Tax Prep Meets TikTok: How to Turn Followers into Paying Clients with Smart Digital Marketing
You’ll often read an article on digital marketing that starts out something like, “it’s an increasingly digital world, and your marketing needs to keep up.” Unfortunately, if you’re thinking that way you might be behind the curve. In reality, the world in which you do business is already digital. Your customers and prospects may never see your physical office. Maybe you don’t even have one.
So whether you're a solo practitioner or part of a larger firm, leveraging internet marketing, a high-impact website, and social media can help you attract new clients, build trust, and grow your business year-round.
Your Website IS Your Storefront
Your website is generally the first impression potential clients will have of your business. It should be clean, professional, and designed to convert visitors into customers. Make sure it’s mobile-friendly, loads quickly, and includes essential information such as services offered, pricing, credentials, and client testimonials.
To encourage engagement, include clear calls-to-action (CTAs) like:
- Book a Free Consultation
- Get a Quote Today
- Watch a Video
- Attend an Event
If you offer any fixed price services or produce events, promote these with a banner on your website. Offer a discount if it’s consistent with your policies and brand to do so.
Offer useful content on your website that goes beyond typical marketing and promotional messaging:
- Ask a tax question page
- Subscription page for your email list or e-newsletter
- Resource list with links to IRS, FTB, Treasury and other useful web sites/pages
Integrating online booking tools and secure document upload features can streamline the onboarding process and make your services more accessible, but make sure to have the proper security and privacy protections in place.
And if you don’t have the in-house expertise to build and maintain an effective website, it’s OK to get outside help. The investment will pay off.
SEO: Be Found When It Matters
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) ensures your website appears in search results when people look for tax help. On-page SEO involves optimizing your page titles, headers, and meta descriptions with relevant keywords. If your practice is local, start your SEO by targeting keywords like “tax preparer in [your city]” and claiming your Google Business Profile.
Done correctly, SEO helps a business stand out online, build trust with users, and generate long-term traffic without relying solely on paid advertising. Content SEO is equally important. Publishing blog posts that answer common tax questions or explain recent changes in tax law can drive traffic and establish your authority.
Because SEO is complex and constantly evolving, companies should either invest in developing in-house expertise or partner with a professional SEO agency. This ensures the strategy is effective, up-to-date, and aligned with business goals.
Content Creation: Educate and Engage
Creating valuable content helps build trust and keeps your audience engaged. Consider videos, infographics, and newsletters. For example:
- Write a blog post titled “Top 5 Tax Deductions for Freelancers”
- Create a short video explaining how to avoid common filing mistakes
- Design an infographic showing key tax deadlines
Repurpose this content across platforms to maximize reach and reinforce your expertise.
Social Media: From Followers to Clients
Social media platforms offer powerful tools to connect with potential clients. Each platform has its own strengths, and attracts its own audience, so tailor your approach accordingly.
Most of these are well known, but a brief description of each is offered for those that might be unfamiliar. Here are some quick ideas on how to use them effectively:
Probably the most widely used social networking platform for connecting with friends, businesses, and communities. Use Facebook to run targeted ads, host live Q&A sessions during tax season, and share client success stories (with permission). It’s also a great place to post reminders about deadlines, online and live events, and to promote seasonal services. It’s OK to have fun on Facebook.
A professional networking site used for business connections, job searches, and industry news. LinkedIn is ideal for reaching business clients. Share thought leadership content, connect with local professionals, and participate in industry groups. Offering referral incentives can also help expand your network.
TikTok
A short-form video platform known for viral content and creative storytelling. Short, engaging videos that explain tax tips or show behind-the-scenes glimpses of your work can go viral. Use trending sounds and hashtags to boost visibility and reach younger audiences. TikTok video culture calls for light-hearted, humorous videos. The most popular videos are under a minute, or even shorter.
YouTube
A video-sharing platform where users upload and watch content ranging from tutorials to entertainment. YouTube is perfect for longer-form content. Tutorials, webinars, and client education videos can help establish your credibility. Be sure to optimize your video titles and descriptions for SEO and include links to your website.
A forum-based platform where users discuss topics in communities called “subreddits.” Engage in subreddits like r/personalfinance or r/tax by offering helpful advice. Avoid overt self-promotion—focus on building credibility through consistent, thoughtful participation.
Substack
A newsletter platform that allows creators to publish and monetize email content. Launch a newsletter to share seasonal tax tips, updates, and exclusive content. Substack is a great way to generate leads and remind clients of important deadlines.
X (formerly Twitter)
A social media platform for sharing short updates, links, and commentary. Use X to share quick tips, news updates, comments on pending tax legislation, and links to your content. Engage with trending topics and local hashtags to increase visibility. Polls can spark conversation and drive traffic to your site.
Risks and Compliance in Digital Marketing
While digital marketing has many strengths, inherent in some of these are also risks. Think carefully about your digital content and messaging. Be clear on your website and in your social networking profiles that you are not offering client advice on these forums.
Remember also that tax preparation is a regulated profession, so avoid disclosing client personal information. Doing so is unethical, violates the client’s trust, and can have penalties.
Whatever you put out in the world is there forever. Avoid antagonizing or insulting people, such as competitors, and public officials. And don’t think simply deleting a post on X or LinkedIn eliminates it. There are many ways in which users can save it.
Final Thoughts
To succeed in digital marketing, consistency is key. Track performance using tools like Google Analytics and social media insights. Respond promptly to comments and messages, and always aim to provide value before asking for a sale.
A key to digital marketing is understanding a few of its powerful characteristics:
- It’s fast. This allows you to react quickly to breaking competitor and tax-related news.
- It’s personal. Online you’re communicating with thousands or millions of people but you can still engage one-to-one with your audience.
- It has exponential potential. A carefully crafted message has the potential to reach a huge audience.
By combining a strong online presence with strategic content and social media engagement, tax professionals can attract more clients, build lasting relationships, and grow their business in a sustainable way.
