The accounting industry is rapidly evolving, and it is more important than ever to build a strong website that works to grow your firm. In today’s digital age, the best accounting firm websites help build business credibility among their given target audience(s) and attract new leads through modern web design and content marketing strategies. But what makes for the best accountant websites?
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the top factors that contribute to an effective and successful accounting website. And when you’re done, check out the Best Accountant Website Design Concepts of 2023, created by our expert website design team here at Sitebeam.
Intuitive Website Design
Your immediate goal when a user lands on your CPA firm’s website is to keep them around. In order to do that, it is critical to greet them with a design that promotes the reasons they are on your site—such as information about your company, services, contact information, and more. For those users to stick around long enough to start consuming that content, the design must welcome them and persuade them to stick around. And how do we do that? By getting out of the way!
Good design is actually a lot harder to notice than poor design, in part because good designs fit our needs so well that the design is invisible
Donald A. Norman
The Design of Everyday Things
A poor website design is the first thing a visitor will notice—making the conversion process an uphill battle. Upon first impression, it is essential to make a positive first impression by creating a simple, modern, intuitive—yet engaging—design. A polished user-experience and layout can help establish your brand and convey a sense of expertise and trustworthiness.
Key point: give your website a clean, modern design with easy-to-read fonts, a cohesive color scheme, and a logical layout.
In case you missed it, check out or blog on why Your Business Website Shouldn’t Be “Different”
Clear & Concise Messaging
The saying, “less is more” holds true for messaging, especially so on marketing pages that need to make an instant impact on your website visitors.
Clear and concise messaging on your CPA firm website is essential for keeping users on your site, and guiding them to complete a meaningful action or conversion goal. When visitors arrive, they should immediately understand who you are and the services your accounting firm provides. That first impression is your chance to differentiate your value as an accountant from others in your market.
Some tips to make your copy/messaging more impactful include:
- Use headlines, subheadings, and bullet points to break up your content and make it scannable for visitors with short attention spans.
- Use media content (images, video, icons) to accent your written content in a way that makes sense, but does not overwhelm the user
- Keep your headlines short and sweet
- Focus your messaging on the value of service your client will receive, as opposed to how your firm operates
With well-organized and easy-to-read content, you can ensure that visitors find the information they need quickly and efficiently, making your website a valuable resource for your target audience. This is a necessary step to help your firm generate more qualified website leads.
Key point: keep it short; make your firm’s value known immediately.
A Strong Call-to-Action (CTA)
When designing a website for your CPA firm, it’s important to include a clear call-to-action (CTA) that encourages visitors to take action.
A well-crafted CTA can help convert visitors into leads, which is the ultimate goal of your website. Your CTA should be prominently displayed on your homepage and other key pages, using contrasting colors and sensible placements. Some important keywords to include in your CTA might be “schedule a consultation,” “get a quote,” “download a free resource,” “sign up for our newsletter,” or “contact us.” Whatever your main lead-gen strategy is, your CTA message should be customized to align with what comes next when the lead form is submitted.
To make your CTA stand out, it’s important to use contrasting colors that draw the visitor’s attention. This can help guide the visitor’s eyes to the CTA and make it more likely that they will interact with it. Additionally, it’s important to use prominent placement for your CTA, such as in a banner, within page sections, and more. This can ensure that visitors see the CTA as soon as they arrive on your website, and throughout their site visit.
A highly useful approach to lead-gen involves trading valuable content for a user’s contact information. This strategy is referred to as using a “lead magnet.” This can be anything from a downloadable e-book, to an instructional video, or something else unique to your business. By offering something of value, you can increase the likelihood that visitors will take action.
Key point: Create a primary CTA that influences your website visitors to contact your firm. Use language that makes sense in the scope of what’s to come for any new leads.
Responsive Web Design
As more and more people use mobile devices to browse the internet, having a website that is optimized for all screen sizes has become essential for CPA firms.
A responsive design is a web design approach that enables a website to adapt to the screen size of any device, providing an optimal user experience no matter the device used to access the website. This is important for ensuring your website looks great and functions properly for all users, regardless of the device they are using.
By optimizing your website for all screen sizes, you can improve your online visibility and attract more potential clients. With a responsive design, visitors to your website will be able to easily navigate your content, view your services, and take action, whether they are using a desktop computer, tablet, or smartphone.
To optimize your website for all screen sizes, it’s important to prioritize user experience and design your website with a mobile-first mindset. This means creating a website that is easy to use and navigate on a small screen, while still providing all the information and functionality that users need.
Key point: By optimizing your website for all screen sizes, you can improve your online visibility and attract more potential clients, regardless of how they access your website.
A Content Marketing Strategy
Creating quality written content is a fundamental aspect of a successful CPA firm website, especially so if your firm wants to see success in SEO (more on that below).
Your website visitors want to learn about your services and expertise, and quality content can help establish your authority and trustworthiness in the field. With a blog, you can share industry insights, tips, and news, which can set you apart as an expert in the accounting space. It’s important to ensure all content is well-written, informative, and relevant, to keep visitors engaged and coming back for more.
To create quality content, it’s essential to know your target audience and their needs. What are their pain points, and how can you help solve their problems? This information can help guide your content creation and ensure that your content is not only high in quality but also resonates with your target audience and their “buying” needs.
In addition to blog content, other forms of quality content can also help boost your website’s authority and credibility. For example, creating helpful guides, case studies, whitepapers, and e-books can be powerful ways to establish your expertise and attract potential clients.
Key point: quality content is a key component of a successful CPA firm website. By providing valuable information that resonates with your target audience, you can establish your authority and credibility in the industry.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
SEO plays a crucial role in driving organic traffic to your CPA firm website by optimizing it to rank higher in search engine results pages. This involves identifying relevant keywords related to your business and integrating them in your website content in a natural and valuable way. Additionally, it’s important to include your location and other relevant keywords to attract local clients and improve your search engine visibility.
To optimize your website for SEO, it’s important to ensure that it’s mobile-friendly and easy to navigate. Having a responsive design that works on any device can improve user experience, keeping visitors on your site longer and increasing the likelihood of conversion.
Key point: investing in SEO is a critical part of building a stronger online presence for your CPA firm and attracting more clients. By conducting keyword research and including location information, you can improve your website’s visibility in search engine results pages, driving organic traffic to your site. Additionally, having a mobile-friendly website with quality content can further improve user experience and conversion rates.
Closing Thoughts
A professional and effective CPA firm website is essential for accountants to succeed in today’s digital marketplace. By following these top factors, you can create a website that stands out, builds credibility, and attracts new clients.
Don’t underestimate the power of a strong online presence for your business—by investing in your website early and often, you will improve your firm’s ability to win business online by orders of magnitude, for years to come.
Get Started with Sitebeam to build a professional, conversion-focused accounting firm website.