The MSP Marketing Shift: What Working (and What’s Failing)

269 billion dollars. That’s how much the MSP market is projected to grow by 2032, meaning lots of new opportunities for existing providers—but also lots of new competitors, both startups and consolidated giants, entering the space.

While the MSP market expands rapidly, so do customer expectations. As technology, particularly AI, proliferates through the business world, companies will rely on MSPs for a greater breadth and depth of services. For that same reason, however, they will demand those vital tools work perfectly and put more pressure on their tech partner to maintain continuity and drive value.

After being involved with MSP marketing for 13 years, we’ve seen up close how MSPs and their customers are evolving, and we understand the trends reshaping the industry. We collected our observations and insights into this playbook, which reveals what’s outdated in MSP marketing, what’s on the rise, and (most importantly) what actually works in 2025 and beyond.

What’s In: The MSP Marketing Trends Defining 2025

In response to new technologies like AI, shifting buyer behaviors, evolving privacy requirements, and countless other factors changing the MSP market right now, we’ve seen firms move beyond traditional lead-gen tactics to experiment with new ways of building trust, authority, and loyalty.

Becoming a Thought Leader

Teaching builds trust. Rather than relying on aggressive sales tactics or inflated marketing messages, MSPs are becoming thought leaders who advance and enrich the conversation around important topics. Offering free educational content, courses, and reports are all ways to stand out as a thought leader, as are industry-specific webinars (eg. “Cybersecurity for Law Firms in 2025”). No matter what form the thought leadership takes, break it into on-demand, “snackable” content like short videos or infographics to scale output, increase reach, and cater to short attention spans.

Industry-Specific and Localized Targeting

In a crowded MSP market, generic messages won’t work. Business leaders want to work with MSPs that understand their industry, pain points, compliance requirements (where applicable), and business outlook. Therefore, MSPs that speak the client’s language stand out from the pack—but limited resources can make it hard to demonstrate that mastery. Providers are getting around that obstacle by optimizing SEO and ads for industry-specific pain points rather than MSP services, and by targeting website pages to specific audiences. Local targeting can also be a powerful but cost-effective tactic since many businesses would prefer to have their tech partner nearby.

Multi-Touch Digital + Offline Strategies

Up to 80% of interactions between B2B buyers and sellers this year will happen through digital channels, according to Gartner. One ad or email won’t convert, though. Instead, plan for a long buyer journey that winds through multiple channels. Firms are trying different formulas—Google ads + retargeting + personalized emails, or local events + online content + referral marketing—to meet buyers everywhere, every time. Alternatively, offline strategies like a paper mailer or local billboard can stand out from all the digital advertising.

Building Authority with Proprietary Research & Reports

Prospective clients believe data-backed claims more than marketing messages. MSPs are doing more to supply that data by creating industry reports or surveying SMB buyers. For example, a survey of SMB cybersecurity habits turned into a downloadable asset that helps prospects validate their decisions while also building credibility and authority for the MSP. Partnering with local chambers of commerce or industry associations lends original research even more credibility.

Owning the Local Market: Become THE IT Leader in Your City

Businesses that serve a local customer base want to work with a local MSP. That’s an advantage for the leading local providers. For everyone else, however, it means being a distant second, making it critical to own the local market by: joining local networking groups, hosting industry panels, organizing lunch-and-learns, and partnering with local businesses to host IT and security workshops. Local businesses also want to work with SMBs that support the community, so use charitable giving and service efforts to boost brand awareness and create positive PR.

What’s Out: The Declining Effectiveness of Old-School MSP Marketing

While not necessarily dead, expect to see diminishing returns from these traditional MSP marketing tactics:

Cold Calls & Generic Email Blasts

SMBs tend to view this type of outreach as annoying and tune it out automatically. And for marketers, a “spray and pray” approach makes it hard to track and improve campaign results. As the MSP market becomes more relationship-driven, firms must treat prospects as real people by personalizing messages and tailoring offers.

“One-Size-Fits-All” Messaging

To clients, every MSP looks essentially the same, and it doesn’t help if their social media and website content relies on so much basic, universal messaging. MSPs need to clearly differentiate themselves, starting by replacing a focus on “what we do” with a focus on “what unique value we bring,” for targets in specific industries or needing niche solutions.

Relying on Google Ads Alone

It can feel like “donating” money to Google when ad costs are rising while leads are not, but common problems like broad keywords, no location targeting, or insufficient budget are usually to blame for poor results. Plus, Google ads always work better as part of a multi-touch strategy spanning SEO, content, and retargeting.

Ignoring Local Business and Referral Networks

Local businesses are ideal customers for MSPs, yet marketing efforts have often overlooked opportunities like in-person networking events, professional meetups, or partnerships and sponsorships. Successful MSPs blend dynamic digital marketing efforts with face-to-face interactions and classic relationship-building.

Outdated Websites Marketing Yesterday’s Business

A website that has not been updated for years may not accurately reflect all the services an MSP offers or all the technical acumen they possess. Instead of treating websites like static objects, MSPs are starting to make a better first impression by ensuring their website perfectly reflects their business and delivers the same stellar user experience as their services.

What Works: The MSP Marketing Formula

Not all trends are here to stay, just as some traditional marketing methods still work. Here’s our winning formula for MSP marketing right now:

• Educate First, Sell Second: Give people educational resources that are relevant and valuable yet free and easy-to-access.
• Specialize & Localize: Show SMBs that you understand their business and have a presence in their community—exactly who they want to partner with.
• Go Multi-Touch: Never put all the eggs in one basket. Combine digital strategies (ads, email, SEO) with offline engagement (networking, events, snail mail)—but the name of the game is INTEGRATED, not isolated one-offs.
• Create Proprietary Research: Produce data and insights and package them into reports, surveys, and other assets with information people can’t get anywhere else.
• Engage in Local & Industry Communities: Become a community or industry advocate and earn the trust of SMBs through giving, service, and engagement. The best marketing often looks the least like marketing.

Final Takeaway: Adapt Now, Win Faster

In the face of technological, economic, and business changes, the MSP market is changing, and marketing must adapt. Firms that act fast and get creative can achieve amazing results from marketing and drive the business to hit new heights. Firms that continue to rely on what they have always done, however, can expect marketing struggles to undermine everything on their agenda.

The best MSPs embrace new trends while keeping the human touch intact—and getting started is simpler than it seems. Think small, picking one outdated strategy to phase out and something new to adopt and experiment with. One swap can have a significant impact.

For help with adjusting your MSP marketing strategy and tactics, contact Magnetude Consulting. Our unique fractional model is managed services—for marketing!