Content Marketing Trends for Accountants | Outbooks
Accounting firms share a unique relationship with their customers–a working partnership that is facilitated by a high level of trust. Irrespective of how long accounting firms have been in business, getting new customers and creating a buzz about their services will always be the top business goal. In the past, customer referrals, networking, etc. were the traditional means of growing one’s accounting business, but with technology advancements, the viability and success rate of these methods are fast diminishing. Online has become the new success mantra, and the absence of a digital presence is unacceptable if accounting firms want to grow their business.

Amidst the bustle of countless online trends, content marketing has emerged as the winning recipe for accountants and their accounting firms. Content is everywhere, and how accounting companies market their content online makes all the difference. Accountants can use content marketing platforms to attract clients by sharing their expertise and knowledge via targeted content creation to increase their customer base.

If you are an accountant looking to grow your accounting business, do not miss out on these top content marketing trends.

 

Mobile Optimised Websites

According to Smart Insights, 48% online buyers start their search on mobile devices. This trend has taken all companies that have an online presence, by storm. Accounting firms that have not yet optimised their website to become mobile-friendly are missing out on the potential to attract large numbers of customers. Even Google scours the web from the mobile browsing viewpoint. Therefore, it is an essential requisite to optimise your accounting website and make it mobile-ready. Content will have to be modified in a more crisp and precise manner for the mobile version. You will also have to ensure that the markup and primary content are not identical on the mobile and desktop versions so that your website qualifies for the mobile-first index.

 

Video Content

It isn’t surprising to learn that video-based content is more capable of catching viewers’ attention and holding on to it for a longer period of time. Engaging video content can change the pace of your accounting business. In its Understanding the Expanding Benefits of Marketing with Video study, the Aberdeen Group has reported that marketers who employ video-based content receive 66% more refined leads every year, along with a 54% rise in brand awareness. These numbers highlight the importance of good-quality video content in effectively marketing your accounting services. Begin with an introductory video on your accounting firm. Thereafter, regularly post small video clips about your accounting services and other value offerings. You can also curate instructional video content, and the best part is that you don’t even require a professional videographer to shoot your videos. Today, the market is replete with providers who offer free or affordable short video templates.

Another contemporary online rage is live video streaming. Use the live video streaming feature to give your potential customers a sneak peek into your accounting firm’s activities, such as webinars, conferences and events. You can also stream live videos of events and seminars that you are attending and share them online. This will not only help attract new customers but also allow you to collaborate with other accounting firms that have the same interests as yours, thereby opening the doors to industry partnerships and alliances.

 

Influencer Marketing

One of the current buzzwords in the content marketing industry is influencer marketing. The intent to purchase among customers increases significantly when recommendations come from people of importance or thought leaders. Use influencer marketing to your benefit by networking proactively within your immediate accounting community, but ensure the entire process is solely organic. You don’t have to spend money in influencer marketing; users will happily do it for you if they are content with your accounting services and want to appreciate your hard work. With influencer marketing, you will not simply be selling your accounting services to one thought leader, via him/her you will be marketing your offerings to the thought leader’s line of followers.

 

Content Syndication

Content publishing without syndication is simply content not delivered. The Internet is full of content (blogs, articles, videos, etc.), and yours will stray off-course in the crowd if you don’t resort to syndication. By pushing your content out to relevant third parties who will then republish it on their own websites, you will expand your boundaries, which will assist in getting noticed. Start networking aggressively on social media platforms. Use Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn to get the word out about your accounting services. You can also use Reddit and Quora to boost your website traffic, though you need to be careful with how you position your content, as directly selling your services is forbidden on these platforms. You may also resort to targeted content syndication, which will provide more refined, granular and qualified leads.

 

Content Marketing Automation

Automation has made life easier for all, even for content marketers. Content marketing automation helps streamline the overall content curation and distribution processes, thereby saving time, efforts and money. When automated marketing messages are not relevant to the end-receivers, the content gets dismissed as spam. Therefore, the content you create has to be tailored to the requirements of your target audience, else customers will not be inclined to consume the crafted content. How your customers interact with your content reveals a lot about their preferences. Thus, it is essential to segment your audience accurately on the basis of these preferences to nurture refined leads via automated content marketing. Content marketing automation assigns a context to your customers’ journey, from the beginning to the end, in a way that the content as well as marketing teams understand the customers’ requirements and build relevant content marketing strategies.

 

Content Variety

Content variety is no longer restricted to blogs and articles. Customers are becoming impatient by the minute and are demanding bite-sized content that is quick to consume. Therefore, do not simply focus on content curation, move to media publishing–decide on the most suitable format for the contents you publish. You have the option to choose from a large pool: whitepapers, how-tos, checklists, webinars, memes, infographics, case studies, GIFs, podcasts, animations, etc. These innovations will allow your customers to access content via the call-and-response format, and they will be able to interact with your accounting brand on the go.

Hinakshi Nihalani - Outbooks
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Hinakshi, a Content Writer and Social Media Expert at Outbooks, brings her passion for writing to every project. Specializing in tax preparation, management accounts, cash flow, and VAT returns, she creates engaging, well-researched content that simplifies complex topics. Her work supports accountants in growing their practices and optimizing finances, making valuable information accessible to professionals and newcomers alike.

by:Hinakshi Nihalani