Marketing for accounting firms: proven strategies to grow your practice

Accounting and marketing might not seem like natural companions. But if you want to grow your firm and acquire new clients, you need to know how to drum up interest. This is particularly true in today’s digital world, where attention is in short supply. 

In this article, we’ll guide you through some tried-and-tested strategies for marketing accounting firms. By implementing them, you’ll ensure that your business grabs attention and stands out from the crowd. 

Why is it important to advertise your accounting firm?

The market for accounting services is huge. In the US alone, there are almost 90,000 accounting firms. Each one is competing for clients and vying for attention. In the past, word of mouth was often enough to bring a steady stream of new clients on board. But today, you must also meet potential clients where they spend most of their time — online. 

Almost all effective marketing strategies are now digital. This means getting comfortable with areas such as SEO, social media, email campaigns, and other digital content. To maximize the potential of these strategies, accounting firms must embrace modern tech, including automation, AI, and analytics tools. 

While this can all feel overwhelming for the average accountant, fear not — we’re here to help. Read on to explore some of the most effective marketing strategies for accounting firms, and how to implement them.

15 marketing strategies for accounting firms

There are all sorts of ways you can market your firm. Below, we’ll look at 15 of the best ways to attract the right audience, drive growth, and build long-term client relationships. 

1. Establish a strong brand identity

Establishing a strong brand identity is central to any effective marketing plan. On a practical level, your brand includes elements such as your logo, color scheme, and the overall tone of your communications. But it goes deeper than that. 

Your brand plays a central role in building client trust and familiarity. It also helps determine the type of clients you are likely to attract. For example, a large firm with enterprise clients will necessarily have different branding than a one-person tax business that serves the local community. 

The example below is from the website of an accounting firm that helps tech startups. As you can see, the firm’s branding is tailored to this audience. It looks modern, informal, and clean. 

With this in mind, pay careful attention to your brand identity. Make sure it reflects what your firm is all about — and resonates with the people or businesses you want to work with.

2. Position yourself as an industry expert

Marketing is much more than having a professional-looking website. By demonstrating your expertise on various digital channels, you can set yourself apart from the competition. There are several ways you can do this, including: 

• Sharing insightful posts on social media
• Writing value-packed blog posts on the latest accounting trends
• Creating video content or hosting podcasts
• Speaking at industry events and conferences

These strategies help position you as a thought leader and grow your personal brand. They improve your credibility and visibility. They also act as powerful marketing for your business. If people see you as an industry expert, your firm will benefit by association. 

3. Develop niche-specific content

With so many accounting firms out there, creating marketing content that stands out can be challenging. One effective way to get your business in front of the right audience is to target a particular accounting niche. 

For example, you could target small businesses or startups. You could target businesses from specific industries, such as finance, e-commerce, or healthcare. Alternatively, you could focus on specialist areas of accounting with growing demand, such as cryptocurrency tax or green accounting. 

Once you’ve chosen a niche, you can tailor your content to that target audience. Make sure you focus on identifying the unique challenges and pain points your target audience has — and address them directly in your content. 

4. Optimize your website for search engines (SEO)

Every accounting business needs a professional website. But to turn your website into a lead-generation machine, you need to optimize it for search engines. This is where SEO comes in. 

SEO is a range of strategies and processes designed to get as many people visiting your website as possible. By optimizing your website content for relevant keywords — for example, “tax accountant in Miami” — you can ensure that your website ranks highly on search engines, like this: 

The exact keywords you choose will depend on where you are based, the services you offer, and the clients you want to work with. You’ll need to conduct thorough research to understand search volumes and how difficult it will be to rank for certain keywords. Thankfully, there are plenty of SEO tools that make this process easy. 

Below, you can see what keyword research looks like in Semrush, a popular SEO platform. In this case, we’re researching the keyword “Tax liability”.   

There’s a lot more to SEO than meets the eye. At first glance, it may seem overwhelming — especially for those not familiar with digital marketing. But SEO is essential to drive leads and grow your firm. For a deeper dive into SEO best practices, check out this article: SEO for accountants.  

5. Offer free resources as lead magnets

Another effective way to attract new clients is to offer free accounting resources, which people can access by submitting their name and contact information. These are known as lead magnets or gated content. For example, you could offer: 

• Informative e-books on relevant accounting topics 
• How-to guides or checklists for tax preparation or bookkeeping
• Client success stories that highlight the value you offer

Lead magnets are an excellent way to engage your target market and grow your brand through value-packed content. Moreover, they allow you to capture lead information. You can then nurture these leads with targeted email campaigns (more on that later).

6. Leverage social media marketing

If you want to grow your brand and attract new clients, you can’t avoid social media. With over 94% of the world’s internet users using it, social media represents a vast frontier for engaging with your target audience. 

We recommend building a strong presence on social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. You can do this by: 

• Posting industry insights, updates, and tips
• Sharing your latest content and client stories
• Networking with fellow professionals and industry leaders
• Sparking conversation — and interacting with those who respond

These strategies help grow your personal brand and build trust. They also allow you to promote your business to the world, and for free. 

We’ve only scratched the surface of how social media can boost your accounting marketing efforts here. To learn more, check out this article: 12 social media content ideas for accountants.

7. Implement an inbound marketing strategy

People often associate marketing with direct advertising. But in today’s digital world, it’s often more effective to attract clients indirectly through valuable content and interactions. This is known as inbound marketing. 

Inbound marketing is particularly effective because it positions your firm as a trusted resource of industry expertise. You provide value to your target audience through blog posts, webinars, and other educational content. They associate you and your business with quality, trustworthiness, and integrity. So when the time comes that they need an accountant, they know where to turn. 

