I currently pay an American in the Philippines who just had a baby, $5 USD a day to help me with content.

$10 an hour is way too funny. The guy I got, I had come across a post on his blog:

http://blogger-a-blogging.blogspot.com/2007/06/blog-writer-for-5-day.html

Now I have 7 different Martial Arts blogs to help with content to get more traffic to my product sales page.

I personally do not have the time to maintain that much content, but this guy is good and honest. First off he told me that he had no experience in any martial arts, but I thought I would give him a go anyway. His first couple of posts…not so good…but as he research more and more his posts got longer and more indepth. I get about 1 post for every hour that I am sleeping cause it is day there when it is night here State side.

I highly recommend this guy I am sure he does not spend 40 hours a week on my blogs but then again I cannot complain seeing as he gets the work done and it only costs me $35 for a 7 day week.

So what can you get for $1000? I say 8 blogs a day, 7 days a week for 6 months or 1500 blog posts. $0.66 for each post.

Good price to pay for the traffic the content creates.

I think it would be worth it for a trial. He too can do basic html work and modify graphics and create navigation menus. I t is my understanding that he has Macromedia Studio on his puter since every thing I send him to do he says he’ll do it with “fireworks”.

The only down fall is the payments, I pay weekly via Western Union. He will accept monthly but not right off the back.

Thank you for the comment.

The company that I link to is a well-known firm out of India. I agree that $10.00 is a fairly low wage in America, but due to exchange rates and economic conditions in India it is an average rate there. I sympathize with your predicament. It can be hard to compete with outsourcing. My post, however, was about getting value out of your $1000.

Your challenge is to present enough value as an American virtual assistant to make your services worth more than those offered abroad, because international competition is going to be a fact of life in your industry. As you say on your web site, “The only thing I can’t handle, given the distance is getting your coffee.” I’m afraid that is true for them as well.

The writing industry is also facing the challenges of outsourcing and globalization. I have worked for Intel, Motorola and IBM, all of whom have outsourced at least part of their technical writing operations. Some of those outsourcing efforts have been successful and others have sent them racing back to native workers. I am sure it will be the same with virtual assistants.

However, i am shocked (as others are) that there are VAs who charge $10.00/hour. As a business owner and independent contractor, we must provide our own benefits – insurance, vacation, equipment, and more. A rate of $10.00/hour minus the overhead/benefit upcharge that a ‘normal’ business would have – brings the hourly earnings to less than $4.00/hour, as it is common to estimate a business’ benefit/tax costs as 1.5 times the hourly salary.

By devaluing themselves to this extent, they do themselves and the industry and disservice. I am sure they provide excellent service to their clients, but $10.00/hour does not make a living wage.

Many of us have business degrees, years of experience. belong to professional organizations, and a huge commitment to our business and clients.

Here’s hoping that clients and ‘VA services’ realize the true value of a Virtual Assistant.