As the CEO of Tech Pro Marketing, not too long ago I had the opportunity to complete a detailed study of all of the MSP websites we have under management. It was a very interesting experience for me, as some of those sites were designed directly by us, and some were designed by other firms.
Throughout this process I dove deep into all sorts of metrics, from bounce rates to heat maps to conversion rates and more. Ultimately, what I was trying to do was get a bird’s eye view of what works when it comes to an MSP website.
To say that what I found was enlightening is probably a bit of an understatement, and I’m sure I’ll be sharing more insights from this study throughout 2021.
Over the course of my analysis, I discovered a number of trends that proved beyond the shadow of a doubt that some MSP website tactics are extraordinarily effective. But at the same time, I also identified a number of MSP website tactics that were NOT producing good results – and some of them were quite surprising.
So with that in mind, in this article I’m going to share three aspects of your MSP website that could be damaging, rather than helping your sales efforts.
The home page slider
On the one hand, you may think that a home page slider is a unique little visual opportunity to set yourself apart from your competitors. But what this element really shows can be summed up in a single word: indecisiveness.
The problem is that a home page slider really undermines the goal of your home page, which is to gently glide visitors to your website through an intended path of content that leads them directly to your “Contact Us” form (which they will then, in theory, fill out).
From an SEO perspective, this can be a bit of a nightmare because it usually leads to multiple H1 tags on the same page, which will only hurt your ranking in the SERPS, not help it.
Claiming to be “The best there is at what you do”
Another common element that I see in a lot of MSP websites involves claims that you are “#1 in X industry”… without actually providing anything in the way of evidence to prove it.
Saying that you’re the best option, or that you’re the number one choice, always rings hollow if it’s just you saying it about yourself.
It’s much, much more powerful to say “we have over 50 5-star reviews on Google!” or to include a litany of terrific customer testimonials that let other people say how great you are. Boldly claiming that you are number one without offering anything to back it up may seem like a good idea at the time, but it’s certainly going to be held against you as prospects continue their research.
Focusing on you, you, you
Finally, often the biggest mistake a lot of MSP websites make involves placing the emphasis on exactly the wrong subject – themselves.
Again, on the one hand this makes a certain degree of sense because you obviously want to tell people as much about your company as possible. And you want them to get a crystal clear understanding of who you are and what you do.
But at the same time, people only care so much about the inner workings of your company, all of the various certifications that your engineers have, or your partnerships with Microsoft and HP, for example. A lot of MSPs are partners with Microsoft and HP, and by emphasizing this aspect of your business, all you’re really doing is showing people how similar you are to every other option they may be exploring.
Instead, your website should focus (almost exclusively, I would argue) on the problems that your customers face. On your deep understanding of those problems and your own unique solutions to those problems. Do you see what I’m getting at, here?
Instead of focusing on all of the impressive things that you can do as an MSP, instead you should focus on all of the impressive things you can do FOR YOUR CLIENTS. You’re still conveying the same information, but you’re doing so from a perspective that resonates more with who you’re speaking with.
Of course, your credibility is going to play a big role in your ability to do this. But everything you write needs to show people why you’re a great fit to solve their issues. Simply going on and on about yourself isn’t going to get you to that point.
A better approach to MSP marketing begins now
Beyond the fact that these are some of the most common elements on MSP websites I see that are hurting more than helping, the key thing I want you to take-away from this piece is that the solutions I’m presenting can be applied to literally any part of your MSP marketing campaign.
Always focus on the customer – even in emails or other collateral. Never claim to be the best without backing it up, not even on your business card. If you’re able to shy away from these things, you’ll put yourself in the position to see more leads coming right to your door.
If all of this resonated with you in the way that I hoped, and if you want to find some opportunities to get better results from your MSP marketing, I encourage you to request a strategy call with my team at Tech Pro Marketing. We’ll help you get rid of those elements of your campaign that aren’t working so that you can double down on what IS as quickly as possible.
Be sure to join Nate’s upcoming webinar on January 22nd. You can register by clicking on the box below.
Photo: Sergii Gnatiuk / Shutterstock
