Survey Says That 99% of MSP Owners HATE SOCIAL MEDIA 

Okay, okay, maybe this survey isn’t real, but it could be based on what we hear from clients on a regular basis.  Here’s what they tell us:  

  • We haven’t touched our social channels in 3 years! 
  • All our clients come by word of mouth, and we think we can scale/grow from ONLY referrals. 
  • Our customers aren’t on social media, therefore social media isn’t important to us. 
  • Who’s going to manage it?  
  • Should we be on TikTok? 

You’re probably sick of hearing about TikTok. We are too. Your kids are probably TikToking 100 hours a day. However, they’re not buying MSP services just yet, so obviously they’re not the target audience nor focus of this blog.  

The actual purpose of this blog is to give you an overview of all the B2B social media platforms for MSPs, their pros and cons, and how they could be used by MSPs for better marketing.  

We’ll be diving into LinkedIn, Google Business Profile, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.  

I will show you and your IT services firm how to best use these social media channels as part of your IT firm’s marketing strategy. 

First, keep it simple. When it comes to social media marketing, only sign on for channels that you can consistently manage. It’s better to have less channels that are regularly updated with compelling content than having a presence on ALL the social media channels, only to ignore it for the next three years. 

Don’t forget that social media is fundamentally about relationships and connection, both of which will wither and die without ongoing, reliable updates, content, engagement with others in the platform, etc. Yes, it’s work, but so is everything worth doing.  

LinkedIn: The mecca for B2B sales and marketing 

If you only pick one social media platform, it best be LinkedIn. 

LinkedIn is no longer used exclusively as a job search engine or as a recruiting tool for new talent. It also goes far beyond building your career portfolio. 97% of B2B marketers use LinkedIn for their content marketing effortsand it’s easy to see why!  

According to the latest LinkedIn report, 61 million users on LinkedIn are senior level and 40 million users are decision makers. As of August 2022, about 31% of users in the US are between the ages of 30-39 and 51% are between the ages of 40-64, according to Statista. 

What to publish: 

LinkedIn is one of the best places to publish thought leadership posts, since it allows for a longer character count. You can even publish longer posts as articles, which means you can develop a connection with your audience before they even enter your sales funnel.  

Don’t forget to publish content on LinkedIn about culture and your company personality. People like to see other happy people and this type of content will drive connection and engagement.  

Benefits: 

A well-built business profile can also help build brand recognition and boost lead generation. 80% of B2B marketing leads from social media come through LinkedIn, which means if you’re not using this as a part of your marketing strategy, you are missing out on valuable leads! 

Again, B2B companies do exceptionally well in this space.  

Google Business Profile (GBP): Increase your visibility & SEO online 

Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is best used to attract new website traffic via organic search engine optimization (SEO). Basically, a user goes online to search for managed IT Services. Then, they’re presented with multiple MSP websites that fit that search. To get on that list, you need lots of relevant, compelling content and time.  

GBP is also the best place to build reviews and respond to your customers. Companies that respond to reviews in a timely manner are more likely to be seen as trustworthy versus companies who don’t respond or take too long to respond to reviews, especially negative ones.

What to publish:  

You can display basic business information, services, photos, and respond to google reviews. You can also post events and updates, but keep in mind that posts only stay live for seven days.! This means that you would need to post regularly to show that you are active. 

Benefits: 

Google Business Profile is incredibly beneficial in building your digital footprint. It can help boost your local SEO as well as boost organic traffic to your website. The average Google Business Profile receives 33 clicks per month, so, keeping a profile that’s up to date can have a significant impact on your sales funnel. 

YouTube – Where “how-to” gurus spread their message 

YouTube is the go-to platform for video content with over 247 million users in the US alone. YouTube is as the second most visited website, second only to its parent company, Google 

Users typically look for trending challenges, community engagement, DIY projects, life hacks, and how-to videos.  

Using basic SEO techniques for your video titles and content will help you rank in searches and eventually, rank higher in the algorithm.  

What to publish:  

Webinars, how-to videos, software guides, installation guides, product demos, podcasts- you name it.! If you’re creating engaging video content, then it belongs on YouTube. 

Benefits: 

YouTube is a great way to humanize your brand by giving you the freedom of a more informal platform. But it’s also a great way to educate your audience. Are you tired of answering the same questions to prospects or even current customers? Then, now would be the time to create an FAQs video. 

Facebook – Where grandparents go to brag 

B2B marketing on Facebook can be tricky- but not impossible. Successful B2B marketing largely depends on your target audience. 54% of Facebook users are 35 years or older. So, if your target audience falls within this group, then it might be worth looking at. 

Another thing you should know is that if you want effective marketing, then you’re going to have to spend money to get the best use out of your time. There are over 203.7 million users in the US alone, which means getting your content in front of your target audience will feel a little like finding a needle in a haystack. 

What to publish:  

One unique feature is their Facebook Live feature. This might sound like Instagram Live. But with Facebook Live, you can engage in real-time with your audience, save the recording, and upload it directly to YouTube. Think of it as an informal, mini-webinar or a casual FAQs with your audience. You can personally connect with your B2B audience but building that audience can be difficult. 

Benefits: 

Facebook is one of the best platforms for running retargeting ads. They allow you to import a list of contacts, like a segment from your CRM, so that you can target them directly. You can even target people who have interacted with your business page, website, or previous ads by setting up Meta pixel. 

Twitter – Where anyone’s posts can go viral 

Are you hoping to boost your audience engagement? Do you want your campaign to see the max number of impressions possible? Or are you simply trying to build brand awareness? If yes, then Twitter is your answer.  

Twitter is one of the best platforms to build and grow a community that can eventually fall into your sales funnel. There are 39.6 million users in the US alone! 59.2% of users are between the ages of 25-49, so there is certainly untapped potential if you’re not using this as part of your B2B marketing strategy.

What to publish: 

Anything and everything, literally. Twitter is known for being a “thought-highway.” If something you said resonated with your internal team, then chances are it’ll resonate with your followers as well.  

Benefits: 

On Twitter, hashtags are everything. Hashtags allow you to be discovered by users who are in search of your services, products, or the valuable content you’re creating. Also, this is the biggest platform for social listening. Find your audience. Listen to their complaints and provide those answers. You’ll naturally grow an audience by being a thought-leader and addressing the pain points users are sharing. 

Instagram – Influencer and micro-influencer city 

It’s safe to say that Instagram is most used for B2C marketing, but with the right approach there are ways to incorporate it into a B2B marketing strategy. 60% of Instagram’s audience are between the ages of 18-34. So, the trends on this platform are constantly changing. One trend that remains consistent is developing an audience through storytelling and compelling visual content.  

What to publish:  

Instagram is best used for company culture posts, video reels, and product education. 

Benefits: 

B2B marketers can take advantage of this platform by nurturing prospects through the sales cycle, connecting on an emotional level, and driving them to other channels, like your website. 

So, what now? 

Still not sure how to incorporate social media as part of your existing marketing strategy? You can schedule a consultation with us here. 

We get it. Social media is overwhelming. Need help tackling the overwhelm? Contact us for help. 

Got Marketing Questions? We can help.

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