SEO Guides, Tips & More!

In light of Accounting Today’s release of the latest Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting, and strategic planning for 2020, we thought it would be a great time to compile some of our favorite accounting marketing and growth blogs. As any forward-thinking accounting firm knows, the only way we get better is by surrounding ourselves with smart, passionate people who know more than we do.

Over the next few weeks, as accounting firm professionals go on vacation and gear up for busy season, use the downtime for some free continuing education. Bookmark these websites, take some notes, and think about how to incorporate some of the innovative, strategic ideas being talked about by our industry’s thought leaders.

We kept our list to blogs that focus on strategic practice growth and are regularly updated or that have extensive evergreen content. And we left out some of the websites that also have a heavy focus on technical issues, even though there is a lot of value to be had from that content, too.

In alphabetical order, here are our 14 favorite blogs for accounting marketing and growth in 2020.

• Accounting Today
• Association for Accounting Marketing
• Boomer Consulting
• Business Learning Institute
• CPA Practice Advisors
• Convergence Coaching
• Fore
• Firm of the Future
• Harvard Business School Working Knowledge Blog
• HubSpot
• JetPack Workflow
• Seth Godin
• The Rainmaker Companies
• Thriveal CPA Network

Accounting Today (AT Voices)

Accounting Today is one of our favorite resources for continuing education and keeping a pulse on changing accounting, tax, and consulting issues. In particular, its Voices segment features guest authors who are experts in their fields, as well as experts within the profession. Recent topics cover proposals, Client Accounting Services, value and trust, work-from-home policies, and much more. There is always something to learn here, whether the reader is an accounting practitioner or a marketer who wants to understand their firm better.

Association for Accounting Marketing  

We’d be remiss if we didn’t include our flagship marketing association in a list of blogs that focus on accounting firm growth strategies. AAM’s blog, CPA Growth Trends, covers a wide range of topics including marketing, communications, business development and sales, martech and practice management. Check out a preview of their most recent posts (as of this writing):

Boomer Consulting

The blog at Boomer Consulting does have a few sales-y posts peppered in, but overall the content is focused on change, technology, practice management, guest posts, and interviews with industry leaders. The insight from these blogs is often first-hand and extremely relevant to issues that most accounting firms are dealing with right now. Also be sure to check out their downloadable guides, whitepapers, and articles for more great content.

Business Learning Institute

This blog addresses strategic management and growth issues across a wide range of disciplines but remains firmly rooted in helping accounting firms succeed. It was founded by the Maryland Society of CPAs, and the blog contains articles and podcasts designed to inspire CPA firm leadership teams to be future-ready. Everything from tech, recruiting and retention, changing audit practices, and soft skills are covered.

Convergence Coaching

The blog led by Jennifer Wilson has a mix of personal development, leadership, communication, succession planning, retention strategies, and more. Its content is ideal for accounting marketers, HR leaders, and partners alike and is extremely personable, which is odd to say about a professional blog but it works well here.

CPA Practice Advisor

Readers of CPA Practice Advisor know it’s a solid platform to receive up-to-date content on accounting and audit, tax, management, and payroll. There’s more available to subscribers, but anyone can access the articles on the website. The articles range from operational and IT issues like cloud security and optimizing invoice payments to industry news, tax headlines, and accounting pronouncements.

Fore

The blog written by value pricing expert and profitability strategies Michelle Golden River contains relevant and evergreen content on the accounting profession’s changing business model, client experience, and pricing strategy. While the blog may not be updated each month, visit Fore’s Pricing Articles and Podcasts for current insights on value pricing.

Firm of the Future

The entire site of Firm of the Future is centered around content to help CPA firm leaders grow their practices and deepen client relationships. Within the Client Relationships category, for example, there’s Advising, Billing, Client Engagement, and Client Training. There are eight subcategories under Efficiency and Growth, like apps, marketing, office management, and more, plus training and CPE options and industry news.  

Harvard Business School Working Knowledge Blog

This blog looks outside of traditional accounting for insights into business growth and strategy in a wide range of disciplines. Written by minds at Harvard Business School, the Working Knowledge Blog is built on business research and trends. Savvy accounting firms always look outside the industry for inspiration, and this is one resource that growth-minded CPAs should bookmark – and see which trends and ideas make sense to incorporate at the firm level.

HubSpot

Accounting marketers know HubSpot as a leading CRM platform. Its blog still has the marketing and sales focus, and the topics are well within the range of what CPA firm leaders should be considering in their marketing plans. Whether it’s brushing up on sales plans and templates or social media calendars, customer metrics, prospecting, or SEO, this blog is best for marketers who want to incorporate the latest marketing and sales best practices into their own firm’s marketing plan.

JetPack Workflow

Readers will recognize this name if their site has WordPress. The blog is just as useful as the data and analytics that the WordPress plug-in: tips for getting more referrals, paid advertising best practices, and selling the firm in five years or less are all some of the most recent posts. The blog is written for CPA firm leaders and marketers alike, and there’s something for everyone to learn from.

Seth Godin

Seth Godin is a renowned marketing guru, having published almost two dozen books on the subject. This blog won’t contain any tips for growing an accounting practice, but it should jumpstart CPA firm leaders’ creative thinking and approach to management and growth. Posts are usually short and abstract, requiring the reader to apply the concept to their own situation and may give firm leadership a chance to reflect on their marketing, sales, and growth processes, and life in general.

The Rainmaker Companies

The firm that helps accounting firms and accountants with strategic growth has a blog full of valuable content about sales solutions, transforming the way accounting services are packaged and offered, and how to transition from a compliance to consulting practice, and much more.

Thriveal CPA Network

Founded by CPA Jason Blumer, the Thriveal CPA Network is meant to create a sense of community, not competition, within the accounting profession – hence its name “thrive” instead of “survive.” It’s a membership-based association, but the blog and podcasts are available for free. Topics like value pricing, management, technology, marketing, personal growth, strategy and much more are discussed, and with no shortage of humor and tongue-in-cheek language, making it easier to follow along.

Conclusion

In addition to the above-mentioned resources, make sure to keep Flashpoint’s blog in mind anytime a question about SEO for accountants comes up.

Do you have a favorite blog that always teaches you something new or gives you something to add to your firm’s marketing or growth plan? Tell us in the comments section below.