Top 10 Web Design Practices for Accountants

As an accountant, you deal with money, not websites. Despite this, the US has 1.3 million accountants, according to 2019 Bureau of Labor Statistics data quoted on Pass the CPA Exam. That means you'll be up against some stiff competition from your fellow CPAs. Is web design something you should consider?

As an accountant, you deal with money, not websites. Despite this, the US has 1.3 million accountants, according to 2019 Bureau of Labor Statistics data quoted on Pass the CPA Exam. That means you'll be up against some stiff competition from your fellow CPAs. Is web design something you should consider?

Yes, accountants do require their well-designed website to reach their target demographic and attract new clients. 

It can be difficult to choose exactly how your accounting or CPA firm's website should look. Also, you need to do something to stand out in a sea of competitors. This is where web design best practices for accountant websites come into play.

But first, familiarize yourself with the essential best practices of website design for any professional website. By following these, you are meeting the basic expectations of almost all consumers. This is critical for portraying your company in a positive light and retaining visitors by providing a great user experience (as opposed to quickly frustrating them and chasing them off, which is what happens on a site that violates deeply ingrained user expectations).

In this blog, we'll go over the significance of web design for accountants. We'll also go over some must-have characteristics of a strong CPA website, as well as give some examples from our own experience.

Accountant Web Design

As an accountant, you may work for a corporation or as a sole trader.

If it's the latter, you're in charge of your company web appearance. Of course, unless you're an expert in web design, you don't have to build the website yourself. You can pay a third-party service to get you online.

According to the research, “the majority of accountants” have reported that standard procedures are no longer assisting them in keeping up with the competition. The time has come to go digital with a web presence, and there is no better time than now.

Reasons Accountants Require Outstanding Website Design

As you strive to expand your accounting firm, a bare-bones, simple website will not suffice.

If your website is less than excellent, you will fail to make an impression on your clients and future clients. The following reasons demonstrate why it is worthwhile to invest the extra time and money in obtaining a high-quality website.

1- Reach Your Target Audience

You've done a lot of research on your target audience, looking through demographics, psychographics, and other relevant information to have a better understanding of who they are and what they want. Now it's simply a matter of reaching them, which can be easier said than done - which is why digital marketing techniques for your accounting firm are critical.

Adding information to your website that is customized to your audience segments will give potential clients the impression that you are speaking directly to them. With their curiosity awakened, they will feel compelled to call or email you.

2- Increase Traffic

Any website's purpose is to generate traffic. To accomplish so, your accounting website must rank at the top of search engine rankings.

You can obtain the visitors you want and move up the ranks by optimizing your website for improved SEO. You can optimize in a variety of ways, including:

1. Creating page names on each page of your website that includes your keyword naturally
2. Creating landing pages for important keywords
3. Conducting speed testing to ensure that your website loads quickly (Google may penalize slower-loading websites)
4. Creating blog content (or hiring someone to do it for you) that incorporates your keywords in an entertaining way
5. Conducting keyword research to guarantee that you select competitive terms that produce results

3- Convert Website Visitors into Customers

How much traffic does your CPA-optimized website generate?

You can gain valuable information about your site's analytics by examining it over time. Then you may compare your website traffic to your actual clients to discover if there is a mismatch.

A well-designed, SEO-optimized website should start generating new leads for you right away. If opt-in forms and CTAs aren't already on your website, you might wish to add them to assist speed up the process.

When you have a lead's contact information, you can contact them by email or other ways. This is the initial step in the process of converting these leads into long-term customers.

4- Boost Brand Awareness

When someone searches for a CPA firm in your area and you appear on the first page of results, your name spreads.

Combining your professionally designed website with a strong social media presence will help you get your name out there even more. Here are some additional tips to increase brand awareness:

1. Brand your website with your company name or logo, and make sure it appears in all emails and on your social media profiles.
2. Take care of your email list by providing meaningful, informative, and actionable content.
3. Create content that establishes you as a thought leader in your area; if this content is sharable enough, it may be used and mentioned on other industry websites.
4. Convert one of your most popular blogs into an infographic that is also incredibly shareable.

