Search engine optimization (SEO) is a difficult beast to master. Just when you think you finally have a handle on it, everything shifts slightly and you’re left floundering. 2025 has been no different. In fact, the entire concept of SEO has arguably been turned on its head by recent developments. Many managed service providers (MSPs) are struggling to adapt and thrive under these new conditions.
If you’re one of them, don’t panic. SEO might have changed, but it hasn’t disappeared. There’s still plenty you can do to get noticed, gain new clients, and remain competitive. All you need is the right strategy.
Read more: Why MSPs Should Invest in SEO
What is MSP Search Engine Optimization?
Let’s go back to basics for a moment. When a potential lead wants to find an MSP, or needs help with a specific problem, they often visit Google and enter a search term. Traditionally Google then shows them a list of webpages that it has deemed relevant. In most cases, only the first few links will ever be clicked on.
SEO makes sure you’re at the top of that list, and not buried halfway down page four. It is a set of strategies you use to convince the algorithm that you are trustworthy, authoritative, and thus worthy of visibility. Ever since Google developed its current stranglehold on the internet, this has been one of the most important things you can do to guarantee organic traffic.
In the last year, this process has changed somewhat. Read on to discover what this means for MSP SEO in 2026.
Why SEO is Important
Visibility and Credibility
It doesn’t matter how good the rest of your marketing is. If your website can’t be found organically, then you’re losing leads on a daily basis. Many potential clients are not finding you through advertisements, but through searches for information that eventually lead them down the purchase funnel.
Credibility
As previously mentioned, Google isn’t choosing their top results at random. It’s looking for sources that it believes are high-quality and authoritative. This means that a top spot does more than make you visible – it improves your reputation, by signalling to leads that you can be trusted to provide accurate information.
Competition
Your biggest competitors have already been using SEO for decades. If you’re not, you’re sacrificing a powerful tool that allows you to keep up with them. At this point, it may as well be mandatory in order to remain relevant.
What Happens if I Don’t Consider SEO?
If you don’t optimize your website for SEO, then you will slowly fall down the search results until you disappear entirely. This means you’ll see less traffic, slower lead generation, and fewer conversions. In the long term, this could mean the difference between success and your doors closing forever.
So What Changed in 2025?
In 2025, several factors changed the way SEO for MSPs works:
The Introduction of AI
Large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT have permanently altered the usual process by which customers find your business. Instead of searching on Google, clicking a result, and landing on your site, users are asking artificial intelligence (AI) direct questions. To make matters worse, Google themselves have rolled out an “AI overview”, which answers queries without anyone needing to leave the page.
It’s been estimated that because of these changes, 60% of all searches no longer end with a link being clicked. Leads are asking natural language questions and obtaining answers instantly. Some aren’t going through Google at all. This is easily the biggest SEO challenge MSPs are now facing. After all, how do you gain clients when no one is even looking at your website?
Changing Client Expectations
Back in the internet’s infancy, buyer behavior was far easier to predict. Over the last few years, however, things have changed. Economies across the globe are experiencing issues, budgets are getting tighter, and leads are doing more homework.
In the B2B space, this is even more intense. A lead might wait for months or even years before finally becoming a client. During this lengthy process, a single error on your part could be enough to turn them away. This hesitance to commit to a contract has pushed many businesses towards “unbiased” AI platforms, and decreased the effectiveness of traditional SEO.
The Mighty Algorithm
Finally, the Google algorithm has changed. Previously, there was far more emphasis on the importance of keywords. Unfortunately, this often led to negative behaviors such as keyword stuffing, where content creators force keywords into webpages unnaturally (or worse still, hide them in the background). To prevent this, Google has shifted their focus.
Do Rankings Even Matter Anymore?
Particularly given the increasing relevance of AI, you might be questioning if there’s even a point to search rankings in 2026. Your ranking is still valuable, but not in the same way it used to be. Rather than just being the vehicle through which leads find you, it helps you by:
- Keeping you visible to those still using traditional search
- Signalling authority and encouraging AI to cite you as a source
- Improving your ability to show up in local search
The key difference is that you’re no longer optimizing for search engines alone. You also need to consider answer engines.
