Hey there, fellow dreamers! Have you ever imagined a world where finding your dream home could be as easy as a few taps on your smartphone? Well, hold onto your hats because the future of real estate is here, and it’s being powered by technology. In this blog post, we’ll explore how cutting-edge innovations are reshaping the way we buy, sell, and experience real estate in the good ol’ USA. Buckle up and get ready to embark on a thrilling journey through the intersection of technology and the American Dream.

The Rise of PropTech: Redefining the Homebuying Experience

Let’s kick things off by diving into the exciting realm of PropTech, short for Property Technology. Think of it as the wizardry that’s making the homebuying experience more immersive and convenient than ever before. Gone are the days of physically visiting every potential property. With virtual tours and 3D property walkthroughs, you can explore houses, condos, or apartments from the comfort of your couch. Slip on a pair of VR goggles, and voila! You’re virtually strolling through your future dream home.

But that’s not all. Augmented Reality (AR) is also stepping onto the real estate stage, allowing you to superimpose virtual elements onto the real world. Picture this: you’re standing in an empty room, and with the help of AR, you can visualize how it would look with different furniture arrangements or even a fresh coat of paint. It’s like having your personal interior designer at your side, guiding you through the creative process.

And let’s not forget about our trusty AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants. These digital sidekicks provide personalized customer support, answering your burning questions, and helping you find the perfect property match. They’re like the Siri or Alexa of the real estate world, offering guidance and support at your fingertips.

Smart Homes: Where Technology Meets Comfort and Convenience

Once you’ve found your dream home, it’s time to make it even dreamier with smart home technology. We’re talking about transforming your humble abode into a high-tech sanctuary that responds to your every command. Imagine walking through the front door, and the lights automatically turn on, your favorite tunes start playing, and the thermostat adjusts to your preferred temperature. It’s like living in a sci-fi movie, but it’s real!

Thanks to voice-activated assistants like Amazon Echo or Google Home, you can control your home with simple voice commands. “Alexa, dim the lights” or “Hey Google, lock the doors” are just a couple of phrases that will make you feel like a true tech-savvy wizard.

But the magic doesn’t end there. Smart homes are all about energy efficiency and sustainability. From smart thermostats that learn your heating and cooling preferences to solar panels that harness the power of the sun, these innovations not only reduce your carbon footprint but also save you some serious green on your utility bills. It’s a win-win for both the environment and your wallet.

Big Data in Real Estate: Making Informed Decisions

Ever wished you had a crystal ball to predict the future of the real estate market? Well, technology has got you covered with the power of big data analytics. By crunching massive amounts of information, algorithms can analyze market trends, predict pricing fluctuations, and help you make informed decisions.

No more relying solely on gut feelings or outdated information. With the help of predictive analytics, you can assess the best time to buy or sell a property, ensuring you maximize your investment. And when it comes to mortgages, technology streamlines the approval process, making it faster, more efficient, and less nerve-wracking. Say goodbye to stacks of paperwork and hello to a smooth journey toward homeownership.

But it doesn’t stop there. Technology is your personal real estate concierge, offering tailored recommendations based on your preferences. Looking for a cozy family home in the suburbs or a chic downtown loft? The algorithms have got your back, providing a curated list of properties that match your unique tastes and requirements.

Blockchain: Revolutionizing Transparency and Security

Ah, blockchain, the technology behind cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. But did you know it’s also revolutionizing the real estate industry? Blockchain ensures transparency and security in property transactions, making them more efficient and trustworthy.

Smart contracts, powered by blockchain, eliminate the need for middlemen and reduce the risk of fraud. Imagine a world where property transactions are executed seamlessly and securely, with all parties involved having access to the same information. It’s like having a digital notary public overseeing every step of the process.

But the benefits of blockchain go beyond transactions. Property records and title management become immutable, reducing the chances of disputes or conflicting claims. And for those dreaming of investing in real estate but lacking the funds for an entire property, blockchain enables real estate crowdfunding and fractional ownership. It’s like becoming a partial owner of that luxurious beachfront resort or trendy downtown skyscraper.

The Sharing Economy: Co-living and Co-working Spaces

In the age of the sharing economy, sharing isn’t limited to ride-hailing or vacation rentals. It has also found its way into the real estate realm, reshaping the way we live and work. Co-living and co-working spaces are on the rise, fueled by technology-enabled platforms that connect like-minded individuals and businesses.

Co-living spaces offer a sense of community and affordability, where you can rent a room or apartment and share common areas with fellow residents. These spaces often provide additional perks like networking events, shared amenities, and a built-in support system for those new to a city or looking to expand their social circle.

Similarly, co-working spaces provide flexible and cost-effective alternatives to traditional office spaces. With technology enabling remote work, freelancers, entrepreneurs, and small businesses can rent a desk or private office, surrounded by a vibrant community of professionals. It’s a breeding ground for collaboration, creativity, and new opportunities.

Future Innovations: From Drones to Robotics

Hold onto your hats, folks, because we’re about to enter the realm of futuristic real estate innovations. Drones are taking to the skies, providing aerial property inspections and breathtaking views of potential properties. No more climbing ladders or relying on grainy satellite images. Drones give you a bird’s-eye perspective, helping you make better-informed decisions.

But it doesn’t stop there. Robotics are entering the construction and maintenance game. From 3D-printed houses to autonomous maintenance robots, technology is transforming how properties are built, managed, and cared for. Need a leak fixed or a garden maintained? Robots are here to lend a helping hand.

And what about AI-powered real estate agents? While nothing can replace the human touch and expertise of a skilled real estate professional, AI-powered agents can analyze massive amounts of data, personalize recommendations, and simplify the property search process. They’re like having a knowledgeable friend who knows every nook and cranny of the real estate market.

Conclusion

Congratulations, fellow dreamers! You’ve embarked on an exciting journey through the technological revolution in the real estate industry. We’ve seen how PropTech is redefining the homebuying experience, smart homes are bringing comfort and convenience to new heights, big data is empowering us to make informed decisions, blockchain is revolutionizing transparency and security, the sharing economy is reshaping how we live and work, and future innovations are promising us a world we once only dreamed of.

Remember, as technology propels us forward, it’s crucial to strike a balance between innovation and the human touch. Real estate is more than just bricks and mortar; it’s about dreams, aspirations, and finding a place to call home. So, let’s embrace technology’s transformative power while cherishing the personal connections and experiences that make real estate truly special.

Keep dreaming, keep exploring, and who knows, one day you might just find yourself living in the home of your dreams, courtesy of the technological wonders of the real estate world. Happy house hunting!

The subscription-based business model is transforming every global business. This trend has reached new heights in the last decade, especially in the software, media and entertainment industries. Netflix, Spotify, LinkedIn Premium, and AWS are some of the top relevant examples in the tech industry that may charge you on a weekly, monthly, quarterly or yearly subscription basis. Everyone including MSPs, B2B SaaS firms and the end-users love the model due to its lower costs of entry, convenience, predictability and scalability. 

