RSPA Reveals 2023’s Most Popular Retail IT Channel Content

By: Jim Roddy, President & CEO at the RSPA

Almost five years ago, when the RSPA Blog and Podcast were merely ideas on a white board, I wrote in an online piece, “Publishing a weekly or bi-weekly blog that provides advice to your audience (vs. pitching them to buy your stuff) will build credibility for you over time. You can share the content via email and social media, plus prospects will find it via search engines. Increasing your exposure and authority softens the ground for you to increase sales.”

Today, tens of thousands of words, pageviews, downloads, video views, and clicks later, I can nod when I re-read what the RSPA has lived by for over four years. And I’m not the only one agreeing. An ISV member recently reacted to content we posted on LinkedIn saying, “The journey with RSPA has been truly remarkable and enriching.”

What content rose above the rest and captured the attention of the retail IT channel in 2023? By reviewing web analytics from the past year, the RSPA team learned what was the most popular thought leadership content published on GoRSPA.org. We’ve divided the results into three content categories below: Blog, Community IQ, and Podcast. For each category, we’ll list at least the 10 most popular pieces of content and then I’ll offer some analysis.

RSPA Blog

  1. Will Restaurant VARs Exploit Toast’s New 99-Cent Fee?
  2. RetailNOW 2023 Analysis: Growth-Oriented VARs, Niche ISVs Form New Nucleus of Retail IT Channel
  3. The Ultimate List of Recurring Revenue Products and Services [Version 3.0]
  4. New! RSPA Software Developer Provider Ecosystem Chart
  5. Channel Connect 2023: ScanSource Maps Out Practical Pathways for VAR, Agent Partners
  6. 2023 NCC Reseller Conference: ISVs Can’t Automate a Healthy VAR Channel
  7. From NRF 2023: Retail IT Industry Analysis – and Overreactions
  8. NRF’s New Foodservice Innovation Zone Opened My Eyes – and Blew My Mind
  9. MJBizCon 2022 Analysis: Cannabis Industry Oughta Turn That Frown Upside Down
  10. BlueStar Praises, Promotes, and Powers New Partnerships at VARTECH 2023
  11. From Inspire 2023: Want Exponential Growth? Grab Your Partner, Do-Si-Do
  12. Restaurant VARs Transition from “Necessary Evil” to “Growth Partners” (Restaurants Canada Show analysis)
  13. “POS” is No Longer a Four-Letter Word in the MSP Community (Channel Partners/MSP Summit analysis)

The blog in 2023 was in many ways a repeat of 2022 when eight of the top RSPA entries were event-related content. This year, 10 of the top 13 articles were tied to conferences. The three pieces not related to events all cracked the top five on our list because our community also cares a ton about recurring revenue, ISVs, and important actions taken by well-funded direct POS providers. If your org doesn’t have a blog, now is a good time to start. For guidance on how your company can create thought leadership content efficiently and effectively, read the RSPA’s Spartan Plan to Powerful B2B Content Marketing.

RSPA Community IQ Resource Center

  1. Sales Per Labor Hour Formula: How Your Customers Can Use it to Reduce Labor Expenses by TimeForge Labor Management
  2. Making Your RFID Smarter Using AI by Jerry Abiog, Standard Insights
  3. A 40-Year Perspective of “A Woman’s Place” in the RSPA by Linda Sudderth, Epson
  4. RSPA 75: DUMAC’s Early Days in the Retail IT Industry by Dave McCarthy, DUMAC Business Systems
  5. Benefits of PayFac-as-a-Service for ISVs and VARs by Blake Rouse, Cardknox
  6. Give Your Customers More Transparency at the Register with Cash Discounts and Dual Pricing by Stephanie Stott, CerTek Software

Visit the RSPA Solution Center – a web platform designed to connect VARs and ISVs to providers of innovative solutions

  1. Retail Hardware Evolution from a 30-Year Industry Veteran’s POV by Linda Sudderth, Epson
  2. Business Solutions DNA by Michael Hanson, Star Micronics
  3. Not All Integrations Are Created Equal by Serena Smith, iPOS Systems
  4. Path to Partnership: Insights from RSPA’s NextGen Rising Stars featuring Christin Dorner, Star Micronics; Jessica Maroney, Metropolitan Sales; Truman Meecham, Alpha POS; Sami Alakkam, JRs POS Depot; Alejandro Swaby, Cervion Systems; Blake Rouse, Cardknox; and David Sohn, Helpt
  5. Why Merchants Need Self-Service Solutions Now More Than Ever by Tyler Wells, MicroTouch
  6. Combat Your Business’ Recessionary Fears With AI by Jerry Abiog, Standard Insights

