SEO and your Accounting Firm’s Location
Since COVID-19 has swept the planet, more businesses than ever are working remotely. Accounting firms are equipped to work with clients in a way that negates face to face contact, but despite the move online, your office location still holds an important place with regards to your digital marketing strategy.
Why is a physical location important?
Local SEO for accountants is key to online success, and in order to maximise your visibility in local searches, a physical location is required. The reason is that when a user wants to search their area for a particular service, Google serves up local results, and businesses with a well-optimised Google Business Profile are prioritised. To be eligible for a Google Business Profile, you need to be able to give an address for your business. This address puts you on Google Maps and lets potential customers know where you are in relation to their business.
Why engage in local SEO?
Although accounting services can be remote, and you can, in theory, work with companies located anywhere in the UK, many clients prefer to keep things local. What if, for example, they have some paperwork they want to drop into your office, or they want to have a face to face meeting? Being able to market your firm locally is just as important as marketing nationally. In fact, choosing to focus on local SEO means it can be easier to rank in the search results for your area.
Local SEO can really give websites for accountants a boost. Creating a Google Business Profile is just the beginning; you can then use the Profile to obtain reviews from happy clients, which in turn positively impact your rankings; to post short videos that explain your services or answer frequently asked questions, and to make information such as your opening hours easily available.
Ensuring your local SEO is up to scratch
So how do you get started with ensuring Google knows where you are and can list you among local search results? Well, there are two key aspects that need to be covered.
Firstly, your accounting website needs to be optimised for local search. This means relevant keywords are being used in the copy, the correct Schema markup is embedded in the code, and you have a clear location page with an address, contact details, and a map reference.
Secondly, you’ll need to claim and optimise your Google Business Profile. When you claim the listing, Google will verify the location and you can then start to add key information such as opening hours, a short description of your business, and a list of the key services you provide.
From there, it’s an ongoing task to ensure your Profile is kept up to date, and that your website has fresh, relevant content added on a regular basis. Of course, this can be time consuming, so outsourcing your local SEO is a great solution. Here at Whitefish Marketing, we specialise in website design for Chartered Accountants, as well as marketing services, and will be happy to help. Get in touch with us today to learn more.
