Reality check: if you’re not ranking on Google, you’re practically invisible to your clients.
Sorry about that 🙂
SEO is the tool that can get you visible, trusted, and in front of the right people. That’s why it’s a must-have for professional services. Be it law, consulting, or accounting, online visibility can build credibility and consistently attract clients.
Stick with us to find out 4 reasons why SEO is a non-negotiable for professional service firms.
Contents
1. SEO Offers Client Lifetime Value
Google Ads can burn a hole in your pocket. An accountancy firm might spend a lot every month on Google Ads to attract traffic. With SEO, after a few months, you can keep showing up in search results for keywords like “best tax services near me” and “affordable tax services in Chennai” without paying for each visitor.
Easier to Keep the Customers
SEO isn’t just about getting clients. It’s about keeping them for the long run. Over time, SEO pays for itself by building a steady stream of organic traffic. And the clients you attract will continue to visit and engage with your business without additional acquisition costs. You can maintain that relationship with quality content, follow-up emails, and customer support.
No Client Acquisition Fees with SEO
When you acquire clients through other channels, whether it’s referrals, ads, or cold calling, there’s always an acquisition cost. You’re effectively paying to get clients. But with SEO, you’re not begging for clients or relying on third parties to bring in business. The beauty of SEO is that it helps you own your clients. When people search for your services, they’re coming directly to you, not through someone else’s referral link or ad.
2. SEO Amplifies Professional Referrals
Now, the previous point doesn’t mean referrals can be completely out of the picture. In the world of professional services, referrals and SEO can go hand-in-hand.
Referrals Via Friend Circles
People Google firms before they trust a referral from a friend. Whether it’s a lawyer, a banker, or a business broker, they want to verify that the firm is credible.
If you’re a law firm, for example, and you’ve got a strong SEO presence, you instantly become the “safe referral”. When a colleague refers a potential client to you, that client will most likely search for your firm online first. They’ll look at reviews on Quora and Reddit, testimonials, and case studies. And if your website has detailed content (like a blog or FAQ answering legal questions), it increases the chances that this user will trust your services.
Don’t forget to check out our interesting blog on one of the hottest debates today: Will ChatGPT replace SEO?
Referral Networks Within the Industry
A strong SEO presence doesn’t just help potential clients find you. It also helps other lawyers, consultants, or financial advisors discover you, leading to more partnerships and referrals.
If you’re a management consultant, other consultants or business brokers looking for expertise in a specific industry will look you up online. If your website ranks for keywords like “top business strategy consultant for tech startups,” they’ll be more likely to recommend your services to their clients who need advice in that niche.
3. Local SEO Means Local Business
People search for services nearby first. Whether they’re looking for an accountant, a lawyer, or a consultancy, they want someone they can easily access and who brings local knowledge to the table.
Location Can Be a Monopoly
A CA firm in Chennai can dominate search results for “tax consultant in Chennai” or “GST services in Chennai”. Local SEO allows you to own your specific area, turning you into the go-to service provider in your region.
Local SEO Supports Business Expansion
Consider this: A divorce attorney in Mumbai may already have a strong presence in the local market. The firm dominates both online and offline. They likely don’t need to optimize for SEO within the city anymore.
But, as the business expands, let’s say, they want to dominate in new states or categories, SEO becomes critical. For example, if the firm wants to start targeting clients in Pune, they need local SEO for keywords like “divorce attorney Pune” or “family lawyer in Pune” to gain a local market share. In this case, SEO becomes the bridge to expanding services to new regions.
4. SEO Can Establish Your Credibility
It’s all about trust in the law and consulting world. Individuals approach you with difficult lives and financial stake problems, and they want to be assured that they are in good hands.
SEO Builds Trust Before the First Meeting
When your firm ranks at the top of search results, it’s a clear sign that Google trusts you, and so should your clients. People naturally associate top search rankings with credibility and reliability.
Plus, helpful blog posts, articles, and expert opinions position you as a thought leader. By consistently publishing high-quality content and linking to reliable sources, you’re showing Google and your prospective clients that you know your stuff.
Trust-Building Features
Use SEO strategies to highlight your firm’s credentials, such as client testimonials, certifications, and accolades. These trust signals not only help Google’s algorithm understand your authority but also convince potential clients that they’re in the right hands.
Trust Also Means Premium Rates
Ranking #1 gives the impression that you’re the go-to expert in your field. Clients are willing to pay more for someone they perceive as the best. And that allows you to charge premium rates for your services.
Paid Ads or SEO: Which One’s Right for You?
Paid Ads for Immediate Results
If you need quick leads and immediate visibility, paid ads are your best bet. Expect calls and leads almost immediately, sometimes within a week of launching your campaign.
However, it’s expensive. You pay per click, and once the ads stop, the leads stop too. There’s no long-term benefit from pausing or stopping the ads.
SEO for Long-Term Growth
SEO takes time, but it delivers sustainable and organic growth. Unlike ads, once you rank for a keyword, you keep getting leads without paying for each click.
It is ideal for businesses looking for long-term visibility and a steady stream of leads that don’t rely on ongoing ad spend.
Start SEO After Paid Ads
Once your business is established and you’ve gained some traction with ads, switch to SEO to build long-term credibility and cut costs on advertising over time. Even if you’re a startup, begin with paid ads to jumpstart lead generation and get visible quickly. Once you start seeing returns from paid ads and build some market presence, shift focus to SEO for cost-effective, sustained growth.
Since we’re on the topic of paid advertising, you must be wondering about the new Meta special ads category changes for financial services. Head to our detailed guide on the 6 marketing moves that financial services shouldn’t ignore with the tie-up between SEBI and Meta. (add the blog after it’s published)
Closing Thoughts
SEO can be the future of lead generation for professional services. If you want your firm to stay competitive, ranking higher on Google is non-negotiable.
And Brandshark is here to make it happen. We’re a top digital marketing agency in Bengaluru, specializing in shaping SEO into results, and we’re ready to help your firm gain visibility and secure more clients.
Don’t wait. Let’s start crafting your SEO strategy now. Contact us today!