Here’s some information for all of those managed service providers (MSPs) out there who would like to find a way to improve and excel at their website’s SEO or search engine optimization. This advice comes to you by way of a little story that took approximately four years actually to come to fruition.
But before we go any further into the story, let’s define what SEO or search engine optimization means because trust us, this is something you should know if you don’t already.
What Is Search Engine Optimization (SEO)?
Search engine optimization is a practice used by marketers, advertisers, web designers, content creators, and business owners alike. And it’s just what it sounds like: When you partake in the practice of search engine optimization, you are optimizing your website for search engines. As Wikipedia states in their SEO entry:
"Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of affecting the online visibility of a website or a web page in a web search engine’s unpaid results."
And think about it — that’s exactly what you want to do as a business owner who has a website and get leads and clients and customers from that website. The way that people find you is not by them typing your exact web address into the web bar at the top of their browser. Instead, they use search engine sites like Google to find you.
Let’s say there’s a manager of a dentist’s office in Denver who is looking for a managed service provider to help them with data cabling, setting up new servers, and installing some cyber-security. They are not going to ask friends and family who the best-managed service provider in Denver is. They’re not going to open the phone book anymore either. They’re going to get on their computer or phone, open a Google page in their web browser, and type in one of the following phrases:
- “managed service providers in Denver”
- “best MSP Denver”
- “Denver managed service providers for data cabling”
- “who can install servers for a dentist in Denver?”
- Etc. etc.
The list above comprises what we call in the business keywords or keyword phrases. This is the bread-and-butter of search engine optimization.
To optimize your website for search engines, you must include enough of these keywords or keyword phrases throughout your content (your text on your website). For example, the content that contains these keywords would be something like a blog post, an article, a written-out interview, welcome content on your website homepage, etc.
Now on to our story …
This is the story of Buffalo Computer Help and Globalquest Solutions. Technically, these are the same organization. Globalquest Solutions is the leading managed service provider in Buffalo, New York.
Approximately four years ago, Ulistic was enlisted to help Globalquest Solutions work on a section of their company’s website — the site buffalocomputerhelp.com. Now, it’s important to say that we at Ulistic excel at SEO for managed service providers; however, what follows is not exactly a pat on our backs. It’s all about knowing what to do and doing it.
Here is how we made buffalocomputerhelp.com the #1 managed service provider in Buffalo, New York:
First of all, know this: When it comes to getting your website to rank well on Google, there is no magic involved. There’s no quick fix. It takes time, knowledge, and hard work. For Buffalo Computer Help, all of this paid off big time as you’ll soon see. Here are the rankings you’ll get when you type in various keyword phrases or search queries aimed at finding an MSP in Buffalo:
1. Search query: “buffalo IT support”
Buffalo Computer Help Ranking*: #4
2. Search query: “buffalo computer service”
Buffalo Computer Help Ranking: #1
3. Search query: “buffalo computer support”
Buffalo Computer Help Ranking: #1
4. Search query: “buffalo computer support company”
Buffalo Computer Help Ranking**: #1
* “Number 4!? That’s not number 1!”We know, we know. The key thing to know here is that the first three listings are for the same large company, Buffalo Technology, a hardware vendor and not a managed service provider. This means that, indeed, Buffalo Computer Help did come up as the first managed service provider for the keyword search query: “buffalo IT support.”
** Also, for this longer-tail search query, we had the parent site, Globalquest Solutions, at the #2 spot and the #3 spot, and their LinkedIn page was at the #5 spot.
This is where we change the phrase, search engine optimization to something we like to call search engine domination.
But we digress.
You’re probably wondering how we achieved these fantastic SEO results. Here’s how we did it:
Optimal Strategies: SEO for Managed Service Providers
1. Use Multiple Websites
With this MSP in Buffalo, we used two sites instead of just one. We had both the parent site, Globalquest Solutions and the Buffalo Computer Help site. With this company, it’s even possible; we’ll look at a third or fourth site.
2. Write and Upload Tons of Blog Posts on a Regular Basis
Google loves when you update your website often and with lots of useful content. This is indeed what will get you listed high in the search results rankings for your desired keywords and keyword phrases. We tapped into this with Buffalo Computer Help and created numerous blog posts on a regular basis over the four years that we worked with them. All of the blogs we created and uploaded had titles and content focused on the queries that potential clients would want the answers to — titles like:
- “What Is a Suitable Response Time From Your Buffalo IT Company?”
- “Is Your IT Company in Buffalo Providing Proper Documentation?”
3. Use Unique Content
There are rules to content uploads when it comes to SEO for managed service providers. For example, no, you cannot recycle old content or copy others’ content. Google knows. You cannot simply create a blog post of nonsense words that are scattered throughout with keywords either. Google will know. It must be a lot of unique, pertinent, well-organized and well-written content that is helpful to your target audience. We recommend uploading new content at least twice per week.
4. Use a Schema Markup Plugin
This is something you have to buy, but it does great things. The Schema Plugin allows additional information to be displayed near your search ranking — for example, customer ratings, a schedule of events, and more.
5. Have Patience
As we mentioned, it took four years for the true results of our hard work to shine through with Buffalo Computer Help. Yes, your results might be faster than that. It depends on a lot of factors, one of which is how much competition you have and how hard they're trying to improve their SEO too. Having patience is essential. You'll get there just like we did.
SEO for Managed Service Providers
Ready to take your MSP to the next level with search engine optimization? Ulistic can help. Grade your MSP website now at https://www.ulistic.com.
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