At a glance
- Most potential clients find local accountants using online search.
- Build and regularly update a complete Google Business Profile.
- Manage online reviews and ensure all your business listings are consistent.
97 per cent of people looking for a local business start by using a search engine. And this searching usually leads to action. 76 per cent of those who find a business online visit it within 24 hours, and 28 per cent make a purchase.
For accountants looking to expand their business, the figures on local digital marketing make it an undeniably powerful tool. But the work an accountant needs to do to establish, maintain and optimise an online presence may feel overwhelming, and the process opaque.
James Donovan, founder of Nine Two Media, is targeting such people with Booked Solid: Digital Marketing Strategies That Actually Work for Accounting Firms. And a substantial section of it focuses on building an online presence that attracts local, committed clients.
Donovan argues for maximising local Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). This ensures your business shows up when a prospective client uses a search engine, such as Google, to find a local accountant in your area. And achieving this, he writes, requires five steps:
- Build a Google business profile.
- Manage online reviews.
- Ensure consistency across online listings.
- Using local service ads.
- Developing a content strategy.
Step one: Building a Google business profile
If a prospective client searches for a local accountant via Google, and your business appears, the first thing that person will see is your Google business profile. Yet 68% of small businesses haven’t completed theirs, writes Donovan.
So, the first step towards SEO is claiming and building your profile. This may require verifying your business via video. Then, you should complete every section of your profile, including your business’s name, address, hours, contact details and services, with a description of what you do. It’s also a good idea to add photos.
And don’t make the mistake of putting your profile on ‘set and forget’, Donovan argues. It’s important to make regular posts, to keep your business at the top of Google’s mind.
Step two: Managing online reviews
Once a prospective client has read your profile and checked your website, the next thing they’ll do is find out what other people think about you – usually by reading online reviews. In addition, Google takes your reviews into account when determining your search ranking.
The first step is to find your review link in your Google business profile dashboard. After that, you’ll need to ask your clients to write reviews for you. Donovan recommends sending a client a request via an email template straight after you’ve delivered high-quality work.
However, you don’t want too many reviews at once. For one thing, a sudden mass of reviews may seem spammy to Google, which can damage your ranking. Second, when reviews start coming in, it’s essential to reply to them regularly. This demonstrates you’re responsive, and it boosts your ranking.
Step three: Ensuring consistency across online listings
These days, it can be hard to keep track of your online presence. With so many websites running business listings, it’s easy for errors to creep in. However, the more consistent your listings, the more trust you’ll build with Google. So it’s essential to track down all listings, and ensure they contain accurate information.
First, you’ll need to find them all – from those on your website, Google business profiles and social media accounts, to those in general directories such as Yelp, to those in industry directories.
If that sounds overwhelming, start with the first five or ten listings that appear in a Google search. And consider using software to help you locate and fix errors.
Step four: Using local service ads
Most online advertising can be expensive, and doesn’t guarantee results. However, Donovan argues Google’s local service ads (LSAs) are different.
They work by charging you only when a prospective client calls you or sends you a message. This makes them one of the “highest-ROI advertising tools”. Yet most accountants don’t use them, writes Donovan.
As the name suggests, LSAs are designed for service-based businesses, including accounting firms. In search results, they appear above other Google Ads, displaying your business name, category, hours, rating based upon reviews and a contact button. Donovan goes into detail about how to set up LSAs and optimise them for maximum ROI.
Step five: Developing a content strategy
Content marketing can feel onerous. It conjures up hours of writing fascinating blogs, making viral videos and creating catchy social media posts.
However, it doesn’t have to be as time-consuming as you think, argues Donovan. Instead, accountants need only focus on two types of content.
The first is the content on your business’s website. Yours should include a homepage, an about page, a FAQs page and a page dedicated to each service you provide. The FAQs page is particularly important to Google, and it’s smart to use the questions that real people ask when searching Google, in the exact words they use.
The second type of content to focus on is local content. This should include:
- Posts on your Google business profile. These might include tax tips that align with your specialty, reminders of deadlines, updates about your services, and introductions to your employees.
- Case studies and success stories, showcasing your best work. Post these on your website and social media accounts.
- Local pages on your website. These describe the services you deliver in a particular neighbourhood or area.
Donovan recommends posting around once a week, and using keywords as much as you can, while ensuring they sound natural. The best words to use are those that a prospective client would use when searching for a business like yours. Examples might include “SME accountant in Leeds” or “Accountant for small businesses in Colombo”.
What’s next?
By following all five steps, you’ll likely have a comprehensive digital marketing strategy for your local market. In other sections of the book, Donovan provides useful tips for marketing via LinkedIn, and for optimising, measuring and scaling your digital marketing efforts without burning out.
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