Running a local accounting or bookkeeping business means you’re already juggling numbers, deadlines, and a never-ending list of to-do’s. But there’s one more thing you can’t afford to overlook: your digital marketing efforts.
Local SEO is a digital marketing strategy that can help clients find you when they need you most. For accountants and bookkeepers, this means optimizing your website so it shows up in local searches, making sure you get noticed by the right people in your area.
This guide will break down exactly how you can use local SEO to boost your visibility, drive more local traffic, and, ultimately, grow your business. No fluff—just straightforward, actionable advice to get your website ranking where it counts.
What Is Local SEO and How Can It Benefit Accountants?
Local SEO is the process of optimizing your online presence so that your accounting or bookkeeping services show up in local search results. It’s more than just getting your name listed online—it’s about making sure the right people in your area find you when they’re looking for services like yours.
For accountants and bookkeepers, local SEO means positioning your business in front of local clients actively searching for professional help with taxes, finances, or bookkeeping.
The core of local SEO involves creating and maintaining a Google Business Profile, which acts as your digital storefront. Managing online reviews and keeping your profile updated with accurate contact information is key to building trust with potential clients.
Additionally, optimizing your website for local search terms and ensuring it loads fast and offers valuable content can help your business stand out in search results.
The more you fine-tune these aspects, the better your chances of generating consistent leads in your area.
Setting Up, Optimizing, and Managing Your Google Business Profile for Accountants
Setting up and optimizing your Google Business Profile (GBP) as an accountant or bookkeeper is straightforward, but it’s essential to do it right from the start. First things first—use your real business name. While it might be tempting to try to optimize your name with keywords like “best accountant” or “affordable bookkeeping,” Google doesn’t like that approach. Stick to your legitimate business name to maintain integrity and avoid penalties. After that, fill in the basics: your business address (always include a physical address to ensure you’re visible in local searches), phone number, email, and website. It’s important that this information remains consistent across all online platforms for the best results.
Once the basics are in place, choose the primary category that most accurately describes your services. For most accountants, that will be “accountant,” but you might also see options like “bookkeeping service” or “tax preparation service” depending on your niche. Google gives you the option to select additional secondary categories, so make sure you choose the ones that align best with the services you offer—like “accounting firm” or “bookkeeping service.” These secondary categories help Google understand the full scope of your business, which can improve your visibility in related searches.
Next, give your GBP a personality with some photos and videos. It’s easy to overlook this step, but visuals are powerful tools to help potential clients get a feel for your business. Include professional headshots of you and your team, office photos, or even video content that highlights your expertise or shows your office environment. Keep it relevant and high-quality, as these images and videos are often the first things people see when they come across your profile.
One of the most important factors in maintaining a successful Google Business Profile is keeping your reviews in check. Google uses reviews to gauge the trustworthiness and quality of your services, so it’s worth putting effort into collecting them. Make sure to ask satisfied clients to leave reviews, and don’t shy away from responding to both positive and negative feedback. Engaging with reviews shows prospective clients that you value their opinions and are committed to providing excellent service. While it might take time to build a steady stream of reviews, it’s well worth the effort to establish your reputation online.
As you start receiving reviews, monitor them regularly. If you notice any negative reviews, don’t ignore them. Respond professionally, acknowledge any concerns, and offer solutions if needed. Your responses will be seen by potential clients, so it’s your chance to demonstrate your professionalism. If you’re receiving mostly positive reviews, that’s a strong signal to Google that your services are high-quality and worth ranking in local search results.
Keeping your profile updated is also key. Ensure your business hours are accurate, especially around holidays or during peak seasons. Clients will rely on your GBP to get the most current information, and an outdated profile can drive potential leads away. Additionally, regularly update your business description to reflect any changes in your services or areas of expertise. Google favors fresh content, so make sure you’re keeping your profile as current as possible.
The more complete and accurate your Google Business Profile is, the better your chances are of being found by local clients who need your services. By paying attention to these details, you’ll boost your visibility and trustworthiness, which will help grow your business. As with any marketing effort, consistency is key, so take the time to manage your GBP carefully and reap the rewards over time.
The Power of Reviews for Your Google Business Profile
Positive reviews are essential for the success of your Google Business Profile. They act as social proof, showing potential clients that your services are reliable and trustworthy, while also boosting your rankings in local search results.
As an accountant or bookkeeper, it’s important to respond to all reviews—both positive and negative—to demonstrate your professionalism and commitment to client satisfaction. Encourage your clients to leave reviews by making it easy—whether it’s asking in person, including a review link with receipts, or sending reminders via email.
Keyword Research for Accountants and Bookkeepers
When it comes to local SEO for accountants and bookkeepers, local keyword research is the first step to getting your website noticed. To begin, choose a keyword research tool that fits within your budget. If you’re just starting out, tools like Keysearch or Keyword Chef are affordable yet effective for uncovering the right keywords. For larger businesses with more complex needs, you might consider premium options like Ahrefs or SEMRush, but keep in mind these tools are pricier and may offer features you don’t necessarily need at this stage.
