june2022 - 25

FEATURE
Why CPA Firms Need a Top-Notch Website
By Mary Girsch-Bock
HOW DO YOUR potential clients reach you? Does your firm rely
on referrals or word of mouth? Do you attend tradeshows and
participate in community events to meet potential clients?
While all of those are valid ways
to attract new business and grow
your firm, one of the best ways to
reach prospects is to have a topnotch
website.
In today's world, where everything
and anything can be found on the
internet, even if your current clients
are talking up your firm to their
friends and colleagues, chances are
that before those prospects shoot you
an email or pick up the phone, they'll
go online to research your firm. Is your
website ready for that?
Today, like most businesses,
accounting firms have a functioning
website. But to provide optimal
benefits to your firm, your website
must do more than just provide basic
information to your potential clients.
It should also give them a reason
to engage with your firm in some
manner. If your current website has
many or most of the following features,
great. If not, it might be time
for an upgrade.
FAST LOAD TIMES
In this age of instant gratification,
few people today have the patience
to wait for anything. Right or wrong,
if your site is slow to load, website
visitors won't stick around. Although
it's important to drive people to your
website, it's even more important to
keep them there. And the first step is
having a fast-loading page, otherwise,
they'll simply go elsewhere.
MOBILE COMPATIBILITY
Does your website look as good on
an iPhone or tablet as it does on a
desktop? If not, it's time to reconfigure
your site to get it looking just as
good on mobile devices as it does on
a desktop computer, since it's likely
that most prospects will be using their
cellphone or other mobile device to
access the site for the first time.
A CLEAR CALL TO ACTION
Yes, it's important to talk about your
firm, but telling people that your
firm handles tax returns does little
to compel someone to contact your
firm. Providing prospects with a clear
call to action can help convert that
prospect into a paying client. These
are some calls to action you may want
to include on your website, depending
on your firm.
* Are you paying too much in taxes?
Find out today!
* Book a free consultation today!
* Ready to lower your taxes?
* Need someone to handle your books?
We can help!
Depending on your business, you
can make the call of action relevant to
your current business model.
TARGETED MESSAGING
Define your target audience and target
your message to suit them. If your
specialty is small businesses, target
your message towards small business
owners. Likewise, if your firm specializes
in preparing tax returns, be sure
that this information is plainly stated
on your website. And if you specialize
in business returns, be sure to include
that information as well.
By targeting your messages to
your core audience, you'll be able to
reach those who are in need of your
services. For example, if you specialize
in nonprofit accounting, make sure
that the messaging on your website
is geared specifically to your target
audience: nonprofit organizations.
FREE DOWNLOADS
To further engage those who have
landed on your homepage, offer
them something free in exchange for
their email address. This helps you
increase your prospect list and can
build a sense of loyalty in those who
receive those free items. Whether it's a
calendar, tax forms, or a short e-book,
make sure that your website offers
both current and potential clients
something for free.
A 'CONTACT US' PAGE
You've provided prospects with a
good reason to contact your firm.
Now, make sure that you make the
contact process easy, starting with
displaying your phone number and/
or email address in a easily accessible
location. Don't just provide a phone
number - include an email address
as well, since many people prefer this
line of communication when inquiring
about available services. If you make
it difficult for prospective clients to
contact you, they'll likely just move
on to the next firm.
CLIENT REVIEWS AND
TESTIMONIALS
If your clients love your firm and the
work you do, make sure that potential
clients know about it. Have a testimonial
page where satisfied clients can
review and rate their experiences with
your firm. A good review can be the
deciding factor in whether to engage
with a business. And if you do offer
testimonials, be sure to address any
negative comments on the forum as
well. A negative opinion on its own
will likely not sway a prospect from
contacting you, but failing to address
the comment will.
A website is a valuable part of your
firm and can contribute towards your
success. Make sure it's the best that
it can be. ■
Mary Girsch-Bock began her career as an
accountant and later made the switch to
writing full time, concentrating on software
reviews. A former QuickBooks beta
tester, Girsch-Bock currently specializes
in business and technology with
a focus on small businesses. Her
work has appeared in The Motley
Fool, The Blueprint, Property
Manager.com and she currently
writes a monthly business and
technology-related blog for PLANERGY, a
Procure-to-Pay platform designed for midmarket
organizations.
JUNE 2022 ■ www.CPAPracticeAdvisor.com
25
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june2022

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