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• Juvo • February 13, 2017
Understanding How People Find Accountants

As a business owner, one of the keys to succeeding in the increasingly competitive Irish financial services industry is understanding how customers find your business.  While traditional methods of promotion like referrals, networking and word of mouth are still invaluable to your business, increasingly prospective customers are looking to the internet to research financial service providers before they pick up the phone or visit your business.

The digital age has opened up unprecedented opportunities for Irish accountancy firms and with the right team, digital marketing can add up to a great investment for accountants. From organic searches on Google and Bing to Facebook ads and social media activity, there are an endless number of promotional avenues your business can utilize to be seen by prospective clients.

But first here’s the top 3 ways customers find your business online:

1.) Organic search

Organic searches occur when someone types in a keyword or phrase into a search engine like Google or Bing. The search results generated appear because of their relevance to search terms, as opposed to paid advertisements. 60% of consumers start their research on a search engine before heading to a specific website. This means that getting your business on the first page of a Google search for Irish accounting firms should be a key target for your digital marketing strategy.

To achieve this, you’ll need to employ some Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) techniques. One relatively easy and inexpensive way to boost your company’s SEO is by creating a company blog. Blogging regularly (ideally once a week) will help drive traffic to your website and attract prospective clients. Blogging will also help enrich relationships with potential and existing clients, establish your business as an industry leader and create new business opportunities.

2.) Pay Per Click Advertising

Pay Per Click advertising (PPC) – is an internet advertising model used to direct traffic to websites, for which the advertiser only pays the publisher when the ad is clicked. It’s one of the fastest ways to draw potential customers to your website however it can be risky if not executed properly. Making the most out of the traffic PPC advertising directs to your page requires some digital marketing expertise to make sure you convert as many leads as possible.

For example, relying too much on broad match keyword ads may result in sacrificing relevance for reach. Broad match keyword ads are displayed whenever all or part of your target keyword phrase is searched for, meaning that a financial services firm targeting the phrase “insolvency accountants” may appear in searches “reasons for insolvency” and “forensic accounting.” In these cases, you may be wasting your digital marketing budget on irrelevant searches. Setting your ads to exact match may decrease your traffic potential but help ensure your ads appear for the search queries most relevant to your business.

3.) Social Media Activity

According to a recent survey by CPA Trendlines, 80% of potential professional service clients use social media to research firms, making it more important than ever to maintain an active and engaging social media presence. However, for a professional services firm, not all social media channels will be appropriate. LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Google+ have a more professional tone than some other platforms and are typically the best fit for an Irish financial services firm.

Aside from helping potential customers find your business, social media is a useful tool for researching and staying up to date with developments in the financial services industry. For example, LinkedIn groups like Accountancy & Finance Professionals (AAFP) of Ireland are great for sharing industry relevant news between finance professionals in Ireland.
Despite all these new and exciting opportunities to reach prospective customers, accountancy firms have been slow to adopt digital technologies for marketing and sales. In a survey conducted by Thomas Reuters and the Association for Accounting Marketing, 63% of CPA firms surveyed stated that their websites are one of the least effective tactics for lead generation. As a result, 60% of the surveyed firms don’t possess the tools or technology to convert website visitors into leads.

But the good news is, Juvo are experts at converting those website visitors into leads. At Juvo we keep it simple. We focus on optimising your digital marketing strategy and delivering you a return on your investment you can be proud of, allowing you to get on with running your business. As a full-service digital marketing agency, Juvo offers a range of services including SEO, PPC advertising, social media marketing, website development and graphic design. We combine our years of industry experience in digital marketing with technical expertise to ensure the right people find your business. Still not convinced? Why not check out some of our clients, like BCK Accountancy Firm and see for yourself.

If you need help getting your business found online, our team has the skills and experience to help you along your digital journey. Contact us today on 01 568 6237 or email chris@juvo.ie.

Want to have a chat about your project? Juvo specialises in web design, web development and content creation. All you have to do is send us a message or call (+353) 1 568 6237 to talk with us today.

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