The Community IQ Resource Center on the RSPA website features thought leadership content authored by our members. While this year’s most popular pieces covered a wide range of subjects, the one common theme appeared to be everything in pairs:

  • ISV TimeForge participated in the top RSPA podcast in 2022 (How VARs Can Help Merchants Solve Their Labor Crisis); this year they authored the top Community IQ article
  • A piece on RFID and AI by Jerry Abiog of ISV Standard Insights hit #10 on our list last year; this year it zoomed all the way to #2
  • A second AI-focused piece by Abiog ranked among the top IQ content in 2023, making the cut at #12
  • Abiog wasn’t the only member breaking through twice on this year’s list; articles by Linda Sudderth of Epson ranked #3 and #7
  • Four articles (that’s two pairs) touching on the RSPA 75th anniversary were among the most popular this year: Sudderth’s two pieces plus articles by Dave McCarthy of VAR/ISV DUMAC and Mike Hanson of Star Micronics

To submit your content or learn more about the Community IQ Resource Center, email the RSPA Marketing team of Chris Arnold (CArnold@GoRSPA.org) and Ayana Scriven (AScriven@GoRSPA.org).

RSPA Trusted Advisor Podcast

  1. Surcharging & Cash Discounting with RSPA General Counsel Jill Miller
  2. Datacap’s Darcie McNamara, Met Sales’ James Gribbin Share Sales Success Secrets
  3. Sales Messaging Best Practices with COCARD’s Dan Brattland
  4. What VAR Acquisitions Actually Mean for the Retail IT Channel
  5. SMB Marketing Best Practices with Heartland’s Chris Allen
  6. Leadership Cheat Codes for VAR/ISV CEOs featuring Rick Feuling of RITE Enterprises/Cloud Retailer
  7. ScanSource CEO Mike Baur on the Channel’s Intertwined History and Future
  8. Analysis of PayIQ’s Exclusive ISV Study
  9. Retail Trends & Embracing Innovation featuring James Frank of Toshiba
  10. Marketing Myths, Mistakes & Mastery featuring Chris Arnold and Ayana Scriven of RSPA
  11. Your Sales Pipeline and the Retail IT Channel Timeline featuring Joe Finizio

Thanks to every guest who has appeared on The Trusted Advisor Podcast – not just in 2023 but since we launched the series in October 2019. We eclipsed the 100-episode mark this year and celebrated the occasion by doing what we’ve done since day one: helping our members accelerate their success through in-depth interviews with retail IT channel leaders. The podcast’s most frequent guest (nine appearances!) was featured in 2023’s most popular episode. RSPA General Counsel Jill Miller has emerged as our industry’s go-to resource for advice on cash discounting, surcharging, and dual pricing. Another popular podcast topic this year was sales; those episodes ranked second, third, and 11th. Marketing was also on the minds (and in the ears) of RSPA members with two episodes in the top 10 (Heartland’s Chris Allen at #5 and my RSPA colleagues Chris Arnold and Ayana Scriven at #10).

Thanks for helping the RSPA celebrate our 75th anniversary in 2023, I hope you have a Happy New Year … and we gotta get back to work creating more content for you in 2024!

Editor’s Note: To see our content rankings from previous years, follow these links:

Don’t forget to visit the RSPA Solution Center – a web platform designed to connect VARs and ISVs to providers of innovative solutions

Jim Roddy is the President and CEO of the Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA). He has been active in the retail IT channel since 1998, including 11 years as the President of Business Solutions Magazine, six years as an RSPA board member, one term as RSPA Chairman of the Board, and several years as a business coach for VARs, ISVs, and MSPs. Jim has been recognized as one of the world’s Top Retail Influencers by RETHINK Retail, a Leading CannaTech Influencer by The CannaTech Group, and is regularly requested to speak at industry conferences on SMB best practices. He is author of two books – The Walk-On Method To Career & Business Success and Hire Like You Just Beat Cancer – and is host of the award-winning RSPA Trusted Advisor podcast. For more information, contact JRoddy@GoRSPA.org.