A simple content strategy for tax and accounting firms

It’s crowded out there. Business owners and high-net-worth individuals comparing firms will shortlist the ones that teach them something useful. Consider the landscape: Roughly 130,000 US tax-preparation businesses and 46,000 CPA firms compete for attention. In a market this dense, content isn’t a nice-to-have—it’s your positioning engine.

Why education wins

Educational content builds trust by answering the exact questions prospects are already asking, preferably in plain English with examples. Consistent teaching signals authority, shortens sales cycles, and influences buyers long before they talk to you.

Buyers vet you online before they ever call. In professional services, 80.8% of buyers look at a firm’s website and 63.2% run general searches as part of due diligence, long before contacting references. Translation: Your articles, FAQs, and case stories are the sales call that happens without you. 

As David C. Baker puts it, “Expertise renders your work less interchangeable.” When your firm consistently publishes clear, niche-specific advice, for example, S corporation owner planning or short-term rental tax, prospects stop seeing you as a commodity and start seeing you as the specialist.

A simple content strategy (you can execute)

• Who: Pick 1–2 ideal client profiles (S corporation owners, real-estate investors).
• What (themes): Choose quarterly themes tied to higher-value services, such as tax planning, entity selection, or compensation design.
• Where: Your website (pillar content), email newsletter, LinkedIn, and a monthly Google Business Profile post. Pillar content is a comprehensive, foundational piece of content that provides an in-depth overview of a broad topic, serving as a central hub that links to related, more specific content on a website.
• When: One main or “anchor” article per month; repurpose it into four short pieces (videos, LinkedIn posts, FAQs) that can be scheduled over the next four weeks.
• How: Consider subject matter expert interviews or documenting the top 10 questions ideal clients and prospects ask. Block an hour to write the article, or hire a copywriter to create it for you. Use this article to repurpose into shorter pieces.
  

What to publish (simple mix that works)

1. Anchor articles: Evergreen explainers, such as “S Corporation Tax Planning: 5 strategies before year-end.”
   
2. Checklists & calculators: “Reasonable comp” checklist; quarterly tax-estimate planner.
   
3. Short videos (60–120s): One question, one answer.
   
4. Case stories: Showcase wins, outcomes, and stories of transformation.
   
5. FAQ libraries: Source from real emails and sales calls.
   
6. Seasonal updates: “What changed this quarter?” posts that educate and prompt action.
   

A 30-day example

• Week 1: Publish the anchor article on your website.
  
• Week 2: A one or two minute video for YouTube, plus a LinkedIn post summarizing the anchor.
  
• Week 3: Newsletter tip of the week to your client and active prospect email list. Don’t overthink this, and keep it short.
  
• Week 4: A testimonial, case study or FAQ post. For example, “3 costly mistakes we prevented this month” case study or FAQ.
  

Do it in one block of time per month

1. Select your anchor topic and how you are going to repurpose it into smaller pieces.
2. Create your anchor article or assign the topic to a copywriter.
3. Review the content to tighten the message and remove technical jargon. Does it tell a story that resonates with your ideal audience?
4. Repurpose it into content for additional channels  
5. Schedule distribution of the article and all content for the month using a scheduling tool.

Measure what matters, and be consistent

Track key indicators like time on page, email clicks, engagement and ultimately tax-planning inquiries, consults booked, and average first-year fees. 

You’ve undoubtedly heard the phrase, “cash is king.” When it comes to content, consistency is king. Results don’t happen overnight, but a consistent cadence will build a healthy sales pipeline over time.

Bottom line

In a competitive field where many ideal clients view tax pros and accountants as an expense rather than an investment, firms that teach with focus stand out, command better conversations, and steer prospects toward higher-value services like tax planning and business advisory services.