Making the most of your website during COVID-19

What to consider with your website during COVID-19

COVID-19-related quarantines and office closures have resulted in significant increases of daily screen time on computers, tablets and cellphones for most professionals.

People are relying on websites more than ever for their first impressions of companies with which they consider doing business — including accounting and advisory firms. It is imperative for your firm’s website to be informative, easy to navigate, optimized for search results, and user-friendly. Your website also needs to be ADA-compliant.

Content and navigation

For accounting and advisory firm websites to trend during COVID-19, they must do more than list a firm’s services. Your website must demonstrate your firm’s expertise. When so much is left to interpretation, website visitors seek insight from the experts. Highlighting the technical knowledge a firm’s practitioners possess is key. Organize your site’s content with tailored libraries or hubs with direct links on the homepage. Emphasizing key information can amplify the impact of your website. Don’t risk high bounce rates. If visitors feel they must hunt for answers, they will turn elsewhere.

Creating a Resource Center on your website during COVID-19

“Our firm created a COVID-19 Resource Center featuring general and industry-specific information, which we promote on our homepage and social media, as well as a related Recovery Advisory Team,” said Mathew Conlin, senior business development specialist at BerryDunn. “Our subject matter experts continue writing prolifically to equip our clients with changing news and analysis in as real-time as possible.”

Analyzing data and feedback

Examining the website data and feedback from clients and prospects is the most important step to gauge how well the content is doing.

“Many clients thanked us for keeping them abreast of the nonstop updates and others shared our emails with peers and colleagues,” said Shelly Castorino, Director, Marketing and Business Development at Wouch Maloney & Co. “The increase in website traffic was incredible. Google Analytics showed an increase of 89.2% in visitors to the website from March 1 to March 3 [2020].”

Read more about optimization and the importance of making your website ADA compliant in the Winter 2020 edition of Growth Strategies on page 6.