Beyond referrals: the role Google plays
Most accounting firms trace their client base to referrals. A colleague recommends a firm, a business owner passes on a name, a mortgage broker suggests a contact. Referrals are a strong foundation, and they often produce the best clients. But referrals have a ceiling: they grow with the existing network, which means a firm reliant entirely on referrals grows only as fast as its partners and clients spread the word.
Google search operates alongside referrals in a way many firm principals underestimate. When a potential client is referred to a firm, many will search for it by name before they call, looking at the website, reviews and the Maps profile to confirm the referral is worth following. And when someone decides they want a new accountant without a referral in hand, Google is usually the first place they look.
There are four main routes through which an accounting firm can be found on Google: the Maps pack that appears at the top of local searches, organic service and suburb pages that rank in the standard results, paid ads that can appear above both, and reviews that build the credibility needed to turn a search into an enquiry. Each route works differently, and they work best when used together.
Google Business Profile and the Maps pack
When someone searches "tax accountant [suburb]" or "accountant near me", Google often shows a block of three local results above the standard website listings. This is the Maps pack, and it pulls from Google Business Profile data. Appearing in the Maps pack for relevant local searches is among the highest-value positions an accounting firm can hold in Google, because searchers are often looking to act rather than browse.
Google uses three broad signals to rank Maps pack results: how relevant the profile is to the search, how close the firm is to the searcher, and how prominent the firm is across the web. Distance is fixed, but relevance and prominence are within a firm's control. Relevance improves when the profile categories match the services the firm actually provides. Prominence improves with review count and quality, consistent mentions across local directories, and a well-structured website.
A well-maintained GBP profile with a steady stream of genuine reviews and regular posts tends to outperform one that was set up once and left unchanged. The profile should be verified, the categories accurate, the business description specific about services and suburbs served, and photos current. Regular posts, even brief ones, signal to Google that the business is active.
GBP categories are worth getting right. A primary category of "Accountant" alone may not tell Google enough about what the firm offers. Adding accurate secondary categories for the specific services provided, such as "Tax preparation service" or "Bookkeeping service", helps match the profile to more specific searches. Do not add categories for services the firm does not offer.
Organic search: service and suburb pages
Below the Maps pack are the organic results: websites that rank because Google considers them relevant and authoritative for the search. For accounting firms, the pages that tend to rank best in organic search are specific rather than general. A page dedicated to "SMSF accountant Brisbane" or "small business tax accountant Hawthorn" usually ranks for those terms better than a homepage that mentions those services in passing.
The typical page structure that works well for accounting firms in organic search is one page per service, one page per suburb or region actively served, and a set of content pages that answer the planning and compliance questions clients ask during the year. Each page needs to be clear about what the firm does, where it operates, and what a prospective client should do next. A page with a buried phone number and no clear enquiry path loses the visit regardless of where it ranks.
The organic results also capture research searches that happen well before a client is ready to act. Someone reading about how an SMSF works, or how to time the sale of a business for CGT purposes, is not necessarily ready to call today, but they are exactly the kind of recurring, advisory-level client many firms want. SEO for accountants covers the full approach to organic ranking, including how to build content that reaches the right client type rather than just generating traffic volume.
Paid search: reaching clients when intent is highest
Google Ads places a firm's website at the top of search results for the terms it bids on. For accounting firms, the highest-intent searches are typically those tied to a specific service and a location: "tax accountant Sydney", "BAS agent Melbourne" and similar terms. These searchers have often already decided to engage a professional and are comparing options rather than doing early research.
The advantage Google Ads has over SEO is speed. A well-configured campaign can appear in search results within days, whereas organic rankings build over months. The limitation is that paid visibility stops the moment the budget runs out or the campaign is paused. For accounting firms, the practical approach is to run Google Ads during the peak windows, such as EOFY and lodgment season, and rely more on organic search and GBP during quieter periods. Google Ads for accountants covers how to structure campaigns around the financial year and screen for the right client type.
Both channels can operate at the same time without competing against each other. A firm can appear in paid ads, in the Maps pack, and in the organic results for the same search. Each position adds to the overall impression the firm makes and increases the chance that a searcher clicks through.
SEO vs Google Ads for accounting firms
| SEO | Google Ads | |
|---|---|---|
| Time to visibility | Builds over months | Live within days of launch |
| Cost model | Ongoing optimisation effort | Pay per click received |
| Visibility when paused | Rankings persist | Stops immediately |
| Best seasonal use | Year-round authority building | EOFY and lodgment season peaks |
| Maps pack placement | Organic GBP ranking | Separate paid local ads format |
Reviews: the credibility check before the call
Reviews serve two distinct purposes in Google search. The first is ranking: a GBP profile with a strong review count and rating tends to perform better in the Maps pack than one with few reviews. The second is conversion: a prospective client who found the firm through search, or who was referred, will often look at the reviews before they decide to call. The Maps pack result is the door; the reviews are whether the door looks worth opening.
The practical implication is that a firm can rank well and still fail to generate enquiries if its review profile creates doubt. A handful of old reviews, or a pattern of unanswered negative feedback, can be enough to push a cautious prospect toward a competitor with a cleaner, more active profile. Responding to every review, positive or negative, signals to potential clients that the firm is engaged and takes client relationships seriously.
Gathering reviews from genuine clients over time is the most reliable approach. A good moment to ask is usually after a successful return or an outcome the client valued. Reviews must be genuine and cannot be incentivised, per both Google's guidelines and the ACCC's guidance on misleading conduct. A client who had a good experience will often leave a review when asked directly; most simply need to be reminded.
Framing the request around the client's experience rather than the firm's rating tends to feel more natural and produce better results: "If you found our service helpful, a short Google review helps other people in a similar situation find us." Never discuss a client's affairs in a public review reply, regardless of what the review contains.
Where to start: a practical sequence
For a firm that has not yet invested in Google marketing, the sequence that tends to produce the fastest early returns is: claim and complete the Google Business Profile first, then build dedicated service and suburb pages on the website, then begin gathering reviews systematically, then consider Google Ads for the next peak season.
The GBP profile is the right starting point because it is free, it directly affects the Maps pack, and many accounting firms have an incomplete or unverified profile. Verifying the listing, adding accurate categories, uploading current photos and publishing a few posts in the first month can improve local search visibility before any other work is done.
Service and suburb pages come next because they compound over time. A well-written page for your primary service in your main suburb can generate enquiries for years. The investment is in writing it well and setting the technical foundation correctly; the return comes back repeatedly without additional spend.
Firms that want to understand the full picture should read more about marketing for accountants and how the different Google channels work together across the financial year. The free audit covers rankings, Maps pack visibility, website structure and competitors for the areas you serve.