However, the process of managing a subscription business is filled with complexities and involves dynamic challenges – the most important being billing management. As a subscription service provider, you need to keep your billing processes running like a well-oiled machine.

So, what’s the solution?

The way forward is a reliable subscription management software.

What is a Subscription Management Software?

Subscription management deals with everything related to customer lifecycle operations like handling trials, assigning credits, processing refunds and deploying mid-cycle subscription changes. It is different from recurring payment processing, as it involves billing actions that can’t always be scheduled. 

Subscription management software is what makes it happen. It works on top of the payment processor. The ROI associated with reliable subscription management software is phenomenal by some estimates. It is at the heart of conducting any subscription-based business as it allows customers to use your product with flexibility and ease. 

Some of the popular platforms are Chargebee, Stripe, Zoho, and Recurly.

Key Features to Consider When Choosing a Subscription Management Tool

Here, we discuss some of the key factors you should consider while choosing a subscription management system for your MSP or SaaS or any other subscription business.  

Invoice Management

Subscription management goes beyond the mere handling of existing customer subscriptions. To foster business growth, it is crucial to concentrate on generating new sales. A streamlined subscription payment collection system plays a pivotal role in enhancing the user experience for both new and current customers. The following outlines the approach:

For New Customers: New customers anticipate a swift and efficient checkout procedure. If your subscription management solution necessitates excessive information or entails an inefficient process that consumes significant time, potential customers may opt to explore alternatives instead of finalizing their orders.

For Existing Customers: Payments from existing customers may occasionally expire or decline. In such cases, it becomes necessary to send them a message requesting an update to their payment method. The likelihood of compliance is significantly higher when the process is user-friendly and uncomplicated.

Custom Pricing, Discounts, Coupons and Free Trial Options

Subscription billing is a multifaceted process that varies across companies. While certain companies opt for a single plan and fixed monthly price, some in the industry go a step further by providing a range of options encompassing diverse pricing models and additional features that impact the service’s cost. These features can include free trials, coupons, and time-limited discounts. 

To ensure seamless integration of such features into your sales funnel, it is crucial to select a subscription management solution that simplifies the whole process. Equally significant is choosing a solution that doesn’t impose an additional fee to access these types of features.

Customization Features

Customizing key customer touchpoints is of utmost importance when it comes to subscription management. These touchpoints encompass emails, invoices, marketplaces, and more.

A reliable subscription management platform should offer extensive customization options for service providers. For instance, if you wish to send personalized email notifications to your customers, the automation tool should allow you to customize existing formats or create new ones. You should have the flexibility to add your own logos, placeholders, CTAs, and other elements in email communications.

Likewise, on the marketplace front, you should have the ability to tailor the product catalog, branding, plans, headers, footers, and other crucial page elements. It is also important to verify if the tool enables you to customize the checkout page.

Furthermore, it is worth checking if the platform supports various APIs and widgets that facilitate easy pricing setup on your website, without necessitating any coding.

Business Insights and Data Analytics

Businesses do not thrive in isolation. As a business owner, having access to data and analytics is crucial for making informed decisions and charting the most effective path to grow your business. Unfortunately, many subscription management services offer only minimal data, such as the number of subscriptions and payment amounts received.

However, top-tier solutions surpass these limitations by providing comprehensive data-driven tools. These include:

Subscription Data: Leading providers offer insights into the performance of different subscription services, allowing you to identify areas that excel and areas that require adjustments.

Pricing Models: Some services allow you to fine-tune your pricing models, enabling you to explore optimization opportunities and maximize revenue generation.

Accounting Integrations: Certain services integrate seamlessly with accounting software, linking your subscription tracking data with your financial records. This integration provides a holistic view of your company’s financial performance.

Inventory insights: You should be able to get a complete insight into total hardware/software, unused assets, CPU load, disk space, bandwidth, memory, etc. This is a must-have if you are a cloud service provider.

Smart forecasting: With inventory forecasting, you should be able to see the current availability of assets and upcoming demand based on your sales leads.

By leveraging these advanced data capabilities, you can make informed decisions, optimize pricing strategies, and gain a comprehensive understanding of your business’s financial health.

Hassle-free Package Upgrade/Downgrade

Flexibility is a key factor that subscribers prioritize when selecting a subscription service. Whether it’s a SaaS product or a gaming subscription, customers expect the ability to upgrade to a higher plan or downgrade to a lower-priced plan, as per their needs.

An effective subscription management tool should empower customers with seamless options to upgrade or downgrade their service. This process should be simple and convenient, requiring just a single click. When evaluating subscription management software, it is important to inquire whether the platform supports a one-click service upgrade or downgrade feature. This ensures that customers have the flexibility they desire and can easily adapt their subscriptions to align with their evolving requirements.

Simple Pause and Resume 

Just like the upgrade and downgrade options, the pause and resume subscription feature grants customers the flexibility to temporarily halt a service when it is not actively utilized.

Let’s consider a situation where a customer subscribes to a magazine service. Suppose they plan to go on a vacation for a few months and prefer to temporarily suspend payments for the service during that period. In such cases, customers should be able to effortlessly pause their subscriptions through a user-friendly self-service portal with just a few clicks.

An all-encompassing subscription management system should empower customers with the ability to easily pause and resume their services. This particular feature holds significant importance, especially for providers of cloud subscription services. It enables customers to suspend specific resources whenever necessary and promptly resume them as per their requirements, ensuring the highest levels of convenience and control over their subscriptions.

Data Privacy, Security and Fraud Prevention

Regrettably, with the ongoing advancements in technology, scammers will persistently employ technological means to target and pilfer sensitive customer information. As a responsible business owner, it is imperative that you take all necessary measures to safeguard your customers from these malicious actors.

Your payment processing solution serves as the primary barrier of protection.

By ensuring that your payment processing solution implements robust data encryption measures to secure customer information, you can confidently trust that even in the event of a data breach, any unauthorized access would render the obtained data unreadable to potential hackers.

Reliable Customer Support

Consider a scenario where your subscription management service encounters a glitch and inadvertently sends invoices to all your customers for items they haven’t ordered. In such a situation, you would require immediate assistance and a prompt resolution.

However, exceptional customer support is not limited to troubleshooting problems alone. In fact, when it comes to a service that can significantly impact the success or failure of your business, the provision of high-quality customer service is paramount. It plays a vital role in building trust, fostering positive customer experiences, and ultimately contributing to the overall success of your enterprise. A reliable service must provide prompt support over emails, social media platforms (Twitter, LinkedIn etc.) and phone. 

Tax and Compliance Support

Subscription businesses handle a huge amount of customer data and information. Therefore, it is essential to regularly monitor and evaluate the security standards to adhere to various data privacy regulations and policies.

When choosing a subscription business tool, it is crucial to ensure that it meets all industry compliance and regulatory requirements. This not only safeguards you from legal implications but also aids in minimizing errors and promoting financial transparency.

Verify if the platform provides centralized repositories of data and the capability to download reports. This feature streamlines the auditing process, reducing the time and effort required. Additionally, the system should offer support for multiple currencies (particularly if you operate or plan to expand globally) and accommodate various tax levels and rules.

