Is your company keeping up with social media marketing? If not, maybe it's about time you got your feet wet before you miss the proverbial boat. With a virtual assistant, you can dive in head first.

OK, I'm using the cliches to make the point But in case you aren't getting the drift, consider the growth of social media.

According to the Nielsen Company, time spent on social network and blogging sites accounted for 17 percent of all time spent on the Internet in August 2009. That's nearly triple the percentage of time spent on the sector a year ago – and the growth shows no signs of slowing down.

“This growth suggests a wholesale change in the way the Internet is used,” says Jon Gibs, vice president, media and agency insights for Nielsen’s online division. “While video and text content remain central to the Web experience – the desire of online consumers to connect, communicate and share is increasingly driving the medium’s growth.”

So, again I ask you: Is your company keeping up with social media? What? You are too busy to deal with social networks and blogs? Rather than miss the boat and lose market share to your competitors, why not hire a virtual assistant to keep up with your Facebook updates, Twitter posts and blogging efforts?

A virtual assistant could be one of the best marketing investments you’ve made in a Web 2.0 world. Virtual assistants are by nature Internet savvy because they conduct much of their work via computers and the Web. Once you've developed your strategy, a virtual assistant can set up your social networking accounts, fill out your profiles, update your status and even respond to your followers.

You don't have to miss out on the Web 2.0 phenomenon – and you don't have to spend your time updating, tweeting and posting or learning how to navigate the social Web, either. All you have to do is find a social media maven to serve as your virtual assistant, cast your vision and let them run with it. (Hint, hint: Davinci Virtual can hook you up.)

This time next year when you are looking at how much social media grew – and how far you've come building a following – you'll be glad you tapped a virtual assistant to help you drive your online marketing efforts forward.