digital strategy and your website for accountants
DESCRIPTION
Identify what your firm is trying to achieve with its online strategy and how your website is the centre piece for everything you do online. Now that you know what you're trying to achieve online and your accounts are all set up, learn how to utilise social media in your firm. We will cover: What are you trying to achieve online? Where your website sits in this strategy? How to design your website to meet this strategy? Features of your website that can help you achieve this strategy?TRANSCRIPT
Digital Strategy& Your Website
The Big Picture
Marketing strategy
Vs
Marketing tactics
Why have a digital strategy?
Workplace digitisationCloud computingCommunicationsClients versus ProspectsNew ways of working
BrochureBusiness cardsDirect mail lettersNewsNewsletterStaff biographiesAdvertisingYellow PagesSeminar
Traditional Digital
Pdf or WebsitevCard E mail Website news pageElectronic newsletterLinked InAdWords, SEOYellWebinar
What could be digital?
What do you want to achieve with your digital strategy?
Be knownGet foundSkillsShowcase case studiesGeographyNiche expertiseClient list
How Digital can help
Your website is your most important asset
Designing your website
First, let’s test your existing situation1. Go to Google, Bing or Yahoo and type in “Accountant YOUR TOWN”2. Give yourself 1 point for every reference to your business on the first 3 pages 3. Plus 1 point if it also includes your business on these websites• Linked In (a person or the firm)• Yell, Finda, Localist, Whitepages, Hotfrog, Yelp, TrueLocal• Facebook
4. Deduct one point if these are listed• Seek, Indeed, Reed, TradeMe, NoCowboys, Gumtree
Did you score >2? If yes, you’re better than 95% of CAs
• Paid Search• Natural Search• Linked In• Yellow Pages• Trade Media
Accountant Manukau
Worked example of Google Search
How to design your website
Ignore the pictures, for now
What do the words say and how does a machine read them?
Open Alchemi API
http://www.alchemyapi.com/
Alchami API detail
Features your website needs
1. Expert copywriting – the key words2. Accurate directory listings3. Meta Tags and Image Alt details4. Frequently updated content on unique URLs5. Incoming links from well-read websites (Linked In,
Newspapers, Trade media, blogs, content aggregation services)
6. Outbound syndication and sharing (RSS, Social media, Linked In, Business2Community)
Us
You
Us
You
Us
Us
Hayes Girling – multiple contact options, online payment
Carolyn Skilling – Prominent phone, strong brand
Monteck Carter – blog archive, categories & newsletter in 1
Brown Baldwin – Multiple channels
SMC – simple strap line
Other things your website can do for you
• Showcase your expertise• Case studies• Free advice guides• Interviews with the Partners• Interviews with clients
• Encourage newsletter subscriptions• Self-service sign up• Non-pdf newsletters• Re-use news articles for newsletters
• Event sign ups• Christmas party• Expert seminar• Client drinks
Measurement and analysis
Nearly everything digital can be measuredThis should please you
What to measure
Build a spreadsheet of these values and record monthly• Total monthly sessions• Total monthly visitors (unique)• Peak day number• Total number of pages viewed• Bounce Rate %• New Visitors %• Top referring site• Other referring sites• Keywords – most popular. 2nd, 3rd etc• Top Performing content• List page(s) and numbers of page views• Number of contact form submissions• Number of newsletter subscribers
Things to do TODAY
Do a search for your business – by name, by geography, by specialismNote the results as a baseline for future comparisonCheck your free listings are accurateDo an Alchemy API assessmentReview your Google Analytics [install if you haven’t got them]Start recording Analytics every month – go back 6 months to start
Tell the decision makers how well [or badly] you are doing. Be firm, be clear on the need for change.
CCH iFirm offers for you
www.cchifirm.com
Inspired to get your website up and running?Talk to CCH about their no up-front fee website options
Already using CCH Web Manager?Talk to CCH about their Responsive design upgrade options
Creative Agency Secrets Offer for You
http://creativeagencysecrets.com/accountant-resources/ • Get these Slides• Spreadsheet for Google Analytics templatehttp://creativeagencysecrets.com/marketing-accountants/ • Phone consultation $350 + GST for 1 hour• Get questions answered, a brief for your web
designer & top 3 priorities for your website• Full refund guarantee if not satisfied
Connect with me
@[email protected] In +64 22 647 3993