Dive Brief:
- Managed service provider executives are gravitating to modestly sized, regional industry events as tech conferences proliferate, according to Omdia research published last week. The firm conducted two separate March surveys of nearly 200 channel partners.
- The number of channel-focused events grew from 270 in 2023 to 352 the following year, deluging executives and vendors with options. “The channel and events market is entering a phase of recalibration,” Omdia Principal Analyst Jessica Davis said in a Thursday blog post. “With hundreds of events competing for attention, scale alone no longer guarantees impact.”
- Omdia identified a subset of roughly 40 annual micro-community events tailored to MSP peer networking and other IT service provider priorities. “Big conventions deliver scale, but MSP events offer deeper, more operational conversations,” Davis told Channel Dive. “For vendors that want true MSP mindshare, smaller community-driven events have become essential.”
Dive Insight:
Large vendor conventions that deliver big product announcements, choreographed keynotes and hefty swag bags remain endemic to the channel, as the massive global market for IT services continues to grow. In their shadow, a smaller breed of more narrowly focused summits catering to the MSP industry have gained traction.
“MSPs gravitate toward events that offer practical, peer-driven insights,” Davis said. “They show up to share best practices, compare operations and learn directly from each other.”
Big Tech has taken note.
At last week’s annual Microsoft Ignite conference, the tech giant had a separate keynote for channel partners to spotlight changes in its marketplace and additions to its AI portfolio.
“Ignite reaches the whole Microsoft ecosystem,” Davis said. “But the company also invests heavily in MSP-focused conferences.”
Omdia noted Microsoft was one of more than two dozen ubiquitous event sponsors that projected market reach across the broad MSP events landscape. The company was also among 26 vendors that spent the most on MSP events.
The research identified 24 companies that allocated the highest proportion of their resources to MSP events relative to their size. Half were security service providers.
“Security has become a center of gravity for MSPs,” said Davis. “[Cybersecurity] vendors know MSPs are now one of the most influential routes to market for security solutions across SMBs and even enterprises.”
As MSP executives survey a crowded calendar, vendors that treat events as more than mere marketing opportunities will have an edge, according to Omdia.
“Smaller events that define their role around thematic specialization, such as cybersecurity, automation, AI, or compliance, are likely to capture disproportionate influence,” the firm said. “Formats that reduce travel burden, emphasize peer learning and connect directly to MSP operational needs will thrive.”
Disclosure: Informa, which owns a controlling stake in Informa TechTarget, the publisher behind Channel Dive, is also invested in Omdia. Informa has no influence over Channel Dive’s coverage.
