If you are an accountant, run an accountancy business, or are responsible for the marketing activities of an accountancy company, are you making the most of all the marketing strategies that are open to you?
We often find that when we consult with accountancy businesses that they may be trying one or two marketing methods but did not realize that were several more ways they could bring potential clients to their website.
The other scenario is that they knew of them, but just did not know how to take advantage of them, that is, until they asked us to do it for them.
So, if your accountancy business wants to expand, attract new clients and become the number one accountancy service in your area, here are some effective marketing strategies you should implement, and if you need any assistance in doing so, our agency is happy to help you.
Digital Marketing Strategies: Pay Per Click Advertising (PPC)
This is a marketing strategy that scares many accountancy businesses, and it is understandable. It is understandable because they, and we, have heard so many horror stories of companies spending and wasting thousands of dollars on paid advertising, and getting little in return.
The reason for that is that they started using PPC advertising with no prior research, planning or monitoring. That is a recipe for disaster, and it does not have to be that way. If you seek a consultant or agency who are experts in PPC, they can create a campaign for you that is going to get you results.
What that will mean is proper keyword research, so that you are targeting the correct ones and those which are going to be the most cost-effective. That means not necessarily targeting the most popular keywords, given that they can be expensive.
Instead, they may suggest targeting a number of lower traffic keywords, but as there is less competition for them, you are likely to get more people clicking on your ad and be paying less for those clicks.
Also, remember that PPC results happen almost immediately so you could have visitors to your accountancy website, and potential client leads, within hours of the campaign going live.
Enhanced Website Design
First impressions mean a lot, and in businesses such as accountancy, any potential clients want to know that they are dealing with professionals. If the first thing they see when they visit your website gives the impression that you have low standards, then it will not be surprising if they look elsewhere.
Also, you could otherwise be doing a fantastic job with all your marketing strategies and campaigns, but if the final destination for all the traffic they generate is a website that is the equivalent of a dollar store, then it will all be in done in vain.
It could be that your website just needs a bit of a makeover to make information easier to find, but it could also be the case that completely new website design is the answer.
This should not be seen as a cost, because whatever you invest in your new website design will be more than repaid when you see the huge uplift in inquiries and new accounting clients as a result.
A new website design could also be an opportunity to rebrand or enhance your accountancy business’s branding. Branding places a large role in building client relationships and loyalty, which are both priceless when it comes to retaining clients.
Digital Marketing Strategies & Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
Whether we are looking at your existing website, a redesigned one, or a completely new website, if your accountancy business has recently been created, one of the major marketing strategies should be for it to rank highly on Google and other search engines
There are many ways this can be achieved and almost all of them fall under the umbrella of search engine optimization or SEO. SEO is not a quick fix, and it is something that takes an investment of time and money in order for it to be done effectively.
However, when it starts to work, and you start to see the increased traffic from local residents searching for the keywords that your SEO campaign has targeted, it is a fantastic feeling.
As you start to rank higher, bear in mind, that means your competition is being pushed down the search results, assuming they have done to boost their own ranking. It also means that those searching online for local accountants, are finding you first, rather than other local accountancy websites.
If you want to find out how we can help your accountancy business’s website rank on the first page of Google, and potentially in the number 1 position for specific keywords, get in touch at SEO and we will discuss how we can do it.
Content Marketing
Whether you decide to proceed with an SEO plan or not, one thing that you will need either way, is a content marketing strategy. This is incredibly important both in terms of generating traffic to your accountancy website, and for visitors arriving on your website.
Quality content gets noticed by Google, and this can help boost your rankings, as will links to your website, created by other businesses who might want to send their visitors to read, watch or listen to the great content you have.
As for those who land on your website, the better the content with regards to giving them information, ideas, and insights about accountancy in general, and your accountancy firm in particular, the greater the chances of them remaining, and even signing up to become a client.
While creating content might at first seem relatively simple, to maximize its impact, you need a proper content marketing strategy. This will allow you to plan, target, create, manage, and assess your content. If you need information on content marketing strategies, or want us to create one for you, please get in touch.
Social Media
To many, social media might just seem like something the ‘young ones’ have fun with, or it is there so you can post funny pics for your friends and family to have a laugh at. Whilst those two things are certainly what many use social media for, as an accountancy business, social media can offer you many marketing advantages.
For a start it is a fantastic source of new clients, as your presence on multiple social media platforms can put you in front of potential local audiences that might not have otherwise known your accountancy firm exists.
Social media is a great way to give lots of excellent information about your business, but in ways that are easily digested by those seeing it. Images, short videos, even funny memes, can also help to build your relationship with potential clients.
There is also the chance that if you create a piece of content for social media that is particularly good, it can be shared by those who see it. If that goes viral in any way, then you could find yourself receiving more inquiries than you ever thought possible from just one social media post.
Email Marketing
One of the biggest myths you are likely to hear relating to online business is that email marketing is dead. You are most likely to hear from those you have tried it, but did it so badly, they saw no results.
The truth is email marketing is still one of the most effective marketing tools online, and that applies as much to accountancy businesses, as it does any other.
Effective email marketing allows you to communicate with your existing and potential clients, on a regular basis. Over time, those emails should contain a mixture of useful information, updates and news, special offers that you might be a promotion with regards to your accountancy services, and even some free offers, where you might provide a small service at no cost.
All of these can help to cement the relationship you have with existing clients, so that helps you to retain them. More importantly, it builds the relationship you have with those who may not yet become one of your clients. The point is, when they do, it will be partly due to the emails you have been sending them.
Digital Marketing Strategies: Reputation Management
This is an extremely underused marketing strategy and one which many accountancy firms barely understand. The reason it can have such a huge impact is that surveys show that when online customers search for a product or service online, it it’s not the highest-ranked website on Google or the business with the best deals that they gravitate towards.
Instead, it is the one which has the best reviews from previous customers, and that should alert you to the fact that if your online reputation has not been managed thus far, then you need to start doing so immediately. This involves having the means for your clients to leave reviews, and also that you follow up and respond to all reviews.
That especially applies when you receive a bad review, which instead of being something that can harm your business, can actually be turned to your advantage.
Taking full responsibility for a bad experience or something going wrong and reaching out to that client and asking how things could be improved has seen many a one-star review, turned into a five-star review.