How SEO works for accounting firms

How bookkeepers, CPAs and accounting firms can get clients online with SEO.

SEO is not that different to accounting.

SEO is the one area of digital marketing that’s most like accounting. There’s a steep learning curve, a lot of people think they can do it themselves, the right software makes a difference, and the ‘authority’ (Google, ATO, IRS, HMRC, etc) is always making amendments that keep you on your toes.

Accountants looking for ROI on their internet marketing spend need to look no further than local SEO. As an accounting firm, CPA or bookkeeper, search engine optimization has to be the best long-term investment you can make. With the right SEO agency, particularly one that specializes in working with accountants, your firm should be able to list at the top of the rankings in local organic search results and start generating new client leads and calls for your firm.

Get clients online with experts.

MITCO Digital is a boutique digital marketing agency that specializes in SEO and other online marketing for accounting firms. We understand the language, the audiences and most importantly, how to generate the results you’re after.

How SEO works.

Let’s start at the beginning. When somebody types into Google, ‘business accountant Melbourne’ (for example), in a split second Google checks its index (database) and displays websites that match that search query as closely as possible. The order in which it displays those results however is based on many, many factors – a closely guarded secret by the Google team.

There are numerous factors though that can influence how your site ranks. Putting it simply, Google will display sites that, over time, it has learnt are reliable sources of information, trustworthy, safe to visit and have original content. Their objective at the end of the day is to return the best search results to satisfy the query.

This is where SEO comes in. Using SEO tools and years of acquired skills and training, an agency like ours will audit the domain of your accounting business and produce a report of technical errors that negatively impact the way Google perceives your site. We’ll also analyse the keywords your business should be ranking for, develop a list and then create a content strategy to ensure that your site has those keywords on in, in a way that pleases Google. This, amongst a bunch of other SEO tactics, results in your site ranking higher over time (usually a minimum of 6 months) and you attracting more potential clients.

The right SEO strategy is key.

Success in SEO isn’t overnight so choosing the right strategy (and agency) upfront is important.

There are a number of factors to consider:

How competitive your local industry is. The more competition in your region the harder is can be to get your accounting firm’s page in front of others.
The number of technical errors on your domain.
How fast your site loads and becomes interactive, especially on mobile.
Whether your site is build ‘mobile first’. Google looks at how responsive and user friendly your site is on a mobile device. This now weighs more heavily than the experience on desktop.
How old your domain is. Sometimes it’s easier to rank higher if you have a domain that’s been around a lot longer.
How secure your site is.
How ‘rich’ your site currently is. If you currently only have a 1 page website it’s going to take longer to add relevant content.
URL structure, meta tags, title tags, headings and other common technical mistakes.

SEO is only 1 side of the coin.

So, you’re attracting visitors to your site, now what?

Having a fast, optimized accounting website that people are finding on Google is only the first step. Your website needs to fulfil your commercial goals. For bookkeepers, tax practitioners, CPAs and accounting professionals, that goal is usually generating new business leads. You want people to find you in search results, and then actually contact you via a call, email or filling out a form.

There are marketing strategies to help get that done. One of our clients in Melbourne does this very well and generates more than 20 leads per month, purely from organic visits.

1 month organic traffic to a local accounting firm’s site in Melbourne. 972 organic visitors with 24 conversions in one month.

How much does SEO cost an accounting firm?

Accountants could expect to pay anywhere from as little as US $650 to over $3,000 per month for SEO services. The cost can depend on the agency, the complexity of the work involved, the timelines, goals and the expertise on offer. Whatever you pay, your accounting firm should expect to see a strong ROI on SEO in the mid-long term. You’ll have an idea of how long a client stays with your firm on average and the lifetime value of that client.

How many leads does your business need per month to start seeing a good return on SEO?

How do I choose the right SEO agency?

Many SEO skills are transferable across industries. What’s not always transferable is the ability to understand the client, the industry, the audience you’re targeting and the specific language used in your industry.

It’s important to choose an SEO agency that not only has the right expertise but can transfer those skills well and generate strong results with your audience.

MITCO Digital is a digital marketing agency that specializes in primarily serving accounting, bookkeeping and tax professionals. The agency is run by 2 directors who grew up in accounting households, both studied accounting, worked in an accounting firm and have a good understanding of accounting activities, the language used as well as the client base.

Our goal is to deliver strong, measurable ROI to our accounting clients. Book a free consultation with us and see how we can help you generate more calls and leads online with SEO.

Get more clients with online marketing

We exist to help accountants grow their businesses and annual revenue, by leveraging the real power of digital marketing.

Why would you waste money and time on strategies that don’t work and agencies that don’t understand your industry?

We know accounting. We understand your prospects. Most importantly we know what works for accountants.