Understanding SEO

SEO is all about optimizing the pages of a website so that they rank higher on search engines like Google. The higher the ranking, the more visibility you’ll receive. This leads to more traffic and leads to more business.

Online search is a way of life these for most people. How many times in the past week have you used a search engine to find something you were looking for? This is no different for a potential client looking for an accounting firm. Chances are pretty good that they’re going online to find an accounting firm. This is why SEO is so important.

One of the biggest pieces to SEO is keywords. Without them, there is no way to get ranked in the search engines. They’re important for the success of your SEO strategy.

Why Keywords are Important

Keywords are the words and phrases people type into search engines. They’re the foundation of SEO. This is why targeting the right keywords is essential. As an example, let’s say someone is looking for a firm that does cash flow management for small business. They would type in a related phrase and the search engine scourers the database. It then retrieves what it considers the best and most relevant information. 

Below are a few examples of keywords for “small business cash flow management” that might get used:

• Small Business Cash Flow Management
• Cashflow Management Services
• What to know about Cashflow Management

There can be many combinations and variations for a phrase. Trying to figure this all out on your own will be time intensive. This is why there are SEO tools available to help you with finding the right keywords for your firm.

How to Identify Relevant Keywords

To help understand what keywords you should be targeting, consider a SEO tools. A few include SEMrush, Ahrefs, Moz, and UberSuggest among others. They help you identify relevant keywords by analyzing search engine user data. You can get very granular with research as there are many sets of metrics available.

When researching, there are two important pieces of information to look at. One is monthly search volume, and the other is keyword difficulty. Search volume is the estimated number of times a keyword gets searched for in a month. The higher the volume, the more opportunity you must drive that traffic to your website. 

Keywords with higher volume, can sometimes be more difficult to rank for. It’s not always the case though. There are times when you can find keywords with higher search traffic that are easier to rank for. This why research is important.

Keyword difficulty looks at how hard it is to rank for a keyword. The higher the number, the harder it is to rank. You may notice that many big companies will be ranking high for these keywords. This is because they’ve had active SEO campaigns that have been running for years. They also have a lot of financial resources allocated to towards their SEO strategy.

Trying to rank for these keywords if you’re new to SEO will be an uphill battle. Targeting keywords with a lower search volume will make it easier to rank for. This will give you smaller but faster wins. Dominate the smaller keywords first. As your webpages start ranking in the top spots, start levelling up to higher volume ones.

Creating High-Quality Content

Content is the backbone of any successful SEO strategy. There are many factors that play into quality content. This article won’t go deep into the topic but know that content that provides a lot of value is key. Content can take on many forms like a blog post, webpage, case studies, etc. 

One example of content could be a blog post that breaks down the services within CAS. You could talk about the benefits of each service and how explain in detail how it can help the client.

Publishing high-quality content on a consistent basis also helps position your firm’s expertise. When you’re viewed as an expert, it enhances your credibility and builds trust. Not only that, the more quality of the content you produce leads to other publishers taking notice. If they start linking back to your articles, this is what called a backlink. The search engines view these as “votes of confidence”. It positions you as an authority in your space which helps improves search rankings.

Optimizing Your Website

A well-structured website is crucial for both user experience and SEO. Make sure your website is mobile friendly. Ensure mobile design and optimization is a priority. Google has started to put a lot of ranking weight on mobile websites. Most people use their phones to browse the internet, and not having this dialled in can hurt rankings. A mobile-optimized site is essential for moving up the search rankings. 

Use relevant keywords in your meta tags, headers, and URLs. This helps search engines understand what your site is about. The more it understands what it’s about and the content, the easier it will be rank it. Make sure your website is easy to navigate as well. Include clear calls-to-action (CTAs) that guide visitors toward your services.

When you start driving traffic to your website, that traffic needs to know what you want them to do. Having a button for example that says “book a meeting” makes it easy for visitors to take an action. If your website isn’t designed to convert traffic, you SEO efforts will fall flat.

Leveraging Local SEO

If your firm is serving your local community, local SEO is a powerful tool for accounting firms. It helps local clients find you when they search for services in their area. To optimize for local SEO, use location-specific keywords:

• Business Accounting New York
• Financial Reporting Services Chicago
• Best Accounting Firm Near Me
• Best Financial Risk Management Firm in Seattle

Also, having an active Google Business Profile (GBP) is crucial. It helps your firm appear in local search results and on Google Maps. This makes it easier for local clients to find you. Another, feature of your GBP is that you can collect reviews. Having social proof of how your firm helped a business builds credibility and trust. Encouraging satisfied clients to leave positive reviews builds a solid reputation

Building Backlinks and Citations

As mentioned earlier, backlinks are links from other websites to your site. They show search engines that your website is trustworthy and relevant. The more quality backlinks you have, the higher your site can rank. Backlinks are “votes of confidence” in the eyes of search engines. Focus on getting backlinks from reputable websites related to your industry.

Local citations are mentions of your business on local websites and directories. Having your name, address, and phone number (NAP) listed helps boost your local SEO. Search engines use citations to verify your business’s legitimacy and location. Ensure you have consistent NAP information across various platforms. The more local citations you have, the better your chances of ranking high for local searches.

Monitoring and Adapting Your SEO Strategy

SEO is a long-term strategy that requires regular monitoring and adaptation. Analyzing performance helps you stay ahead of the competition and refine your approach. Use tools like Google Analytics to understand user behaviour. Look at metrics like website traffic, bounce rates, and conversion rates. These will help you understand how well your SEO strategy is working.

Search engine algorithms get updated all the time. Staying up to date with those changes allows you to adapt your strategy. New updates can also allow you to capitalize on new opportunities. No plan goes in a straight line. You could be going down one avenue, and then an updated happens and it changes your course. Be one step ahead.

Conclusion

SEO is a great strategy for accounting firms looking to increase their CAS business. It’s tried and tested, and dates to the early days of the internet. Today, it’s still one of the best online marketing strategies out there. The cost of paid ads (ex: Google and Facebook) continue to rise with no guarantee of results. That said, if you’re looking for quick wins, it can be an avenue to consider.

If you’re looking to explore an SEO strategy, know that it’s a long-term play. It’s not a one and done service. With continued investment, SEO can provide a solid ROI well into the future. As SEO continues to evolve with the emergence AI, there will be even more opportunities to thrive.

If you’re looking to level up your CAS business, don’t dismiss SEO.