Inbound Marketing For Accounting Firms
April 30, 2013
INTRODUCTION
• Skoda Minotti, CPA Firm Cleveland, Akron & Tampa
• Seven year BDO Alliance firm member• Built our own internal agency from scratch• Insights from the inside• Practice what we preach• Marketing partner with BDO Alliance firms
What is Inbound Marketing?• Creating content that your clients/prospects
will seek out rather than pushing your message onto them
• Creating marketing content that your clients highly value
• Making yourself and your content easy to find• Leverages your website to generate qualified
leads
3INBOUNDMARKETING
• Website Goals• Search Engine Optimization• Blogging• Social Media• E-Communications• Online Lead Generation Tactics• Calls-to-Action & Landing Pages• Website Tracking/Analytics• Lead Tracking
AGENDA
Setting Website Goals
What Are The Marketing Goals of Your Website?• Four Main Buckets
1. Establish a web presence/credibility2. Promote your brand3. Serve as a resource to your clients4. Generate qualified leads for your firm
WEBSITE GOALS
GOAL: Establish a Web Presence/Credibility• People are Googling your company• What do they find when they get to your website?
First impression Establishing a web presence allows you to control this message
• Smaller budgets that leverage existing templates• Typically not more than 25 pages• Functions as a “cyber-brochure”• Restrictions to design/customization• Typically leveraged by firms who live off of referrals• Verifies you exist and hopes someone will give you a call
WEBSITE GOALS
GOAL: Establish a Web Presence/CredibilityWEBSITE GOALS
• Basic overview information• No call to actions• No interaction• No unique resource information• No lead generation or tracking
INDUSTRIES
GOAL: Promote Your Brand• First interaction with your brand
A branded website allows you to control the look and feel that your clients and prospects encounter
• Allows you to differentiate your website from your competitors’• Communicate core brand values visually• Coordinate consistent messaging with your other marketing materials• More flexible - allows for custom design • Probably higher cost than template website
WEBSITE GOALS
Example: Promoting the BrandWEBSITE GOALS
GOAL: Serve as a Resource• 16% of Google searches are
performed for the first time!
WEBSITE GOALS
GOAL: Serve as a Resource• Clients, business contacts and prospects are looking for answers to their
questions online Can you be the answer?
• Become visible in search engines for questions your customers are asking• Drives them to your site • Have visitors return to your site over and over• Further brand awareness• Requires time investment to create content
WEBSITE GOALS
GOAL: Serve as a ResourceWEBSITE GOALS
GOAL: Generate Leads For Your Business• Attracting hundreds or thousands of visitors is great, but…
Do you know who they are/how to get in touch with them?• Create relevant content that your visitors find valuable, and they will give
you contact information in exchange Collect lead details by using offers (i.e., e-books, PPTs, videos, etc.)
o Will everyone do it? o Will some folks do it?
• Invest your time pursuing qualified leads • Time must be invested to create content that your visitors will value highly• Leverage your team for content
WEBSITE GOALS
No.Yes!
GOAL: Generate Leads For Your BusinessWEBSITE GOALS
GOAL: Generate Leads For Your BusinessWEBSITE GOALS
• Determine marketing goals & objectives for your website Establish a web presence/credibility Promote your brand Serve as a resource to your clients Generate & track leads
SUMMING IT UPWEBSITE
Search Engine Optimization
PAID VS. ORGANIC
Does Anyone Click On Paid Ads?• Depends on the search• People trying to buy products or services favors PPC• Questions and informational searches favors organic• Organic is more favorable for CPA firms
PAID VS. ORGANIC
SEO - GOOGLEKEYWORD TOOL
SEOPAGE TITLES
SEOPAGE TITLES
SEOHEADLINES
25SEOHEADLINES
META DESCRIPTIONSSEO
META DESCRIPTIONSSEO
SEO LINKS
Find New Link Partners• Partners/vendors• Trade associations• Community organizations• Local Chambers of Commerce• Better Business Bureau• Colleges/Universities (recruiting)
LINK BUILDINGSEO
• Think about paid vs. organic search• Keyword research using Google Keyword Tool • Make website updates to:
Page titles Meta descriptions Headlines, body copy and links
• Explore link building opportunities with business partners and local organizations
SUMMING IT UPSEO
Blog
BLOG
BLOGContent Generation• Industry News/Opinion
Content Curation Sites (i.e., Scoopit.Com)• FAQs From Clients• Firm News• Guest Blogs• Repurposed Content From Other Platforms
Speaking engagements, white papers, videos, etc.
• Leverage Keywords (i.e., headline & body copy)• Build a Team of Bloggers and Go!
Blog PlatformBLOG
WordPress
Blog.com
Blogger
Attracting Traffic• Search Engine Optimization• Website• E-blast/E-newsletters/E-mail signatures• Social Media
BLOG
MeasurementBLOG
• Generate significant, targeted organic search traffic on an ongoing basis• Content “lives forever” online • Continue to attract search traffic long after it has been posted
2009 Search Hits: 1,115Blogs Posted: 131
2010 Search Hits: 5,866Blogs Posted:174
2011 Search Hits: 12,712Blogs Posted: 200
2012Search Hits: 20,416Blogs Posted: 274
BLOGSearch Growth
2012 blog posts only 2x more than 2009 Yet yielded 18x more search hits
• Start a blog WordPress is a free tool
• Start creating content• Form a blogging team• Conduct keyword research• Monitor results to shape topics• Push the rock up the hill
SUMMING IT UPBLOGGING
Social Media
LINKEDINSOCIAL MEDIA
Individual vs. Place (Business) PagesFACEBOOK
SOCIAL MEDIA
Customize To Fit Your BandTWITTER
SOCIAL MEDIA
Individual/Business PageTWITTER
• Retweeting other accounts
SOCIAL MEDIA
• Retweeting separate niche service accounts
GOOGLE PLUSSOCIAL MEDIA
• Allow users to easily share your content• Allow users to easily add you to
Circles/groups, follow on LinkedIn, re-tweet on Twitter, like you on Facebook, etc.
