Website Builders for Accountants
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What is a website builder?
About 15-25 years ago, building a website required a lot of coding and work. Now, there are much easier solutions and some can have your website up in a few days. As the internet exploded, many industry specific website developers emerged to make the process easier (websites for law firms, dentists, veterinarians, accountants, etc.). Today, you can have websites developed around the specific type of accounting firm that you want to build in a turn key fashion, obtain integrated accounting practice tools along with marketing services too.
Most accounting firms hire a website builder to create a website without needing to know coding or programming of any kind. Similar to your cell phone plan, most accounting website builders provide this service with virtually no upfront investment (many provide 30-60 free trials) with the expectation that if you are satisfied, you continue to subscribe to their website service.
All of the accounting website builders offer packages so you can self-select what additional services are part of their service plans like secure file transfer, email newsletters, calendar appointments/video calls and online payment processing.
Some of the accounting website builders come with pre-designed templates to make the process easy and quick. Other accounting website builders encourage you to pick a website design (layout) and then customize the graphics, images, logo, video, sliders and content around the type of practice that you have. While the pre-designed templates are quicker, a customized website will make a bigger impression on your prospects and clients.
Why do accountants and tax professionals need a website?
A well designed website creates the right impression of your firm and acts as a digital storefront bringing new prospects to your front doorstep. In many cases, the website generates more new business than the annual cost such that it generates a positive ROI.
The tools that accounting website providers bundle into the service plan enable you to avoid separate subscriptions for secure file transfer, email newsletters, payment processing and calendar/video scheduling.
A well designed website can elevate your visibility within the search engines (aka - search engine optimization). Some accounting website providers charge extra for SEO because it takes extra time to incorporate into your website (especially the DIY website template providers). Build Your Firm has never charged extra for SEO. To us, all accounting business owners should want SEO at no extra charge.
For accounting firms generating less than $3-5m in sales, I would highly recommend ordering a website from an accounting website builder rather than investing in Wix, WordPress or Squarespace websites.
The WordPress options have inherent safety and reliability issues. The Wix templates are limited. And Squarespace options are expensive. And each of these website platforms do not provide accounting website tools bundled into the package. These website options are for the larger accounting firm with 30+ employees and a more mature stage.
Web design for accountants
In business, first impressions last well beyond that moment. This is thanks to the primacy effect, which is a cognitive bias and refers to an individual's tendency to better remember the first piece of information over later pieces of information.
Often, an accountant's website is the first impression because people look online to obtain information and shop for facts about your firm. A well designed website helps build trust and confidence that your accounting firm is the right choice for their accounting and tax needs. Conversely, a poorly designed website will push away prospects, can hurt your local reputation and make staffing more challenging (young staffers want to work at a top ranked and respected firm, not a luddite).
As consumers of products and services, we all see this when we walk into a well designed retail store, coffee shop, restaurant and/or hotel. In retail, walking into a Victoria Secret, Lululemon or Apple Store makes a lasting impression. In the coffee business, walking into a Starbucks is different from a Dunkin' Donuts. Heck, even the bathrooms within a restaurant communicate a lasting impression.
Your accounting website should paint a crystal clear picture of who your firm wants to attract. It should also dissuade prospects from contacting you that don't fit your target audience. In other words, don't try to be all things to all people.
Real examples of websites that create the right first impression
CPA Firm - Small Sized - Less than 10 Staff
CPA Firm - Medium Sized - 10-20 Staff
CPA Firm - Medium Sized - 10-20 Staff
Tax Attorney - Tax Controversy
Canadian CPA and Chartered Accountant
Forensic Accounting - Litigation Support
SEO Websites for accounting, tax and CPA firms
A website is an essential marketing tool for all types of accounting practices. Not only should it pull qualified prospects to your firm, it should also deter prospects who are looking for services that you don't provide (e.g., simple 1040's, tax controversy, trust work, non-profit, tire kickers, etc.).
