Martin
Founder, strategy and audits
Writes every audit and takes every first call. On your account from day one, running growth for SMEs since 2010.
SEM for Tax and CPA
Google Ads for CPA and Tax Firms
Search advertising for CPA and tax firms that want engagement inquiries in weeks, not months. Campaigns are scoped to your services, credentials and metros, with controls that keep DIY filers and job seekers off your budget.
We build seasonal and year-round campaigns separately, aim each at a service or client type, and count signed engagements, not clicks. Compliance stays with the firm.
Why paid search suits tax and CPA work
Context from how your customers search, compare and book.
Paid search reaches people already looking for help. A business owner searching for a CPA for an S corporation is in a different place from someone downloading a tax form. Campaigns should separate those intents and bid only on searches that can lead to an engagement.
Keyword control matters more than budget. Broad terms such as tax preparation attract DIY filers, software shoppers, students studying for the CPA exam and job seekers. We use exact and phrase match, review search terms weekly and add negatives until spend follows genuine demand for a professional.
Seasonality changes everything. Individual return queries surge before the April deadline, extension and planning queries follow, and representation searches arrive whenever a notice does. Separate campaigns let us shift budget through the year without starving the work that pays outside season.
Landing pages should match the search. Someone typing cpa for rental property owners expects a page about rental property tax, with a phone number and a short form. A general homepage wastes the click and makes strong campaigns look weaker than they are.
Who paid search reaches for tax firms
groups Customer segments
- person Individuals looking for a professional to prepare a complex return
- person Business owners and self-employed people seeking tax or advisory support
- person Investors and specialty filers searching for a named type of expertise
- person People with a notice or balance who want representation
psychology What drives their decision
- check_circle A landing page that matches the service and metro searched
- check_circle Clear credential information and how an engagement starts
- check_circle Plain wording about fees, timing and process
- check_circle A prompt reply from a person, not a queue
How we deliver SEM
A clear, repeatable process built around how tax and cpa customers search and decide.
1
Tracking and account setup
We set up tracking for calls, forms and bookings, agree what counts as qualified, and feed signed engagements back into the account. Without this, spend cannot be judged against real clients.
2
Campaign structure
Campaigns are split by service, client type and season, such as individual returns, small business, representation and planning. Each gets its own keywords, budget and landing page instead of sharing one pool.
3
Keyword and negative control
We start with exact and phrase match on terms you can serve. A negative list removes free filing, software brands, forms, CPA exam and job queries, and grows as weekly search term reports come in.
4
Landing pages and schedules
Each campaign points to a specific page with a phone number and short form. Schedules follow staffed hours and season, so calls are answered and inquiries followed up while the prospect is still deciding.
5
Review and refine
Each week we read search terms, pause waste and move budget to what produces engagements. Monthly reports show cost per signed engagement in USD, with seasonal comparisons across cycles.
query_stats
What Tax and CPA SEM includes
Reach people who are ready to book on Google, without paying for clicks that never turn into customers
- check_circle Google Ads account build or audit, with the account in your name
- check_circle Conversion tracking for calls, forms, bookings and signed engagements
- check_circle Weekly search term review and negative keyword maintenance
- check_circle Monthly report covering spend, inquiries and engagements
- check_circle Advice on landing pages, season planning and response times
What you can expect
- verified Inquiries from people searching for the exact services you offer
- verified Less budget spent on DIY filers, students and job seekers
- verified Ad spend visible against signed engagements rather than clicks
- verified Campaigns that follow the tax calendar and your capacity
- verified Landing pages matched to each service and metro
- verified A clear picture of which searches turn into clients
Deliverables you receive
inventory_2 Campaign structure by service, client type and season, with budgets you approve
inventory_2 Exact and phrase match keyword sets with a maintained negative keyword list
inventory_2 Responsive search ads that name your credentials accurately and avoid outcome claims
inventory_2 Call, form and booking tracking with engagement feedback into the account
inventory_2 Landing page recommendations or builds for each campaign
inventory_2 Weekly search term review and monthly reporting
Technical approach
The mechanics behind SEM for tax and cpa, explained plainly.
