What people search for when they need an accountant
Searches for accounting help are usually about a job, not a profession. A sole trader wants a tax return done. A café owner needs someone to lodge the BAS. A new employer is unsure how to run payroll. The words they type describe that job, often with Canberra attached.
A practice that lists "accounting, tax and advisory" on one page misses most of these searches. Each job needs its own page that names the task, says who it suits and explains what happens after they get in touch.
Some searchers are comparing an accountant with a bookkeeper. Others want to know whether they need either. Honest pages that explain the difference earn trust and filter out poor-fit enquiries.
Service lines that deserve their own page
Choose the services you want more of, then give each one a page. Four usually carry most of the weight.
Individual and sole trader tax
Aimed at people who want a return lodged and a clear idea of what to bring. Mention how you collect documents.
Business activity statements and GST
Aimed at small businesses that want a named person handling lodgement. State your registration plainly.
Bookkeeping and payroll
Aimed at owners who want records kept current. Explain what is bookkeeping and what is tax advice.
Business accounting and advice
Aimed at owners planning growth, a purchase or a sale. Focus on the types of business you work with.
Registration claims need care
The Tax Practitioners Board states that anyone providing BAS services for a fee or reward must be registered, and that providing or advertising these services while unregistered carries significant civil penalties. The board's register displays any conditions on a practitioner's registration, and registered BAS agents can provide only some of the services tax agents are registered to provide, such as not preparing and lodging tax returns.
For a website, this means the wording matters. We describe your services using the registration category you actually hold, and we avoid language that implies a broader scope. If your registration has conditions, the page should not suggest otherwise.
Which services the board treats as BAS services
The board's guidance gives examples. This is a summary of its examples, not advice on your own situation, so check the board directly if you are unsure.
| Service example | Treated as a BAS service? | What it means for your page |
|---|---|---|
| Completing activity statements | Yes | Name your registration when you advertise this |
| Applying for an ABN | Yes | Same care as above |
| Payroll that interprets tax law | Yes | Separate interpreting from simple data entry |
| Advice on super guarantee charge liabilities | Yes | Do not offer unless registered |
| Data entry with no part in working out the figures | No | Describe it as bookkeeping support and state the limit |
| Bank reconciliations | No | Can be described as bookkeeping |
| General tax advice not applied to a client's circumstances | No | Fine for guides, with a note that it is general |
Common SEO problems for accounting practices
These show up often on practice websites.
- Generic homepage copy. Words such as trusted, friendly and professional appear on every competitor's site and give a searcher no reason to choose you.
- No pages for individual services. BAS, payroll and tax returns are buried in a single list, so none of them is a strong match for its own search.
- Blog posts written once and forgotten. Guides about last year's rules can mislead and should be reviewed or removed.
- A listing that differs from the website. Opening hours, categories or phone numbers that do not match across Google and the site weaken local trust.
- Team pages with no detail. People choose a person. A page that states each person's role and the work they do is more useful than a headshot.
How we work with a practice
The process is the same for a sole bookkeeper and a multi-partner firm, only larger.
- Start with a free auditA free SEO audit covers the site, the listing and how the practice appears for its own name.
- Decide which services to pushWe ask which clients you want more of and which you want fewer of, then rank services by that, not by search volume alone.
- Write service pages with youDrafts reflect how you describe the work. You check wording about registration and scope before anything goes live.
- Strengthen the local listingWe tidy your Google Business Profile and plan a lawful way to ask for genuine reviews.
- Review guides once a yearAny guide that mentions a rule, threshold or date is marked for review, so it does not go stale.
What to have ready before the audit
Gathering these items first makes the audit quicker and keeps the new pages accurate.
- Your registration details: Note the category and any conditions shown on the Tax Practitioners Board register, so page wording can match them.
- A service list sorted by regulation: Mark each service as tax agent work, BAS work or bookkeeping, using the board's examples as a guide.
- The clients you want more of: Name the types, such as sole traders, trades businesses or not-for-profits, so pages speak to them first.
- Your busiest weeks: Tell us when lodgement pressure peaks, so guides and service pages are live well before then.
- Access to your listing: Provide manager access to your Google Business Profile, or the email address that owns it.
Do and do not
A short list of boundaries we follow with accounting clients.
Do
- Name the registration you hold and the services it covers.
- Explain bookkeeping and tax advice as different things.
- Keep guides general and mark when they were last reviewed.
- Send review requests to all clients, not only happy ones.
Do not
- Advertise a service you are not registered to provide.
- Publish specific tax advice as if it applied to every reader.
- Offer incentives that reward only positive reviews.
- Copy a competitor's service descriptions.
Local reach, cost and timing
Your clients may come from across the city or from one town centre. A practice that serves small businesses in Belconnen can write for that audience directly, and a firm whose clients include suppliers to agencies may find our page for government suppliers useful. We also set out how the same thinking applies across different industries.
Cost depends on how many services need pages and how much of the current site can be reused. Results build over months. Seasonal peaks in demand, such as around lodgement deadlines, are better handled by having the right pages ready early than by rushing in the weeks before.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to say I am registered with the Tax Practitioners Board on my website?
The board says providing or advertising BAS services without registration carries significant civil penalties, so be accurate about what you offer. Many practices state their registration clearly because clients can check the board's register. We use the wording that matches your actual registration and any conditions.
Is there a difference between SEO for accountants and for bookkeepers?
Yes. Bookkeepers often compete on ongoing monthly work for small businesses, while accountants cover tax returns, advice and compliance. Registration also differs. Your pages should show which services you provide, who they suit and where your scope ends.
How long before a new service page shows results?
Usually several months. A new page needs to be indexed, and competition for terms such as tax return Canberra is steady. We cannot guarantee a ranking or an enquiry count, but we can show you which pages are earning calls.
Can you write guides about tax and BAS for my site?
We can draft general guides in plain English, and you review them before publishing. We do not give tax advice. Anything that mentions a threshold, rule or date should be checked by you and reviewed on a schedule so it does not become wrong.
Should an accounting firm have a page for each team member?
Usually yes, if the page says what the person does and which clients they help. Clients often choose a person. A short, factual profile is more useful than a long biography, and it gives search engines clearer information about your practice.
Do Canberra accountants compete with firms outside the ACT?
For local searches, mostly with Canberra and Queanbeyan practices. Some services, such as online bookkeeping, attract firms from elsewhere. If you serve clients remotely, say so on the page, and keep your Google listing accurate for the area you cover.
What counts as a BAS service when I describe my work online?
The Tax Practitioners Board says a service is a BAS service if it involves working out or advising on a client's liabilities under a BAS provision, or representing the client to the Commissioner, and the client can reasonably rely on it. Completing activity statements is an example. Bank reconciliations and general advice are not. This is the board's guidance, not advice on your situation.
Sources and further reading
- Tax Practitioners Board: BAS services: Registration requirement, civil penalties for unregistered charging or advertising, definition in section 90-10, examples of BAS and non-BAS services
- Tax Practitioners Board: Finding and using a tax practitioner: Register shows conditions on registration; symbol shown with practitioner type and number; BAS agents provide only some tax agent services
- ACCC: Online reviews for products and services: Review incentives must apply whatever the rating and be clearly disclosed