Vetting quality for an SEO agency for your accounting firm can be difficult due largely to the high degree of knowledge required about the accounting industry to execute an accounting SEO campaign effectively. Many firms struggle with the same basic question: do we outsource our content writing to an outside agency and risk factually incorrect or surface-level writing or do we use the time that CPAs could be using to bill clients and have them write the content?
Our team evaluated 30+ agencies offering SEO to accounting firms and vetted each for the quality of their work, industry specialty, and the likelihood for clients to receive results. Then, we sorted agencies based on our ranking algorithm below to identify the top eight choices.
Here is the ranking algorithm:
- Formal Training in Accounting (25%): Agencies in which employees received degrees in accounting or are licensed CPAs were given preference on this list.
- Documented Client Success (15%): We examined the case studies of each agency to evaluate the quality and consistency of results, scoring them on a scale of 1 – 5.
- Year Founded (10%): Older agencies have weathered multiple Google algorithm changes and maintained success, indicating the likelihood of future results.
- Interaction with Primary SEO Specialist (30%): Most agencies grow from the efforts of one primary SEO expert, with the expertise diluted across account managers, resulting in lower client results. We have a strong preference for agencies in which the primary SEO specialist works directly on client campaigns.
- Specialty (20%): Agencies with a specific specialty in content writing for in-depth accounting topics were given preference for this list.
The Top Accounting Firm SEO Agencies
| Rank | Agency | Formal Training in Accounting | Documented Client Success | Year Founded | Interaction with Primary SEO Specialist | Specialty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Focus Digital | Yes | 4.9 | 2018 | Yes | In-depth content writing relating to auditing, tax, and consulting services |
| #2 | First Page Sage | No, but will hire outside experts for aid | 4.7 | 2009 | No | Thought leadership SEO for large CPA firms |
| #3 | NisonCo | No | 4.5 | 2013 | No | Public relations work for accountants |
| #4 | Avidon Marketing Group | No | 4.4 | 2018 | No | SEO analytics and data management for accountants |
| #5 | CPA Site Solutions | Yes | 3.7 | 1999 | No | Templated website and services for CPAs |
| #6 | WebFX | No | 3.6 | 1995 | No | Technical SEO packages |
| #7 | Build Your Firm | Yes | 3.5 | 2003 | No | Website development for CPAs |
| #8 | Illumination Marketing | No | 3.5 | 2017 | Yes | Off-page SEO for accounting firms |
The Top Accounting Firm SEO Agencies – Descriptions & Reviews
Read below for a full breakdown of each agency.
Focus Digital
Focus Digital specializes in crafting content to accurately explain firms’ value propositions concerning the specific industries they specialize in and the specific services offered. The agency’s CEO is an accounting major and takes part in strategizing and executing every campaign, so firms can be confident that the deliverables will be accurate, precise, and relevant to their ideal clients.
- Formal Training in Accounting: Yes
- Documented Client Success: 4.9
- Year Founded: 2018
- Interaction with Primary SEO Specialist: Yes
- Specialty: In-depth content writing relating to auditing, tax, and consulting services
| Summary of Online Reviews |
|---|
| Focus Digital “took the time to truly understand” our business, which was clearly manifested in the “high quality of content produced”. |
First Page Sage
First Page Sage is the largest SEO-focused content creation agency in the United States, and their expertise extends far beyond their typical fintech and healthcare client base. They source a subject matter expert for each client to aid them in curating the perfect content for any accounting firm and the high level of technical detail needed to accurately and precisely write about accounting services.
- Formal Training in Accounting: No
- Documented Client Success: 4.7
- Year Founded: 2009
- Interaction with Primary SEO Specialist: No
- Specialty: Thought leadership SEO for large CPA firms
| Summary of Online Reviews |
|---|
| First Page Sage is “simply the best”, providing “more than enough detail” on the campaign’s status and always “going above and beyond to ensure positive results”. |
NisonCo
NisonCo was originally founded and still specializes in public relations work, with an extended specialty in SEO. Public relations can be a large part of SEO, as it is one way to build trust with the Google search algorithm. While we cannot comment on their content creation for accountants, their PR services appear to be excellent which will help with rankings of currently existing content.
