A Beginner’s Guide to SEO for IT Service Providers

As a Managed Services Provider (MSP), attracting quality leads through your website can feel like an uphill battle. Don't let your current traffic analytics and marketing strategy stand in the way of attracting quality leads. Search engine optimization (SEO) is your secret weapon in the quest to generate more quality leads and elevate your online presence. You'll see your marketing strategy reach new heights by following these 4 simple steps to craft the ultimate SEO plan for your MSP.

1. Conduct Keyword Research

Keyword research is the foundation of any SEO plan. By understanding the terms and phrases that your potential customers are searching for, you can tailor your website content and meta tags to rank for those terms.

There are a few ways to conduct keyword research. One option is to use a keyword research tool, such as Google's Keyword Planner, SEMrush, or Answer The Public. These tools allow you to enter a seed keyword and generate a list of related keywords and their search volume.

Here's what a simple "IT service provider" search returns in the free Answer the Public tool:

As you can see, it serves up phrases related to your keyword that people are searching for. This can provide a helpful start for blog post and webpage ideas. 

Another option is to simply brainstorm a list of keywords that are relevant to your MSP. Think about the services you offer and the problems your customers face. For example, an MSP that specializes in IT support for small businesses might target keywords such as "IT support," "IT services," and "small business IT."

Once you have a list of keywords, it's important to prioritize them based on their search volume and relevance to your MSP. This will help you focus your efforts on the most valuable keywords.

2. Optimize Your Website for SEO

Now that you have a list of targeted keywords, it's time to optimize your website for those terms. There are a few key areas to focus on:

Page titles and meta descriptions: These are the snippets of text that appear in the search results and give users an idea of your page. Make sure to include your target keywords in your page titles and meta descriptions, but don't stuff them in unnaturally.

Headings and subheadings: Use your target keywords in your headings and subheadings to signal to search engines what your page is about.

Page content: Include your target keywords in the body of your page content, but again, don't force them in unnaturally. It's important to write for humans first and search engines second.

Alt tags: Alt tags are used to describe images and are important for SEO. Make sure to include your target keywords in your alt tags, as this will help search engines understand the content of your images.

3. Build Backlinks

Backlinks are links from other websites to your website. These links act as "votes" for your website and can help improve your search engine rankings.

There are a few ways to build backlinks for your MSP:

Create high-quality content: One of the best ways to attract backlinks is to create content that is valuable, informative, and useful to your audience. This could be a blog post, an infographic, or a video. The more people that find your content useful, the more likely they are to link to it. Every page you create should have a strong call to action (CTA) that drives readers toward a form so you can re-engage them. 

Reach out to other websites: If you have relationships with other websites or businesses, you can ask them to link to your website. Just be sure to provide a good reason for them to do so.

Participate in online communities: By participating in online communities, such as forums and social media groups, you can build relationships with others in your industry. This can lead to natural backlinks as you share your knowledge and expertise with others.

4. Go the Extra Mile 

Once you’ve implemented these three basic SEO best practices, it’s time to go the extra mile. Making these additional adjustments and measuring the results will help you optimize for greater engagement and lead generation over time.

Enhance internal linking: Including internal links from other relevant pages on your website can help search engines better understand the structure and hierarchy of your content. Make sure to add internal links to related blog posts or service pages when discussing relevant topics or services.

Mobile optimization: Ensure that your website is mobile-friendly and loads quickly on all devices, as this is a crucial ranking factor for search engines.

Structured data markup: Implement structured data markup (also known as Schema) to better communicate the content and context of your website to search engines. This can lead to richer search results and higher click-through rates.

Monitor and measure analytics: Regularly monitor your website analytics to understand the performance of your SEO efforts, identify areas for improvement, and track the success of your marketing strategies. Tools such as Google Analytics and Google Search Console can help you monitor your website's performance and provide valuable insights.

Keep content fresh and up-to-date: Regularly updating your content, particularly by adding new blog posts, can show search engines that your website is active and relevant. Ensure that you produce content consistently and of the highest quality.

By following these additional SEO best practices, you can further enhance their online presence and generate more quality leads through effective SEO strategies.

Master Digital Marketing

Want to improve your MSP's digital marketing and drive more qualified leads? Download our free guide, "Digital Marketing Game Plan For IT MSPs & VARs," to get actionable strategies for building a winning marketing plan that includes SEO and integrating analytics with your digital assets. Click below to claim your free download.