Websites for accountants that attract... 




Joy to work with, Heaven sent, clients




High margin,  High fee, Respectful, clients



And repel the bad fits

The soul-sapping, frown-making,money-losing... ...you get the picture 

Websites for accountants that attract... 




Joy to work with, Heaven sent, clients




High margin,  High fee, Respectful, clients



And repel the bad fits

The soul-sapping, frown-making,money-losing... ...you get the picture 

There's a fundamental problem with websites for accountants

There's a fundamental problem with websites for accountants

Swap the logo on most accountants websites, and 
no one would notice.

Swap the logo on most accountants' websites, and 
no one would notice.

websites for accountants
use the same language,
the same imagery,
and make the same claims

So even the wisest client

can't find the difference they're searching for

Accountants website designers
build websites around
accountancy firms.

. . .
To attract your perfect clients,
you need to build your website
around them.

websites for accountants sam johnson

Building your website, around your accountancy firm
makes you

Invisable



average clients buy services,  
perfect clients want relationships

that solve their problems.

Websites for accountants

Website design for accountants

Firm Focused

websites for accountants we focused

Accountants' websites built around you and your firm

Vs

Perfect Client Focused

websites for accountants perfect clients

Accountants' websites built around your Perfect Client

Websites for accountancy firms: Language

Websites for Accountants:Language

Firm focused

  • Perspective

    Because it's all about us, 'we' is among the most common words that you'll find. 
    Result: Boredom

  • Feelings - Yours

    We will tell you what we 'pride ourselves on' and are 'passionate about.'
    Perceived as: Pompous

  • Tone - "Professional"

    We communicate with a professional tone and formal language. We 'assist' our clients with the 'timely execution' of their financial tasks.'
    Perceived as: Out of touch

  • Jargon - Yours

    We use our jargon, so we will tell you how we 'facilitate' our clients' growth potential with the application of 'cloud accounting' and 'advisory' services. 
    Perceived as: Self-centred

Perfect Client focused

  • Perspective

    When you focus on your ideal clients, the word 'you' effortlessly, outnumbers 'we'.
    Result: Engagement

  • Feelings - Theirs

    You'll read about your perfect clients' 'problems', 'hopes' and 'frustrations.'

    Result: Connection

  • Tone - Personal

    Describing the emotions your perfect clients experience creates an emotional connection. You demonstrate you understand them.
    Result: Trust and Interest

  • Jargon - Theirs

    You'll find jargon here too, but it's our perfect clients'. So you might read about 'getting off the tools' instead of 'working on the business, not in it.'
    Perceived as: Understanding, Expertise

Think like a wise man but communicate in the language of the people."



W.B. Yeats

Think like a wise man but communicate in the language of the people."



W.B. Yeats

Join the campaign against Calculators on accountants websites

Shame on you lazy website designers

Web design for accountants

It would be nice if you and your colleagues love your website.
But, your opinions, whilst interesting are irrelevant.
You're not trying to attract accountants, you're trying to attract your perfect clients!
So, how can anyone create effective websites for accountants without first understanding your ideal clients inside out?
But that takes time and hard work.  Work to understand you and your values.Understand the people that 'get you' and those that don't.
Understand their struggles and the problems you help them solve, and their secret language.

'While most providers sell on the basis of technical competence, 
most buyers buy on the basis of emotion.'


David Maister

The P.L.US Factor©: Your Competitive Advantage


Perfect clients understand the best results come from working with "People Like US."
Capability and expertise are widely available, but connection and understanding come at a premium.
If your firm's character, values, and style don't shine through, you're just another service provider.
Passing the P.L.U.S. factor test does more than attract your perfect clients. It saves you trouble down the line by repelling the bad fits.

websites for accountants space cadets

People

Bring your character, style, and values to life, to open a window into the relationship you'll forge together.

Like

When you demonstrate (not assert) your firm's character you attract people like you.

u

So your perfect clients think:
'They seem like our kind of people.'

s

So your perfect clients think:
'I can see us working with this lot.'

For a free 40-minute conversation on attracting more perfect clients through your website

Accountants website design

Breaking Free from Visual Clichés


The Problem with Accounting Website Imagery


The accounting profession has fallen victim to visual monotony. When potential clients visit accountants websites, they're bombarded with the same tired imagery that fails to communicate value or differentiation.

