If you have decided to hire a blog consultant to keep your blog running smoothly, you have made a good choice. An experienced consulting company can handle all of the technical issues associated with maintaining a blog. Some consultants also offer blog training and instruction on producing high-quality content that keeps readers coming back for more. Although the services available vary from one company to another, there are several things you should look for when hiring a consultant.
Technical Support
When looking for a WordPress consultant, look for a company that provides quick answers to your technical questions. If people get errors when they visit your blog, you need those errors fixed quickly. You do not have time to wait for a consultant who will not get back to you for several days. Look for a consultant who answers your questions within 24 hours. Some consultants will even respond to technical issues in less than an hour. Hiring a consultant with this commitment to customer service will help ensure that your blog runs smoothly.
You should also ask prospective consultants about how many support requests are included with your monthly fee. Some companies limit the number of support requests they will handle to just five or ten requests per month. This may not be enough, especially if your blog is new and you expect that you will need a lot of help to work out any kinks. Some consulting services offer several packages, so you can choose a package that includes enough support requests to meet your needs. If you purchase a premium consulting package, you may even be able to submit unlimited support requests each month.
WordPress Upgrades
When you are talking with a prospective blog consultant, make sure that the service includes WordPress upgrades. WordPress regularly releases new versions of its software to enhance security and functionality. If your package includes software upgrades, you will not have to worry about paying extra money every time WordPress unveils a new software version. You may also want to upgrade your blog by installing plugins or adding widgets to your sidebars. Ask each consultant if that type of service is provided as part of your consulting package.
Blogging Training
Once you install a blog, you may want to maintain it yourself. WordPress makes it easy to do so, but there is a learning curve. That is why it is important to ensure that your consultant offers WordPress training services. An experienced consultant can help you learn the basics of WordPress so that you can add new pages to your blog, write and publish posts, add photos and videos to your posts, change your header image and background color, and even install new blog themes. If you purchase a monthly consulting package, blog training may be included.
Blog Coverage
If you own more than one blog, you want to make sure your consulting package covers them all. Some companies offer all-inclusive packages that provide WordPress maintenance and security services for several blogs. The cost of these packages typically increases as you add more blogs to the mix. You should also ensure that your package includes real-time backups of your blog and regular security monitoring to prevent security breaches on your sites.
When you hire a blogging consultant, you are hiring an experienced professional. Because the level of service you will receive may vary, it is important to research your options thoroughly before committing to a monthly consulting package. Asking the right questions will help you determine which company offers the best value and service.