Once you’ve selected a tool, start with “seed” keywords, such as “accountant + [location]”—for example, “accountant in St. Louis.” These straightforward terms often generate the most search volume and are the backbone of your local SEO strategy, especially for location-specific pages. From there, use your keyword tool to identify related, secondary keywords, like “bookkeeping services in [location]” or “tax accountant [location].” Sprinkle these secondary keywords throughout your website content, ensuring that they naturally fit into the text to boost your relevance and visibility in search results. By targeting these terms, you’ll improve your chances of ranking higher in local searches and attract the right clients to your accounting or bookkeeping business.
Creating a Local SEO-Friendly Website Structure for Accountants
When it comes to building a local SEO-friendly website structure, the first step is to choose a primary keyword and center your homepage around it. For example, if you’re targeting “accountant Kansas City,” that term should be the main focus of your homepage content. From there, the strategy typically involves creating additional location pages for the surrounding areas you serve, like “accounting services in Overland Park” or “bookkeeping in Lee’s Summit.”
While there are different ways to structure your site, the key is to avoid targeting the same keyword across multiple pages. Doing so can lead to keyword cannibalization, where your pages end up competing with each other, ultimately hurting your rankings. Instead, pick a primary keyword for each page and stick to it, ensuring each page targets a specific service or location. This approach helps Google understand the unique focus of each page and boosts your chances of ranking well for the various services you offer in your area.
On-Page SEO Strategies to Boost Your Local Accountant Website
Local on-page SEO is all about optimizing the content on your website to improve its rankings in search results. The first step is to target a specific keyword or topic for each page, as discussed in the previous section. Once you’ve selected your primary keyword—such as “accountant Kansas City”—you’ll want to sprinkle related synonyms and variations throughout the page. This ensures your content reads naturally while still signaling to search engines that your page is relevant to the search query.
Your primary keyword should be included in key places like the title tag, meta description, H2 headings, and organically within the body copy of the page. But on-page SEO isn’t just about keyword density; it also involves what’s known as local entity optimization. Entities are related terms or concepts that Google recognizes as closely tied to your target keyword, even if they aren’t traditional keywords. For example, if you’re targeting “accountant Kansas City,” terms like “revenue,” “tax,” or “finance” are relevant entities. Including these terms in your content helps Google understand the full context of your page. You can uncover these related terms using on-page SEO tools like SurferSEO or Frase.io, which analyze the content of top-ranking pages. Even if you’re an expert in your field, these tools can help you discover additional entities and ensure you’re using them in a natural way to strengthen your page’s relevance and improve its SEO performance.
Building Citations and Backlinks for Your Accountant Website
Creating local citations and acquiring local backlinks are key components in strengthening your local SEO strategy. Citations are mentions of your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) on external websites, such as local directories like Yelp or Yellow Pages. While these citations don’t carry as much weight as they once did, Google still sees them as an indicator that your business is legitimate and active in your local area, which can help lend credibility to your SEO efforts. You can build citations manually or use tools like BrightLocal to streamline the process and ensure your business information is consistent across the web.
On the other hand, backlinks are links from other websites that point to your site. Search engines treat backlinks as a vote of confidence, signaling that other reputable sites trust your content. Earning high-quality backlinks is challenging but worthwhile, as they significantly impact your rankings on search engines like Google and Bing. To build quality backlinks, focus on acquiring them from authoritative sources such as local newspapers or industry-specific publications, like those in the real estate or finance sectors. Effective strategies for building backlinks include guest posting on relevant blogs, creating link-worthy content such as industry statistics pages (which naturally attract links), and digital PR efforts that garner attention and links from high-quality outlets. Though building backlinks takes time, they can provide a long-term boost to your local SEO and help increase your website’s visibility.
Why Mobile Optimization Matters for Local Accountant Websites
In today’s digital age, it’s essential that your accounting or bookkeeping website is mobile-friendly. A significant portion of web traffic comes from mobile devices, so if your site isn’t optimized for mobile, you risk losing potential clients. Mobile optimization ensures that your website looks and functions well on smartphones and tablets, providing a smooth user experience. This not only helps retain visitors but also boosts your SEO rankings, as search engines prioritize mobile-friendly websites.
Achieving Success with a Consistent Local SEO Strategy for Accountants and Bookkeepers
Implementing a consistent local SEO strategy is key to growing your accounting or bookkeeping business online.
By focusing on optimizing your website, building citations, acquiring backlinks, and maintaining a strong Google Business Profile, you can improve your visibility and attract local clients. Ensuring your website is mobile-friendly and targeting the right keywords will also enhance your chances of success.
If you’re ready to take your local SEO efforts to the next level and generate more leads, Galactic Turtle provides local SEO services for accountants to help you improve your online presence.
Contact us to let us handle your SEO, so you can focus on what you do best—serving your clients.