SEO for MSPs: Key Strategies for 2026
So what will successful MSP SEO look like in 2026? Here are some key strategies to focus on:
Answer Engine Optimization
Answer engine optimization, or AEO, addresses the single biggest change that took place in 2025: the rise of AI. In the age of natural language questions and answers, your website is often being bypassed entirely until leads reach the very bottom of the funnel and are about to make a decision.
The solution is AEO. Instead of just optimizing for Google, you must equally consider how an AI will read your website. If most users are getting answers from ChatGPT, or Google’s AI overview, then you need to be the source those platforms are citing.
AEO Strategies:
- Include frequently asked questions that mirror the language leads use when engaging with LLMs.
- Provide direct, clear responses within webpage content (bonus points if you can include the question in the answer, as this signals to LLMs what information you’re providing).
- Focus on being factual and authoritative. You’re writing to machines, not just humans, and the former won’t be swayed by persuasive language or emotional appeals.
- Ensure that AI can crawl your pages. If it can’t read your content, it won’t recommend it.
Content Creation
While many MSPs are seeing a decrease in page reads, this doesn’t mean that content creation no longer matters. It can still be a valuable way of increasing visibility and improving your reputation.
Content Creation Strategies:
- Optimise for AEO, not just traditional SEO.
- Consider how content fits into your overall marketing strategy, rather than treating it as a place to store keywords.
- Create original, high quality content that algorithms will interpret as authoritative. This includes blogs, landing pages, services pages, case studies, and anything else on your website.
- Use strong link building strategies to reinforce the accuracy of your content.
Social Media and SEO
Historically, social media and SEO have been two entirely separate parts of the marketing machine. But this might not be the case for much longer. Instagram posts are now being indexed on Google, potentially making SEO and AEO an important consideration for this kind of content.
Social Media Strategies:
- Choose hashtags carefully, considering how Google might use this information when displaying posts on search engine results pages (SERPs).
- Leverage the LLM question-answer format when creating content for Instagram.
- Consider implementing keywords and locations into Instagram posts, for stronger SEO.
Google’s Algorithm
Currently, the Google algorithm relies mostly on one guiding principle: E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness). These four factors are what determine where your page is ranked. If you want to win that number one position, or be cited in the AI overview, then you need to play by these rules.
E-E-A-T Strategies:
- Use specific examples, statistics, and sources, particularly when making statements of fact.
- Update your site regularly to remove inaccurate information and add new insights.
- Demonstrate relevant, first-hand experience with the topics you discuss.
Technical SEO
For any of your SEO strategies to matter, Google bots and AI models must be able to crawl your website. They’re also checking the overall user experience. If you have a high “bounce rate” (the percentage of people who visit and then leave your site without converting), this tells Google that users aren’t finding what they need. Technical SEO is less about content, and more about whether you have the right building blocks in place.
Technical SEO Strategies:
- Optimize for fast loading times and mobile-friendly design.
- Use H1, H2, and H3 headings to correctly label content.
- Submit an XML sitemap (essentially a list of all webpages and where they can be found) to the Google Search Console.
- Keep all site architecture clean and easy to navigate.
Keywords
While keywords are no longer the main focus of your SEO efforts, they still matter. This is the primary method Google and AI alike use to figure out what your website is saying. Remember that these machines can’t read like a person does. Instead, they’re comparing your keywords against the search terms people are using.
Keyword Strategies:
- Implement conversational and long tail keywords (e.g. “What are the best IT tools for small businesses”) that mimic LLM use and target users at the bottom of the funnel.
- Use locational keywords (for instance, “IT consulting in Los Angeles”). Many leads are looking for a local business, so you can get ahead of the competition by broadcasting your location.
- Implement keywords strategically. Google will now punish sites that are obviously stuffing, so focus more on location than on number. Your target keyword should be in the title, meta description, first 100 words of the content, and at least one H2 heading.
- Support your primary target keywords with secondary keywords. Remember to account for commonly used variations. For example, “IT support in Chicago” can also become “Chicago IT support specialists”.
Common SEO Challenges
1. Costs
SEO isn’t always free, especially if you’re using tools such as Semrush to track your progress. If your MSP is smaller, this may seem hard to justify. However, it’s important to consider the long-term investment. SEO and AEO, when done correctly, can contribute a lot more than paid advertising strategies.
