AI Local SEO for Accountants: The Complete Guide with Examples
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·6 min read
Table of Contents
AI Local SEO for Accountants: The Complete Guide
I. Introduction
The accounting industry, like many others, is going through a significant digital transformation. This change is driven by various technological advancements, among which AI and Local SEO play essential roles. As the industry becomes more digitized, accountants need to adapt to these changes to thrive. AI technologies can help accountants streamline and optimize their operations, while Local SEO is a powerful tool that can significantly improve an accountant's online visibility in their local area. By leveraging AI and Local SEO, accountants can reach a broader audience, attract more clients, and stay competitive in the digital age.
II. Understanding AI and Local SEO
Local SEO is a strategy that helps businesses become more visible in local search results on search engines. This is particularly crucial for accountants as most accounting firms serve clients in their immediate geographical area. Local SEO tactics include ensuring your firm's name, address, and phone number are consistently listed across your website and other online directories, and optimizing your site's content and metadata with keywords that include your location.
- Local SEO helps attract clients in specific geographical locations by improving a firm's visibility in local search results.
- It involves tactics such as consistent listing of contact information and location-specific keyword optimization.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) can supercharge these Local SEO strategies by automating and enhancing various tasks. For instance, AI can help with keyword research by analyzing vast amounts of search data to identify the most effective keywords for your firm. It can also assist with content optimization by assessing your website and suggesting improvements that could enhance your local SEO across your Google Business Profile (GBP) and your website.
III. Local SEO Keywords for Accountants
Following are Local SEO keyword examples for accountants:
Keyword | Intent |
"Accountant in [Location Name]" | Users are looking for an accountant in a specific location |
"[Location Name] Tax Preparation Service" | Users are looking for tax preparation services in a specific location |
"Payroll Services in [Location Name]" | Users are looking for payroll services in a specific location |
"[Location Name] Financial Advisor" | Users are looking for a financial advisor in a specific location |
"Bookkeeping Service in [Location Name]" | Users are looking for bookkeeping services in a specific location |
"Small Business Accountant in [Location Name]" | Users are looking for an accountant specializing in small businesses in a specific location |
"[Location Name] Certified Public Accountant" | Users are looking for a certified public accountant in a specific location |
"Tax Consultant in [Location Name]" | Users are looking for tax consulting services in a specific location |
"[Location Name] Tax Planning Services" | Users are looking for tax planning services in a specific location |
"Auditing Services in [Location Name]" | Users are looking for auditing services in a specific location |
"[Location Name] Business Valuation Services" | Users are looking for business valuation services in a specific location |
"Forensic Accounting in [Location Name]" | Users are looking for forensic accounting services in a specific location |
"Estate Planning Accountant in [Location Name]" | Users are looking for an accountant specializing in estate planning in a specific location |
"[Location Name] Non-profit Accounting Services" | Users are looking for accounting services for non-profit organizations in a specific location |
"Quickbooks Consultant in [Location Name]" | Users are looking for a QuickBooks consultant in a specific location |
As you can see, to rank higher than competitors you could choose a specific location and niche: for example, “Forensic Accounting in Mission Street, San Francisco” or “Quickbooks Consultant in Castro Street, Mountain View”
Notice how the second result contains a business with 0 reviews and ratings, just because they have optimized for the local SEO keyword “bookeeper” in addition to being in San Francisco (notice their title “My Online Bookkeeper”).
Thus, you should consider what keywords will help you rank and the more specific and niche, the better it is at the start!
IV. Optimize your Business for Local SEO with AI
Now that we know the importance of local SEO keywords, let’s look at ways you can optimize your local business (your Google Business Profile and Website) for local SEO keywords.
1. Choose the right local SEO keywords
It's crucial to select the right local SEO keywords that your potential clients might use to search for your services. Use keyword research tools to identify these terms, and consider the intent behind each keyword.
