You are probably reading this because you are unhappy with your current SEO service provider or because you haven’t yet started SEO and would love to. Based on our experience.
In this guide, you’ll get an insider look into our SEO strategies for bookkeeping businesses and explore whether your business is a great candidate for SEO.
Our SEO Strategies for Bookkeepers
Every SEO campaign requires well-executed tactics. Here are some strategies we apply:
1. Building and Maintaining a Solid Website
It all starts with a great website. If you don’t have a website already, we offer affordable web design and management services. We can create a beautiful, functional business website that ranks and converts traffic into paying customers.
If you already have a business website, we ensure it meets the following criteria:
- Speed: The website should load reasonably fast to have a low bounce rate, which shows the percentage of users who don’t wait for your website to load but instead return to the search engine results pages (SERPs) to click on other sites.
Aim for a loading speed of 2-3 seconds for mobile devices and less than 1.5 seconds for desktop devices. PageSpeed Insights can help you check your site’s loading speed for free.
- Optimization: Have a well-optimized website complete with relevant pages, URLs, H-tags, content, SEO titles, meta descriptions, and images.
- Logical Site Structure: A well-organized website improves search engine experience and user experience.
You’ll want a website with a crawl depth of one for critical pages like location and service pages and a depth of two for your blog.
The crawl depth refers to the number of clicks a user makes to access any page from your homepage or blog.
- Functionality: Can users navigate the site easily and find what they want?
- Crawlability: Your website should be easy for search engines to find so they can place it on relevant search results pages.
2. Target the Right Keywords
Simply having a website is not enough. You must target the right keywords to improve your chances of ranking. These keywords will mainly appear in your content on the service pages, location pages, and blog posts.
The first decision will be whether to target broad or niche keywords. A niche keyword is a specific phrase or term that describes a service or product within a given industry, area, or category.
On the other hand, a broad keyword is less specific and relates to a wider industry vertical.
It’s easier to rank for niche keywords and convert the traffic into paying clients because the target audience is specific and already interested in that topic, product, or service.
For example, it is easier to rank and convert for traffic targeting “bookkeeping for painters” instead of “bookkeeping services”. It will be hard to rank for general bookkeeping services.
In the screenshot below, the search results show only a few first pages relevant to the keyword. This example is of an extreme long tail (there isn’t much search volume for “bookkeepers for home services”) but the same concepts apply.
Note that you can even narrow down further into a specific vertical within the same industry. For instance, it’s easier to rank for “bookkeeping for plumbers”. You can easily check the keyword volume using a free tool like Wordstream.
When you work with niche keywords, ranking is easier because you can focus on that specific topic and build a robust topical map.
Your topical map shows how your content is organized around specific themes or topics to help search engines understand the hierarchy of your content so it’s easy for them to crawl and index your web pages.
3. Optimize Your Google Business Profile
Google Business Profile (GBP) can be a worthwhile low-hanging fruit for finding clients in your area, even with only a few reviews.
A well-optimized GBP is easy to rank in the Local Map Pack and SERPS.
Ranking well on the Map Pack depends on three aspects—relevance, proximity or distance, and prominence.
According to Google, relevance means how well your Google Business Profile matches the user’s search. Your business name, business categories, and the profile’s landing page determine its relevance.
Your business name should contain your primary service. For example, as a bookkeeper, it should have “Bookkeeper” or “Bookkeeping” in it. You can also add the primary location you serve in the name.
Here’s an example of Local Map Pack results. Not that all three business names include “Bookkeeping”, making them highly relevant to the “Bookkeeper” search term:
Since bookkeeping is your primary service as a bookkeeper, it should be the primary GBP category to help increase your chances of ranking high on Google Maps.
Your Google Business Profile’s landing page is the page on your website where you send your visitors to find more information about your business and the services or products you offer.
The landing page can be either a specific location page or the homepage. Typically if you have one location your homepage will be the landing page. If you have multiple GBP you’ll want to use the location specific pages.
While you have more control over relevance, you can’t do much about your business’s proximity to the user. The closer your business is to the searcher’s location or the location they put in the search, the higher the chances that your GBP will rank.
Prominence shows how well people know your business offline and online and depends on Google reviews, local backlinks, citations, domain authority, and the age of the GBP.
For example, Google sees a bookkeeper’s GBP with a 5-star rating and hundreds of reviews as more prominent and ranks it higher than one with a 3-star rating from only a few reviews.
It’s advisable to constantly collect reviews from customers and other people who interact with your business. Ideally this is done through a combination of manual and automated tactics.
4. Get on Online Directories
Online directories are a great way to collect local backlinks, improve search engine rankings, and increase customer reviews (if the directory allows customers to leave reviews).
Ensure you submit your business to directories such as Yelp, Google Business Profile, Yellow Pages, Bing Places, LinkedIn, and Yahoo.
Check on Google to see what directories are ranking that you can target. If Google SERPs show business directories for bookkeeping or bookkeeper-related keywords, that’s a good sign to get your business listed with them.