By selecting a subscription business tool that satisfies these criteria, you can maintain compliance, enhance financial transparency, and operate efficiently within the legal framework.

Software Integrations

It is essential to verify if the subscription management platform offers support for a range of integrations. Integrations play a vital role in optimizing operations and facilitating seamless interaction with third-party applications.

Your software should have the capability to integrate with other systems such as ERP & CRM software, Tally, Livechat, and more. Furthermore, the availability of integrations may vary depending on the specific requirements of your business. 

Failed Payment charges

Subscription billing services, much like your own business, operate with the objective of generating revenue. Typically, they generate income by levying a small fee for each transaction conducted through their service. However, a significant drawback arises when some of these services continue to charge fees even when a payment fails.

In the subscription business, payment failures can reach a substantial 10%. This figure can result in substantial costs incurred for each failed transaction.

The truth is, credit and debit cards expire, and there are various reasons why payments might fail. Therefore, it is highly recommended to collaborate with a subscription management company that prioritizes your business’s interests and doesn’t burden you with additional charges for failed payments. 

Look for a service provider that demonstrates genuine concern for your business and avoids excessive fees for unsuccessful transactions.

Conclusion

Overall, these services aren’t all the same. Choosing a faulty subscription management solution could create problems like dwindling revenues thanks to high involuntary churn rates. On the other hand, the best solutions give you the data to help grow your business. They scale with you as you do.

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You have spent months developing and testing a high-quality SaaS product. Now it’s time to monetize it.

But you don’t know how to market it and turn prospects into regular customers.

You need a SaaS marketing agency to do this for you.

They are experts in developing and implementing content marketing strategies, generating quality leads and driving organic/paid traffic to your website.

Hiring such B2B SaaS digital marketing companies is quite logical, especially if you lack a marketing background and already have too much on your plate.

Caption: Typical tasks performed by a SaaS Digital Marketing Agency. Source

In this blog post, we will explore the key factors to consider when choosing a B2B SaaS marketing agency to acquire high-quality leads for your SaaS business.

Define Your Marketing Goals

Defining your marketing goals is essential before searching for a B2B SaaS marketing agency. Are you primarily looking to increase lead generation, boost organic traffic, or achieve a combination of these objectives? Understanding your specific needs is crucial when finding an agency with a proven track record.

Expertise in Lead Generation Strategies

Lead generation is the lifeblood of any B2B SaaS business. Look for a marketing agency specialising in lead generation with a proven track record of success in this area. The agency should have a deep understanding of its target audience and be able to develop tailored strategies to capture high-quality leads.

Ask about their lead nurturing processes, lead scoring techniques, and how they align with your sales funnel to ensure a seamless lead-to-customer conversion process.

Content Marketing Strategies and Execution

Content marketing is a powerful tool for establishing thought leadership, attracting prospects, and nurturing leads. An effective SaaS marketing agency should have a strong content marketing team that can create engaging and informative content to support your brand’s goals.

Inquire about their content creation process, distribution strategies, and how they optimize content for search engines and social media platforms to drive organic traffic.

Emphasize Organic Traffic Growth

While paid advertising can deliver immediate results, organic traffic forms the foundation of sustainable growth for B2B SaaS companies. A reputable marketing agency should have a solid understanding of SEO best practices and be able to implement strategies to improve your website’s visibility in search engine rankings.

Ask about their approach to on-page optimization, keyword research, link building, and content promotion techniques to drive organic traffic and increase your website’s authority.

Data-Driven Approach

A data-driven approach is crucial for optimizing marketing campaigns and maximizing ROI. Look for an agency that emphasizes data analysis and uses tools to track key performance indicators (KPIs). By monitoring and analyzing data, the agency can identify trends, make informed decisions, and continuously optimize your marketing efforts.

Inquire about the marketing analytics tools they use, their reporting processes, and how they measure success in terms of lead generation, organic traffic growth, and conversions.

Long-Term Collaboration

Building a successful B2B SaaS marketing strategy requires a long-term perspective. Seek an agency that is committed to a lasting partnership and understands the evolving nature of your industry. Long-term collaboration allows the agency to develop a deep understanding of your business while adapting to changes. Ask for client references and testimonials to gauge the agency’s ability to foster long-term relationships.

Case Studies and Customer Reviews

When evaluating potential marketing agencies, ask for case studies and success stories. These real-world customer reviews will give you insights into the agency’s expertise, the challenges they’ve overcome, and the results they’ve achieved for other B2B SaaS companies.

Look for case studies that highlight lead generation, content marketing strategies, organic traffic growth, and the impact of their data-driven approach. Analyzing these case studies will help you assess the agency’s capabilities and determine whether they fit your business well.

Moreover, you can search below places to look for reviews and referrals:

• Product page reviews
• Published case studies
• Industry partners and acquaintances
• Google reviews
• Social media reviews
• List of brands worked with (often on company website)

Role of Paid Advertising

Paid advertising can complement your organic efforts and accelerate lead generation. Inquire about the agency’s approach to paid advertising, including platforms they specialize in (e.g., Google Ads, social media advertising) and their ability to target specific B2B audiences.

A reliable agency will have expertise in crafting compelling ad copy, conducting keyword research, optimizing campaigns, and measuring ROI. Ensure the agency has paid advertising experience in the B2B SaaS space to ensure effective campaigns.

Conclusion

Choosing the right B2B SaaS marketing agency is a critical decision that can significantly impact your overall business growth. Considering the factors outlined in this guide, you can make an informed choice that aligns with your business goals.

Remember to research and evaluate potential agencies thoroughly, and don’t hesitate to ask for references and case studies to validate their expertise. With the right agency by your side, you can unlock the full potential of your B2B SaaS marketing efforts and drive meaningful results for your business.

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Industrial edge computing refers to the processing and analysis of data at or near the edge of an industrial network, where the data is generated rather than sent to a centralized cloud or data center. It involves deploying computing resources, such as servers, gateways, or edge devices, closer to the industrial machines, sensors, or equipment in manufacturing plants, oil rigs, power plants, and other industrial settings.

According to Gartner, currently, only about 10 percent of enterprise-generated data is created and processed outside a conventional data center or cloud; this figure is expected to rise to 75 percent by the year 2025. 

This means making a potentially game-changing shift: away from the cloud towards edge computing.

Benefits of Industrial Edge Computing

The primary reason for adopting industrial edge computing is to address the challenges associated with latency, bandwidth limitations, and reliability in industrial environments. Here are a few reasons why industrial edge computing is important and why we should know about it:

Reduced latency 

In time-sensitive industrial processes, such as automation, robotics, or real-time monitoring, latency (delay in data transmission) can have significant consequences. By processing data at the edge, closer to the source, industrial edge computing minimizes latency, enabling faster decision-making and improved responsiveness.

