Why Your MSP Digital Marketing Isn't Working: Top 5 Pitfalls to Avoid

Let’s be honest.

You're putting in the work. Maybe you're spending thousands each month on SEO, paid ads, or blog posts. Your website looks professional. You’ve got an agency or freelancer helping out.

But your calendar is still empty. The leads are cold. The only ones reaching out aren’t even a fit.

If you’re frustrated, you’re not alone.

Most MSP marketing efforts fail. But not because you don’t care or aren’t trying. They fail because no one told you how digital marketing actually works for an MSP business like yours.

In this article, I’ll walk you through the 5 most common pitfalls that kill results for MSPs. And more importantly, I’ll show you how to fix them without burning everything down and starting over.

Pitfall #1: You’re Not Answering Your Buyers' Real Questions

This is the big one.

If your blog posts are full of generic cybersecurity tips or vague service overviews, you’re missing the point. Your buyers are searching for answers. Real ones.

Here’s what your potential clients are actually typing into Google right now:

• How much does managed IT cost?

• Best MSPs for law firms in my area

• What’s the difference between co-managed IT and fully managed services?

• Why are MSPs so expensive?

• Should I hire an MSP or build an in-house team?

Are you answering those questions anywhere on your website?

If not, your competitors are.

The most effective content strategy is rooted in one simple idea: They Ask, You Answer. If buyers are asking it, you should be writing about it. Period.

Action Step:

Start creating content around the Big 5:

1. Cost – Talk about pricing openly and honestly

2. Problems – Discuss the challenges of working with an MSP

3. Comparisons – Break down MSP vs. co-managed vs. internal IT

4. Reviews – Review tools, software, even your competitors

5. Best-of – Best MSPs in your area, for your industry, or for specific needs

Pitfall #2: You Outsourced Marketing, But Not the Expertise

Hiring a marketing agency is not a bad thing. Expecting them to create expert-level content without your input is.

Your agency doesn’t know your tech stack, your clients, or what actually happens in a discovery call with a CFO. So they write fluff. Pretty words, low-impact results.

Real marketing that drives revenue starts with your internal knowledge.

You or your team must be involved. That doesn’t mean you need to write every blog post. It means your marketers should be extracting insights from your engineers, salespeople, and account managers.

Action Step:

Set up regular 30-minute interviews between your internal experts and whoever is creating your content. Their real-world knowledge is your best marketing asset.

Pitfall #3: Your Website Looks Good, But Doesn’t Convert

Many MSP websites are well-designed. But they’re built like brochures, not sales tools.

When a potential client lands on your homepage, are you guiding them toward trust and clarity? Or just showing them a list of services?

Most MSP websites are missing:

• Clear and transparent pricing

• Vertical-specific case studies

• Side-by-side comparisons

• FAQ-style content that tackles objections

• A resource library that helps buyers educate themselves

You don’t need a flashier site. You need a strategic one that earns trust and leads buyers forward.

Action Step:

Audit your site like a buyer. Ask yourself:
“If I knew nothing about this company, would this site help me trust them, educate me, and convince me to take the next step?”

Pitfall #4: You’re Tracking the Wrong Metrics

Pageviews are not leads. Rankings are not revenue. Clicks don’t close deals.

Most MSPs are stuck measuring marketing like it’s 2012. They focus on vanity metrics, not business outcomes.

What actually matters:

• Which pages or blog posts are generating qualified leads?

• Are sales reps using content to close deals faster?

• Which topics are driving booked calls, not just visits?

For example, a single blog post about “How Much Managed IT Costs in 2025” may generate fewer visits than a generic cybersecurity article. But it’s far more likely to bring in serious prospects.

Action Step:

Build a simple content-to-conversion dashboard. Track:

• Traffic to key bottom-funnel content

• Contact form submissions by source

• Sales enablement usage (which content sales reps are sending)

Pitfall #5: You Expect Results Without Enabling Sales

The best content in the world won’t help you if your sales team isn’t using it.

This is the mistake almost every MSP makes. You invest in blogs, videos, and resources, but sales treats them like marketing’s toy box.

Buyers today want to learn on their own. If your reps aren’t sending them content before the call, you’re missing a huge opportunity.

This is called Assignment Selling. It’s the idea of using content as part of your sales process to educate, disarm, and build trust.

Action Step:

• Train your sales team to use content with leads

• Send educational articles before calls to set expectations

• Use guides and case studies to answer objections early

When your marketing and sales teams are aligned, you win faster, more often, and with less resistance.

The Good News

You don’t need to spend more money.

You don’t need a fancy new tech stack.

You don’t need to fire your agency or hire a full-time writer.

What you need is:

• A strategy rooted in what your buyers are asking

• Involvement from your internal experts

• A website that educates and converts

• Sales and marketing working together with content

• Metrics that tie directly to pipeline and revenue

This is the modern MSP marketing playbook.

🔑 Key Takeaways

If you only remember five things from this article, let it be these:

1. Answer Real Buyer Questions
   Your prospects want to know about pricing, comparisons, pros/cons, and what it’s like to work with you. Give them the straight answers—on your website.

2. You Can’t Outsource Expertise
   Marketing works best when your internal team shares its knowledge. No agency can fake real-world experience.

3. A Good-Looking Site Isn’t Enough
   Your website should be a sales tool, not a brochure. If it’s not helping your reps close deals, it needs a strategic overhaul.

4. Measure What Actually Matters
   Focus on metrics that lead to revenue: leads, sales-qualified traffic, and content used by sales—not vanity stats.

5. Marketing and Sales Must Work Together
   Use content to educate leads before they talk to sales. That’s how you build trust, shorten the sales cycle, and win more deals.

❓Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. How long does it take for MSP digital marketing to start working?

Typically, 3 to 6 months to see early traction, and 6 to 12 months for meaningful lead flow—if you’re doing the right things. Most MSPs quit too early or don’t focus on trust-building content.

2. Is it really okay to publish pricing on our MSP website? Won’t that scare people off?

The opposite is true. Prospects are already Googling MSP pricing. If you don’t answer it, they’ll move on to someone who does. Being transparent builds trust and qualifies leads before they contact you.

3. We have a marketing agency—should we fire them?

Not necessarily. But you must get involved. Provide subject-matter expertise, review content for accuracy, and ensure they’re focused on sales enablement, not just traffic.

4. What kind of content works best for MSPs?

Content that answers real buying questions:

• “How much does managed IT cost?”

• “Should I outsource or hire in-house?”

• “Best MSPs in [City]”

• “What’s the difference between MSP and MSSP?”

• “Why co-managed IT may not be for everyone”

This type of content drives leads and trust.

5. What’s ‘Assignment Selling’ and how do we start doing it?

Assignment Selling is when your sales team sends educational content (like blog posts, videos, or pricing guides) before or after a sales call.
It helps:

• Pre-educate prospects

• Set expectations

• Shorten the sales cycle

Start by creating a few core content pieces and training your sales team on when and how to use them.

Next Steps: Ready to Fix Your MSP Marketing?

Want to see where you stand?

✅ Download our free checklist: “The 5 Marketing Pitfalls Every MSP Must Avoid”
📞 Or book a 20-minute discovery call to review your current content strategy

Remember: The best MSPs are not just great at IT. They’re great at teaching what they know.

And the ones who teach best? They earn trust, and win the business.