Investing in online marketing for your accountancy firm
Accounting firms have historically relied upon referrals to gain clients, but with more consumers than ever searching for businesses online, this is no longer enough.
Research by Brightlocal has shown that in the past year, 99% of consumers head to the internet to find local businesses. And 94% said positive reviews make them more likely to consider using a company. So even if a customer is referred to your firm, the chances are they’ll have a dig about online before committing to a consultation. And if they can’t find you, or your website isn’t up to scratch, they may go elsewhere.
It’s for this reason that having a strong online marketing strategy is key to standing out from the crowd and winning business. But what should marketing strategies for accounting firms look like?
Understand your ideal client
Every business has a vision of their ideal client. Whether yours is a start-up, an established corporation, or a high net worth individual, you should use this as basis for your acquisition messaging. Understand the people you want to attract – what are their financial or business goals? What are their pain points? Once you have a clear picture of who you’re trying to communicate with, you can tailor your messages to them.
With retention marketing, take time to understand who your existing clients are and what their needs might be. Your communications can then take a more personal approach and focus on helping them to achieve their goals.
Get the basics
When it comes to accountancy marketing, investment in an SEO strategy is critical. SEO covers a broad spectrum, from ensuring the technical details on your website are correct to creating content and distributing it. The best way to get started is with a local focus, ensuring your accounting firm is achieving the best possible visibility in local search results for your core services, whether that includes management accounts, bookkeeping and tax accounting, or mergers and acquisitions.
A presence in local search results adds credibility to your business, and ensures anyone looking for the services you offer can find you with ease. Having positive reviews will cement your reputation further, indicating to those who aren’t familiar with your business that you will deliver a high standard of service and trustworthy advice.
You can supplement your SEO efforts with basic Pay Per Click (PPC) advertising. PPC For accountants can be highly competitive, so focusing on brand terms and local keywords is again recommended to ensure you get the most out of your budget.
Additional channels
While SEO and PPC are crucial for acquisition, you’ll also need to ensure you look after existing clients. Email newsletters are a good way of reminding consumers about your services, while social channels provide an opportunity to engage on a less formal level.
Whichever channels you choose to add to your foundation of SEO and PPC, it’s vital to ensure your messages and branding remain consistent to avoid confusion.
If you’re looking for SEO services for accountants, get in touch with Whitefish Marketing today. We specialist in marketing for accounting firms, and can help your practice to stay ahead of the competition.