When submitting your business to online directories, remember to ensure your business information is correct and that you include a link to your website so that they can link back to you.
Here’s a screenshot showing typical online directory results related to bookkeeping:
5. Set Up Google Search Console
Google Search Console (GSC) is a free tool that enables you, among other things, to see your rankings on Google.
If you’ve built your website with WordPress, use Rank Math or Yoast to generate a sitemap, which you’ll submit to GSC.
You can always wait for Google to index your new pages automatically, but it’s better to manually submit each page on GSC for indexation. Ensure each page is well-optimized for SEO by adding relevant content, SEO title, URL, meta description, and heading tags.
Here’s how the tool can help you with your SEO efforts:
- It measures your search traffic and performance, showing which pages attract the most traffic so you can produce more similar content where applicable.
- You can optimize your pages with Search Analytics, which shows which keywords bring visitors to your site. You also see the number of impressions and number of clicks per query.
- You can get your content on the Google search engine when you submit your sitemap and page URLs for indexing. You can always check your index status to ensure Google has the most recent outlook of your website.
- You receive alerts when your site has issues. Google shows you the affected pages and allows you to report back after fixing them.
One of the most important things you can do with GSC is use its data and insights to improve your existing content.
For example, if you notice a page is ranking for queries it doesn’t have, be sure to add those queries. It’s best to add the queries as new headings with content under them rather than just weaving them into the existing paragraphs. Or when appropriate build out a separate page for those specific queries.
Lastly, you must submit the key pages, such as the homepage, location page, service page, blog, and individual blog posts for indexing.
6. Build High-Quality Links
High-quality backlinks to your website are an important ranking feature. Start by writing high-quality content based on either niche or broad keywords as per your preference.
Find and target keywords relevant to your target audience. For instance, if you serve tech companies, target keywords such as “best accounting software for tech companies” or “best bookkeeping firms for tech companies”.
While you can use both free and paid keyword research tools to identify such keywords, one of the best places to start is to consider the questions your current and potential customers usually ask you.
Keep submitting new pages to GSC for indexing, monitoring rankings with the tool, and improving the pages based on the insights.
High-quality content helps attract quality backlinks, as other websites consider you an authority in the field. For example, if you publish in-depth statistics on bookkeeping, more websites can link to your pages.
You can also get citations and backlinks from review sites.
Remember to keep linking your posts and pages internally to show Google how your content is related and to make it easier for users to navigate your site and find the information they need.
How Much Does SEO for Bookkeepers Cost?
Now that you know the SEO strategies we use, you may be wondering how much you’ll have to pay for such an experience.
Our SEO services cost between $500 and $1500 per month, depending on your SEO needs and the level of competition in the market.
If your business serves a larger audience and focuses beyond local SEO, we would look at our premium SEO package that starts at $1500. This comes with a larger link-building campaign and more SEO-optimized content.
Indeed, the most important consideration is the value you get in terms of monthly deliverables and the final results rather than the cost. Ensure the cost matches the value.
Other SEO companies may charge more or less.
How Long Will It Take SEO To Work For My Bookkeeping Business?
It typically takes 6-12 months for SEO to work for a brand new bookkeeping business. The time it takes to get significant results depends on how well-established your business is and how competitive your niche is.
It can take only 3-4 months to see excellent results for an older website that already has good content and links.
Is My Bookkeeping Company a Good Candidate for SEO?
Your bookkeeping company may or may not be a good candidate for SEO. If you have long term vision to grow your business typically SEO is a great option.
It’s important to remember that SEO is a long-term investment that takes some time to yield ideal results, and the benefits are also long-term.
If you work as freelancer, it’s usually smarter to rely on cheaper or cost-free alternatives like word of mouth, business directories, and Google Business Profile. These methods can get you enough clients to fill your time.
Still unsure if you need SEO? Book a free, no-obligation consultation with us today, and we’ll be thrilled to discuss your options with you.
Local SEO vs Organic SEO for Bookkeeping Companies
Local SEO is a great start because it targets local-intent keywords specific to your area or city.
To improve your local SEO efforts, actively ask for plenty of reviews from your customers. Have team members who interact directly with your clients ask them for reviews to increase the chances of getting some.
Organic SEO takes a bit longer but has a higher potential for traffic volume. You’ll need a strong domain, a solid website, lots of reviews, and plenty of high-quality content links (both internal and external).
