SEO for Accounting Firms: Proven SEO Strategies for Growth

Search engine optimization (SEO) for accounting firms isn’t rocket science, but most accountants get it wrong. 

I’ve worked with dozens of accounting firms over the years. What have I learned?

The ones that succeed follow a specific SEO playbook. The ones that fail ignore these fundamentals.

This guide will walk you through the proven strategies that drive the SEO success you need.

SEO for Accountants: What ROI Can You Get?

Accountants love numbers, so let’s talk numbers! 

Imagine you’re an accountant based out of San Diego. Search volumes for this city look like this: 

That’s 2,870 searches per month for just these core terms. Add in longtail variations and you’re looking at 5,000-6,000 monthly searches.

Now, let’s do the math. 

Position 3 on Google gets roughly 8% of clicks. That’s 400-480 clicks per month. 

Convert 5% of those, and you get 20-24 new clients monthly.

What’s your average client worth? 

Let’s say $1,000 per year. 

That’s $20,000-$24,000 in new revenue monthly. Around $250,000 annually.

And here’s the best part.

Most accounting clients stick around for years. By year two, you’re looking at $500,000+ in revenue from your SEO investment.

Even if you spend $5,000 monthly on SEO services, you’re getting a 5x return. 

That’s better than most investments.

The success of SEO for financial services depends on using a strategy that actually converts your prospects into clients.

The key is targeting the right SEO keywords. 

Local SEO

Most accounting services are location-based. People want their accountant nearby. 

That’s why taking advantage of local SEO is your best move.

When someone searches “cpa firms near me” or “accountant [city name],” Google shows the map pack first. 

Three local results above everything else. That’s prime real estate.

Here’s what triggers the map pack:

• accountant + city name
• CPA + location
• tax services + area
• bookkeeping + geographic modifier

Acing your Google Business Profile is your ticket to the map pack. 

But most accounting firms mess this up completely.

Here are some quick pointers so you can create an effective SEO strategy.

Get More Reviews the Right Way

Reviews are the #1 search engine ranking factor for local SEO. But it’s not just about quantity. Quality matters too.

Ask satisfied clients for reviews immediately after tax season (think: when they’re most happy and grateful). 

You can use this simple email template:

Optimize Your Google Business Profile 

• Use real photos of your office, not stock images
• Write a detailed description with your target keywords
• Post regular updates about tax deadlines, law changes, etc.
• Respond to every review sensibly (even negative ones)
• Keep your NAP (Name, Address, Phone) consistent everywhere

Localized Traditional Search Results

The map pack isn’t your only opportunity to rank. 

Traditional search results get localized, too.

When someone searches “bookkeeping services” in Tampa, Google shows Tampa-based results even without a geographic modifier in the search query.

Google prioritizing local relevance is a huge opportunity for local accounting firms. You can even outrank national companies with massive domain authority. 

For example, Grant Thornton lists out all its locations and has pages created for each office.

What can you do? 

Create location-specific SEO content that targets local keywords.

Here’s the strategy: 

1. Create service pages for each city you serve
2. Target “[service] [city]” keywords on each page
3. Include local landmarks, neighborhoods, and business districts
4. Add testimonials from clients in that specific area
5. Reference local business events, tax regulations, and economic trends
6. Optimize for mobile since most local searches happen on phones

For example, targeting:

• “Tax Preparation in Downtown Miami”
• “Small Business Accounting in Coral Gables”
• “CPA Services in Aventura”

For national accounting firms, this scales beautifully. Create dozens of location pages. Each one captures local search traffic while building authority in specific markets.

The key is maintaining quality over quantity. Google is smart enough to detect thin, templated content that lacks genuine local insight.

Keyword Research: What’s Your Niche?

Not all accounting keywords are created equal. 

Some are goldmines. Others are a waste of time.

The accounting industry has multiple sub-niches:

• Tax preparation
• Small business accounting
• Bookkeeping services
• Payroll processing
• Financial planning
• Forensic accounting
• Estate planning

Each niche has different search volumes and competition levels. Each attracts different types of clients with different lifetime values.

Small business accounting keywords often have lower search volume but higher conversion rates. 

Why? 

Because business owners need ongoing services, not just one-time tax prep.

Use Google Keyword Planner to research search volume. But don’t stop there. Look at the competition.

High-volume keywords with low competition are the sweet spot. But they’re rare in the accounting space.

More often, you’ll find:

• High volume + high competition (expensive to rank)
• Low volume + low competition (easy to rank, limited traffic)
• Medium volume + medium competition (the goldilocks zone)

Focus on that middle category. 

Target 10-50 keywords in the “goldilocks zone” rather than chasing one impossible keyword.

Also, consider seasonal trends. 

Tax-related keywords spike between January and April, while business accounting searches remain steady year-round. 

Plan your content calendar accordingly to capture these cyclical opportunities and maximize your organic traffic potential.

Technical SEO Considerations

Technical SEO refers to your website’s behind-the-scene elements that make it work smoothly.

Your accounting website needs to load fast. Google prioritizes page speed, and slow websites get penalized.

Every page needs:

• Target keyword in the URL
• Keyword in the title tag
• Keyword in the H1 header
• Clean, descriptive URLs
• Proper meta descriptions

Use schema markup to help search engines understand your content. 

Schema markup is basically SEO code that explains what your pages are about. It helps Google show rich snippets in search results.

