Technology hasn’t changed how accountants and accounting firms do business and deliver their services; it’s changed the way they reach new clients.
Traditionally, lead generation involved word-of-mouth marketing, cold calling, and advertising in newspapers and flyers. While some accounting firms still use these old methods of marketing, they prove to be less effective as more and more consumers move towards digital channels to spend their time.
In this day, it’s become instinctive for people to perform an online search any time they’re interested in a product or service. In fact, according to a recent study by Infoplease, 89 percent of internet users say they go online to use a search engine to find information. Therefore, firms that don’t have an online presence in the form of a website, blog or social media are not likely being discovered by potential clients.
You may think that having a website is enough; however, your company site doesn’t generate enough regular activity to improve your rankings on search engines. If anything, without a comprehensive inbound marketing plan, your website is mostly an online brochure of your services. And, while a blog is an excellent way for you to increase your search engine rankings and establish yourself as an expert in your field, it’s not a useful lead generation tool if no one is reading it.
Increasing Web Traffic and Generating Leads Through Social Media
To get more people to your website and more readers for your blog, you can leverage social media to promote your site and the articles you publish. Social media is also an excellent channel to increase brand awareness, engage with your audience and build relationships. Spending your time on social media engaging with followers creates fans who turn into leads and convert into clients. Here’s how you can leverage your firm’s social media accounts to boost lead generation:
By promoting your website and blogs on Facebook, you increase traffic to your site and blog. However, you can also use it to generate qualified leads with Facebook Ads. A great way to generate leads is through contests that combine a contest landing page and Facebook Ad. Another strategy is to give away something valuable, such as an eBook or a free trial, in exchange for prospective clients’ contact details.
For accounting firms, Facebook Lead Ads is one of the best ways to generate leads. With Facebook Lead Ads, contact forms are included in your ad where you can request emails and contact information from the people who click your ads.
LinkedIn is where professionals and businesses go to make connections and share content, generating leads in the process. Stay active by posting content and engage with prospects by asking for feedback on the articles you post.
And, to become a go-to source, participate in discussions related to your industry and give your expert opinions freely. Connect with potential clients using LinkedIn’s advanced search features that allow you to find people by company, seniority level and function.
LinkedIn also has a Lead Collection feature that allows you to collect leads through your LinkedIn ad campaigns. LinkedIn Lead Gen Forms are added to your Sponsored Content campaigns, helping you increase not only the volume of leads, but also the quality of them.
Target specific accounts with Twitter ads based on areas and locations to reach locals who may be interested in your services. And, like the other social media platforms, you can use Twitter to promote your website, published blogs and other content. Don’t forget to add hashtags on your tweets to help you find prospects. Also, it helps potential clients who use hashtags to search to see you.
The key to generating leads for your accounting firm by using social media is to remain active and engaging. Post industry related content that is relevant and compelling. And, don’t forget to add a call-to-action to invite prospective clients to learn more about your services.