102 Keywords for Bookkeepers
Keyword | Monthly Search Volume (US) | Keyword Difficulty |
bookkeeping | 85000 | 42 |
book keepers | 85000 | 32 |
bookkeeper near me | 16700 | 45 |
book keeping near me | 16700 | 45 |
accounting packages for small business | 17000 | 57 |
bookkeeping services | 14700 | 21 |
small business bookkeeping | 2900 | 43 |
small business book keeping | 2900 | 43 |
bookkeeping services near me | 7300 | 28 |
book keeping services near me | 7300 | 45 |
accountant for small business near me | 5100 | 29 |
accountant small business near me | 5100 | 24 |
bookkeeping and accounting | 3000 | 44 |
accounting bookkeeping | 3000 | 44 |
book keeper accounting | 3200 | |
accounting book keeping | 3000 | 41 |
book keeping services | 2600 | 49 |
online accounting packages | 1600 | 67 |
accounting services for small business | 2300 | 19 |
freelance bookkeeping | 1800 | 34 |
certified bookkeeper | 2100 | 45 |
online bookkeeping | 1800 | 39 |
virtual bookkeeper | 1600 | 25 |
tax accountant for small business | 1600 | 49 |
remote bookkeeper | 1600 | 37 |
outsource accounting | 1500 | 24 |
business bookkeeping | 1300 | 46 |
business book keeping | 1300 | 44 |
bookkeeping and accounting services | 1200 | 29 |
non profit bookkeeping | 1100 | 25 |
bookkeeping accounting services | 1200 | 44 |
outsourced bookkeeping services | 1600 | 26 |
bookkeeping companies | 1100 | 35 |
small business bookkeeper near me | 1400 | 38 |
certified public bookkeeper | 980 | 35 |
outsource bookkeeping | 930 | 28 |
cost of accountant for small business | 720 | 21 |
tax and bookkeeping services | 990 | 26 |
bookkeeping tax services | 990 | 20 |
tax bookkeeping services | 990 | 26 |
best accounting for small business | 870 | 39 |
best accountant for small business | 870 | 36 |
bookkeeping services for small business | 770 | 31 |
virtual bookkeeping companies | 550 | 39 |
virtual bookkeeping service | 550 | 42 |
accountant near me for small business | 600 | 27 |
bookkeeping and payroll | 650 | 29 |
payroll bookkeeping | 650 | 28 |
quickbooks bookkeeping services | 590 | 30 |
online bookkeeping services | 650 | 45 |
outsource accounting service | 610 | |
restaurant bookkeeping | 610 | 24 |
bookkeeping firms | 660 | 35 |
quickbooks bookkeeper near me | 590 | 37 |
online accounting services | 610 | 40 |
bookkeeping and tax services | 570 | 28 |
business bookkeeping services | 740 | 38 |
tax bookkeeping | 660 | 35 |
payroll and bookkeeping services | 560 | 35 |
real estate bookkeeping | 570 | 24 |
best bookkeeping for small business | 720 | 33 |
bookkeeping companies near me | 500 | 37 |
bookkeeping cost | 500 | 29 |
accountants bookkeeping | 420 | |
construction bookkeeping | 460 | 16 |
outsourced accounting firms | 480 | 26 |
outsourced accounting companies | 480 | 31 |
quickbooks online bookkeeping | 440 | 38 |
quickbooks certified bookkeeper | 400 | 31 |
quickbooks online accountant pricing | 450 | 44 |
non profit accountant near me | 330 | 22 |
bookkeeping for startups | 380 | 41 |
tax preparation and bookkeeping | 400 | 35 |
bookkeeping pricing | 410 | 23 |
ecommerce bookkeeping | 380 | 30 |
basic accounting for small business | 360 | 50 |
basic bookkeeping for small business | 360 | 44 |
bookkeeping business near me | 350 | 31 |
small business bookkeeping services near me | 310 | 28 |
nonprofit accounting services | 330 | 21 |
cpa bookkeeping | 330 | 30 |
bookkeeping firms near me | 360 | 33 |
construction company accounting | 350 | 29 |
local bookkeeping services | 310 | 30 |
local accountants for small business | 280 | 28 |
church bookkeeping | 320 | 19 |
bookkeeping charges | 300 | 25 |
online accountant for small business | 290 | 49 |
nonprofit bookkeeping services | 260 | 23 |
professional bookkeeper | 250 | 41 |
bookkeepers in my area | 230 | 38 |
bookkeeper cost per hour | 250 | |
find a bookkeeper | 300 | 42 |
bookkeeping websites | 280 | 36 |
accountants near me small business | 120 | 29 |
cost of bookkeeping services | 270 | |
bookkeeping services pricing | 270 | 12 |
nonprofit accounting firms | 260 | 26 |
bookkeeping for contractors | 270 | 15 |
local bookkeepers | 270 | 21 |
contractor bookkeeping | 270 | 28 |
Should I Target Broad or Niche Keywords?
Since niche keywords are easier to rank for, it’s better to target them in your pages and blog posts to reach a specific audience that’s easier to convert into paying clients.
Targeting a specific audience also means that you can win referrals more easily because your existing and past clients would know others needing a bookkeeper who only works with people in that profession.
Should I Run Paid Ads?
It’s advisable to run paid ads for your bookkeeping business. This decision can be influenced by many factors, such as the competition in your niche.
The main concern is profitability. Will you be profitable running ads? You’ll only know when you try, so start with a smaller budget and scale accordingly.
Be sure to consult an expert first. Reach out to us today about running ads as well as SEO for your bookkeeping business.