: weblogbetter
Hi Jonathan,
I’ve outsourced to VAs before and the experience was fairly positive. But paying someone for an extended period of time is not in my budget right now, so interns who’ll take a good grade and the experience in lieu of pay, is the best option.
It’s a good idea. It’s also time and effort consuming, though. For most people, it may not be worth it.
Olumide recently posted..HEAD, PROJECT DELIVERY GROUP
Twitter: weblogbetter
Hi Olumide,
It’s definitely not for the person who doesn’t have the time to search for the right intern or the patience to supervise – after all, you don’t want to end up with a total nut who ruin your business.
I had the same thought. One must be able to supervise efficiently and must also be picky on what to outsource.
Cheolsu recently posted..Tumblr Login
Twitter: 99niches
Very interesting and timely approach. This idea has been gaining traction in a lot of circles as it has been used successfully at several major colleges, and just now in fact one (Stanford? I can’t recall) is doing a ‘Students Helping Startups’ call for a semester of time.
I have the modest goal of offering the same service that we are setting up at PRLuv.com – helping marketing students and recent graduates connect with companies in need of marketing and promotional help. The student/volunteer get incredibly valuable on-the-job training, references and testimonials, and the company or brand gets great, intelligent help for free. Powered by BuddyPress, we want to make it the social network for PR devotees.
Sorry to self-promote a bit, but it was relevant I think as a real-world example of how this ‘crowdhelp’ is a great tool to be used. In a down job market or not, remember that in schools there are brilliant, HUNGRY (in the conquer the world way!) students who can be tapped if they believe in your idea. Find them and the help they can offer to minimize costs, any day of the week!
Thomas O’Hearn
Thomas recently posted..Successful Internet Marketing
Twitter: weblogbetter
Hi Thomas,
Thanks for sharing this info – on the job training is very valuable, indeed – students do need to feel as if they are getting just as much in return as they are giving. I will definitely have check out your site – is it already up and running?
Twitter: PRLuv
Yes ma’am. And I have a guest post on ComLuv being published on the 7th of October. I’ve connected with some great people. I used a ‘landing page’ style of site for the first couple weeks and met a lot of great visitors to my website – I just yesterday switched to a ‘blog’ style in anticipation of new visitors from various guest posts I’m publishing and I’m still fine-tuning. The logo is giving me FITS.
Thomas recently posted..Fry Hates Facebook! (images)
Good idea, I thought until reading some of the comments and experiences other people have had. If it is any help, I’ve paid for article spinning in the past on 2 occasions and both times I ended up making time consuming amendments – so even paying does not get you what you want sometimes.
Sara recently posted..Dog Car Harness or Dog Seat Belt?
Twitter: weblogbetter
Hi Sara,
I agree that paying someone does not equal quality. I’ve work with students who worked solely for the opportunity to get some valuable training who treated the position as if it were a paid position – it’s all a matter of the person. You want to find someone who is intelligent, and has integrity. To do that, it will take some time to interview until you find the right one. But it’s so worth it in the end.
Twitter: Ileane
Hi Kiesha, thanks for sharing this. I’m curious about the social media marketing tasks the intern will perform. Does that include blog commenting? I get some comments on my blog and I can tell they’re being outsourced, but I don’t think college interns are behind them
Ileane recently posted..Be Careful Your Facebook Page Can be Hijacked
Twitter: weblogbetter
Hi Ileane!
As far as the outsourced tasks are concerned – in my opinion, anything that has my name on it as the author, should not be outsourced. But going into my spam folder and rescuing Ham comments, or scheduling pre-written blog posts, or responding to potential guest posters (with their own email and name), or even just doing some quick research for me are well within the realm of an intern.
Now, that’s my philosophy, because I value my reputation, I suspect everyone doesn’t operate with the same values.
Twitter: http://twitter.com/PatreceSmith
I love the idea…
I’m thinking of doing the same thing for the graphic design jobs I need to fill in. thanks
Patrece recently posted..The Art of A Good Photo for an Average Geeks updated Mon Sep 5 2011 4:45 am CDT
Twitter: weblogbetter
Hi Patrece,
I hope it works out well for you!
Twitter: stevescott1
Kiesha,
Getting an internist to help with social media and blogging. Brilliant! I can’t believe no one has mentioned or really talked about this before.
That is what I call outside of the box thinking.