Then, move beyond the fundamentals. There are special web design best practices for accountant websites that can help you differentiate your firm and make it more appealing to potential clients than the sites of your competitors.

Tips for Creating an Outstanding Accounting Firm Website

1- Display Some Personality

We hope it doesn't come as a surprise when we say that accounting businesses are stereotyped as being a little boring or stuffy. This presents a fantastic opportunity to stand out with language that demonstrates that your company is made up of people, not calculators.

2- Use Professional Headshots of Your Firm's Leadership

As well as the accountants and office personnel. Genuine photographs of real people go a long way toward establishing trust in site visitors. Also, keep in mind that stock photography frequently has the opposite impact.

3- Add Some Individuality to Your Accountants' Profiles

These are a great way to show off your team and complement those high-quality headshots. The bios should not be written in the style of a resume or CV. While it is understandable that people want to know that everyone is qualified for the position, incorporate some personal information and humor as well.

4- Easy Navigation

When it comes to navigation, it's an essential component of every website worth it.

A variety of confusing menu selections will direct users elsewhere on the internet to find what they require. Leaving off a menu in favor of a more modern website design can be puzzling. You should keep your website to be as user-friendly as possible from start to finish.

5-Optimization for Mobile Devices

According to Front Burner Marketing's 2020 research, the majority of people that engage in e-commerce do so on their smartphones at least 60% of the time.

These people are also more likely to purchase. According to the same survey, more than half (51%) of people who search on a mobile-optimized website are more inclined to buy.

The experience should be substantially the same whether a client or lead sees your website on their smartphone, tablet, smartwatch, or full-screen home computer. Although not all parts of a desktop website may be converted to a mobile version, the theming, colors, branding, and feel of your site should flow effortlessly from mobile to non-mobile devices. Mobile optimization is critical in successful web design for accountants – and should not be disregarded.

With 3.5 billion smartphone users globally, that's a huge portion of your audience you're passing up if you don't have a mobile-optimized website. In reality, it accounts for 61.51% of the world's population.

6- Don’t Ignore Optimized Testimonials

Testimonials from real people and business owners are some of the most convincing proof you can provide to convince potential clients that you're worth working with.

7- Create Unique Landing Pages

Create a landing page for each of your niche accounting services. These are beneficial for SEO and getting found through search engines. They can also be used to execute targeted digital adverts that go directly to these relevant sales pages.

8- Optimize Your Site for Local SEO

Including your city and county, as well as any surrounding places from which you expect to attract clients. When consumers search for a tax or financial professional, they use their location to select one who is conveniently close to them.

9- Maintain a Blog

Where you can publish original, helpful content that addresses common inquiries from current and potential clients. This is beneficial for building trust and providing a nice customer experience, as well as improving your site's SEO.

10- Downloadable Material

Finally, it is critical to provide downloadable content to your website users. This content can range from a collection of resources to chapters of an eBook or an exclusive report.

Downloadable content is useful for a variety of reasons. For starters, it provides your prospective consumers with something important that gives them a taste of what you can accomplish for their finances. In addition, in exchange for the content, the lead will have provided their contact information, which could be a phone number, an email address, or both.

The door is now open for future communications, which will allow you to turn the lead into a client.

Ending Lines

Accounting is one of the most competitive industries in the world. A well-designed website provides an excellent opportunity to distinguish yourself, develop your brand, attract new website visitors, build your clientele, and generate new leads.

Downloadable content, simple menus, simply positioned CTAs, and mobile optimization are all features of the finest CPA websites. With the help of this article, your company is now prepared to start working on your website to reach your objectives.

Do you require a new website for your accounting firm?

Contact us today to learn more about a new, modern, mobile-responsive website that has been carefully designed to get you more leads.