Bandwidth optimization 

Industrial applications often generate large volumes of data, such as sensor readings, machine logs, or video feeds. Transferring all this data to a centralized cloud for processing can strain the available network bandwidth. With edge computing, data is filtered, aggregated, and processed locally, reducing the amount of data that needs to be transmitted to the cloud. This optimizes network bandwidth and reduces associated costs.

Enhanced Reliability

Industrial environments may experience intermittent or unreliable network connectivity. Using edge computing, critical operations can continue to function even during network outages. Edge devices can store and process data locally until connectivity is restored, ensuring continuous operation and minimizing downtime.

Improved Data Privacy and Security

Some industrial applications involve sensitive or confidential data that organizations prefer to keep within their premises. By processing data locally at the edge, companies can maintain better control over their data and reduce the risk of unauthorized access or data breaches associated with transmitting sensitive information to the cloud.

Real-time Insights and Decision-making

Real-time insights and decision-making become easier by analyzing and processing data at the edge. This is particularly valuable in scenarios requiring immediate action, such as predictive maintenance, anomaly detection, or quality control. 

Scalability and cost-effectiveness

Edge computing can be easily scalable, allowing organizations to deploy additional edge devices or resources as needed without relying solely on cloud infrastructure. This flexibility and scalability help organizations adapt to evolving industry requirements and reduce the costs of transmitting and storing massive amounts of data in the cloud.

“With field-level interfaces connected to the industrial edge, access to real-time process data is possible. This is essential for use cases which require a lot of storage and processing power, such as powerful digital twin models,” said George Stoger, Director of Training and Consulting TTTech Industrial.  

He further elaborates, “Not all data may be needed in the cloud; users could send only the data required for analysis or storage to the cloud, thus saving bandwidth and cost, while processing the full data set at the edge.”

Involved Technologies

Let me give you a brief introduction to the basic technologies and devices involved here.

Edge devices/gateways 

These are specialized hardware devices deployed at the edge of industrial networks to collect, process, and transmit data. They often include computing resources, such as processors, memory, and storage, and can run edge applications. Examples of edge devices include industrial gateways, edge servers, or programmable logic controllers (PLCs).

Edge analytics software 

Edge analytics software runs directly on edge devices and performs data processing, analysis, and decision-making at the edge. It allows for real-time insights and can be tailored to specific industrial applications. This software can filter, aggregate, and analyze data locally before transmitting only relevant information to the cloud or data center.

Machine learning at the edge 

Edge computing enables the deployment of machine learning algorithms directly on edge devices. This allows for real-time data analysis and inference, facilitating predictive maintenance, anomaly detection, quality control, and other machine learning-driven industrial applications. Edge devices with dedicated AI accelerators or GPU capabilities can enhance the performance of machine learning algorithms.

Edge data storage 

Edge computing involves storing and caching data locally on edge devices to reduce latency and improve responsiveness. Edge data storage can be in the form of solid-state drives (SSDs) or other local storage options. Data can be temporarily stored at the edge for immediate processing or forwarded to the cloud for long-term storage.

Edge networking technologies

Industrial edge computing relies on robust networking technologies to establish connectivity and enable communication between edge devices, cloud infrastructure, and other parts of the industrial network. Examples include industrial Ethernet protocols (e.g., PROFINET, EtherCAT), wireless technologies (e.g., Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, LoRaWAN), and cellular networks (e.g., 4G/5G) for remote edge deployments.

Edge management and orchestration

Industrial edge computing often involves managing and orchestrating multiple edge devices across a distributed network. Edge management platforms provide centralized control, monitoring, and configuration of edge devices, enabling efficient deployment, software updates, security management, and remote troubleshooting.

Edge security

Industrial edge computing requires robust security measures to protect data, devices, and the overall industrial infrastructure. Edge security technologies include authentication mechanisms, data encryption, access controls, intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDPS), and secure communication protocols to ensure the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of data and applications at the edge.

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Basic Architecture

In the following paragraphs, let’s demystify the three layers in the edge computing architecture.

                                               Source : FSP Group

Cloud Layer 

Although edge computing was introduced to address network congestion and latency problems commonly found in cloud computing, cloud computing in fact still plays an important role in the entire edge computing architecture. We can say that cloud computing and edge computing complement one another. Through the edge layer described next, the entire system determines if data needs to be processed in the cloud layer. If so, edge servers will pass data to the cloud layer for complex processing. On the other hand, edge servers will also pass a part of critical data to the cloud layer for storage and comprehensive analysis. This also demonstrates the integration between both the cloud and edge layers.

Edge Layer

This layer mainly consists of edge servers, and when compared to the cloud layer, the edge layer contains edge servers that are larger in quantity and more vastly deployed. Therefore, the edge layer can process data that is closer to the data source and address latency problems found in cloud computing. The edge layer can be considered the core of the entire edge computing architecture. After data from the device layer is analyzed and processed in the edge layer, data is transmitted to the cloud layer for subsequent processing and analysis. Data which cannot be processed in the edge layer can be sent to and analyzed in the cloud layer to ensure data integrity.   

Device Layer

Amongst the three layers, the device layer contains the most devices. Ranging from devices as small as our mobile phones or computers to ones as large as buses and factories, these devices are all examples of components in the device layer. Through their sensors, devices in the device layer collect and capture data used to help products achieve the purposes they are designed for. Equipment in a hospital collecting vital signs of patients and autonomous vehicles capturing data from other nearby vehicles are all such examples. Although components in the cloud and edge layers possess better computing power, the devices in the device layer can still perform data analyses, processing and storage tasks which require negligible computing power, and process data closest to the data source in almost real‑time.

Potential Tradeoffs and Challenges to Consider Before Making the Jump

There are many trade-offs to consider when moving to edge computing:

• The complexity of managing different edge computing devices.
• Requirements for processing the data
• Additional expenses to operate and maintain those edge computing devices 

Cold Start problem

David Linthicum, a renowned author of several cloud computing books, believes there is a limit to how much you can push data processing and storage towards the edge. After a certain point, the performance degradation is very obvious. The main reason he describes is the ‘cold start problem’ that may occur on the edge device. 

If the code running on that device has not been used for some time, then it won’t be present in its cache memory and will be slow to launch in the beginning. This problem will start piling up if you have hundreds of edge devices that act on processes and produce data as requested at irregular times. This can lead to a 2-to 4- second cold start delays, which would be unacceptable for many users especially compared to consistent sub-second response times from cloud-based systems even with the network latency. Of course, your performance will depend on the speed of the network and the number of hops.

System architects may suggest deploying edge devices with larger caches and more capable edge computing systems. However, the solution’s economic viability is threatened if these fixes are applied to all those 500+ devices.  

Infrastructural Problems

Industrial edge computing can face several challenges due to the harsh industrial environment. Environmental conditions, like hot and humid temperatures, power variations, air quality degradations, and physical security challenges, are some of the major areas of concern.

Companies involved

Several companies are actively involved in the industrial edge computing sector, providing solutions and technologies to support industrial edge deployments. Here are some notable firms working in this field:

Intel Corporation 

Intel offers a range of edge computing solutions, including processors, accelerators, and software frameworks optimized for industrial edge computing. Their hardware and software platforms enable real-time analytics, machine learning, and edge connectivity.

