Grow Your Accounting Business Online With WordPress

Accounting professionals today face a number of challenges.

Online Challenges For CPAs

Now, more than ever, accounting organizations must work hard to remain competitive, source new clients, and retain current clientele. Not only do they have to actively participate in the communities and industries their business serves, they must also maintain a strong web presence. This includes having an effective website and learning smarter ways to market your business online.

As well as investing dollars advertising offline on newspapers, ads in industry publications and magazines, radio and television, etc., you will probably find that in order to compete, increasingly larger amounts of their marketing budget will need to be directed towards developing and managing a website that can bring new prospects, engage visitors, outperform the competition in search engines and social media, and help you gain a wider degree of marketing exposure online.

This means that your site not only has to look great, your pages have to be fast-loading, and your website has to be easy to navigate, but it’s also important to keep in mind that the needs of your website may change over time and some areas may need to be updated frequently. This requires the implementation of a sound website and content management strategy.

Another challenge that accountants face with their websites, and all other businesses for that matter, is that your site has an average of thirty seconds to give users what they are searching for or they will look elsewhere.

“Websites have evolved into central information hubs where service information is still present but enhanced with web portals, hyperlinks to state and federal sites, and a variety of free tools.”

Michael Alter, http://www.accountingweb.com/technology/accounting-software/tips-for-improving-your-website

Opportunities For Certified Public Accountants In The Web Economy

As well as facing a number of business and technology changes, there are also many online opportunities available to businesses in the accounting industry that can evolve to meet the demands of the online economy and think progressively when it comes to marketing their business services better online.

This comprehensive article will help you uncover opportunities to drive more traffic and improve your business online.

As well as providing practical tips and information on cost-effective ways to improve your web presence, we also focus on the benefits and advantages of using the WordPress content management system to power your accounting website or blog.

To learn more about the benefits and advantages of using the WordPress Content Management System, see the articles below:

• How A Poorly Built Website Can Cost You Customers
• Learn How To Grow Your Small Business Using WordPress

Useful Tips For Improving Your Accounting Website

Let’s start by reviewing some basics. In this section, we’ll look at ways to improve your website and get better results. We show you what pages an accounting site needs, what type of content works best for accounting websites, layout and navigation structure, etc.

If you need help with website planning, go here: Planning Your Web Site: A Basic Guide For Non-Technical Business Owners

Your Website Pages

All websites need several essential web pages. Let’s take a look at these.

Description Of services And Products

It’s essential to have a page that lists your services and any products that you offer.

It will include all the services you offer, such as:

• Business accounting – planning, formation, accounting, payroll, financial statement compilation, book keeping, financing, forecasting, budgeting, strategic planning, consulting, etc.
• Taxation – preparing, planning, reviewing, auditing, advising, problem resolution
• Investment strategies
• Corporate finance
• Wealth creation
• Superannuation/retirement plan (401k) advice
• Audit risk assessment and assurance
• Quickbooks – setup, training, tune up, and support
• Specialist services – mergers, acquisitions, information technology, secretarial, rentals, trusts, fiduciary accounting, succession planning, selling businesses, asset transfers, etc.
• Lending and leasing

Make sure to list all of the services you provide. Provide your visitors with information that will educate them about the benefits of using your services and direct them to your contact or appointment booking page.

About Us

This page should give a description of your business and explain to visitors what it stands for, its unique approach, philanthropical programs, etc.

Remember to mention any awards, recognitions, certifications, accreditations, associations, publications, etc., that you can use to promote your company and position it above the competition.

(List all of your awards recognitions, accreditations, certifications, publications, associations, etc. in the About page. Screenshot image source: deloitte.com)

Your Staff

If you are searching for quicker and easier ideas to grow your business online, then make it easier for your prospective clients to get to know you and your business better.

Prospects need to relate to your business. A great way to do that is to have a page that introduces your staff or team members. This page should include a photo and a brief biography. Since most visitors will not tend to be familiar with accounting terms it should tell who they are and what their specialties are. It should also explain what those specialties mean. It should also include social buttons that will allow your visitors to follow individual team members on their social pages.

In this page, don’t be afraid to show the human side of your team members with personal stories, hobbies, etc., but make sure to outline each employee’s experience, why they are an invaluable asset to your team, and more importantly, how they will help add value to your clients’ business.

(Add an employee description page. Screenshot source: deepsky.com)

We have created a detailed tutorial on how to add a list directory of employees or team members in your web site using a free WordPress plugin here: Step-By-Step Tutorial: How To Easily Add A Staff List Directory In WordPress

Job Opportunities Page

List any career opportunities within your firm. It should include training offered, benefits, professional development, etc. You should also include stories of trainees who have risen within your organization and information about new career opportunities in the accounting and financial services industry.

Include also a positions available section in this page. If there are no positions currently available, consider inviting people to return periodically to this page, join your contact list, follow your social pages, etc.

Testimonials And Case Studies

Testimonials and case studies are a great way to show prospective clients the benefits of doing business with your firm. By adding a page with testimonials from past clients and case studies, you are also helping to will also be providing social proof online.

(Add a page to your site with testimonials from past clients and case studies. Image sourced from: pcg-services.com)

We have created a comprehensive article on using testimonials, case studies and client reviews to grow your business online. For more details: How To Create Better Results Online Using Effective Customer Testimonials

Contact Us Page

A contact page is absolutely necessary.

It should include the following information:

• Name Of Your Organization
• Physical address
• Phone
• Facsimile
• Email
• Google Map and directions
• Website URL
• Contact form
• Contact name
• Links to social media profiles
• Online chat

If your business services different locations you want to make this clear when showing the address and contact information.

