5 Keys to Marketing Your Accounting Firm in 2022
Marketing in 2022 looks different from every year prior. According to Arizent Research, nearly 60% of accounting professionals say attracting new clients is among their highest near-term business priorities. Here are five ways to market your accounting firm in this new phase of social media and technology.
1. Authenticity and connection
The days of trusting brands solely based on their famous names and corporate marketing are over. Authenticity and connection is the new name of the game. Consumers are looking for authentic brands that resonate with them and act out their purpose, core values, and sense of social justice. In 2022, your brand should know what you stand for and stand for what you know to be right. Additionally, firms should foster connection through first-party relationships with clients and prospective clients using technology like social media, SMS, or apps. Connection is most easily built through sharing relatable content or interacting with customers directly. Having personal relationships with prospective clients and followers builds trust, which becomes even more critical as firms struggle to compete in a digital world.
2. Optimize your online presence
Simply having a website with solid search engine optimization (SEO) is old news. To keep up with today’s ever-changing technology, you must pivot as updates and changes are announced. For example, in May 2021, Google released the ‘Google Page Experience Update’ with new Core Web Vitals metrics, which will measure site load time, interactivity, and content stability. These new metrics will impact Google search rankings, changing firms’ current SEO.
“Anything that could annoy a user of the page may negatively impact the Core Web Vitals metrics and lead to a lower ranking in search results for that page,” said Mark Coster, owner of a web design agency, Web Design for Businesses.
Another strategy to improve a firm’s web online presence is using their Google My Business page, a must-have for any successful firm, and optimizing it for local SEO. Companies can now update their Google Business profiles from their Google My Business account with client experience-focused services like online appointments and curbside pickup. In addition, firms should regularly request reviews from new or current clients to boost their Google My Business page credibility.
3. Social media
Often, when firms think about social media, they immediately resort to ads, but there are so many other ways to use social media to your firm’s advantage. In addition to directly engaging with clients, prospective clients, and referrals, social media has created a new sales trend: social commerce. In 2020, Facebook launched Shops for both Facebook and Instagram, allowing users to shop directly on the platforms. Not only does it make posting easier when you can share actual products or services, but, more importantly, it shortens the client journey from search to conversion. Setting up a shop, even with entry-level products or services, creates a space for clients to preview or even purchase your services where they already are- on social media.
Download our free white-paper Adopting a Transformative Practice Management Mindset to learn more strategies on how to become an innovate, future-proof firm.
4. Video marketing
The best way to appeal to the next generation of clients is through video. With an ever-shortening attention span, Millennials and Generation Z have broken the rules of traditional marketing with a preference for a laidback social media approach. No longer do companies need to spend thousands of dollars and hours on commercials or expensive videos. Instead, a selfie video taken behind the scenes, a ‘day in the life,’ a quick ‘how-to,’ or even a hashtag challenge video will do the trick. Whether on YouTube, Tik Tok, or live stream, videos are a great way to get facetime with clients and putting a face to your brand builds trust and connection. Use live streaming to create interactive time with your clients and followers.
5. Relevant technology
A future-focused firm’s marketing strategy should highlight how they stay relevant with technology. Cloud-based platforms are a must in 2022, and the ability to sync programs through integration is key. Clients are looking for firms with user and mobile-friendly technology, so if your firm is keeping up with that trend, be sure to talk about it.
Whether it be a client experience app, portal, or software, highlight the benefits of how working with your firm’s technology will improve their client experience.
Using practice management software or a solid customer data platform can give you insights into your clients. For a scalable practice, be sure to choose one that can process millions of records of customer insights. This technology can help your firm generate personalized, one-to-one messages to clients and prospective clients that can help you sell or upsell by increasing click-thru rates and responses from clients. SMS messages and push notifications are a great way to create a direct link between your firm and clients without flooding their email inboxes.
As technology changes faster than we can keep up, staying up to date with marketing trends is critical in order to attract new clients. These tips can help your firm stand out and showcase to your followers how you use technology to propel them to success.