For accounting firms, the most important schema types are:

• AccountingService
• LocalBusiness
• Organization
• Service
• Review

Other areas to keep in mind:

• Don’t forget mobile optimization. Over 60% of local searches happen on mobile devices. Your site must be responsive and load quickly on smartphones and tablets.
• SSL certificates are non-negotiable. Google requires HTTPS for all websites, especially those handling sensitive financial information.
• Carry out SEO audits and fix broken links regularly. They create a poor user experience and waste your SEO authority.

Lastly, set up Google Search Console. It’s free and shows you exactly how Google sees your site. Monitor for crawl errors, indexing issues, and ranking changes.

You can also connect Google Analytics to Search Console for complete visibility into your SEO performance.

Experience, Expertise, Authority, and Trust (EEAT)

SEO for financial advisors goes hand in hand with a concept called EEAT. 

Google holds financial websites to higher standards. They call it “Your Money or Your Life” (YMYL) content.

Accounting falls squarely into this category. Google wants to see that you’re credible, trustworthy, and qualified.

Here’s how to demonstrate EEAT for Google search:

• Show Real People: Don’t use stock photos of people in suits. Show your actual team. Include photos of your office, staff, and work environment.
• Display Credentials: Prominently display your CPA license, certifications, and professional memberships. Link to your state board verification page.
• Include Contact Information: List your physical address, phone number, and email. Make it easy for people to reach you. Add a contact form for extra convenience.
• Publish Author Bios: Every blog post should have an author bio. Include the writer’s credentials, experience, and photo. For best results, have actual CPAs write your content.
• Get Third-Party Reviews: Google Reviews are important, but don’t stop there. Get reviews on Better Business Bureau, Yelp, and industry-specific sites.
• Create Quality Content: Write helpful articles that demonstrate your expertise. Answer common questions. Explain complex tax concepts in simple terms.

Remember: Poor EEAT signals will kill your SEO efforts. Google won’t stand for sites that look sketchy or unprofessional.

Create Content

Content marketing is where most accounting firms fail. They write boring, generic articles that nobody wants to read.

Here are some strategies that will get your content actually seen.

One Page Per Service

Create dedicated pages for each service you offer:

• Tax preparation

• Bookkeeping

• Payroll processing

• Business consulting

• Estate planning

Each page should target specific keywords and convert visitors into clients.

One Page Per Location

If you serve multiple cities, create pages for each location. Target local keywords and include location-specific information.

Answer Real Questions

Use SEO tools like Answer the Public to find questions people actually ask about accounting. 

Then create content that answers those questions.

Common accounting questions include:

• “What business expenses are tax deductible?”
• “When should I hire a bookkeeper?”
• “How much should I set aside for quarterly taxes?”

Create Seasonal Content

Create content around key dates:

• Tax deadline reminders

• Year-end planning tips

• Quarterly tax payment dates

• New tax law changes

Use Local Examples

Instead of generic advice, use local examples. Reference local businesses, tax laws, and economic conditions. This builds topical relevance for local searches.

Make sure you’re never writing content just to fill the space.

Every piece should serve a purpose: educate prospective clients, build trust, or convert visitors into clients.

Acquire Backlinks

Link building for accounting firms requires patience. Financial sites are heavily scrutinized. Bad links can hurt more than help.

Start by focusing on citations, aka business directory listings.

Your Name, Address, and Phone number (NAP) should be identical across all listings.

Important directories include:

• Google Business Profile
• Yelp
• Better Business Bureau
• Chamber of Commerce
• Industry associations

Second, partner with local businesses and organizations. 

Think along the lines of sponsoring local events, volunteering for community organizations, and getting links back locally.

Local links don’t always have to be accounting-related. A link from the local Little League team is still valuable for local SEO.

Then come industry links.

To get these, guest post on accounting blogs and websites. Contribute to industry publications. Comment thoughtfully on relevant articles.

One of the best SEO strategies is to create linkable assets. This includes tools, calculators, or resources that other sites want to link to, such as:

• Tax deadline calendar
• Business expense tracker
• Quarterly tax calculator
• Small business tax checklist

Make these resources genuinely useful. Then promote them to relevant websites and blogs.

Pro-Tip: Avoid buying links or participating in link schemes. Google penalties can destroy years of SEO work.

Brand Signals and AI

AI is changing how potential clients find your accounting services.

Most Americans are falling into the “zero-click search” bucket. 

Scrolling through search engine results is out, and AI overviews are in.

This goes beyond Google’s AI Overviews. 

ChatGPT and other tools are also becoming search alternatives.

The good news is AI tools still rely on the same signals that traditional SEO does: high-quality content, authoritative websites, and strong brand signals.

Focus on building your digital marketing strategy:

• Get mentioned in local media
• Publish thought leadership content
• Speak at industry events
• Build a strong social media presence

When people search for “best accountant in [city]”, you want your name to come up. Not just your website.

Good SEO brand signals include:

• Branded search volume (people searching your firm name)
• Mentions across the web
• Social media engagement
• Press coverage
• Directory listings

The stronger your brand, the more likely AI tools will recommend you to users.

Hire CPA SEO Experts at Garit Boothe Digital

Are you ready to take over your local market?

My SEO agency has helped dozens of accounting firms double their website traffic and client acquisition. 

We know what works because we’ve done it repeatedly and we’ve done it right.

Book a discovery call today with GB Digital!

Let’s discuss your goals and create a custom SEO strategy for your accounting firm.