Microsoft Corporation 

Microsoft’s Azure IoT Edge is a platform that supports edge computing in industrial settings. It allows organizations to deploy and manage edge applications, run analytics locally, and integrate with Azure cloud services for seamless data processing and analysis.

Schneider Electric

Schneider Electric offers industrial edge computing solutions under its EcoStruxure platform. Their edge control and analytics capabilities enable real-time data processing, optimization, and predictive maintenance in various industrial applications.

Dell Technologies

Dell Technologies provides edge computing solutions through its Dell EMC Edge portfolio. It includes ruggedized edge servers, gateways, and edge analytics software for industrial deployments, enabling data processing and analytics closer to the source.

HPE (Hewlett Packard Enterprise)

HPE offers edge computing solutions through its Edgeline Converged Edge Systems. These systems combine computing, storage, and networking capabilities to support real-time analytics and data processing at the edge in industrial environments.

Cisco Systems 

Cisco offers industrial edge computing solutions through its Industrial Compute Gateway and IOx platform. These solutions enable edge computing capabilities, such as data processing, control, and connectivity, in industrial networks.

NVIDIA Corporation 

NVIDIA provides edge computing solutions focusing on AI and machine learning at the edge. Their GPUs and AI platforms enable real-time inference and advanced analytics at the edge, empowering industrial applications with AI capabilities.

Bosch 

Bosch offers industrial edge computing solutions through its Rexroth IoT Gateway and Edge analytics software. Their solutions enable edge data processing, analysis, and integration with cloud platforms for industrial automation and optimization.

ABB 

ABB provides industrial edge computing solutions through its Ability Edge platform. It enables real-time data processing, analytics, and control at the edge, supporting various industrial applications, including power grids, manufacturing, and transportation.

These are just a few examples of companies working in the industrial edge computing sector. Many other technology vendors, system integrators, and industrial automation companies are also actively developing edge computing solutions tailored to industrial environments.

Applications of Industrial Edge Computing

Telecommunications industry

Industrial-grade edge computing plays a crucial role in the telecommunications industry, enabling various applications and services that require low latency, high bandwidth, and reliable connectivity. Here are some examples of how industrial-grade edge computing is used in the telecommunications sector:

Mobile Edge Computing (MEC)

MEC brings computing capabilities and services closer to the mobile network edge, enabling low-latency processing and real-time data analysis for mobile network applications. MEC facilitates services like content delivery, video caching, augmented reality, and virtual reality, improving user experience and reducing network congestion by processing data at the edge instead of sending it back to centralized data centers.

Network Function Virtualization (NFV)

NFV is a technology that virtualizes traditional network functions, such as firewalls, load balancers, and routers, and runs them on industry-standard servers at the network edge. By deploying virtualized network functions at the edge, telecommunications providers can improve network efficiency, scalability, and agility while reducing infrastructure costs.

Edge Data Centers

Telecommunications companies often deploy edge data centers at strategic locations to bring computing resources closer to the end-users and devices. These edge data centers process and store data locally, reducing latency and improving application performance. They are used for video streaming, gaming, IoT data processing, and real-time analytics.

5G Network Edge Computing

With the advent of 5G networks, edge computing has become even more critical in the telecommunications industry. The low-latency and high-bandwidth capabilities of 5G make deploying edge computing infrastructure closer to the access network possible. This enables ultra-low-latency services, real-time analytics, and distributed edge applications, supporting use cases such as autonomous vehicles, smart cities, and industrial IoT.

Edge Content Delivery Networks (CDN)

Telecommunications providers leverage edge CDN services to deliver high-bandwidth content, such as videos, images, and software updates, to end-users with low latency. Edge CDNs cache content at edge locations, reducing the distance data needs to travel and improving delivery speeds, particularly for popular or time-sensitive content.

IoT Connectivity and Management

 Industrial-grade edge computing enable efficient management, connectivity, and processing of data from IoT devices in the telecommunications industry. Edge devices and gateways collect and preprocess data from a large number of IoT devices, reducing the need for transmitting vast amounts of data to central servers. Edge analytics can also enable real-time decision-making and automation for IoT applications.

Network Monitoring and Security

Edge computing is used to monitor and analyze network traffic and security events in real-time. By deploying edge-based monitoring and security applications, telecommunications providers can quickly identify and mitigate network issues, intrusions, and threats, enhancing overall network reliability and security.

Manufacturing

Industrial-grade edge computing is extensively used in the manufacturing sector to enhance operational efficiency, enable real-time decision-making, and drive automation. Here are some examples of how industrial-grade edge computing is employed in manufacturing:

Real-time Process Monitoring and Control:

 Edge computing enables real-time monitoring and control of manufacturing processes. Edge devices placed on the factory floor collect data from sensors, machines, and production lines, and process it locally. Real-time analytics and control algorithms running at the edge help optimize process parameters, detect anomalies, and enable predictive maintenance, ensuring efficient and uninterrupted production.

Quality Control and Defect Detection: 

Industrial-grade edge computing enables real-time quality control and defect detection in manufacturing. Edge devices equipped with vision systems, sensors, and machine learning algorithms perform on-the-spot analysis of product quality, identifying defects, deviations, or non-conformities. This enables immediate corrective actions, reducing scrap, improving yield, and enhancing overall product quality.

Predictive Maintenance: 

Edge computing plays a crucial role in predictive maintenance strategies for manufacturing equipment. Edge devices collect data from sensors embedded in machines, such as temperature, vibration, or energy consumption. Local analysis of this data enables early detection of equipment anomalies or deterioration, triggering maintenance alerts and preventing costly unplanned downtime.

Edge Robotics and Automation: 

Industrial robots and automation systems increasingly leverage edge computing capabilities. By deploying edge devices alongside robots, real-time data processing enables quick and precise decision-making, reducing the need for round-trip communication with centralized systems. Edge robotics enhances flexibility, responsiveness, and autonomy, enabling tasks such as collaborative robots, automated guided vehicles (AGVs), or pick-and-place operations.

Edge-based Inventory Management: 

Edge computing facilitates real-time inventory management and optimization in manufacturing. Edge devices equipped with RFID or barcode scanners can track inventory levels, monitor stock movements, and trigger automated replenishment processes. This minimizes stockouts, reduces inventory carrying costs, and streamlines supply chain operations.

Edge-based Energy Management: 

It is utilized for real-time energy management in manufacturing facilities. Edge devices monitor and analyze energy consumption, identify energy inefficiencies, and optimize energy usage. This helps manufacturers reduce energy costs, improve sustainability, and comply with energy efficiency regulations.

Healthcare

Industrial-grade edge computing can be deployed in the healthcare industry to improve patient care, enhance operational efficiency, and enable advanced healthcare applications. Here are some potential use cases and benefits of deploying industrial-grade edge computing in healthcare:

Real-time Patient Monitoring: 

Edge devices placed at the bedside or on wearable devices can collect and process real-time patient data, such as vital signs, electrocardiograms (ECGs), or oxygen saturation levels. Edge analytics can enable early detection of abnormalities, triggering immediate alerts to healthcare providers for timely interventions and improving patient outcomes.

