MSP Employees Most Likely to Seek out Video and Audio Help to Remain Current

Managed services providers carry a heavy load for their clients, and one of the benefits of engaging an MSP is that they stay informed about the latest technologies, so their clients don’t have to. But how do MSPs remain up to date on the latest and greatest?

According to a new study commissioned by professional services automation company Syncro entitled, “MSP Resources & Communities 2023 Report,” MSPs are most likely to use video and audio resources to gain new information. The study found that 57 percent of MSPs rely on YouTube videos and 54 percent rely on podcasts: MSPs tune into video/audio formats on a daily or weekly basis as their primary source of information, with the most popular topics including cybersecurity, general tech, business, and how-to content. News sites followed closely behind podcasts with 53percent of MSPs relying on traditional media.

In addition, only one third of MSPs said it mattered if the resource was industry-specific: Resources don't need to be MSP-specific for MSPs to rely on them. From media outlets to podcasts to blogs, and more – general business or technology content ranked higher than industry-specific resources.

When it comes to use of social media, MSPs ranked Facebook as their most used platform (60 percent), followed by LinkedIn (57 percent) and Reddit (51 percent). MSPs are polarized when it comes to emerging platforms like TikTok with almost half (41 percent) using it daily or weekly and the other half (46 percent) using it rarely or never.

The study was based on a survey of 603 MSPs across the US and Canada who hold a variety of roles from management to owners to technicians, the report uncovers MSP educational preferences.

"To help MSPs succeed, it’s important to understand what educational tools and resources help them thrive,” said Emily Glass, CEO of Syncro, in a statement. “As a vendor, Syncro is extremely invested in producing content that’s easy for MSPs to consume and we hope this report will empower them to discover even more outlets that support them and their businesses.”