63% of managed service providers (MSPs) are on Facebook every day, with 58% checking into the second most popular social media platform, LinkedIn. Twitter is the next most popular, with 31% of MSPs tweeting daily, followed by Instagram at 30%, and Snapchat at 11%.
What are MSPs using social media accounts for, and how can you up your social media game to make a difference?
We’ll cover 5 tips to create an effective marketing strategy using social networks to grow your MSP business!
Building a Name for Yourself
One of the most important ways that MSPs can use social media and digital marketing is to create some legitimacy around their business. Imagine a company without a website. When a potential customer hears about you through word of mouth, they head to a search engine to see what they can find out about you online.
If they come up empty, it’s going to make them confused and maybe even suspicious. Social media is a new element of an online presence, and for many customers it’s just as important, if not more so, than a website.
Top Tip: Think about the channels that you’re likely to succeed using or be able to maintain and manage and stick to those. Opening a Twitter account that you don’t have the resources to keep updated, and that is going to attract a handful of spam followers and nothing else could do more harm than good.
Engaging with Customers Where They Are
For many, social media is a powerful marketing tool, allowing you to find new customers, and engage brand ambassadors on the platforms they use socially every day. Not everyone is going to go out of their way to look for a new MSP, but if they see your advertisements or your content on Facebook while they’re browsing a news feed – it could be enough to remind them that they’re in the market for IT support.
There are many strategies for social media success when it comes to marketing, from paid advertising slots, to your existing customers engaging with and sharing your content to help you grab attention.
Top Tip: Why not try referral campaign where you reward existing followers for sharing your content successfully? One example could be a discount on a monthly retainer if a client’s share ends up sending you a new customer.
Creating a Multi-Faceted Support Strategy
Social media is a low-key way for your customers to get in touch and ask for help. Many people prefer to use social media to reach out, whether that’s Facebook Messenger, a quick tweet to your Twitter account, or a LinkedIn message.
54% of customers actually prefer this method over phone or email. Using social media channels, it’s easy for staff to respond in a more casual way, giving a quick response that can either solve the problem or act as a placeholder until business hours or the right member of staff can be contacted. In fact, studies have shown that 65% of people have more brand loyalty if a brand reaches out to them via social media.
Top Tip: Responding makes all the difference, even if you don’t have the answer to the problem. Just apologize that you can’t help and suggest something else such as escalating the problem to an email contact, or suggesting an alternative solution.
Establishing your Brand in a Cohesive Way
What is your MSP brand all about? Social media can help you get the message out there. Your voice could be friendly and casual, or it might be professional, and knowledge based. The right branding will help the customers who are a good fit come to you.
If you align your social media presence with the face of your company, it will help to establish your brand in the market and give both current and potential customers an added confidence in your ability to a great job for their own business in turn.
Top Tip: Engage your own employees in getting your social media just right. Try a #meetourstaff campaign on Instagram with employee bios and photos or allowing certain personnel to take over Twitter for a day at a time and answer questions.
Learning from Others in the Industry
It’s not just about how you can support your customers, it’s also about the ways you can learn and grow as an MSP. If you’re looking to branch out on social media, the chances are your colleagues and competitors in the industry are right there alongside you.
Follow industry blogs, webinars or threads on MSP news, and you might find ways that you can increase your own revenue, take on new areas of expertise, or get ready for changes to the market.
Top Tip: Come join our Atera Facebook community group, where our MSPs (and potential MSPs!) can chat about the latest updates, features they would like to see, and challenges they face daily in the MSP world.