Telemedicine and Remote Care:

 Edge computing can support telemedicine and remote care initiatives by enabling real-time video consultations, remote diagnostics, and virtual patient monitoring. Edge devices with audiovisual capabilities and edge analytics can facilitate seamless and secure communication between healthcare professionals and patients, regardless of their physical locations.

Healthcare IoT Applications: 

Industrial-grade edge computing can handle the large volume of data generated by healthcare IoT devices. Edge devices at hospitals, clinics, or even in patients’ homes can preprocess and filter data from various IoT sensors, wearables, and medical devices. This reduces the need for transmitting all data to centralized servers and enables timely data analysis and actionable insights at the edge.

Edge-enabled Imaging and Diagnostics: 

Edge computing can enhance imaging and diagnostic processes in healthcare. Edge devices with advanced image processing capabilities can preprocess medical imaging data, perform edge-based image analysis, and generate preliminary reports for radiologists or pathologists. This reduces the time needed for diagnosis and enables faster treatment decisions.

Edge Security and Privacy: 

Healthcare data is highly sensitive and requires stringent security measures. Industrial-grade edge computing can provide enhanced security and privacy by encrypting data at the edge, implementing access controls, and minimizing data transmission to external systems. This helps protect patient information while still enabling efficient data processing and analysis.

Shipping

The shipping industry harnesses industrial edge computing to improve operational efficiency, optimize vessel performance, enhance safety, and enable data-driven decision-making. Here are some ways in which industrial edge computing is being utilized in the shipping industry:

Vessel Performance Optimization: 

It enables real-time monitoring and analysis of vessel performance parameters, such as fuel consumption, engine performance, and emissions. Edge devices installed onboard ships collect data from sensors, engines, and navigation systems. Localized edge analytics and algorithms process this data to optimize fuel efficiency, track engine health, and identify potential maintenance needs, resulting in cost savings and improved environmental sustainability.

Predictive Maintenance: 

Edge computing plays a critical role in predictive maintenance strategies for ships. Edge devices collect data from various onboard sensors and systems, such as vibration, temperature, and oil condition monitoring systems. Localized edge analytics and machine learning algorithms analyze this data to detect anomalies, predict equipment failures, and trigger maintenance alerts. Shipping companies can proactively address maintenance needs, reduce unplanned downtime, optimize maintenance schedules, and enhance overall vessel reliability.

Safety and Security Enhancements: 

It improves safety and security in the shipping industry. Edge devices equipped with video analytics, thermal imaging, and intrusion detection capabilities can monitor vessel perimeters, detect potential safety hazards, and identify security breaches in real-time. This enables timely responses, mitigates risks, and ensures the safety of crew, cargo, and the vessel itself.

Cargo Monitoring and Optimization: 

It enables real-time monitoring and optimization of cargo conditions during shipping. Edge devices equipped with sensors can track parameters like temperature, humidity, and location, ensuring optimal storage conditions and preventing damage to sensitive cargo. Edge analytics can process this data locally, providing insights into cargo conditions, potential issues, and optimization opportunities.

Edge-based Decision Support Systems: 

Industrial edge computing facilitates onboard decision support systems for ship operators. Edge devices with localized computing capabilities can process data from various sources, including weather forecasts, navigational data, and operational parameters. Edge-based decision support systems provide real-time insights and recommendations to crew members, assisting with route planning, fuel optimization, and compliance with regulations.

Data Aggregation and Integration: 

Lastly, Industrial edge computing facilitates the aggregation and integration of data from multiple vessels and maritime systems. Edge devices preprocess and filter data, performing initial analysis and data fusion at the edge. This reduces the volume of data transmitted to central systems and enhances data quality for further analysis, reporting, and decision-making.

Streaming Content Providers

Streaming content producers like Netflix and HBO can leverage industrial edge computing to enhance the delivery of their content, improve user experiences, and optimize their operations. Here are some ways in which they can make use of industrial edge computing to their advantage:

Content Caching and Delivery: 

It enables content caching and delivery at the edge of the network, closer to the end-users. By deploying edge servers in distributed locations, streaming content producers can cache popular or frequently accessed content locally. This reduces latency, improves streaming quality, and enhances user experiences by delivering content more quickly and reliably.

Edge-based Content Optimization: 

Edge devices can preprocess and transcode video content, adapting it to different devices, screen resolutions, or network conditions. This reduces the need for centralized transcoding, improves scalability, and ensures optimal content delivery to a wide range of user devices.

Content Recommendation and Personalization: 

Edge computing facilitates localized content recommendation and personalization algorithms. Edge devices can collect user data, including viewing habits, preferences, and interactions, and process it locally to generate personalized content recommendations. This enables real-time personalization, reduces reliance on centralized recommendation engines, and enhances the user experience by delivering tailored content suggestions.

Quality of Service (QoS) Monitoring: 

Industrial edge computing enables real-time monitoring of streaming quality and network performance. Edge devices equipped with monitoring capabilities can assess network conditions, video playback quality, and user experience metrics. Localized analytics and algorithms can detect issues such as buffering, latency, or quality degradation, enabling rapid troubleshooting and ensuring a consistent high-quality streaming experience.

Edge-enabled Analytics and Insights: 

It allows streaming content producers to perform real-time analytics and gain actionable insights. Edge devices can process streaming data, user behavior data, and performance metrics locally, generating real-time analytics and insights on user engagement, content popularity, or network performance. This enables quick decision-making, content optimization, and business intelligence for streaming service providers.

Edge-based Content Security: 

This technology strengthens content security measures for streaming platforms. Edge devices can enforce digital rights management (DRM) protocols, perform encryption and decryption, and detect potential security threats at the edge. This helps protect copyrighted content, prevent unauthorized access, and enhance content security throughout the streaming delivery chain.

Edge-based Ad Insertion and Targeting: 

Industrial-grade edge computing facilitates localized ad insertion and targeting capabilities. Edge devices can detect ad cues or triggers within the streaming content and dynamically insert targeted advertisements based on user demographics, preferences, or viewing history. This enables personalized ad experiences, improves ad relevance, and enhances monetization opportunities for streaming content producers.

Governments

City governments can leverage industrial edge computing to enhance service delivery, improve efficiency, and create smarter and more sustainable cities. Here are some ways in which governments can make use of industrial edge computing for service delivery:

Smart Infrastructure Management: 

Industrial-grade edge computing enables real-time monitoring and management of city infrastructure. Edge devices installed in critical infrastructure, such as transportation systems, utilities, or waste management facilities, can collect data on performance, energy usage, or maintenance needs. Localized edge analytics and control algorithms can optimize resource allocation, enable predictive maintenance, and improve the overall efficiency and reliability of infrastructure systems.

