Website for accountants and bookkeepers

Who do you work for? Choose a clear target group

The most important choice for your website is not made in the design but in your positioning. A freelancer (zzp'er) who is just starting out has different questions from a private limited company (bv) with ten staff or a foundation. The more clearly you say who you are for, the faster the right client recognises themselves.

• Choose one or two main groups, such as freelancers, SMEs or a particular sector like construction, care or hospitality.
• Describe their typical questions and worries in their own words.
• Make a separate page for each group with relevant services and examples.
• Be honest about who you are less suited to. That saves conversations that go nowhere.

What should an accountant's website include?

• A homepage that says in one sentence who you work for and what you deliver, with a button to book an introduction.
• Pages per service: bookkeeping, VAT returns, annual accounts, income tax, payroll, advice.
• Pages per target group or sector.
• Packages and prices, or at least a clear indication.
• A page about how you work: how you collaborate, which software you use, how clients send in documents.
• A team page with photos and who is the contact for what.
• Contact details and an enquiry form for an introduction or quote.

If you are a registered accountant (RA) or accountant-administratieconsulent (AA), say so clearly, along with your membership of your professional body. That builds trust, especially for audit or compilation assignments.

Packages and prices on your website

Business owners like to know where they stand. Fixed packages make it easy to compare and choose. A common set-up is a few packages for different types of client, each with a starting price and a clear list of what is included.

• State what is and isn't included in each package.
• Explain what the price depends on, such as the number of transactions or employees.
• Show prices for business clients excluding VAT, and mention that VAT is added.
• Offer a price calculator or short questionnaire if your prices vary a lot per client.

An online quote tool can save a lot of time. The client answers a few questions and gets a price indication straight away, or you receive a fully completed enquiry. Read how that works in automating quotes.

Be specific instead of promising to 'take the hassle away'

Almost every firm promises a personal touch and taking the hassle away. Business owners skim right past that. Make it concrete: within how many working days do you reply to a question, who is the fixed contact, how often do you speak to the client each year, and what happens when the Dutch Tax Administration (Belastingdienst) sends a letter? Details like these say more than a nice slogan.

Also show how working together starts. A short explanation in three or four steps, from introduction to the first tax return, takes away a lot of uncertainty for someone switching from another firm.

Your website as a tool for existing clients

Your website is not just a shop window. It can also make day-to-day client work easier. Think of sending in documents, which at many firms still happens through separate emails and WhatsApp messages.

• A secure client portal where clients upload documents and see what is still needed.
• A clear page explaining what to send in, when and how.
• Integrations with the accounting software your clients use, so data comes in automatically.
• Automatic reminders when documents for a tax return are missing.

Read more about a portal of your own in having a client portal built. How integrations with packages such as Exact, Moneybird or e-Boekhouden work is explained in connecting your accounting software.

Making your accounting firm visible in Google

Many business owners search for a bookkeeper nearby, or for a specialist in their sector wherever they are. You can respond to both:

• Complete your Google Business Profile and clearly mention your location on your site.
• Create pages that match what people search for, such as bookkeeper for freelancers or accounting firm for construction.
• Write short articles on questions your clients often ask, for example about VAT, mileage or year-end closing. Keep them up to date, because tax rules change every year.
• Ask happy clients for a Google review.

Common mistakes on bookkeepers' websites

• No clear target group, so the site is for everyone and therefore for no one.
• Generic copy about taking the hassle away and a personal touch, without explaining what that means in practice.
• No price indication at all.
• Tax articles with figures from years ago.
• A contact form that clients use to send sensitive documents, without any security.

That last point deserves attention. Annual figures, payslips and ID documents are sensitive data. Never let them come in through an ordinary form or ordinary email; use a secure environment instead. For questions about your obligations under the GDPR (AVG in Dutch), you can turn to the Dutch Data Protection Authority (Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens) or a lawyer. General tips on tone and structure for a business site can be found in website for a professional services firm.

Having a website built for your accounting firm

At Violexa we build websites that are clear about who you work for and what it costs, with forms that are set up neatly and securely. If you want to go further, we also build a client portal or integrations with accounting software. A custom website or web application through websites and apps starts from €1,799 excl. VAT (€2,177 incl. VAT). Larger projects get a fixed price upfront, in writing.

Want to know what your firm needs? Book a free quickscan. It is a 30-minute conversation, online or at your office. Afterwards you get short written advice with a price indication, with no obligation.

Frequently asked questions