Four Pillars of Content Marketing for MSPs

But how do you do it well? That’s a question that marketers will continue to struggle with, especially in the era of AI. It comes down to four things.

VALUE
ROI works both ways. The customer is investing the time to read, watch, or listen to your content, requiring a return. It has to give them valuable information, answer a question, or entertain them. Imagine every piece of content is a transaction and that you are the customer. You are buying their attention and have to pay accordingly. That also means that if you charge them for the content, it will have to be much more valuable to succeed. Otherwise, the relationship will quickly sour, and any purchases that might have been possible will disappear.

HOW TO ADD VALUE TO CONTENT
Value needs to come from your industry experience, but here are three things to focus on to ensure your audience is getting something out of your content marketing. 

1. Focus on Pain: Conduct thorough research, such as customer surveys, interviews, or studying online forums where your audience is active. With these insights, create content that addresses their pain points, provides practical solutions, and helps them overcome challenges.

2. Ensure Relevance: Create content pertinent to your audience's needs and up-to-date with the latest information and best practices. You can also incorporate seasonal topics or address events that your audience will likely be interested in, giving your content a sense of urgency.

3. Educate and Entertain: Keep it engaging and enjoyable for your audience. Use storytelling techniques to present complex information in an easy-to-understand and relatable manner. 

The more you can engage and captivate your audience while providing valuable, actionable information, the more effective your content marketing efforts will be.

AUTHORITY
Quite simply, it better be right. Don’t just regurgitate the content of other companies because they are successful. You need to prove your authority by relying on your experiences and showing customers their business is in good hands.  MSPs often try to be a little bit of everything for everyone. A lot of bad content marketing follows a “spray and pray” method, trying to attract as many people as possible by covering every topic under the sun.

But if your team doesn’t know anything about cloud computing or infrastructure maintenance, don’t try to pretend you do. You won’t be able to demonstrate any authority, and customers will see right through the charade. 

ORIGINALITY
Generative AI can often mimic value and authority, but this is where it falls short. Customers are getting tired of reading the same thing over and over. Original thoughts, advice, and personality are critical for a successful content marketing strategy. We’re not talking about launching a streaming service like Apple or Amazon. Originality can come on a much smaller scale. 

Influencer marketing is an easy way for brands to achieve this goal. Hand off the creativity to someone who has already cultivated an engaged audience, and let them figure out the best way to reach them. But beyond that, there has to be a certain level of outside-the-box thinking instead of just throwing out some boilerplate content and hoping to get a few clicks. 

Ask these questions:

• What unusual or unexpected angle can you explore regarding a topic in your industry?

• If you could collaborate with anyone in your industry or beyond, who would that person be, and how could their expertise, style, or perspective inspire new ideas and approaches in your content?

• Can you experiment with different content formats, storytelling techniques, or multimedia elements? How can these new approaches help convey your message more effectively and inspire new creative ideas?

Keep pushing the boundaries, and your audience will thank you for it.

LEADERSHIP
Another term thrown around (maybe a little too much) is “thought leadership.” While not everyone can be a leader, the idea is to drive the conversation forward constantly. Don’t just settle for the insights of someone else. Instead, aim to be a trailblazer by bringing new ideas, fresh perspectives, and innovative solutions. Cultivate an environment of continuous learning—for yourself and your team—to stay ahead of industry trends and changes. Invest time and effort in conducting original research, analyzing data, and sharing your findings through various content formats. 

Collaborate with other industry experts, participate in panel discussions, and contribute to professional forums to showcase your subject matter expertise and build credibility. Remember, thought leadership is not about boasting or self-promotion; it's about adding genuine value to your audience and industry.