Advertising your accounting firm online can be challenging with the amount of competition that’s currently out there. But getting seen by potential clients and convincing them to click through to your website is key to driving quality leads and growing your business.
Display ads are one effective way to reach new audiences who may not be aware of your services in their area or who are looking for an accountant near them. Here are some tips to optimize display ads for your accounting business and where to get help streamlining your marketing initiatives.
What Are Display Ads In Search Engine Marketing?
Display ads are one of the oldest forms of digital marketing and are used by nearly every brand to advertise goods and services across the web. These are graphic advertisements that combine media and text to create banners, infographics, animations, and other visual ads.
Clicking on these ads will take a user to a landing page where they can continue to be educated and nurtured throughout the buyer’s journey. This could be a squeeze page, a microsite, or a specific page on a larger website depending on your specific goals.
Different Types Of Display Ads Accountants Can Use
There are several different types of display ads that accountants can use to boost their brand’s local visibility across the web, including:
- Banner ads. A banner ad is a static image or dynamic display ad that is usually rectangular in shape and situated at the top, bottom, or sides of a webpage.
- Video ads. These use a GIF or a video without sound embedded inside a banner or other type of display ad to attract attention and entice users to click.
- Infographics. An infographic is a visual chart, diagram, or other graphic representation that is used to put key information and relevant data into a visually appealing and easy-to-follow format.
- Interactive ads. Interactive ads are displays that allow users to participate in an activity within the ad itself before clicking through to the advertiser’s website. A good example of these are game ads that allow users to click or drag objects as though they were playing the game.
- Native ads. Native ads are designed to match the format of the content they appear next to. They’re meant to blend in with the page design, which helps them look more organic and “native” to the website they’re on.
- Expanding ads. An expanding ad is a traditional banner or square display ad that appears to be a standard size until a user hovers their mouse over the ad. The ad then expands to a larger version that includes more information and compels the user to click through.
Which of these ads will ultimately be the most valuable for your accounting firm depends on your target audience, your ideal client, and your marketing budget, among other things.
Top Benefits Of Using Display Ads To Market Your Accounting Services
Using display ads to advertise your accounting business can be a highly effective way to market yourself and the services you offer to people in your community. There are numerous benefits that display ads offer accountants depending on how, where, and when you publish them. Using visually engaging ads:
- Gives you a high overall reach. Display ads have a high reach and can get your firm seen by many more people. However, remember that these are just views and not clicks or follow-throughs.
- Catches the attention of more users. Visual display ads are more colorful and engaging, and do a better job of attracting the attention of users than plain text ads like pay-per-click marketing.
- Attaches a visual identity to your brand. Brand awareness is key for businesses that are competing for the attention of users across the web. Display ads use your brand’s imagery, colors, and fonts to help create a consistent visual identity in the different places where your ad appears.
- Entices more users to search for your business. According to Wordstream, 27% of users will search for a business after seeing their display ad. And, the likelihood those users will convert is much higher at 59%. This means that the more display ads you have and the more people who see them, the more direct searches and subsequent conversions your accounting firm will get.
- Offers remarketing opportunities. Display ads also give you more remarketing opportunities when users click on your ad to visit your website but don’t convert. Those users will continue to see your ads while the topic is relevant to them.
These are just a few of the benefits that high-quality display ads can have when you use them to promote your accounting firm. There are a few disadvantages to consider as well, like the potential for your content to be suppressed by ad blockers. It’s also easy to get excited by a high impression count, only to be disappointed later when you learn that the actual click-through rate is lower.
Despite this, display ads are an important addition to your marketing strategy and work well to complement other tactics like pay-per-click and SEO.
Display Ads Best Practices For Accountants That Really Work
Now that you know why using display ads is an effective way to grow your accounting firm, get started using these key best practices:
1. Understand The Key Demographics That Define Your Ideal Client
It’s hard to advertise your business if you don’t know who you’re marketing to. Take some time to define your ideal client, including where they work, what their hobbies are, how much they earn, and what motivates them to take action.
Then, use this data to customize your display ads to the kind of users you want to attract. Use high-value keywords, eye-catching graphics, and make sure your ads are displayed in places that your preferred potential clients will be able to find you.
2. Build Trust By Providing An Authentic Brand Experience
Another key component of a successful display ad is providing users with an authentic brand experience. Effective ads build trust between your brand and your clients and will feel genuine to the user.
Make sure your display ads aren’t overly promotional and instead offer helpful information or a valuable takeaway that will help make your brand more memorable to users who scroll by your ads.
3. Make Sure Your Ads Are Mobile Friendly
According to CNBC, 51% of the global population uses only their smartphone to connect to the internet. This number is expected to climb to 72% by 2025, making it crucial for brands to cater to the experience of these users. Make sure your display ads are mobile friendly and designed to engage smartphone users.
4. Use Relevant & Visually Pleasing Media
A big advantage of using display ads compared to text is the fact that they’re so visually appealing. The images, videos, and other graphics you use in your ads should be pleasing to the eye and relevant to your target audience so they feel encouraged to click.
5. Write A Clear & Appealing Headline
After the visual aspect of your display ad, the headline you use is the next most important component to optimize because it’s the next thing users will notice. Your headlines should be short, catchy, and include descriptive keywords to let users know what your offer is and why they should click.
6. Use A Contrasting Color For Your CTA Button
Your call-to-action (CTA) button is up next in order of importance and should be optimized to stand out from the rest of your display ad so it will be noticed. Use a color for the button that contrasts with the color of the ad to make it pop and make sure the button’s text can be easily read.
7. Optimize Your Display Ad Landing Pages
When users click on your ad, they should be taken to a well-designed landing page that educates them about your accounting services and entices them to contact your firm. Use plenty of trust-building factors, educational content, and other high-value resources to help users feel more confident about connecting with your office.
8. Measure & Analyze Your Results
Finally, make sure you’re analyzing the efficacy of each of your display ads as you run them. Ads that already don’t perform well should be pulled so you’re not cutting into your budget for low-return campaigns. Display ads that get more engagement can be extended or applied to new markets to increase your brand visibility.
Ready To Catapult Your Accounting Marketing To The Next Level? Attend A Surefire Local Marketing Platform Demo
At Surefire Local, we want your accounting business to be successful. We also know that reaching that goal is more difficult now than ever before with the growing amount of competition there is for accountants who advertise online.
Learn how our business intelligence marketing software can help you organize and streamline your marketing initiatives all in one place, so you can spend more time on what has the most impact on your clients. Request a demo today or contact us to get answers to your local marketing questions.