Running an accounting firm means that you understand how important it is to be organized and orderly, especially when it comes to managing customer accounts. However, you still need to find ways to stand out in your area and be found online in the community. Knowing how to optimize your online presence through content strategy is important for small, local businesses like your firm.
Well-crafted content is important in all channels of your digital marketing strategy. As you work on connecting with local audiences, it’s important to work so that your written content is optimized to boost search visibility and foster better customer engagement. Surefire Local can help you with these tips and tricks for creating a local search-optimized content strategy for accountants.
Understanding Local SEO
First, let’s start by defining what we mean by local SEO and why it’s valuable to small businesses, like a local accounting firm. Once you understand what local SEO is, then you can start to develop the strategies you will implement into your digital marketing efforts.
What is Local SEO?
Local SEO, or search engine optimization, is the process of making a business become more visible in local search results. For example, an SEO-optimized business will see increased traffic to its website and improved brand awareness in the community.
The higher your accounting firm website and pages can rank on search engines, the more customers will come across your business. Ranking higher helps you build a better online presence and presence within your local market.
Key Ranking Factors
Having high rankings on search engine result pages depends on a few different factors. There isn’t just one area that you need to optimize; you need to focus on a well-rounded strategy. Some of the key ranking factors to include in your planning include:
- On-page written content
- Backlinks from other sites
- Google Business Profile and online directories
- Social media platforms
- Online reviews and ratings
Local Search-Optimized Content Strategy for Accountants
Clearly, local SEO is important for improving the online reputation of small businesses like your accounting firm. But what is the best way to start optimizing your local search content and developing a strategy that works?
As mentioned above, there isn’t just one method that can deliver the best results. You need to tackle several different channels and approaches in your strategy. We’ve laid out some of the best practices and tips to follow in order to boost your local SEO and increase your visibility in local searches.
Web Content Optimization
Your website is sometimes called the gateway of your online presence. Almost all of your traffic will filter through your website at one point, meaning that it is a key element to the success of your local SEO optimization strategy. Some of the most important factors to consider include:
- Localized Keywords: Pick keywords that are local to your area and incorporate words and phrases your local audience will use, like “accountants in [your city]”, or “accounting firms near me”.
- Content Structure: Create a structure on your website that uses local context, like information pages on each area you serve or local information that is relevant to your audience.
- Meta Tags and Descriptions: Utilize location-based metadata in your meta descriptions and tags in order to improve backend SEO.
- Natural Language and Local Lingo: Write your web content in a way that resonates with local audiences by using their patterns of speech or local linguistic choices.
Blog Localization Strategies
Another area of your website is your business blog. This allows you to regularly post new content that addresses specific questions or targets keywords that are relevant to your local SEO strategy.
- Local-Focused Content: Create blog posts that are centered around local topics or points of interest that your audience will be searching for.
- Local News, Events, and Trends: Integrate local events and trends into the content you publish on your blog to keep it relevant and interesting to your community.
Directory Listings Optimization
A directory is an online guide used to help find businesses in a local area. It will provide detailed information about each business listing, like contact info or the hours of operation. It’s important to select relevant directories in your local area to join that customers trust and that they use to help boost your online presence and local SEO.
You want to make the effort to ensure that your information is consistent across all of your directory listings. Your NAP information, or name, address, and phone number, need to be the same. Any deviations or misspellings can hurt your reputation online and make you look unprofessional.
In addition, an online directory is often where people go to look for customer reviews. People trust the options of others, so making sure you have great reviews in your directories is key to local SEO success. Ask customers to leave reviews and encourage them to share the reviews on as many platforms as possible for the best results.
Google Business Profile Optimization
Of all the online directories, the Google Business Profile is the most important. It’s the one most people will see, so it needs to be filled out completely. Make sure that each section is detailed and filled out with no missing sections or incomplete information.
You need to keep your information here accurate and updated as well, so that there is no confusion as to when you are open or how you can be contacted. Making sure to monitor your details and information on the Google Business Profile is key to success on the most popular search engine for local SEO,
It’s also important to stay active on your Google Business Profile. You can upload photos and videos, respond to questions from customers in the Q&A section, and add comments to reviews to make sure your profile is engaging and active. This helps boost you in the Google algorithm and shows customers that you are active online.
Social Media Localization
Another area to optimize for local content is your social media platforms. Your posts should be tailored to your local audience and crafted to mention the things they like and events that they care about. You should also be involved in community engagement and interact with your followers and other local businesses under your business profile.
Social media can also be used to highlight local events and partnerships that build trust in your business and emphasize your local connections in the community. The more active you are in your profile, the more the social media algorithms will boost your content and increase your standing in local SEO rankings.
Online Advertising Localization
Online advertising is an important part of a well-rounded digital content strategy for accountants. It’s important to remember that your local ad copy can be optimized with local SEO best practices. Start by writing your ads so that they appeal to your local community, and make use of helpful ad extensions to boost local credibility.
Make sure to include a phone number with the area code of your location rather than a general 800 number that might make your business look less than legitimate. That helps you look more authentic in the eyes of your community and showcases to audiences that you are really a part of the area.
Measuring Success
Track the performance of your search-optimized content by monitoring local search results and rankings and checking your website analytics frequently to see if your local SEO content efforts are working.
Analyze engagement and evaluate customer interactions by checking the conversion rates on your website and monitoring improvement after you implement local SEO content optimization tactics. You can then adjust your strategy and tweak your approach based on performance data.
Using Surefire Local for Local Search-Optimized Content Strategy
Local search-optimized content strategy for accountants is a necessary part of optimizing local SEO and improving digital marketing strategies for your small business. These tips will help you boost your visibility in the local community and improve your reputation online.
At Surefire Local, we understand how important local SEO is to small businesses. That’s why we created an all-in-one marketing solution for small businesses with features including:
- Website & Local SEO Optimization: Geo-tagged content for your website, blog, and social media channels.
- Online Review Management: Request and respond to new reviews and analyze brand sentiment.
- Directories Management: Claim and update your online directory listings, including adding new content across multiple platforms.
- Content Marketing: Tools for creating locally targeted content across various channels like your website and blog.
- Social Media Management: Schedule your posts, track engagement with followers, and respond to your comments and DMs.
- Local Online Advertising: Create ads tailored to attract customers within your service areas and local communities.
- Analytics and Reporting: Performance insights and AI-driven recommendations for improvement across your marketing campaigns.
- Educational Resources: Webinars and helpful blog posts for local online marketing insights and education.
To get started with Surefire Local today, click the link and attend a free demo of our platform.