You want to go for local SEO keywords that are specific to your local business and separate you from the competitors. This may often be very niche, specific keywords like “Quickbooks accountant in Northbrook, Illinois”
Below is a screenshot of businesses that are ranking lower but have a lot more reviews. Notice how the first few businesses to show up are much higher in ranking than local businesses that have significantly more reviews just because they have optimized or the “quickbooks” local SEO keyword and are targeting a specific niche.
2. Consider having keywords in your GBP title
Having relevant local SEO keywords in your Google Business Profile (GBP) title can improve your visibility in local search results.
Notice how the first result is of a business that has “Quickbooks” in their title and is thus targeting that specific niche as follows:
However, remember to keep it natural and avoid keyword stuffing.
3. Check name, address, and phone (NAP) information on GBP
Ensure that your name, address and phone number are accurate and consistent on Google Business Profile / Google My Business and across all other platforms. This helps search engines to recognize your business as a valid business that cares about providing a good service to customers and can significantly improve your local SEO.
At minimum a local business should have an appropriate name, full address, phone number, website, services offered, and hours of operation very clearly listed on Google Business Profile and other platforms.
Our platform LocalPanda enables you to leverage AI to manage your local SEO with Location & Listings management, Smart Weekly AI tasks, Reviews, AI Panda Chat and many more features!
We’ve also written at-length about how to optimize your Google Business Profile with AI
4. Optimize your website for local SEO keywords
It is extremely important to optimize your website for local SEO keywords.
You want to understand what your target customers are searching for and then be able to answer those queries in your website.
This can be in the form of landing page copy, FAQs, service pages, customer success stories or any other touch-points that help your target customers understand the value that your local business providers.
Also, be sure to include local SEO keywords in your website's content, meta tags, and URL structure. This can help search engines understand your business's location and services, improving your visibility in local search results.
5. Get reviews from customers
Having more reviews and especially positive reviews can greatly enhance your business's credibility on Google Business Profile and other platforms and improve your local SEO.
In addition to getting positive reviews, the number of reviews, recency of reviews, and replies to reviews also matter tremendously in ranking. Thus, you need a process for getting regular reviews from customers and it’s recommended to use software to automate the process of review management. Our platform LocalPanda enables you to get reviews on autopilot and leverage AI to respond to reviews, in addition to managing your local SEO with Location & Listings management, Smart Weekly AI tasks, AI Panda Chat and many more features!
Encourage your clients to leave reviews on your GBP and respond to these reviews in a timely manner.
6. Get citations from accounting websites
Citations are NAP (name, address, phone number, website etc.) mentions of your local business on websites related to your niche, for example accounting websites that would list you as a service provider.
There are general citation websites and industry-specific citation websites. Here are some examples of general citation websites:
- Google Business Profile
- Yelp
- Bing Places
- Apple Business Connect
- HereMaps
- BrownBook
Here are some examples of Accounting industry specific websites:
- ukaccountingfirms.co.uk
- local-accountants-uk-co.uk
- accountant-finder.com
- accounting8.com
- MeetAnAccountant.com
Citations from reputable accounting websites can boost your local SEO. These references to your business should include your NAP information and, if possible, a link to your website.
7. Create posts about your local business
Regular posts about your services, events, or offers can keep your GBP fresh and relevant. This can improve your visibility in local search results.
You can create regular posts about updates, offers and events pertaining to your local business on Google Business Profile (GBP) and other social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
8. Create a blog
A blog can be a great platform for sharing useful information and showcasing your expertise. By including local SEO keywords in your blog posts, you can improve your visibility in local search results.
For blogs, you want to ensure that you are answering your customers’ / clients’ questions related to your local business.
VI. Conclusion
In summary, the use of AI and Local SEO has become a necessity in our digital world, especially for accountants. These tools can enhance online presence and make operations more efficient, which is vital for staying competitive. Therefore, it's a smart move for accountants to incorporate AI and Local SEO into their business plans to keep up with the times and maintain success in their industry.
If you’re interested in learning about how to grow local SEO for specific industries, we’ve written at length about it:
AI Local SEO for Dentists