As a greater percentage of the population moves online it becomes increasingly more important that accounting practices pay attention to their ‘digital presence’. Clients and potential clients will make immediate judgement calls about an accounting practice based on appearance, content, navigability and crispness of page loads of a practice website.

Most firms will have their website focus on the services offered by the firm such as tax, accounting and audit but potential clients will show up at your website already having a pretty good idea about the services offered by an accounting firm. Instead of focusing on the what, focus on the how and for whom. Remember the old saying ‘what’s in it for me?’

So if it is not about your practice then it has to be about your client and this means having really good knowledge about your target market so that you can demonstrate that you have specific solutions for their concerns and requirements. If you have specific knowledge about some particular facet of the financial requirements of your target market, write about it and try to include knowledge that will be recognised as expert as this automatically will put you in a position of authority.

It pays to be very specific & very precise with the target markets that you select, less is generally better. Don’t be afraid that by narrowing your focus, you’ll end up with less new clients coming via your website. Accounting websites that have a wide focus are as common as stars in the sky. By narrowing your focus you can also ensure that your keywords are dense enough that your website will light up like a flare and attract the attention of the search engines.

Use your website to connect with your target market on current issues. Create & incorporate regular content that focuses on the problems that your target market may be facing as well as demonstrate your ability to help with resolving those problems. Find opportunities to write for the industry publications that are used by your target market, write blogs, use Twitter and Facebook and create a name for your firm as an expert and trusted advisor for your target market. Use your website as a platform for projecting your expert advisory service into your target market.

Create a visual message around your content to highlight your unique position as a service provider to your particular target market. The graphics and design layout of your site will create the initial impression on your website visitors even before they’ve read a word of your content.  The look and feel of your site is the equivalent of how you dress so make sure you put some serious thought into the image that you’re attempting to project.

Be sure to keep your website current. Nothing projects business staleness like a site that has fallen fallow. If you’re blogging, make sure your blog is updated regularly and if you’re adding your newsletters be sure to have systems in place that get the newsletters linked.

Use these tips to create a website that keeps current clients informed and brings new clients through the door on a regular basis.