• Take advantage of design capabilities• Drive traffic to your website• Don’t forget Google Plus
SUMMING IT UPSOCIAL MEDIA
e-Communications
Never Purchase an Email List• Build organically through clients and
contacts• Develop process for adding new
contacts to the list• Promote signup in email signature, on
website, social media, etc.
LIST BUILDING
BUILDINGLIST
EMAIL SERVICE PROVIDERFind your ESP:www.marketingsherpa.com/page/espinator
MailChimp
ExactTarget
Constant Contact
• Company News• Industry News• New Service Offers• FAQs• Team Member Profile• Blogs• Surveys• Leverage Call-to-Action (CTA)• House All Content on Website
CONTENT
MARKETINGEMAIL
MEASUREMENT
Send Stats• Open Rate• Click Through Rate• Unsubscribes• Bounce Rate (bad email address)• Popular Links
• Build your list Never buy an email address list
• Find an email service provider (i.e., MailChimp, Constant Contact, etc.)
• Create a template• Identify content sources• Set delivery schedule
SUMMING IT UPEMAIL MARKETING
Online Lead Generation Tactics
Contact Form• Base model• Requires almost no effort from site
owner• Low lead generation
LEAD GENERATION
Practice Areas
Accounting & Auditing
Business Consulting
Employee Benefit Plan Audits
Estate Planning
Litigation Advisory
State & Local Tax
Tax Planning
RANALLO & AVENI LLC
RANALLO & AVENI LLC
Ask an Expert• Answer direct questions from
clients & prospective clients• Requires technical expertise &
monitoring• Timely response• Dedicated• Provides direct interaction with
prospects and clients• Positions you as an industry
expert/leader/authority in your market
LEAD GENERATION
Mailing List• Sign up for information• Typically a e-newsletter• Need to create and provide information• Dedication (i.e., quarterly, monthly
weekly, etc.)
LEAD GENERATION
Webinar/EventLEAD GENERATION
LEAD GENERATIONPremium Content
Lead Follow-Up• Someone MUST own this• Create process and follow it• Personal contact• Add leads to marketing communications
(i.e., e-newsletter, e-blasts, etc.)• Keep-in-touch program
LEAD GENERATION
• Requires interaction with site visitors• Create an offer for them
E-newsletters, blog alerts, events, etc.• Create mailing lists• Develop premium content
Qualified leads• Have a process for follow up
SUMMING IT UPLEAD GENERATION
Call-to-Actions & Landing Pages
• Capitalize on traffic you are driving with calls-to-action (CTA) and landing pages
• Create content people want/need• CTAs drive traffic to landing pages
PPC, web banner ads, within website, etc.
• Landing pages convert traffic into leads
LANDING PAGESCALL-TO-ACTION /
Sample CTALANDING PAGES
CALL-TO-ACTION /
LANDING PAGESCALL-TO-ACTION /
Sample Landing Page
Summing It Up• Create a piece of content that your
prospects find valuable (i.e., white papers, e-books, survey results, presentations, podcasts, etc.)
• Create a landing page that gathers contact information
• Promote the landing page E-blasts/e-newsletters, PPC, social media,
existing website, online banner ads, direct mail, traditional advertising, etc.
LANDING PAGECALL-TO-ACTION/
Website Tracking
How Are You Measuring the Success of Your Website?• Number of visitors?• Search visibility?• Quality of visitors?• Number of leads?• Number of sales?
WEBSITE TRACKING
Google Analytics• In order to start tracking, you need an
analytics program• Google Analytics is free and easy to use• http://www.google.com/analytics/ • Install tracking code and you can be up and
running in minutes
WEBSITE TRACKING
Google Analytics OverviewWEBSITE TRACKING
Organic Keywords
WEBSITE TRACKING TRACKING
Referring Sites
WEBSITE TRACKING TRACKING
Top Content
WEBSITE TRACKING TRACKING
LocationWEBSITE TRACKING
DevicesWEBSITE TRACKING
In-Page AnalyticsWEBSITE TRACKING
Social Media SourcesWEBSITE TRACKING
Social Media Sources
• Install free Google Analytics tracking code• Track organic search keywords• Track referring websites• Track top content• Track location• Track type of device
SUMMING IT UPWEBSITE TRACKING
Lead Tracking
LANDING PAGELEAD TRACKING
company.com
LEAD DETAILSLEAD TRACKING
company.com
HISTORYLEAD TRACKING
Name Pages Seen Visitors Leads Visiting From
PROSPECTSLEAD TRACKING
• Create web forms to capture lead data• Monitor lead and prospect activity
throughout website• Make sure someone owns follow-up
SUMMING IT UPLEAD TRACKING
QUESTIONS?Jonathan EbensteinManaging Director, Marketing Services
Phone - (440) 449-6800 x7231Email - [email protected] Website: www.skodaminottimarketing.com
Cleveland | Akron | Tampa
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