Appreciate the idea,
Steve
stevescottsite recently posted..45 Tips to Make MORE Money with Affiliate Marketing
Twitter: weblogbetter
Hi Steve!
I’ve read a lot about paid outsourcing, but I guess it’s my teaching background and my own college experiences that made this a no-brainer option for me. I’ve been an intern and worked with interns in the past, both experiences were positive. So when my workload was getting to be too much, I figured, time to find another intern! But like I mentioned above, this must be done in an organized fashion, with integrity – no one wants to feel like you’re after free labor. People want to feel like they are gaining just as much as they are putting in.
Kiesha i like the idea of having students as intern to do some work for you. In return they will get a whole lot. Great Idea.
Prachi recently posted..Facebook To Introduce Status Updates to Twitter
Twitter: weblogbetter
Hi Prachi,
Yes, training is worth a lot these days, especially when it’s done by a professional who truly values other people’s time.
Hello Keisha. I love what you’ve done here. This is a very good way to do it. Not many blogs make mega bucks, but a lot afford any ‘volunteers’ or ‘interns the opportunity to grow in certain skills and develop them for future positions in likened fields.
What I did was went to my friends in my network, asked them is they wanted to write for my blog, I threw in some incentives along with the stats I’ve been able to rack up (high Pr, reasonably low Alexa). They are a real blessing to me and afford me the opportunity to focus on more projects than just my blog. They know, when my blog blows up, they’ll be thefirst people I employ as freelancers and staff.
Twitter: weblogbetter
Hi Ivin!
“They know when my blog blows up, they’ll be the first people I employ…” – that’s it exactly! When people realize the value of what you’re doing, they can see passed the present and join with your vision for the future; they’ll want to share in the “blowing up” experience. I’m glad you’ve got some good people to help – my goal is to free up more of my time for those back-burner projects that I’ve been badly wanting to complete. Having some intelligent help will definitely help me do that.
Whilst I like the idea of the intern – it is barely one step away from indentured labour!!! I tend to outsource work to India for writers etc. and that works quite well for me and I feel as though I’m doing my bit for the global village.
Pete recently posted..Television Beds
Twitter: weblogbetter
Hi Pete,
I suspect many businesses see interns that way, but I’m dead set against treating it as such. Now, if I’m going to take the time to train someone how to do what I do – I don’t consider that “free labor” – If college students have paid to be in my class (as they have in the past), then what I’m really doing is exchanging that “training” service” for their service.
I have use odesk to outsource and even though my budget was small I was still able to get good help for not a lot of money. I have used college interns as well and most of them aren’t quite ready for the real world and good help is few and far between. Although I like the idea of your article if time is an issue and your time is valuable. I think that it is much more economical to use something like odesk. You can quickly read feedback which is much quicker than interviewing.
Twitter: weblogbetter
Hi Jeff,
I definitely agree with that – this method isn’t for everyone.
Twitter: opportplanet
That’s a great concept I haven’t heard it before, generally outsourcing it’s a must for every online marketer or anyone who wants to do business online since no one can do everything by himself. The only disadvantage of outsourcing is that you don’t really know the outsourcer and he/she might not be capable of fulfilling your expectations so it is very important to ask as many information about him/her as you can, especially his/her previous work
Kostas recently posted..How To Get Started With Blogging
Twitter: weblogbetter
Hi Kostas,
Yes, you definitely have to find out as much information as possible. Really, that’s why I suggest working with local interns so that you can meet them in person and get a feel for their abilities.
Twitter: doupto2
Its a basic approach that sometimes neglected…My gosh thank you for reminding me this basic i have got to do my homework and organize…thanks keisha
Timothy Smith recently posted..DoUpTo- The Fastest Way to Make Money Using Your Talent updated Tue Jul 26 2011 1:56 am CDT
Twitter: weblogbetter
Hi Timothy!
You’re welcome, I’m glad I was able to remind you of this. Hope you find some very intelligent and capable interns to work with.
It’s all about doing the homework. That’s the most essential tips already..
Ricardus recently posted..How to trigger ideas to write new article
Twitter: weblogbetter
Hi Ricardus,
Yes, you’ve definitely got to do your research and prepare appropriately – that’s for sure.
Twitter: robboirun
Excellent idea, never really thought about doing that. Wonder if this will work with high school students as well?