- Formal Training in Accounting: No
- Documented Client Success: 4.5
- Year Founded: 2013
- Interaction with Primary SEO Specialist: No
- Specialty: Public relations work for accountants
| Summary of Online Reviews |
|---|
| NisonCo “elevates the brand” of their clients, helping them “improve their presence” on the search engines. |
Avidon Marketing Group
Avidon Marketing Group is located in Los Angeles, CA, and “partners with brands to grow their online presence using custom content marketing strategies.” We would like to especially note their expertise in data analytics and use of that data to make actionable insights within the SEO campaign.
- Formal Training in Accounting: No
- Documented Client Success: 4.4
- Year Founded: 2018
- Interaction with Primary SEO Specialist: No
- Specialty: SEO analytics and data management for accountants
| Summary of Online Reviews |
|---|
| Clients remark that Avidon Marketing Group “knows their stuff”, and their firm has “had a noticeable pickup in web traffic and incoming leads”. |
CPA Site Solutions
CPA Site Solutions offers templated websites and marketing services to accounting firms at a price point ideal for solo practitioners. They provide pre-written content and boilerplate website sections that can be added onto a basic level of content writing services to create a basic SEO package. While the low-cost approach will not yield the maximum results due to the large number of CPAs participating in the same service, we included CPA Site Solutions on our list as they are a great company for new or small accounting firms.
- Formal Training in Accounting: Yes
- Documented Client Success: 3.7
- Year Founded: 1999
- Interaction with Primary SEO Specialist: No
- Specialty: Templated website and services for CPAs
| Summary of Online Reviews |
|---|
| CPA Site Solutions has been “extremely helpful to us in keeping our website up to date and. accurate” and the company is “so easy to work with”. |
WebFX
WebFX offers SEO services across various industries, primarily specializing in technical SEO. They have a large team with a wide degree of specialties for firms looking for additional services such as paid search and social media marketing. We recommend utilizing them for smaller projects and short-term technical SEO campaigns.
- Formal Training in Accounting: No
- Documented Client Success: 3.6
- Year Founded: 1995
- Interaction with Primary SEO Specialist: No
- Specialty: Technical SEO packages
| Summary of Online Reviews |
|---|
| WebFX helps clients “expand their digital footprint,” and has been a “game-changer for our business”. |
Build Your Firm
Build Your Firm was founded by a CPA in 2003 to develop uniquely designed tools for accounting practitioners. They aid their clients in generating high-quality leads through web development and SEO services, innovating over the years to provide a better quality product. Our main concern is that there does not seem to be a true full-time SEO expert on staff.
- Formal Training in Accounting: Yes
- Documented Client Success: 3.5
- Year Founded: 2003
- Interaction with Primary SEO Specialist: No
- Specialty: Website development for CPAs
| Summary of Online Reviews |
|---|
| Clients “highly recommend this program” and appreciate the “diversified marketing approach” to generate leads. |
Illumination Marketing
Illumination Marketing is a Houston-based marketing agency founded in 2017. They are a generalist agency with a variety of services and industries served, but the case studies are impressive, leading us to believe that they are providing quality services to their clients. They are a good choice for firms looking to use a singular company for a variety of services at a reasonable price.
- Formal Training in Accounting: No
- Documented Client Success: 3.5
- Year Founded: 2017
- Interaction with Primary SEO Specialist: Yes
- Specialty: Off-page SEO for accounting firms
| Summary of Online Reviews |
|---|
| Illumination Marketing “does what they say they’re going to do” and clients remark that “you are going to see the results”. |
Other Ranking Criteria
We have segmented the list further in the following tables.
Best Accounting Firm SEO Agencies for Solo Practitioners & Small Firms
The following SEO agencies were selected for their budget-friendly options. While a smaller budget will cap potential results, some smaller firms require a less expensive option, where it can be even more difficult to vet quality.
| Rank | Agency |
|---|---|
| #1 | CPA Site Solutions |
| #2 | Build Your Firm |
| #3 | WebFX |
| #4 | Illumination Marketing |
Best Accounting Firm SEO Agencies for Tax-Focused Firms
We have ranked the top four agencies based on their specialization in tax-focused firms.
| Rank | Agency |
|---|---|
| #1 | Focus Digital |
| #2 | First Page Sage |
| #3 | Avidon Marketing Group |
| #4 | NisonCo |
Best Accounting Firm SEO Agencies for Audit-Focused Firms
We have ranked the top four agencies based on their specialization in auditing or consulting-focused firms.
| Rank | Agency |
|---|---|
| #1 | First Page Sage |
| #2 | Focus Digital |
| #3 | CPA Site Solutions |
| #4 | Build Your Firm |
For any questions or a copy of this report, contact us here.