At this very moment, there are qualified prospects looking for managed service providers just like you. When you incorporate thoughtful MSP SEO into your marketing strategy, including using strategic MSP keywords, you can create an avalanche of qualified leads.
As an MSP, you know that ranking high in search engines is essential to getting found online and driving website traffic. But what are the best keywords to use for your MSP website? And how can you ensure that your website is optimized for search engine success?
Before we dive in, take a look at the market potential for managed service providers who use SEO. In this 90-second video, I review how many searches are being done each month for the services you offer right in your backyard. Local SEO is one of the hidden gems in MSP SEO and can generate many qualified leads every week.
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SEO for MSPs
In this blog post, we’ll share with you the ultimate MSP keyword list, as well as some tips and tricks for how to use those keywords to improve your website’s ranking. We’ll also touch on the benefits of working with an MSP SEO company to help you with your online marketing efforts.
By the end of this blog post, you’ll have a better understanding of which keywords to target for your MSP website, as well as how to optimize your website content for the best results. This guide is a wonderful complement to MoreBusiness.com’s free MSP Marketing Plan, also available for free download here:
First, let’s briefly touch on what MSP SEO is and how it can help your business grow online.
What is MSP SEO?
MSP SEO stands for managed service provider search engine optimization. In short, it’s the process of optimizing your website for the search engines so that you can rank higher in search results and drive more traffic to your site.
There are a number of different factors that go into MSP SEO, including on-page optimization (such as using the right keywords and tags), off-page optimization (such as link building and social media engagement), and technical SEO (such as ensuring your website is fast and mobile-friendly).
Why is MSP SEO important?
MSP SEO is important because it can help you to achieve two main goals:
- Improve your website’s visibility in the search engines
- Increase website traffic
By ranking higher in the search results, you’ll ensure that your website is seen by more people. And by driving more traffic to your site, you’ll have a better chance of converting those visitors into leads and customers.
Search engine optimization for managed service providers offers a unique way to tap into the flood of companies searching for businesses like yours.
It helps you capture market share through inbound lead generation where people who are seeking out your type of services start at Google with a search term, like “managed service provider near me” and make their way to your business.
The revenue potential is staggering!
Take a look at the numbers on SEO for MSPs.
In any given month, here’s what the search volume for terms related to “managed service providers” looks like just in the United States:
Adding up the numbers on these nine terms alone shows that there are nearly 28,000 searches per month.
If that weren’t a big enough potential market, include related terms like IT, computer, data security and localization terms like the city or area you serve.
Together, they add up to 400,000 searches per year – all from individuals looking for services that you provide.
That’s a lot of prospects! There’s no shortage of opportunities to expand your MSP business.
In short, MSP SEO is a crucial part of any effective online marketing strategy.
Identifying the right set of keywords informs you of the content you’ll need to create to promote your MSP services. We’ve done a lot of keyword research for you in this guide.
Next up: your ideal starter list of MSP keywords. Note that this list isn’t comprehensive. There are numerous keyword opportunities that remain untapped, including many terms that focus on industry niches.
If you’re ready to tap into the lead flow, request our MSP SEO Agency proposal and we’ll help you chart your next steps.
MSP Keywords: The Ultimate List
Let’s dive into the list. Now that we’ve answered the question, “what is MSP SEO?”, let’s move on to the next question: “what are the best keywords to use for your MSP website?”
To help you get started, we’ve compiled a sampling of MSP keywords that you should be targeting. Two quick notes:
- Volume = monthly search volume in the United States
- Keyword Difficulty (KD) = how hard it is to get ranked for this keyword on a scale from 0-100. MSP keywords with KD below 30 are ideal since they are much easier to get ranked on.
Keyword | Volume | Keyword Difficulty |
managed service provider | 12100 | 68 |
managed service providers | 4400 | 73 |
managed services provider | 3600 | 70 |
managed it service providers | 2400 | 59 |
managed it service provider | 1300 | 69 |
managed security service provider | 1300 | 58 |
it managed service provider | 1000 | 66 |
managed service provider near me | 1000 | 51 |
it managed services provider | 880 | 59 |
GET THE FULL LIST | SEMrush FREE TRIAL → |
While the MSP keywords above have a higher monthly search volume, if you add geography to the search term you will quickly find that there is ample opportunity to get ranked well for good volume terms. Here’s a sampling:
Keyword | Volume | Keyword Difficulty |
managed service providers in new hampshire | 590 | 18 |
long island managed service providers | 480 | 15 |
managed service providers in atlanta | 480 | 29 |
managed service provider seattle | 320 | 25 |
GET THE DATA FOR YOUR CITY | SEMrush FREE TRIAL → |
There is yet another opportunity for strong MSP keywords that have good search volume and low keyword difficulty. Add in a nuance to the term as follows:
Keyword | Volume | Keyword Difficulty |
managed service provider pricing | 260 | 23 |
evaluating a managed service provider | 210 | 23 |
managed service provider jobs | 110 | 23 |
SEE OTHER MSP KEYWORDS | SEMrush FREE TRIAL → |
As you can see, quite a few people are looking for pricing information, evaluation criteria and even jobs.
