Your website is your marketing hub. It’s the main platform that your clients and prospects discover you with. It’s where they’ll go to find out more about you, what you offer, what you stand for.
Your website can make or break a first impression with a potential client. It’s that important!
And if you’re an accountant who has a website that you’re then neglecting for weeks, months, sometimes years, then you’re doing yourself, and your clients and prospects a disservice.
Ask yourself, if you pump thousands of pounds (or dollars) into a website and then leave it for 2 years, what will your audience get from it beside outdated content? If you’re then focused on the ROI of the site, what do you think will then be?
Then ask yourself, if you pump thousands into a website that you’re adding new content to on a monthly, or even weekly basis, with fresh information for your audience, do you think your audience will benefit more from it? Do you therefore think the return-on-investment would be greater?
The reality is your website is never finished. In fact, your website needs to constantly change because the needs of your prospects, and also your clients is always changing. For too long, accountants have neglected their audience online, and it can make or break not only a first impression, but the ongoing relationship you have with the client. And it’s for that reason that your website, your main marketing hub, needs constant attention.
It’s not about design trends, or SEO – it’s about content that addresses needs
Accountants often come to us and say “we think our website needs updating because it’s a bit out-of-date” or “we want a new website so we can get back to the top of Google”.
Now, I’m not saying that design and SEO aren’t important, but I see those as “vanity factors” when it comes to strategising a website. (I actually plan to write a blog post of what I like to call “vanity metrics” in the future.)
But you could have the most beautiful looking site out there, one that you think is fresh and uber-modern, but if you don’t have recurring and fresh content for your audience, then what’s the point?
Your buyer’s needs are constantly changing. It’s not that they expect to see something different from your website now than one, two or five years ago.
They’re searching for answers to their questions.
They’re searching for information to help them with their core business problems.
They’re looking to see if there’s an accountancy firm that understands them, their pains, and is ready to help.
It’s the message that matters the most
A potential client goes to a website in the first instance for information to point them in the right direction.
They then come to you directly for the implementation. They’ve now got that knowledge; they just need help implementing it.
But because they’ve already got some knowledge and information from you via your website, you are immediately more valuable to them.
It’s those messages that matter the most, because they are that powerful in defining the future relationship with that client.
It’s like the saying “first impressions are everything”, and it couldn’t be more true with the website for your firm. Because, at the opposite end of the spectrum, if you’ve got an “outdated” website, or no content of value, then your prospective client is immediately wondering if you are a right fit for them.
They want to go to your website and say “These guys really understand me, these guys can help me achieve my dreams.”
You are that important, and your content needs to reflect this!
You don’t need a 30+ page site, you need a minimum viable site
When we build websites, 99% of the time, we build them with no more than 10 pages, because otherwise your site can become too saturated and overwhelming for your audience.
It’s tempting to want to have the full 30 page site with video, custom photography, leadboxes, live chat, and so on, but really all you might need in the first instance is a simple, clean, fresh site with 5 pages that you can add to.
Because your website is a living breathing thing.
It needs to evolve over time, as the needs and expectations of your audience change and as they become more educated.
It needs to constantly reflect you, your why, and why you are the right solution to your potential client’s problems.
My website is holding me back because I can’t edit it
It can present a problem if you’re not in control of your website, because you’re not in control of your main marketing hub, so who is?
It can often be an overlooked decision during the website building process. Perhaps you think it’s better to delegate any website updates, so you don’t think you need to be able to edit it yourself, but that thinking will cost you later down the line.
Ask yourself, how long is the process to get changes made to your site if you can’t edit it yourself? You probably have to go to several people, and wait several days. If if the update you want to make is content for your potential clients, that waiting time could be an immediate deterrent for them and drive them away from ever coming to you.
If you have a platform you can edit, even if you are delegating to an in-house marketer, the process is much more slick, meaning you, your prospects, your clients, your friend’s dog, can get to the content, the good stuff, much faster!
Wake up, now the real work starts…
Your website is never finished, and if you’re going through a website build process at the moment, or if you’re thinking of getting a new website or you’ve just completed one, ask yourself what you’re planning to do next.
Because a website is not there to serve you: that’s not its primary goal. It’s not there to help people find information via an online tool or a free calculator.
It’s there to serve your prospects and your clients. It’s their to create value for them and help them begin their journey of addressing the pain points and fulfilling the goals.
Your website needs to fulfil this and be your true marketing hub. Get that right, and your clients will be much more satisfied from the outset and your relationship will be much more stronger, as your website will have been your first step in creating value in a long-lasting relationship.