Essentially, inbound marketing allows you to attract a steady stream of new clients without having to resort to direct selling. 

8. Add live chat to your website

When people arrive on your website, chances are they have questions they need answering. What services do you offer? How much do they cost? How can they schedule a call? You can (and should) answer these questions in your website content. But to add an extra layer of convenience, you could also add live chat functionality. 

Live chat improves client engagement by providing immediate responses to inquiries. Using a simple chatbot, you can answer questions, direct people to the correct web pages or resources, or provide a link to a scheduling tool like Calendly. 

This enhances the user experience significantly, increasing the chances of converting website visitors into clients. What’s more, most firms don’t have live chat, so it’s an opportunity to differentiate yourself. 

9. Build and maintain an email newsletter

Email marketing has been around for decades, but it’s still highly effective. Despite innovations, email remains the go-to communication platform for the vast majority of people and businesses. One of the best ways to nurture leads and build strong relationships with existing clients is through an email newsletter. 

By sending out a value-packed newsletter each month or quarter, you can provide leads and clients with the latest accounting insights. You can discuss growing trends and regulatory updates. You can also highlight your services, pricing, and special offers. 

The regular cadence of newsletters keeps your audience engaged. It gently nudges them towards your business and highlights your expertise and value. And with marketing automation tools, you can automate your newsletter emails and monitor key success metrics. 

Here’s an example of a newsletter sign-up page:

10. Encourage client reviews and testimonials

When potential clients are researching your firm, they’ll likely put more value in what existing clients have to say than what you say yourself. This makes social proof one of the most powerful marketing tools. 

When you’ve completed work for a client, make sure to ask them for a review on sites such as Google and Facebook, as well as industry-specific sites. Using TaxDome, for example, you can build this into your workflow by having follow-up emails sent out automatically when a client pays a bill. 

Once you have some positive client reviews, you can add them to your website, or include them in your content, to reinforce your reputation. You could even ask reviewers if they’d be interested in being the subject of a client success story. Below, you can see an example of an accounting firm putting client reviews front and center. 

11. Utilize networking and strategic partnerships

Networking has always been a powerful marketing tool for accountants. While in-person events are still a great way to do this, social media has made it easier than ever to connect with like-minded professionals. 

Networking with accounting leaders is a great way to boost your credibility online and build brand awareness. It also opens the door to participation in industry events, roundtable discussions, and more. In addition, you can form strategic partnerships with complementary businesses, such as law firms or financial advisors. This can help you generate valuable referrals that drive business.

12. Host webinars and live Q&A sessions

Webinars are a powerful way to educate existing and potential clients on accounting best practices. They also provide the perfect platform to demonstrate your expertise. 

For example, during tax season, you could host a Q&A session on how to ensure smooth tax filing. This will provide real value to your audience while positioning you as a tax expert they can turn to for professional support.

Some accountants may be put off hosting webinars due to their technical requirements. But don’t worry — there are dedicated platforms for simplify emails, registration, and hosting. Needless to say, diving into webinars will help you stand out from the crowd. 

Interested in watching a TaxDome webinar? We regularly host live events covering major new product releases. Alternatively, you can browse our library of product-related webinars designed to get you up to speed on TaxDome’s core features. 

13. Leverage video marketing

Most accounting firms focus on web content and social media but overlook the power of video marketing. This is understandable — there’s a lot more upfront cost and effort involved in creating a professional-looking video than there is, say, a blog post. But the results are often worth it. 

Videos are highly engaging. They allow potential clients to consume valuable content in a convenient way. For example, you can create short video explainers, video-based client testimonials, or deep-dives into the latest accounting tech. Here are some examples of YouTube videos from accounting influencer Jason Staats.

If you’re put off by the steep learning curve involved in recording, editing, and publishing videos, there are plenty of resources online to guide you through. Alternatively, you can turn to the freelance market for project-based support. 

14. Speak at industry events and conferences

In a world saturated with digital interactions, in-person events have become even more powerful as a medium for connecting with others and sharing expertise. Once you’ve managed to establish yourself as an accounting thought leader online, you could turn your mind to conferences and trade shows. 

Speaking at events takes your credibility and professional profile up another notch. By sharing valuable insights with attendees, you position yourself as a true thought leader. Your business will benefit as a result. 

Interested in attending an industry event this year? We’ve got you covered. Check out our article to discover the top US 25 accounting conferences in 2025.

15. Get involved in the community and volunteering

Marketing for accountants isn’t all about what you can gain. It’s also about what you can give. By participating in community events and charitable initiatives, you can give back and support those in need. As a by-product, you’ll enhance your business reputation and foster goodwill among the community. 

For example, you could host financial literacy workshops for young adults. Alternatively, you could provide basic bookkeeping or treasury services free of charge for a local community group or charity. This will help you build meaningful relationships with local people while attracting new clients who align with your values. 

Streamline your accounting practice with TaxDome

We hope you’ve enjoyed this list of marketing ideas for accounting firms. Attracting clients through effective marketing is one thing. Retaining them is another altogether. Today, clients have high expectations. They expect slick, digital experiences when interacting with your firm. They also expect quick turnarounds and timely status updates. 

Without the right tech, it’s virtually impossible to offer this kind of service at scale. This is where TaxDome can help. As a complete practice management platform, TaxDome offers all the tools you need to run a highly efficient and profitable accounting firm. You can: 

• Automate entire accounting workflows
• Stay on top of tasks and improve team collaboration
• Interact with clients through secure client portals
• Manage documents and e-signatures securely
• Track time, bill clients, and get paid

So you can scale your business, improve internal operations, and provide a top-level service that keeps clients happy. And all without jumping between different tools.