Twitter: weblogbetter
Hi Rob,
I think it will work with any student who can follow instructions. I started as an intern my senior year in high school and ended up getting the position full time after I graduated. It’s not about age, it’s about intelligence and maturity. A few moments talking with the student will let you know their capabilities rather quickly.
Twitter: imagineworlds
Internship! I should have thought of that, there are like 5 colleges within walking distance from my house. I must do some more research on this. Thanks for the tip.
Twitter: weblogbetter
Hi Marianne,
Glad to help! Walking distance? Now that’s convenient and will make meetings easy to arrange.
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/lifenleisure
Thanks for the suggestion, Kiesha. I’ve never really thought of that. It’s something that I will definitely look into.
Adeline recently posted..Trip Planning Made Easy with Duffel Trip Planner
Twitter: weblogbetter
Hi Adeline!
It’s definitely worth checking out. I think exchanging training for pay is very beneficial. After all that’s exactly why they’re paying to go to college – to get training and experience.
Interesting idea – internship, wish I would of thought of this already. I go to college and I did not even think of doing this. Awesome idea, thanks for the good read as well. This was both a good read, well written and a very good idea, thanks for sharing.
Ricky Strode recently posted..Erotic Hypnosis High
Twitter: weblogbetter
Hi Ricky,
I’m glad you enjoyed the post!
Twitter: rohitbatra14
In my early days I rarely outsourced the work thinking that teaching a newbie this whole thing the time taken will be lot more than if i do it personally.. but now-a-days i have started feeling that it’s better to cut-off some load of work from our self and out-source it to others.. it does save our time and also gets the work done..
Rohit Batra recently posted..Facely HD for iPod Touch 4G [App]
Twitter: weblogbetter
Hi Rohit,
I learned a long time ago that sometimes, in order to get the important things done, you’ve got to delegate the unimportant stuff. Otherwise, your progress will suffer.
Twitter: harleenas
Hi Kiesha,
Insightful post!
I had never given a thought about outsourcing to college interns, though outsourcing to other bloggers was always a ready available option. I love your description about what a good Internship should look like, and I couldn’t agree more to that! However, I wonder where outsourcing articles is concerned, if you can ever get back the kind of content you give your clients- from those whom you outsource the work to- unless you know them for a long time.
And yes, I can’t wait to see the Surviving the Blog Reality Contest rolling on your site, which sure is getting exciting day by day!
Thanks for sharing
Harleena Singh recently posted..How Freelance Writers can Use Google+
Hi Kiesha,
This is an excellent post. My comments resonate those that have been highlighted elsewhere, I think it is hard to find students as interns, especially as they would be done in 2/3 months. But then I have worked for a big company once for 2/3 months, and it was really enjoyable and great learning experience. Someone suggested ‘students helping startups’, which I think is a great drive towards providing experience in lieu of some help.
My ‘startup’ is very basic, with almost no investment, and I want to keep it that way (fighting the old adage – money gets more money). Is that possible? No one wants to work for free these days, not even students, I think. But what is the right price for hiring them. I mean do you get competition from others doing the same as you, does that determine your investment?
Neeraj Sachdeva recently posted..11 Ways To Write Attractive And Exciting (Blog) Post Titles: Tips & Tricks
Twitter: jenniferdrai
This is a very interesting concept. A great way to build bloggers with the idea of internship. Students are constantly looking for opportunities like these. But I agree with you. We have to do our homework first and have a substantial benefit for the interns. Thank you for sharing.
I think this is a excellent idea you just have to take your time and find the right person. Who would of thought about internship for blogging great idea.
Great article. Was thinking in hiring interns for social media help.
If your blog is starting out, what credentials do you need? Do you actually need to prove to the school that you are a registered company? How does it work with online companies and university agreements?
Thank you
Twitter: weblogbetter
Hi Naomi,
It really depends on the school. I’d start by contacting the school’s career services department and ask them what they need. It could be as simple as you signing an agreement that you will work with students and assign grades based on their performance. But obviously, every school is different and has different policies.
Kiesha recently posted..Promote Your Blog at WeBlogBetter Day!
Twitter: realhhiguy
What a great idea! Every IM course I’ve taken always mention outsourcing using elance, Odesk, or Textbroker. They can be good, but free is free.
Stan Cahn recently posted..Brand New Brown Shikibuton Trifold Foam Beds 3″ Thick X 27″ Wide X 75″ Long, 1.8 lbs high density resilient white foam, Floor Foam Folding Mats.