'Years ago Ogilvy's did research into which pictures work and which don't.
Those that work relate to the subject or better still demonstrate the benefit.
The others are either a waste of space or, even worse, downright confusing.'

Drayton Bird

Don't let your images scream:

"We are just another firm of accountants!"

The Calculator Conundrum

This outdated visual cliché perpetuates the bean counter image of the profession that still holds true for many business owners.
The focus on basic arithmetic rather than strategic financial guidance makes you inter-changble, replaceable, nothing more than a commodity service.
Your perfect clients aren't looking for someone to punch numbers—they want a relationship with a trusted advisor who understands them and their business challenges.

Why you need to get images of calculators off your website

● They reduce complex financial expertise to basic maths● They communicate commodity service rather than relationship value● They fail to differentiate your practice from countless others● They speak to the technical aspects of accounting rather than outcomes

Charts, Graphs, and Other Visual Offenders


Similarly problematic are the ubiquitous charts and graphs that dominate accounting websites.
While data visualisation has its place in client communications - and perhaps sparingly, on the relevant the page of your website - using these images as your primary visual identity suggests a focus on reporting rather than advising.

The message these visuals send:

● We're focused on historical data rather than future growth● We see numbers, not people● We're like every other accounting firm

Stock Photography Pitfalls


Perhaps most damaging is the lazy reliance on generic stock photography featuring:

● Handshakes between faceless businesspeople● Chess pieces to signify strategy● Teams gathered around laptops with forced smiles● People pointing at screens with artificial enthusiasm● Perfectly diverse groups in sterile office environments

These images create an immediate disconnect with visitors who can spot inauthentic imagery instantly.
Worse still they re-inforce the belief that all accountants are the the same, so you may as well find a cheap one!

Join the campaign against calculators on accountants websites

Shame on you lazy accountants website designers

Join the campaign against calculators on accountants websites

Shame on you lazy website designers

The Client Journey Approach

Beyond the Website: Creating a Digital Client Experience

Your website isn't just a digital brochure—it's the beginning of a relationship. Perfect clients expect a seamless experience from first impression to ongoing partnership.

Key elements of an effective client journey:



Discovery Phase: How do potential clients find you? Your digital footprint should extend beyond your website to include strategic presence on platforms where your perfect clients spend time.
First Impression: Your website's initial impact should immediately signal relevance to your perfect clients' needs. This means addressing their challenges within seconds of arrival.
Engagement Mechanisms: Perfect clients want to explore the relationship before committing. Offer valuable resources that demonstrate your understanding of their world.
Conversion Pathways: Make it clear how interested prospects can take the next step, whether that's scheduling a consultation, downloading a resource, or subscribing to insights.
Onboarding Experience: Your website should set expectations for what working with you will be like, creating continuity between digital impression and actual service.

Websites for accountants: Tom's case study

7 Goals Accountants & Freedom Fighters for small business owners

websites for accountants Tom

Tom had already built and sold a successful practice. So when he created 7 Goals it was always going to run on his terms.

Tom only works with clients he likes.

Patrick spent hours listening to Tom's vision to understand his worldview and the people he wanted to help.
Eventually, they talked about the website. The result backed up Tom's story and his beliefs:
"I had a very clear idea about what I wanted that website to look like. We ended up with something completely different."
"The feedback I've had is that it really reflects their (Tom's perfect clients') pain."

Tom's thoughts

7 Goals Accountants and Freedom Fighters for small business owners

Reviewed by Jeffrey Shaw

Author of Lingo, 'Discover your ideal customers secret language'



When you build your website around your business


websites for accountants built around firms




you end up focusing on 3 specific areas


websites for accountants built around pcs


and end up with something like this:

websites for accountants bad

Courtesy of One Rabbit Marketing

Illustration

Perfect client attracting websites for accountants

How do our websites for accountants compare?

websites for accountants hubspot 1
websites for accountants hubspot 2
websites for accountants hubspot3
websites for accountants hubspot Positive Cashflow[

Tech firm, Hubspot has graded over 1m websites.
Only 3.8% of websites have an overall score of 90% plus.
We graded the websites of the 20th to the 100th largest UK accountancy firms.
They achieved an average score of 68%.

* Source the 2022 Positioning in Practice research report

websites for accountants performance grades