You could also include links to an FAQ section, useful pages, special offers, support area, newsletter opt-in form, blog, etc.

Add A Blog Section

A blog is a very powerful marketing tool for your business. Most blogging platforms are built around a content management system that is simple to use and allows you to easily promote your business by publishing content like announcements, company updates, educational articles, opinions on current topics, videos, webinars, etc.

If you already have an established site, then consider adding a WordPress-driven blog to promote your organization.

If you don’t have a website yet, or your existing accounting website is hard to keep updated or not delivering you the results you want, then WordPress can serve as both your business website and your blog.

Very few businesses know that an expertly configured WordPress site can turn your web presence into an automated traffic-generation machine that can begin to attract targeted traffic to your website, simply by adding new content to your website on a regular basis.

(WordPress can automate your traffic generation)

Go here to learn more: Web Traffic Blueprint – Learn How To Automatically Increase Your Web Visitors For Your Business

Legal Info Pages

It’s crucial for professional organizations to ensure they have a website that complies will all legal requirements online, not just for building trust with prospective clients, but also to ensure that you are not breaching any laws or regulations in whatever location you service.

Depending on the products and services you provide, adding the legal pages below to your website will help keep you out of legal hot water with most regulatory authorities, third-party service providers (e.g. Google), and other potential sources of threats and legal inconveniences:

• Contact Us
• Privacy Policy
• Terms Of Use
• Website Disclaimer
• Affiliate Agreement
• Anti-Spam Policy
• Compensation Disclosure
• DMCA Notice
• Earnings Disclaimer
• External Linking Policy
• Health/Financial Disclaimers
• Refund Policy
• Video/Audio Terms
• and others

We have written a detailed article on adding legal pages to your site here: Why You Need To Add Legal Pages To Your Site

Improving The Content On Your Website

In today’s globally competitive economy, content generosity has become one of the key business differentiators.

You want to provide great content with information and tips that will get your visitors sharing your content online and coming back for more information. Using content is the most effective way to inform and educate site visitors and prospects about your business and about doing business with your organization.

For example, for an accounting or financial services business, topics could cover the following:

• Explanations of balance sheets
• Understanding profit & loss statements
• Duties and legal responsibilities of company directors
• Presenting accounts for non-profit activities
• Business cashflow planning tips
• Business insurance
• Protecting revenues
• Structuring your self-managed retirement fund
• Things to look for when … (e.g. purchasing insurance, claiming business expenses, etc.)

You can also create a series of educational articles that will help your your readers gain a better understanding of your accounting or financial services, such as finance accounting, business accounting, business budgeting, reducing debt, understanding financial concepts, etc.

Remember to use the same keywords and terminology in your content that prospective clients will be searching for.

We recommend subscribing to our Content Marketing Email Training Series. You will receive regular training emails with easy-to-digest information and practical tips that will teach you how to drive more traffic to your website, save money creating useful content that will add value to your visitors and grow your business online using content marketing strategies. It’s not only a great course with loads of useful information, it’s also 100% FREE!

Ways To Improve Visitor Engagement And User Experience

Improving your website’s user experience (often referred to as UX) will help keep visitors coming back and using your site. This section will show you different ways to improve your visitor engagement and UX.

Syndicate Content With RSS Feeds

RSS feeds can help to improve your visitor engagement and UX in many ways.

If you provide information that adds value to others, other businesses may want to syndicate your content.

Some of the benefits of having other businesses syndicate your content, include:

• All of your updates are kept in one place
• Content distribution doesn’t rely on email
• Feeds can be shared
• Users can subscribe to your RSS feed
• An RSS feed provides a way for links to point back to your site
• Feeds can be submitted to RSS directories
• RSS provides various ways for your readers to receive your content (e.g. users can read your content on their mobile device using feed readers)
• It’s built into WordPress

There are also a number of benefits to adding syndicated content to your site from other websites, such as the fact that you don’t have to write, manage or update the content.

You can find RSS feeds with loads of useful content by searching online for relevant government departments and industry bodies.

Here are a few RSS feeds you may want to add to your accounting website:

• Taxation Policy Center: http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/press/rss.cfm
• Australian Taxation Office: https://www.ato.gov.au/RSS-news-feeds.aspx
• Canada Revenue Agency: http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/rssfeeds/
• UK HM Revenue and Customs: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/rss/rss.htm
• South Africa Revenue Service: http://www.sars.gov.za/Pages/RSS-Feeds.aspx

(Adding RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds can help to improve your website’s user experience.)

Adding Online Forms & Checklists

Adding checklists and forms to your site is a fantastic way to help increase user engagement, add value to your readers and provide something unique. They can provide visitors with useful step-by-step instructions and resources to complete tasks. Checklists and forms can also be great business planning tools.

You can provide a range of forms and checklists covering subjects such as:

• How To Set Up A Company
• Rental Property Worksheet
• Fundraising Governance Checklist
• Disclosure Checklists
• Partnership Tax Checklist
• Self Managed Super Fund Tax Checklist
• Income Tax Variation Forms

Unique Tools

Providing useful online tools and applications for businesses (or links to these tools) on your website can help increase visitor engagement and add significant value to your target audience. Calculators, such as loan and tax calculators, are popular tools for accounting websites. Other tools can include time cards, and retirement and interest calculators.

In the next section, we will be discussing a several online tools you can use in your site using WordPress plugins that can help to improve your search engine optimization, improve user engagement and drive more traffic to your business.

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This is the end of part 1.

To view the rest of this article, click here:

• How To Grow Your Accounting Website Successfully With WordPress – Part 2

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