You can create an MSP pricing page to share how prospects might consider viewing the value they would get from your services and then provide a range so you pre-qualify them before they contact you.
If you’re looking to hire people to grow your business, create a page that is optimized to help candidates find you and apply to your open positions.
These are just a few of the many different keywords that you could be targeting. To get a complete list of keywords that are relevant to your business, sign up for a free trial of SEMrush or contact us about our SEO Coaching and SEO audit services.
I’ve Got My Keywords. Now What?
Once you have a list of keywords, the next step is to start incorporating them into your website content. Here are a few tips for how to do that:
- Use keywords throughout your website, including in your website copy, titles, and tags.
- Create targeted landing pages for each of your keywords.
- Use keyword-rich anchor text when linking to other pages on your website.
- Monitor your website’s search engine ranking for your targeted keywords using SEMrush.
MSP Website Content Kit
It’s a lot easier to edit content than it is to write it from scratch. We’ve prepared a complete content kit to make it easy to update your website with informative pages rather than basic information about your services.
Get the MSP Website Content Kit →
This kit contains 11 pages of professionally written content that you can edit (if you’d like) with additional MSP keywords that are tailored to your business. You’ll quickly be able to create an educational site that attracts new prospects.
Instantly have meaningful website content on security, remote monitoring, data backup and more. It also includes a security checklist that you can offer as a download to capture leads from your website.
Getting Found on Google Maps: Local SEO
If provide services to your local area, then ranking high in Google Maps is essential to getting found online and driving website traffic. But what are the moves you need to make to get your MSP website – or rather company – found on Google Maps for local search?
This image shows how powerful having your company on Google Maps is. While this example is for SEO for Life Coaches, you can easily swap out the search term for any one of the many MSP keywords above.
Here are the steps you need to take to ensure local SEO success for your MSP marketing efforts:
1. Claim and verify your Google Business Profile (GBP) – this is critical for local SEO success. Be sure to include key information like your business name, address, and phone number. You can also add categories, photos, and other details that will help people understand what your business is all about.
2. Optimize your Google My Business listing – Once you’ve claimed and verified your GMB listing, take some time to optimize it. Include relevant keywords in your business description, and add photos and videos that will give potential customers a sense of what your business is all about.
3. Build local citations – local citations are listings of your business on directories and other websites. Be sure to include your NAP (name, address, and phone number) on all local citations, as well as a link back to your website.
4. Build links – One of the most important ranking factors for local SEO is link building. Work on getting high-quality links from local websites and directories.
5. Monitor your local SEO progress – Use a tool like SEMrush Local to track your local SEO progress and ensure that your listing is appearing in local search results.
Learn More - Top 10 SEO Ranking Factors: How to Increase Google Ranking
By following these steps, you’ll be well on your way to getting found in local search and driving website traffic.
MSP SEO Tech Stack
Just like MSPs use tools to provide services to clients for encryption, anti-virus, data backup, security and more, SEO tools provide you with the information you need to generate an avalanche of incoming traffic.
I personally use the tools in this list below. These are affiliate links, which means I may get paid a small fee at no extra cost to you. Again, I personally pay for the professional versions of each of these products in order to do the MSP SEO work I describe on this website.
Tool | Affiliate Link |
Keyword Research (most important tool) | |
On-Page Optimization | |
AI Writing Assistant | |
Website Lead Capture | |
Video Editing and Subtitles | |
Graphics | |
Website Hosting |
MSP SEO Services
In addition, MSP SEO companies can also help you to create targeted landing pages, monitor your website’s search engine ranking, and build local citations. By working with an MSP SEO company, you’ll be able to focus on what you do best – running your managed services business – while leaving the SEO to the experts.
Don’t miss out on the benefits of MSP SEO services – contact our MSP SEO company today and see how they can help you grow your business.
While it’s possible to do MSP SEO on your own, it’s often best to work with an experienced MSP SEO company. Here are a few benefits of working with an MSP SEO company:
- They have the experience and knowledge necessary to help you achieve success online.
- They can save you time and energy by handling all of the heavy lifting for you.
- They can help you to avoid common mistakes that could hurt your website’s ranking.
If you’re serious about growing your business online, then working with an MSP SEO company is a smart investment.
Schedule an SEO services consultation →
Hire an MSP SEO Agency
MSP SEO is a crucial part of any effective online marketing strategy. By targeting the right keywords and optimizing your website for the search engines, you can improve your website’s visibility, drive more traffic to your site, and generate more leads and sales.
If you need help with your MSP SEO efforts, then we recommend working with an experienced MSP SEO company. They have the knowledge and experience necessary to help you achieve success online.
And remember, if you need any help with your MSP SEO efforts, our team of experts at MoreBusiness.com is always here to help. Our SEO coaching services will guide you step-by-step to big increases in your online presence and your ability to attract new prospects.
We offer a full range of MSP SEO services, from keyword research to on-page optimization to link building and beyond. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you grow your business online.