Negative keyword architecture
Shared negative lists cover free filing, software brands, forms, CPA exam study, jobs and salary terms. Campaign-level negatives stop individual and business campaigns from competing on the same query.
Call and form measurement
Call tracking numbers and form events record source, campaign and duration. Tax details and personal identifiers are never collected in forms or fed into ad platforms, and optimization relies on inquiry-level signals only.
Seasonal scheduling and budgets
Bids, budgets and ad schedules shift with the tax calendar and your staffing. Before peak periods we confirm capacity, so campaigns do not book work the team cannot take.
Marketing from $500 USD a month
Month to month, no commitment. One fee covers the pages, the search and ad work and the tracking. Ad spend is separate and stays in your own accounts.
Starting at
$500 USD per month
Free to cancel with 1 month's notice. Tell us what you sell and where. We come back with what the first month would fix.
Get a Free AuditWhat $500 a month covers
Pages
IncludedPages built around the searches your buyers actually type.
Search and ads
IncludedSearch and ads aimed at people ready to inquire.
Tracking
IncludedCalls, forms and bookings tagged to the search, ad or page behind them.
What to expect from tax firm Google Ads
Paid search can produce inquiries faster than SEO, but the first weeks are for learning what people in your metro really search.
Days 1 to 14
Tracking, structure and ads are built and reviewed. Campaigns start at conservative budgets with tight match types so we can see which searches are real.
Days 15 to 60
Search term data shapes negatives and landing pages. We compare inquiry quality by campaign and move budget toward services where you have capacity.
Month 3 onward
With enough data, we refine bidding, test new ad angles and adjust for season, expanding to further metros only where your team can serve them.
Other Tax and CPA marketing services
Our team
The same people on the audit and on the work
Martin writes every audit and takes the first call. The same team stays on the account. 160+ businesses since 2010.
Yoana
Social and app development
Shapes social strategy and builds practical app experiences that turn attention into action.
Mike
SEO
Owns technical, local and content SEO so the right buyers find you when demand is highest.
Robert
Paid media
Plans and manages paid search and social campaigns around qualified leads.
Elmer
Analytics
Connects tracking, attribution and reporting so decisions are based on revenue-quality data.
Dino
Design
Creates clear brand and conversion-focused design across landing pages, campaigns and product experiences.
Certified and experienced
Certified where it matters. Accountable for the outcome.
Verified platform knowledge, 25+ years of hands-on experience, and an operating track record since 2010.
Google AdsCertified
✓Google AnalyticsCertified
✓Google Tag ManagerCertified
✓Operating since 2010Proven experience
✓Frequently Asked Questions
Are there rules on advertising tax and accounting services? expand_more
State boards of accountancy and IRS practice standards, including Circular 230 where it applies, set expectations for how practitioners advertise. The firm is responsible for compliance. We write within platform policy and your approved wording, and ask you to approve every ad before launch.
How do you stop DIY filers clicking? expand_more
We use exact and phrase match, negatives such as free filing, software names and forms, and copy that speaks to people wanting a professional. We review search terms weekly and remove anything drifting toward do-it-yourself queries.
What conversions do you track? expand_more
Phone calls above a set length, form submissions and booked consultations, plus signed engagements your team feeds back. That lets us report cost per engagement instead of cost per click.
Can you run campaigns for IRS notices and back taxes? expand_more
Yes, for firms that handle representation. We avoid promises about settling tax debt or reducing balances, and we keep copy factual about what the firm does and how the process works.
Should we bid on competitor firm names? expand_more
Only if you ask and platform rules allow it. We usually recommend focusing on service and metro searches, where intent is clearer and there is less risk of confusion.
What budget do we need? expand_more
That depends on the metro, services and season. We suggest starting at a level that gives enough data to judge, then increasing only when your team can staff more engagements.
Who owns the ad account? expand_more
You do. The account, billing and data are in your name, and we work as managers within it.
How fast can campaigns launch? expand_more
Once tracking, wording and landing pages are agreed, campaigns can be live within days. Optimization continues after launch as real search terms come in.
Ready to get more from Tax and CPA SEM?
Get a free audit and we will show you where you are losing inquiries today.
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