Hunter Nelson

Hunter is the founder and president of Tortoise and Hare Software, a digital marketing agency for the technology sector and other lead generation oriented businesses. Hunter has more than 10 years’ experience building web applications and crafting digital strategies for companies ranging from scrappy startups to Fortune 50 household names. When not on the clock, you'll find him spending time with his family and pups, relaxing on the beach, or playing competitive online video games. See for more.

Hunter Nelson Post Archives

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Aesopians E8 – How SaaS Companies Are Maintaining Brand Integrity and Operationalizing Growth with HubSpot Ft. Mohamed Hamad Of Third Wunder Agency

By Hunter Nelson | June 3, 2025

SaaS companies move fast—but if your branding and systems can’t keep up, growth can actually become a liability. In this episode of the Aesopians Podcast, host Hunter Nelson is joined by Mohamed Hamad, founder of Third Wunder, to explore how fast-growing software companies can maintain their brand identity and build the operational muscle needed to…

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The Ultimate Guide To ChatGPT SEO

By Hunter Nelson | June 2, 2025

Most SEO professionals are racing to understand how AI tools are reshaping visibility. But the biggest shift isn’t coming from Google—it’s coming from ChatGPT. As organic search volumes and conversions have been declining we’ve been seeing significant upticks on referral traffic from ChatGPT and very high conversion rates from traffic that comes from ChatGPT and…

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MSP Google Ads Costs and Pricing

By Hunter Nelson | May 25, 2025

You’ve heard Google Ads can generate leads quickly, but you’re not sure how much to budget, what kind of results to expect, or whether it’s really worth the spend. Many MSPs step into paid search with high hopes and vague expectations, only to be disappointed when the numbers don’t line up. Google Ads can be…

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How We Save Thousands With Negative Keywords For MSP Google Ad Campaigns

By Hunter Nelson | May 12, 2025

Google Ads is one of the most powerful inbound lead generation channels available to managed service providers. There are few better moments to introduce your brand than when someone is actively searching for “IT company near me” or “managed IT services for law firms.” But here’s the part too many MSPs miss: just because someone…

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Aesopians E5: From Tech To Rep: Year 1 In MSP Sales Ft. Ashton Fortuna

By Hunter Nelson | April 21, 2025

Most MSPs hesitate to move technicians into sales—worried they’ll lack the polish, confidence, or killer instinct to close deals. Sales is a different game. Techs solve problems with systems; sales reps solve problems with people. But what if the real risk isn’t failing at sales—it’s never trying? In this post, we’ll walk through the story…

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SEO Not Working: Here’s Why

By Hunter Nelson | April 4, 2025

Lately I’ve been getting on more and more calls lately with people saying something along the lines of “we’ve been doing SEO or inbound for 6 months, 12 months, or however long and we’re not seeing anything – we don’t want to do SEO or inbound stuff. Reasons Why SEO Is Not Working 9 out…

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Why SEO Investments Help Your MSP Weather a Recession and Keep the Door Open for New Opportunities

By Hunter Nelson | April 3, 2025

What happens to your pipeline when the phones go quiet, inboxes stay cold, and paid ads stop converting? That’s not a hypothetical. It’s what happens in a recession. Budgets freeze. Decision-makers retreat. And the marketing tactics that rely on speed or immediacy—PPC, outbound, even referrals—start producing less while demanding the same (or more) investment. In…

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MSP Marketing – How to Build a Strategy That Works

By Hunter Nelson | March 31, 2025

Let’s be honest—most MSP marketing doesn’t work.Not because the tactics are bad, but because they’re unaligned. What looks like a marketing problem is often a strategy problem in disguise. Most MSPs jump straight into execution—running ads, writing blogs, hiring freelancers—without doing the work to define who they’re targeting, what they’re offering, and how to actually…

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The 10 Best MSP SEO Agencies To Help You Grow Organic Traffic

By Hunter Nelson | March 29, 2025

If you’re searching for SEO agencies for MSPs, the list of generalists can feel endless—and underwhelming. Most SEO providers don’t understand the managed services space, much less the buyer behavior, sales cycles, or growth models that define it. That’s why we’ve pulled together this list of ten SEO agencies for MSPs that actually specialize in…

Why Your MSP’s Online Marketing Efforts Are Failing

By Hunter Nelson | March 28, 2025

If you’re leading an MSP and investing in online marketing, you’re probably feeling a growing sense of frustration. You’ve put money into websites, content, ads—even hired an agency or two along the way—and the ROI just isn’t there. You’ve followed the advice, implemented the tools, checked the boxes… and yet, real, qualified leads still feel…

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What Makes a Great MSP Website? 5 Examples You Should Follow

By Hunter Nelson | March 27, 2025

Your MSP website is more than just an online brochure—it’s a powerful tool for attracting and converting potential clients. But what makes a website truly effective in the competitive managed IT services industry? In this post, we’ll highlight four of the best MSP websites, each excelling in a different area. Whether you want to improve…

Case Study: Cold Start To 2-5 Leads Per Month Via Local SEO For MSP In Canada

By Hunter Nelson | March 20, 2025

Client Background A Managed IT Services Provider (MSP) in British Columbia, Canada engaged us to establish a professional online presence and generate a steady flow of inbound leads. Before working with us, they had no structured branding, an outdated website, and no organic search visibility. The Problems The Solutions Built a Strong SEO Foundation with…

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Aesopians Episode 4: Leading with Cybersecurity To Spark MSP Sales Conversations – Featuring Michael Bakaic Of Iceberg Cyber

By Hunter Nelson | March 14, 2025

In this episode of the Aesopians Podcast, Hunter Nelson sits down with Michael Bakaic from Iceberg Cyber to discuss how MSPs can use cybersecurity as a conversation starter to attract and convert high-quality leads. Michael shares insights on making sales feel natural, avoiding awkward cold outreach, and positioning cybersecurity assessments as an engaging way to…

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WordPress Out OF Memory Exceptions

By Hunter Nelson | February 21, 2025

Recently I’ve been dabbling in programmatic SEO. I got an idea of rolling out a landing page to attract search engine traffic from every major city in the United States and came up a with a solution to bulk create a lot of pages in WordPress, including a page for all 50 states in the…

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Aesopians Episode 1 – Azure Cloud For MSPs

By Hunter Nelson | January 17, 2025

In the debut episode of Aesopian’s Podcast, host Hunter Nelson sits down with Matt Hache, an infrastructure consultant at PAX8 and founder of Neon Cobra, to explore how Managed Service Providers (MSPs) can harness Azure cloud technology to modernize their businesses and unlock growth. This conversation is packed with actionable strategies and expert advice, making…