How do businesses and individuals choose an accountant?
Most clients choose an accountant who understands their situation: a landlord, a contractor, a growing limited company, a charity. They look for relevant experience, clear pricing, responsiveness and modern software. Generic "we do accounts and tax" sites struggle, because they give no reason to pick one practice over another.
Your website is often the first test of whether a practice "gets" the prospect. A landlord with several properties wants to see pages about property income and Making Tax Digital; a start-up founder wants to see incorporation, payroll and VAT registration explained. Building the site around client types rather than a list of compliance tasks usually converts better.
Which pages should an accountancy website have?
An accountancy website should have pages for each client type you serve, pages for core services such as year-end accounts, self assessment, VAT, payroll and advisory, a fees page, an about page with qualifications and memberships, a resources or guides section, and a contact page with a consultation booking option.
| Page or feature | Purpose | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Client-type pages (sole traders, landlords, limited companies) | Speak directly to each audience | Use their language, not accounting jargon |
| Service pages | Match specific searches | One service per page |
| Fees or pricing approach | Qualifies enquiries early | Fixed monthly packages are easy to show |
| Tax guides and deadlines | Answers common questions, earns search visibility | Keep dates and thresholds current |
| Team and memberships | Builds trust in qualifications | Link to each body's directory where possible |
| Consultation booking | Converts ready prospects | Offer short video calls |
| Secure document upload or client portal | Protects client data | Avoid email attachments for sensitive files |
How can accountants use Making Tax Digital content to win clients?
Making Tax Digital is creating real demand for advice. MTD for Income Tax applies from April 2026 to sole traders and landlords with qualifying income over £50,000, then over £30,000 from April 2027 and over £20,000 from April 2028. Clear, accurate guides help affected people find you.
Keep this content dated and reviewed. Tax rules change, and an out-of-date threshold on an accountant's website undermines trust quickly. Question-led headings with short, direct answers also make the content easier for search engines and AI assistants to quote. Our SEO services include building and maintaining this kind of content.
- A plain-English guide to who MTD for Income Tax affects and when, linking to HMRC's official guidance.
- A checklist for landlords and sole traders preparing for quarterly updates.
- An explanation of the software you support and how you help clients move to it.
- A reminder that MTD for VAT already applies to all VAT-registered businesses.
Which trust signals and compliance details should accountants display?
Display your professional body membership and, where relevant, practising certificate details, your anti-money laundering supervisor, your privacy notice, your complaints process, and company details if you trade as a limited company. Use logos only where the body permits it, and keep them current.
Accountancy practices are supervised for anti-money laundering purposes, usually by their professional body or HMRC. Explaining that you will need to verify identity during onboarding sets expectations and reduces friction later.
You handle highly sensitive data, so your website must reflect UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018: a clear privacy notice, secure forms, and cookie consent before any non-essential tracking under PECR. Most practices also need to pay the ICO data protection fee. Our guide to website security best practices covers the technical side.
Should an accountancy website include a client portal?
A client portal is worthwhile when you exchange documents regularly with many clients. It replaces insecure email attachments, gives clients one place to upload records and download accounts, and can automate reminders. Many practices use a portal from their practice software; others need a custom-built one integrated with existing systems.
If off-the-shelf tools do not fit your workflow, custom web development can build secure portals, onboarding flows or fee calculators. To manage prospects from first enquiry to engagement letter, a CRM system keeps follow-ups on track.
What mistakes do accountancy websites make?
Common mistakes include listing services without saying who they are for, stock photos of calculators and handshakes, out-of-date tax deadlines and thresholds, no indication of fees, slow contact processes and email-only document sharing. Each one either weakens trust or makes the practice look interchangeable with every competitor nearby.
Our guide to generating leads from your website covers forms, calls to action and follow-up in more depth.
- Copying generic tax articles that many other firms also publish word for word.
- Burying the consultation booking link at the bottom of the contact page.
- Newsletter sign-ups without clear consent, which PECR requires for most electronic marketing to individuals.