Intelligent Traffic Management: 

Edge computing can enhance traffic management and optimize transportation systems within cities. Edge devices equipped with sensors and video analytics can collect data on traffic flow, congestion, and accidents in real-time. Edge-based algorithms can process this data locally to optimize traffic signal timing, reroute vehicles, and provide real-time traffic information to commuters, reducing congestion and improving traffic flow.

Environmental Monitoring and Sustainability: 

It enables real-time environmental monitoring in cities. Edge devices equipped with sensors can measure air quality, noise levels, temperature, and other environmental parameters. Localized edge analytics can process this data, providing insights into environmental conditions and enabling timely interventions to mitigate pollution or address sustainability challenges.

Citizen Engagement and Services: 

Industrial-grade edge computing facilitates localized citizen engagement and service delivery. Edge devices equipped with communication capabilities can provide interactive touchpoints for citizens to access city services, report issues, or engage with local government. Edge-based applications and services can deliver personalized information, alerts, or recommendations to citizens based on their location or preferences, enhancing citizen satisfaction and participation.

Public Safety and Security:

It enhances public safety and security measures in cities. Edge devices with video analytics and surveillance capabilities can detect security threats, monitor public spaces, and facilitate emergency response. Localized edge analytics can process video feeds and sensor data, enabling real-time threat detection, reducing response times, and enhancing overall public safety.

Data-driven Decision Making: 

It enables localized data processing and analytics, empowering city governments to make data-driven decisions in real-time. Edge devices can preprocess and analyze data from various sources, such as sensors, IoT devices, or social media feeds, providing insights into citizen behavior, service demand, or infrastructure performance. This enables evidence-based decision-making, policy formulation, and resource allocation for effective city management.

By leveraging industrial edge computing, city governments can optimize service delivery, improve efficiency, enhance sustainability, and foster citizen engagement. The localized processing and data analysis at the edge enable real-time decision-making, reduced latency, and improved responsiveness to citizen needs in building smarter and more livable cities.

Top Voices in the Edge Computing Space

Jeff Barr

He is the Vice President and Chief Evangelist at Amazon Web Services. He frequently talks about cloud and edge computing and has written over 3000 blog posts on the AWS blog. 

David Linthicum

He is one of the most widely-known technology influencers when it comes to cloud and edge computing. He works as Chief Cloud Strategy Officer at Deloitte. Previously he has worked for companies like Ernest & Young, AT&T, and IBM. He consistently writes about technology at Infoworld. 

Joe Speed

Mr. Speed is the head of edge computing technologies at Ampere and works on IoT, automobiles, robotics and 5G technologies. Previously he worked with IBM as Co-founder and Product Owner of IBM AutoLab Munich co-development centre for IoT-connected cars, AI cockpits, and AVs.

Kilton Hopkins

Mr Hopkins is the CEO of Edgeworx. Previously, he was the IoT program director at Northeastern University, San Francisco.  

Jason Shepherd

He is the CEO at Nubix and regularly speaks and writes about edge computing. Previously, he was VP of Ecosystem at the edge orchestration startup ZEDEDA. Before that, he served as Dell Technologies’ CTO for IoT and Edge Computing. He also served as board chair for Linux Foundation Edge from 2021-2022 and sits on The Channel Company’s IoT Advisory Board.

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For most growing MSPs, the number one challenge is to find new customers. If you’ve been struggling to gain traction from your potential pool of leads, keep reading to learn our proven MSP marketing strategy. It will navigate your clients effortlessly through your sales funnel.

What is MSP Industry?

MSPs are third-party managed service providers that specialize in remotely managing their customer organization’s IT infrastructure and end-user systems. When businesses begin hiring MSP services, they focus on what is more profitable for their business instead of getting caught up in the day-to-day IT management hassles. So while MSPs take care of monitoring their customer organization’s security, manage their IT infrastructure, and ensure reduced downtimes, businesses can focus on improving their products and services. A study by Markets and Markets stated that the global MSP industry will be worth $354.8 billion by 2026.

MSPs trace their evolution back to the introduction of ASPs (application service providers) in the 90s. By offering remote application hosting, ASPs paved way for cloud computing thus becoming the lead for companies that would then use remote support as a service offered to look after the IT infrastructure of their customer organizations.  

The term cloud service provider is sometimes used synonymously with MSPs provided the latter deliver their services over the internet using service-level agreement (SLA).

MSPs can either specialize in a specific IT segment such as web hosting, data storage and managed security-as-a-service, remote firewall administration, etc., or tailor their services according to an industry niche. For example, there are MSPs that specialize in offering managed services to customer organizations from the manufacturing, finance, and healthcare industries, etc. 

Why even use MSP Marketing ?

MSP marketing refers to a marketing strategy that should help gain traction for your IT management services. MSPs do this by targeting prospective customers and making it easier for them to seek their services for improved efficiency.

Keep in mind that the MSP marketing plan can never be a “quick” fix to your lead-generating problem. MSP marketing services invest weeks, even months in first building a comprehensive business awareness process and then educating their potential leads and customers. Around 55% of businesses are spending more time with their MSPs today. Leading your customer organizations from the start through the end of the sales funnel is an intensive process.

MSPs can either perform it in-house or hire specialized MSP marketing agencies to handle everything which we will discuss here.

Below you will find some of the most robust techniques used by MSP marketing agencies to achieve notable growth. The catch is to stay committed. These techniques are proven but take time and you must trust the process. It will be a rookie mistake to expect quick rewards with minimal mental or physical investment. 

Below is the checklist for designing a fool-proof MSP marketing strategy.

1.  Design a Killer MSP Website for Visibility and Traction  

The first component of your MSP marketing process should be an original website. It should be appealing to your customers and search engine crawlers. Remember, in order to be approached, you must first be seen. SEO is responsible for driving around 1000+% more traffic to your website than any organic social media.

Search engines prefer tailored websites with highly targeted and SEO-packed content. Your website must be fine-tuned to meet every SEO criterion from content structure to CTAs.

Here are a few things you can do in order to curate a killer, lead-generating website.

1.      Generate highly optimized, and relevant content that taps into your client’s pain points.

2.      Your site must be responsive as well as compatible with different devices.

3.      Include videos and pictures of your team in action. This adds an element of trust for your clients and establishes you as a figure of authority in your industry.

4.      Add clear CTAs that easily navigate your clients and guide them through your sales funnel.

5.      Incorporate partnered logos and testimonials from other experts as well as current and past clients to boost trust and reputation.

6.      Reject cheap, shared hosting in favor of dedicated hosts with independent server infrastructure.

7.      Laser-focus on your ideal clients by incorporating their queries into your content using an FAQ page.

8.      Onboard experts to streamline the on-page SEO of your website and clean up the code. SEO optimization is a long-term marketing fix that will generate the greatest results.

If you are an MSP searching for a robust marketing solution, then let’s have a conversation today.

2. Email Marketing Is Your Best Friend

Email marketing is one of the go-to tenets of a solid MSP marketing plan. This marketing process allows companies to get one-on-one with their probable customers. According to a recent study, 80% of marketers rate email marketing as being the biggest game changer when it comes to lead generation and client retention. Moreover, for every dollar spent on email marketing, businesses can accrue around $38 in profit.