Search Engine Optimized for accounting websites
Search engine optimization (SEO) makes your website more visible and easier to locate in Google, Yahoo, Bing and Duck Duck Go. By optimizing your website for search engines, your website will be listed higher in the search engines (SERPs) and you will generate higher levels of website traffic, which translates to a higher number of inquiries or leads.
Before selecting a website design, you need to understand that some template based website providers offer the convenience of speed (website development process is quick) but this need for speed comes at the expense of search engine optimization. If SEO is an important part of your strategy, then avoid the template driven website developers. Some website designers incorporate SEO into their website development process and others charge extra.
Reputation management for accountants
Online reviews in Google and Yelp are critical to your local reputation, SEO, and lead generation. In today's online world, prospects look online as part of their due diligence and see what others are saying about your firm, star rating, and what local awards you've won (e.g., Clutch, Expertise, Top 3, Kev's Best, etc.).
Although we all hate asking clients for online reviews, the reality is that your reputation directly impacts your firm reputation, which in turn impacts SEO, lead generation and your ability to attract staff and charge fees that you deserve. Reputation matters.
If you are in need to boosting your online reputation, Build Your Firm integrates reputation management into their Content Marketing in a Box so you can scale up your online reviews. Elsewhere, there are stand alone vendors that are worth considering like Birdeye.
Local listings management
The internet relies upon a local search ecosystem for information ranging from office addresses, hours of operation, firm name, phone numbers and basic firm information. Accurate information for your business within local listings is critical for SEO. Simple little inconsistencies within your local listing information have a negative impact upon your SEO and website visibility. With each inconsistency, Google loses confidence in your firm and lowers your organic visibility. Even small firm name changes, phone number changes, or moving your office locations need to be updated across hundreds of websites so the major search engines are confident to recommend your business.
If you are a do-it-yourselfer, then we recommend Moz Local and/or BrightLocal. If you want this done properly and done for you, Build Your Firm provides this as part of the Content Marketing in a Box service. Other accounting website builders do NOT provide this service, which limits your SEO.
Social Media Marketing
Social media is a huge opportunity for the small accounting firms to show some personality. Everything from blogging, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and your own podcast provide outlets to shine, improve website visibility and create a lasting impression why your firm is uniquely suited to address their needs.
If you want to outsource this, Build Your Firm provides a solution posting articles onto your own blog, Facebook, and LinkedIn. To complement this, they also provide video marketing each month on topics for small business owners. This service is Content Marketing in a Box which is done for you. Nobody within the accounting space provides a comparable marketing service.
If your growth goals are higher than the Content Marketing in a Box service, Build Your Firm also offers the Outsourced Marketing Program which is customized around your practice and skill set.
Customer support for accounting websites
When selecting a website builder, it is important to consider the level of customer support for the website and the tools that support the website. In other words, will they answer their phones during tax season and understand the sense of urgency to resolve a file transfer issue or payment issue? Do they charge extra for changes to the About Us page when your staff changes? Are they owned by an accountant that understands the seasonal demands during tax season, extension season, and other key deadlines? Are they owned by a private equity firm covering many industries from medical, dental, lawyers and accounting? Or a website template tiger that supports all industries like Wix or Squarespace?
There are two website builders that excel at customer support, Build Your Firm and Drake (taxPRO).
Website Tools
Accounting website providers package in (no extra cost) a variety of tools which are key to operating your accounting practice efficiently:
- secure file transfer
- automated email newsletter tool
- automated payment tools (QuickBooks Merchant, PayPal, CPA Charge, etc.)
For accounting firms wishing to avoid merchant fees for credit card processing and push more clients toward echeck, then BizPayO should be a consideration. Build Your Firm's website service enables accountants to avoid credit card processing fees (3%), and push clients to pay by echeck. Although this sounds small, many accounting firms pay $10,000 or more per year in merchant fees which more than covers the price of any Build Your Firm website.
