What a CPA Firm Can Do to Harness the Full Power of Social Media

You’re probably no stranger to the appeal of social media. If you keep up with current events, you know it’s a business must-have, as well as a powerful force that can make (or break) companies overnight. In fact, maybe you’ve already set up the Facebook Business profile for your firm and are even accumulating some likes on your posts. Props! You’re off to a good start.

If you clicked on this article though, a small part of you may be questioning, “What’s the value in doing all this? How can social media help me further the firm’s business goals?” Well, we’re here to break it down for you. Here are some of the big ways your CPA firm can use social media to its full potential.

Express the Best of Your Company

To start off, social media is a powerful way to showcase the best of what your firm has to offer. Sure, your official website will serve that purpose best, but there are also countless other touchpoints your audience may encounter — including social.

Just as you might peruse the Instagram profile of a brand that pops up on your Explore page, your firm’s LinkedIn profile could easily be the first stop on the New Client Express. Why? Because not only do millions of users use social platforms as a sort of search tool, but the search engines themselves tend to rank social media profiles at the top of search results.

In short, being active on social media is your opportunity to impress and delight anyone trying to learn more about your firm. See your profile as an expression of what makes your company stand out and use it to inspire a more personal connection with your business. Just as you would use your website, brochures, or presentations to inform and persuade new clients, treat your social presence as an extension of those efforts.

Have a team of accounting rockstars that you can’t brag enough about? Shine a spotlight on their skills and personalities with special posts. Or maybe you’ve got a uniquely cool company culture that you know would attract like-minded clients. Take a page from PwC’s book and show that with a dedicated profile that shows off what life is like at your firm.

Whether you want to highlight your firm’s latest wins, stellar reviews, or ESG efforts, the number of ways you could express the best of your firm is endless. A clear, targeted plan of action will be your saving grace when it comes to social media moves that make an impact. Need some guidance? We can map it out for you.

Build Community and Trust

On top of giving your audience a clearer picture of what your firm has to offer, there’s also the reverse effect of letting you learn more about your clients. Paying attention to how your audience engages with you on social, from content they like to the comments they post, is crucial to understanding what they value and demand from your CPA firm.

Your firm can even directly interact with your audience. Deliver timely service by responding to questions, comments, and concerns where appropriate. Collect strategy-influencing data directly from the source by asking your audience for their opinions and ideas, just like how EY did on LinkedIn.

For your own poll, you could ask a similar question to your audience: “What’s most pressing for you currently? Lowering taxes, getting insights from accounting data, or next steps for growth.” The insights you gain from the results and comments can then help you understand how to best serve your customers!

By regularly engaging with your audience and understanding their needs, you will effectively build an online community rooted in trust and support for your firm. That’s a powerful thing. There’s no doubt that the interactions and insights you gain from tapping into this community will be invaluable in helping you hone your strategy for the future.

Stand Out as an Industry Thought Leader

Like most B2B companies, CPA firms are expected to have a strong foundation of credibility in order to be taken seriously. So, while Duolingo’s “unhinged” attitude on TikTok or Wendy’s sassy persona on Twitter draws plenty of engagement from amused customers, the same approach from a CPA firm would likely buy them a one-way ticket to the infamous land of #Canceled.

For companies that are held to high standards of professionalism, establishing themselves as a thought leader in the industry is a much more effective strategy for building credibility. Creating insightful content — such as articles, podcasts, whitepapers, and more — and then sharing it on social networks like Twitter or LinkedIn is a great way to stand out above the competition as a CPA firm with credible expertise and authority on industry topics.

On top of creating your own branded content, you can also engage with and provide commentary on current events or developments occurring in your space. Doing this is a great way to connect with professionals in the field and become a notable name that contributes to industry conversations. Over time, you can even establish a loyal following that sees you as a trusted source of news and insights — a position that can directly impact your business in major ways.

Regularly being on top of industry news and conversations will require a dedication to social listening, which involves monitoring keywords, topics, and mentions on social media and finding opportunities to act. It can be a lot of work but it’s work we love to do, so hit us up if you need someone to be your eyes and ears on the ground.

Get More Eyes on Your Firm

Speaking of eyes and ears, we can’t forget to touch on one of the best advantages of using social media: boosting brand exposure and awareness.

Maintaining your social presence and engaging with trending topics online is a high-yield way to get your firm’s name in front of your target audience. Think of it as an extension of your networking efforts. Liking, commenting, and sharing content on your socials could be the online equivalent of joining relevant conversations and making yourself known to industry contacts. It’s also a great opportunity to show some personality and a new, relatable side to your firm!

Of course, this isn’t a pass to start spamming your name everywhere. There’s a big difference between inserting yourself without tact and actually bringing in value with your contributions. Be intentional and strategic with your activity. For example:

• Show genuine support for profiles you want to connect with
• Make sure your commentary is actually relevant and insightful
• Share content that will add value to your audience’s experience

All in all, remember to be authentic with your online interactions and activity. People can sniff out cheap efforts to sell your services from miles away. Like with any sales effort, show that you care about others and others will be more inclined to care about you.

Drive Quality Traffic

When social media is done right, all the advantages that come along will contribute to your firm getting more quality traffic to your end goal. Whether that’s your website, a unique landing page, consultation sign-up, or a content download, your social presence is an invaluable tool that can amplify all your other marketing efforts.

Through carefully tailored social content, engagement, and advanced targeting, you’re not just getting more exposure but attracting an audience full of quality leads. Rather than broadcasting to a generic crowd who may or may not care about your services, social media improves the chances that those who follow and engage with you are users that may become clients down the line.

So, don’t hesitate to lead your audience where you want them to go. Once you’ve got their eyes on you, what’s the action you want them to take? This is your opportunity to drive them to that next step of the sales funnel. What that’ll look like will depend on your unique clientele and business goals, but it could be anything from a resource that educates them on your services to a direct line to talk to a representative. Think beyond just likes and you’ll open the door to greater results.

Agency Help You Can Count On

We’re no stranger to helping CPA firms like yours reach new heights. Just check out our work with Strombeck for a taste of what PH3 can do. With our custom-tailored approach to marketing, those who work with us often enjoy 2-3x the results of their previous agency partnerships or in-house work.

Our social media marketing work is no exception. Whether you need expert support for your in-house team or want us to take the reins with full social media management, we’re here to make sure you get the most value out of social. So, what are you waiting for? Let’s connect.