Should MSPs Give Up On Social Media Marketing?

Should managed service providers (MSPs) give up on social media marketing (SMM)? If you’re a managed service provider that tells instead of engages, I think so. Take a look at the MSPmentor 100 list, and go through each MSP. Which social media channels are they using? Are MSPs engaging, or are they just scheduling posts?

Don’t create accounts if you’re not going to follow through

If you’re not going to engage your customers, then don’t create social media accounts; don’t waste your time if you’re not going to take it seriously. Some MSPs take SMM seriously, while others do not. Why is this a problem?

It’s a problem because you’re offering IT services. Who would hire an IT company that doesn’t know how to use social media channels correctly? Understand which social media outlets your customers use, and create those accounts to network with your customers.

Don’t tell: engage

Engage your users, engage your users, engage your users. Want to know the the basics of social media marketing? Engage your users. Social media is about networking (or connecting) to your followers.

You’re not connecting with your customers by bombarding them with your company’s press releases. Why should your customers be energized by a new service that your company is providing? The overwhelming majority of your followers on social media will not be the media, so make your pitch quick: You should use an elevator pitch.

Use social media channels that work for your company

Even though Facebook has reached 950 million users, it does not mean that your company’s customers are using Facebook. Yes, it is likely that your customers use Facebook, but it’s not certain. Twitter may be the best way for you to reach out to your customers, but your company needs to try other possibilities.

Be sure to start small. Testing social media channels doesn’t mean that your MSP needs to have them all at once; start with Facebook and Twitter first. After you learn and understand how to use each outlet, move on to other platforms. Don’t be afraid to get rid of a platform if it’s not working for your brand.