MSP Marketing: Is Your MSP Attracting Local Leads?

Is your MSP having difficulty showing up for searches in local locations? Instead of adding keywords of cities to your website, let Google and local searchers know your MSP is serving their area. Here’s how.

How Does Google Determine Which Business to Show as a Search Result?

A primary complaint we hear from new prospects is that they can’t seem to rank on page one for their location. When asked what steps they have taken to increase their page rank, the usual response is that they added their city in their keywords or titles. While this is a fundamental first step, over the years, keywords have become less valuable as a signal Google and the other search engines use for page rank. 

Current page rank is now governed primarily by whether or not your MSP content provides solutions to problems potential leads are interested in solving. It might be cliché to say so, but the content remains the driver of SEO success. Unfortunately, there remains a strain of MSPs who still treat content creation as an afterthought. Moreover, they believe that all they need to do is have a website, and the leads will pour in. However, unless you tell Google and, by extension, potential customers where your business is, then they won’t be able to find you.

As with most things related to SEO, there isn’t a single metric that Google uses to determine your rank, but instead, it is a combination of things. According to Google:

“Local results are based primarily on relevance, distance, and prominence. A combination of these factors helps us find the best match for your search. For example, our algorithms might decide that a business that's farther away from your location is more likely to have what you're looking for than a business that's closer, and therefore rank it higher in local results.”

We often talk about the importance of relevance in satisfying user intent. However, of equal importance is the searcher’s proximity to your business. This makes sense as most of your customers will be local to your business, and it would be a waste of time for Google to show your business to people outside of your service area. One thing to keep in mind is that Google no longer requires a searcher to add “near me” as part of their search query to trigger a local search; Google assumes that a searcher is interested in local businesses.

Entering The Local Three-Pack

The local three-pack consists of the first three business listings shown as a search result. Being part of the local three-pack is an excellent indicator that Google recognizes your business is part of the community in which a potential lead is searching. The key to marketing success is first and foremost being seen. When your business is in the local three-pack, you are assured to be top of mind. For more details about the importance for MSPs to be in the local three-pack, take a look at our blog: How To Have Your MSP Turn Up In a Local Search

Google Needs To Know Where Your Business Is

The best way to let Google know where your business is is by creating and claiming your Google My Business listing. Your Google My Business listing provides searchers with essential information about your business. Not only does Google My Business give searchers contact information, but it also provides:

• Customer Reviews that are helpful in developing confidence in your services.
• Updates about your business, such as changes to your hours of operation.
• Special events, unique offerings, or blogs that you have shared, which can help with user engagement.
• Finally, Google My Business allows you to list up to 20 locations for areas served. This is essential in letting Google know to show your business due to a search.

Additionally, you should ensure your NAP (Name, Address, and Phone Number) are accurate throughout your online presence; including your website, social media accounts, and anywhere else (local listings) your business is shown. This makes it easy for potential customers to find your business. Essentially, if a website of any kind is talking about your business or displaying your business in any way, the information needs to be absolutely accurate and uniform.

Show Google That You are Part of the Community

With so much competition coming from “chain” and enterprise-level managed service providers, you should strive to localize and further personalize your content. Doing so will give Google and your local searchers a real sense that you're part of and understand their community. Think about things a chain MSP would most likely never be able to do. One way to convince Google you're familiar with local neighborhoods is by mentioning specific areas, events, and businesses familiar to people who live in those locations.

For example, if there's a local event, you should write content that addresses issues businesses have faced in prior events. Doing so lets Google know you are familiar with these businesses’ unique needs and should be considered a resource that can solve their problems. This means that, when businesses inevitably search for a solution to a technical problem, your MSP will be shown as an answer.  

Moreover, mentioning recognizable locations in your content allows Google to "triangulate" where your business is in relation to searchers' location. 

Not only is localized content on your site valuable for attracting local leads, but you should also invest resources to develop your social media presence. Social media can be incredibly effective in developing your local bonafides, in part because social media can quickly reflect local events. Social media allows your organization to reach local customers faster than writing blog content, whitepapers, or even press releases.

Local Search is Essential for MSP Success

If your MSP isn’t showing for the locations you want it to, the solution must be more than adding the location to your homepage. As we have shown, local searches require your MSP to have several steps in place to break into the search results. If you are unsure about which steps to take or have the expertise to implement, we can help. JoomConnect is the premier marketing agency for MSPs, and we understand what MSPs need to be competitive. If you do not see the results you would like to see, contact us today at 888-546-4384 to schedule an appointment.