To succeed (and survive) in today’s society, you need to have an online presence. And within this, social media is becoming increasingly important. As an accountant, you may feel social media has little to no relevance for your firm, however, that is not the case at all. As social platforms continue to evolve and grow, more and more consumers are expecting to see brands make their mark on the networking sites. But customer satisfaction is just one of many reasons your firm should embrace social media marketing.
Why your accounting firm should be using social media
Gone are the days where social media was reserved only for the likes of fitness companies and beauticians, it now has a purpose across all industries – and yes, that does include B2B and professional services. So if you’re not already, now is the time to get on board.
And in case you need more convincing, here are just a few of the key benefits of social media marketing for accounting firms:
- Increased reach and brand awareness
- Lead generation
- Promotion of key services
- Lead nurturing
- Access to audience insights
- Increased website traffic
- Inbound links
- Improved client loyalty
Examples of social media marketing for accounting firms
Now you know why social media marketing is important for your accounting firm, you are probably keen to get started. But before you do, be sure to check out our ultimate guide to social media marketing to ensure you have an idea of what you’re doing (it’s not as simple as just posting a pretty picture)!
Once you’ve decided on which platforms are most appropriate to reach your target audience and achieve your goals, take some inspiration from the accounting firms that are already succeeding with social media. We’ve put together some examples for each of the biggest social media networks to get you started.
YouTube
Video marketing has grown exponentially in recent years – and not without good reason! Not only is it great for SEO, but it’s also a highly engaging way to communicate with your target audience and will help you to stand out in the crowded accounting market.
Looking specifically at YouTube now, some of the benefits it can bring for your accounting firm include increased exposure, a higher volume of qualified traffic and additional revenue streams.
An example of an accounting firm that is using YouTube as a means to reach their goals and grow their business is BDO LLP. They regularly upload insightful videos that help educate and inform their audience about key trends within the industry.
When you ask people what springs to mind when you mention social media marketing for B2B and professional service firms, for most, the answer will be LinkedIn. A platform created to help connect professionals around the world, LinkedIn is the place to go if you are looking to up your networking game. LinkedIn is the number one social platform for lead generation for B2B and professional service firms and offers endless opportunities to build relationships, raise brand awareness and drive sales.
If you’re looking for inspiration when it comes to LinkedIn, Smith & Williamson are a great place to start. They share a range of informative content, including everything from podcast audiograms and insightful videos to blog posts interviews. This helps keep their audience engaged, drive traffic to key landing pages and build their authority within their niche.
Many accountants will overlook Instagram, viewing it as a superficial site designed for fashion brands, footballers and fitness influencers – but that is not the case. Instagram is one of the fastest-growing social media platforms and is quickly becoming a favourite among businesses across the globe. From building client relationships and reaching new audiences to driving traffic to your website and raising awareness of your brand, when used correctly Instagram can be highly effective for businesses.
Moore Global shows us how it’s done, sharing a range of on-brand content on the platform, helping to strengthen their image and communicate their values. They choose to adopt a more employee-centred approach to Instagram, sharing staff stories, celebrating promotions and welcoming new team members, which humanises their brand and helps to form stronger relationships with their clients.
And of course, we saved the biggest until last. Facebook is the godfather of social media. Home to over 2.89 billion monthly active users – yes, that’s billion, not million – Facebook is by far the largest social networking site. Of course, it goes without saying, Facebook can seriously increase your reach and help your accounting firm to be seen by new (but still relevant) audiences. Like the other social networking sites, Facebook is also great for boosting traffic to your site, generating leads and building brand awareness.
PwC LLP UK uses their Facebook to share insightful videos to educate and engage their audience, snippets from industry reports to ensure their followers are kept in-the-know and company updates to help communicate their values and celebrate their employees.
So there we have 4 examples of different approaches your accounting firm could use to help drive traffic, boost leads and skyrocket sales. If you are looking for a helping hand to create a social media marketing strategy that delivers, contact us today for a free consultation or head over to our case studies page to discover how we have helped firms like yours to succeed with social media.
