Why is now a good time for accountants to market themselves?
Because Making Tax Digital is pulling more sole traders into needing help. According to GOV.UK, sole traders and landlords with qualifying income over £50,000 have had to use MTD for Income Tax since 6 April 2026. The threshold falls to £30,000 from 6 April 2027 and £20,000 from 6 April 2028.
Many still aren’t aware of it. A survey of 500 sole traders by accounting app Coconut found one in five had never heard of MTD, and 40% of those who’d never used an accountant would pay for help with their tax return.
Those people are searching right now. Phrases like “making tax digital accountant near me” or “do I need MTD software” are exactly the questions a good page can answer.
What MTD dates should accountants be writing about?
Clear, dated content builds trust. HMRC’s MTD for Income Tax timeline gives these key dates:
| Date | What’s due |
|---|---|
| 7 November 2026 | Second quarterly update for 2026 to 2027 |
| 31 January 2027 | 2025 to 2026 Self Assessment return, the usual way |
| 7 February 2027 | Third quarterly update |
| 6 April 2027 | MTD starts for qualifying income over £30,000 |
| 7 May 2027 | Fourth quarterly update |
| 31 January 2028 | 2026 to 2027 final declaration through MTD software |
A page that explains these in plain English, for your local area, is useful to readers and gives AI tools something clear to quote. Update it as HMRC changes things.
How should an accountant set up Google Business Profile?
Your profile is often the first thing a local client sees. Get the basics right:
- Category. Pick the most specific category for your main service. Google’s category guidance says not to use categories as keywords or to copy competitors.
- Address. If clients visit your office, show it. If you work from home and meet clients elsewhere, hide it and set service areas.
- Services. List each one: sole trader accounts, Self Assessment, MTD setup, VAT, payroll, limited company accounts, bookkeeping.
- Photos. Real photos of you and your team. People hire accountants they feel they can trust.
What pages should an accountant’s website have?
| Page | Who it’s for |
|---|---|
| Making Tax Digital help | Sole traders and landlords new to MTD |
| Self Assessment | Sole traders, landlords, people with side income |
| Accounts for tradespeople | Plumbers, builders, electricians and other trades |
| Limited company accounts | Small directors and start-ups |
| Bookkeeping and VAT | Busy owners who want it handled |
| Fees or how pricing works | Everyone. Even a “from” price or ranges helps |
| About and team | Builds trust: qualifications, experience, photos |
Niche pages work well. A page for accounts for tradespeople, written by someone who knows about vans, tools and CIS, will connect better than a general “small business accounts” page.
Want your practice to show up for MTD searches?
We build clear service pages, set up your Google profile and work on local SEO and AI visibility for accounting firms.
Can accountants advertise on ChatGPT?
Not in the UK at the moment. OpenAI’s ad policies say financial services, such as insurance, mortgages and credit, are restricted and generally prohibited outside the US. Advertisers may also need proof of a licence.
The policies say financial tools that don’t sell financial products are generally allowed, but an accounting firm offering tax services should assume it can’t run ChatGPT ads in the UK for now. Our guide to ChatGPT ads in the UK explains how they work.
That makes being named in ChatGPT’s actual answers more valuable. Our guide on how to get recommended by ChatGPT covers the steps.
How do accountants show up in AI search?
Google treats finance as a topic where trust matters most. Its helpful content guidance says topics that affect people’s finances get extra scrutiny, and that “of these aspects, trust is most important”.
- Put a named, qualified author on every guide, with a short bio.
- Answer one question per section in plain words, then add detail.
- Link to the official GOV.UK or HMRC page for any rule or date.
- Add schema. Schema.org has an AccountingService type for accountancy businesses.
- Keep your name, address and phone number the same everywhere.
- Collect reviews that mention the service, like “sorted my MTD setup”.
Read more on how reviews affect AI search and on what AEO is.
How should accountants ask for reviews?
Ask after a job well done, such as filing a return or finishing an MTD setup. Google’s review guidance lets you share a link or QR code, but you can’t offer discounts or anything else for a review.
The DMCC Act, in force since 6 April 2025, also bans fake reviews and undisclosed incentivised reviews in the UK. Law firm CMS notes the CMA can fine up to 10% of global turnover. Never write reviews for clients or ask staff to post them.
What marketing mistakes do accountants make?
- Jargon on every page. Your clients aren’t accountants. Write as you’d explain it across the desk.
- No prices at all. Even “from” prices or a short note on how fees work help people decide to call.
- Out-of-date dates. An MTD page with last year’s deadlines hurts trust. Review it every quarter.
- One page for everything. Separate pages for each service and client type rank and convert better.
- No faces. A photo of the person who’ll actually do the work makes a big difference for a trust-based service.
Should accountants use Google Ads?
They can, particularly in the run-up to the 31 January Self Assessment deadline. Keep it tight: target your town, use phrases with clear intent like “self assessment accountant near me” and send clicks to the matching page.
Our Google Ads service can set up and manage a focused campaign. For longer-term growth, our SEO for small business service builds the pages and local signals that keep bringing clients in.
FAQs
What is the best marketing for a small accounting firm?
Local SEO, a complete Google Business Profile, clear service pages including Making Tax Digital help, genuine client reviews and named, qualified authors on your guides.
Who has to use Making Tax Digital for Income Tax?
Sole traders and landlords with qualifying income over £50,000 from 6 April 2026, over £30,000 from 6 April 2027 and over £20,000 from 6 April 2028, according to GOV.UK.
Can accountants advertise on ChatGPT in the UK?
Generally not right now. OpenAI’s ad policies restrict financial services and generally prohibit them outside the US.
How do accountants get more Google reviews?
Ask clients after a job is complete and send them a direct review link or QR code. Don’t offer discounts or gifts for reviews, as Google and UK law ban it.
Should an accountant write blog posts about MTD?
Yes. Plain-English guides with official dates and links to GOV.UK help readers, build trust and give AI tools clear answers to quote.