If you’re struggling with the potential expenses, then leverage free and low-cost solutions wherever possible. Plenty of strategies listed in this article don’t require capital expenditure at all. Where needed, consider building SEO into your marketing budget. This may mean that you dial back on something else that isn’t working.
2. Time
While SEO and AEO strategies may not necessarily cost much, they do demand a certain time commitment. This is the definition of “it’s a marathon, not a sprint”. Copy creation in particular can suck up hours that could arguably be better spent elsewhere, and positive results could take weeks or months to manifest.
You can reduce some of the strain by planning out activities in advance. Does every single initiative need to start right now, or can you focus on the most important first and slowly introduce the others later? You can also use AI to generate first drafts of content, drastically reducing the time needed. Just be sure to edit it for accuracy, clarity, and SEO.
3. Algorithm Whiplash
The Google algorithm is a fickle god, and AI search isn’t shaping up to be much better. Strategies that worked a month ago may suddenly be obsolete tomorrow, rendering much of your previous work pointless. Without an expert on-hand (which costs a significant amount), it will be very difficult to keep up with changes.
There are two main strategies that will help you solve this challenge. The first is regular reviews and updates of your SEO and AEO strategies. While you may not be able to stay completely up-to-date, this will prevent you from falling too far behind. Your other option is to hire a third-party expert.
When to Call in an Expert
If your SEO efforts are starting to feel like a complete guessing game, it might be time to bring in reinforcements. Plenty of third-party marketing teams exist who specialize in SEO and AEO. These experts can help you understand what’s needed, and develop strategies to help you succeed.
The vCMO Model
Rather than a traditional marketing agency, more MSPs are starting to adopt the virtual Chief Marketing Officer (vCMO) model. This strategy provides you with all the benefits of an in-house marketing manager, but without the six-figure salary.
With a vCMO, you gain expert oversight of your brand, messaging, campaigns, and SEO/AEO. They ensure that each marketing activity contributes directly to your overall goals, preventing you from wasting time and money chasing outdated keywords. For smaller MSPs who want high-quality SEO without needing to maintain an internal marketing team, the vCMO model provides a solid option.
Explore How SEO Can Help Your MSP Succeed
Contrary to popular opinion, SEO is not “dead” – nor is it a system to cheat using underhanded tactics. It’s an important investment in your long-term visibility and success. By paying attention to developing trends, such as AEO, and creating strategies designed to work with instead of against them, you set yourself apart from the competition and drive your MSP towards growth.
Does SEO really matter that much? We asked 28 MSPs for their honest opinions. You won’t find any bias among them, just clear facts about what worked for them and what didn’t. If you’re interested in hearing what they had to say, read our article.
FAQs
What is SEO?
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of improving your SERP ranking. If you have good SEO, then your webpages will appear closer to the top of Google search results. This helps improve visibility and thus, increase conversions.
What Makes MSP SEO Different From General SEO?
Basic SEO techniques remain the same for every industry, but with small differences. Target keywords, for example, need to change. MSPs in particular need to focus on factors such as local SEO, since location matters significantly more for a service provider than for most other vendors. They also must account for the fact that leads will be searching for problems, as well as solutions. A potential client may search “wi-fi not connecting”, for instance, instead of looking directly for MSPs.
Is SEO Still Worthwhile in the Age of AI?
Despite the rise of AI, SEO is still valuable. However, it has been joined by answer engine optimization (AEO). This specific branch of AEO focuses on optimizing content for LLMs such as ChatGPT. As more users begin to choose AI search over traditional engines, and Google itself leans further into this technology, AEO will only become more important.
Should I Hire an Internal SEO Expert or Work With an Agency?
Whether you hire internal staff or outsource to an agency depends on your budget, goals, and needs. A vCMO (virtual Chief Marketing Officer) has the expertise necessary to help you achieve strong SEO and AEO, without needing to pay for a large internal team. This can be a good choice for smaller MSPs.
Do Social Media Posts Really Impact SEO?
As of right now, there’s little reason to believe that social media posts have a substantial impact on SEO. However, the introduction of Instagram posts into Google SERPs suggests that they may begin to matter in the near future, so it’s important to be on top of this change.