 Your email marketing campaign will include MSP marketing messages, consultation offers, sales solicitations, business requests, updates, etc.

Today’s customer seeks personalized attention. By narrowing in on the needs of your customer organizations and targeting them with highly personalized emails, you can also draw on this growing trend.

Be careful not to bombard your leads with promotional messages and MSP advertisements. Build a relationship first by addressing their pain points and then slowly, but surely, guide them towards a solution your company is offering that they cannot put down.

Like other elements in your MSP marketing strategies, email marketing is also a time-intensive process but one that rewards those generously who stay committed.

3. Content Marketing

Content marketing is another long-term lead-generating solution for growing MSPs. Google loves to reward good content but it is in tandem with consistency. Content loaded with visuals, infographics, and informative blog posts will only catch the eye of search engines as long as it comes out regularly.

 Do not make the mistake of creating amazing content and then disappearing for months simply hoping that the search engines might one day catch up. All good things take time and although it can be mentally and financially taxing to generate top-notch content on a regular basis, companies that have stuck with the formula have seen a massive return on investments in the long run.

Blogging And Content Audit

At a minimum, you must post good content in the form of blogs, how-to articles, and listicles at least four times a month. Keep your finger on the pain points of your local clients by tailoring your content to meet their specific needs. 409 million people view more than 20 billion pages each month and a big chunk of these are blog pages.

Perform a regular content audit to keep an eye on pages that generate the greatest traffic versus those that do not. Look for metrics that result in discrepancies of this kind and then upgrade your content accordingly. Successful content marketing requires regular audits of your blogs and other information on the site. You must track the impression, backlinks, and bounce rates that your website is generating in order to separate good content from what is not working. Adding podcasts and video-based content is both appealing to the eye and increases on-site retention.

A final note to bear in mind is to write for the customers first and then optimize for the search engines. Do not be swayed by the itch to rank higher and end up devaluing your blogs with optimized content that fails to strike a chord with your customers. You must hit the right balance between relevance and optimization to get the best results.

4. Social Media Marketing

Social media marketing is part of an MSP’s inbound marketing strategy. It has become one of the best current digital marketing tools for any business. Facebook has over two million users alone. LinkedIn, with over 500 million users, is another dominant social media tool. You must learn to leverage these as powerful online networking sites to generate leads and traffic for your own website.

You can use a number of social media platforms to reach your specific B2B customer base. The choice for one will depend upon the kind of marketing strategy you rely upon. Instagram and YouTube are great platforms for video marketing. However, most managed IT services primarily communicate via text and should prefer sites such as LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.

5. Search Engine Marketing

This is where search engine optimization comes in. SEO professionals are currently one of the most sought-after experts for most digital business owners. This is because they hold the key to that dear old spot on Google’s first page for which businesses all over the world continue to vie. According to a study, 93% of all online interactions come from Google alone and 70% of clicked links on Google are organic. This means that users favor ranked websites over paid ads.

You can either hire an in-house search engine marketing staff or outsource it to a third-party MSP marketing agency. While there are some risks in opting for external MSP marketing this way, the costs are usually less than hiring your own full-time staff. To minimize risks, however, you must ensure that your third-party marketing agency has a solid understanding of the technical aspects of your services and is able to bring it across to your audience the way you hope to do.

By mastering the basics of search engine marketing and SEO, you can quickly dominate the local search results, Google maps, and other engines to gain visibility. The greater your visibility, the greater will be your chance to secure managed services contracts from prospective customers.  

A successful search engine marketing plan will require you to get listed in the top 200-300 business directories, use simple lines of code that can easily guide Google, and identify your local competitors.

In order to succeed, your website must

·        follow the correct internal site structure favored by Google

·        incorporate highly optimized meta titles and meta tags

·         possess a lead-driving landing page with high-conversion rates

·        Secure local authoritative backlinks

·        Engages customers with a proper follow-up content strategy

·        Feature the key terms IT buyers are feeding in the search bars; according to an eye-opening study, only 0.16% of keywords are responsible for 60.70% of all searches.

6. Collaborating with other MSPs

Not only can you learn a lot from your competitors by analyzing the factors driving their success, but you can also draw on their success directly by collaborating with them. Successful MSPs understand that by synergizing their operations with other MSPs, all parties stand to benefit.  Most MSPs have similar ambitions with possibly complementing solutions. When done right, such collaborations can be immensely profitable.

Business partnerships of this sort are on a decline but it should not be this way. Since 1980, partnerships have resulted in a profit increase of 157% but partnership failure rates also increased to 47% in the last decade.

One of the main reasons for this increase is the lack of definitive roles during such partnerships. Stable partnerships are the result of a mutual understanding of responsibilities between the two parties. MSPs must take into consideration their specific niche within IT management and allocate responsibilities accordingly. As long as you ensure smooth communication and focus on results for your customers instead of profits, you should achieve massive success.

7. Using Networking Events to Your MSP Advantage

Hosting and attending industry-specific networking events is a great way to bring awareness about your managed services among potential customers. Speaking at such an event is a great way to catch the attention of a customer organization in need of a managed service provider. With all eyes on you, not only do you establish yourself as a credible and trustworthy authority, but also kick-start an organic connection with your potential customer.

Retention Planning

It is a rule of thumb in marketing that retaining old clients is less costly than acquiring new ones. Once you’ve earned yourself a client, do not hesitate in moving mountains to retain them. There are two things you can do to retain clients. The first, a no-brainer, is that you offer impeccable customer services. Second, offer exclusive and personalized discounts for recurring customers.  

Periodic IT Review

Making your clients spend more can be a double-edged sword for your business. You probably think that increasing the bills for your clients will chase them away. You’re not wrong since they will, provided, they are bills that your clients are paying for essential services. In other words, you’re making your clients pay extra for services that they need, not services that they want.

Now you can avoid making that mistake by creating a formal review system and carrying it out with each of your clients every six months. You can carry out an interview session face-to-face with your client or fill out an online document with open-ended and closed questions. This will help you identify the wants, and with the right offer presented at the right time, many will be willing to buy more.

Recurring Revenue For Financial Security

Most businesses fail when they run out of cash. Wouldn’t it be incredibly settling to know that you have a set amount of recurring revenue to cover your fixed costs, such as utility, rent, staff, etc.?  You can do this by getting your clients to sign a recurring support contract. You may offer discounted rates, preferential response times, unlimited support, discounts on software licenses, etc. Also, make the whole process less intimidating by leaving the doors open for an easy opt-out with maybe a month’s notice.

A Final Word

At the end of the day, mutual trust and top-notch services are the only way to ensure that your marketing strategies work in the long term. As mentioned earlier, most, if not all, of the strategies listed here require time and commitment. So if you are patient and willing to put in a few good hours, the reward will be yours.

If you are an MSP searching for a robust marketing solution, then let’s have a conversation today.