Most CPA firm websites work like a phone book listing when they could be doing the first half of client intake.
TL;DR A CPA firm website has two jobs: get current clients to the portal fast, and help the right new clients decide to call. Say who you serve on the first screen, make each service page answer real questions, and keep it fast on a phone. Never ask for sensitive information in a plain contact form.
Two audiences, one homepage
Two very different people land on your homepage. A current client who needs to upload a document before Friday. A stranger deciding whether you are the right firm.
Most sites make both of them work too hard. Fix it by giving each one a clear lane.
| Visitor | What they came for | Where it goes |
|---|---|---|
| Current client | Portal login, payment, upload | Top bar, on every page |
| Prospect | Who you serve and how it works | The first screen and below |
| Referral partner | Who to send, how to reach you | A short page for attorneys, lenders and advisors |
| Job seeker | Culture and openings | Careers page linked in the footer |
A client who hunts for the portal link every April starts to feel the firm is disorganized, even if the work is excellent.
Say who you serve on the first screen
“Tax, accounting and advisory services for individuals and businesses” fits every firm in the state. It tells nobody why to pick you.
Name the clients you do your best work for. Contractors. Restaurants. Medical practices. Families with rental property. Small businesses that outgrew doing their own books. A visitor should see themselves in the first few lines, and see a clear button to book a call.
If you serve everyone, still lead with the groups you want more of. Everyone else will find the general services page.
Service pages that do real work
A service page that just says “Tax Preparation” over a paragraph of boilerplate does not convince anyone. A good one answers what a nervous prospect is actually wondering:
- Who this service is for
- What is included and what is not
- What the client needs to bring or upload
- What happens after the first call
- How to get started
I break down that structure in detail in how to build a high-converting service landing page. Accounting services fit it well because clients worry about process more than almost anything else.
Answer the switching question
Many new clients are leaving another accountant. They feel awkward about it and worried about the details.
Give them a page just for that. Explain what they should gather, how prior-year returns and records get handled, and what the first meeting looks like. Say plainly that switching is normal.
On fees, you do not have to publish prices. You should explain how pricing works, whether that is fixed fees by scope, an engagement for the year or something else. A prospect who understands the model calls with fewer doubts.
Security that looks like security
Clients are told over and over not to email sensitive documents. Then a firm’s own contact form asks for everything.
Keep the contact form short. Name, email, phone, what they need.
Warn them. Add a line telling visitors not to send Social Security numbers or tax documents through the form.
Point to the portal. Link straight to your secure upload with a short explanation of how to use it.
These small details tell a careful client that your firm is careful too.
Fast on a phone, all year
Professional websites for CPA firms often look polished on a big monitor and crawl on a phone. Heavy hero photos, chat widgets and several tracking scripts all slow things down.
Google’s web.dev guidance says a Largest Contentful Paint of 2.5 seconds or less is “good.” Test your homepage and your most visited service page on a phone over cellular. If the main content takes too long to appear, cut images and scripts before you add anything new.SourceLargest Contentful Paint (LCP)Google, web.dev, Current guidanceRead the source →
Tax season mode
Your website should change gear when the busy season starts.
- A banner with season hours and how to reach the office
- A clear note on whether you are taking new individual clients this season
- A booking link that only shows open times
- A page of what to bring, linked from every reminder email
When the season ends, switch back to messaging about planning, bookkeeping and advisory work, the services that keep clients all year.
Reviews and how AI finds you
The BrightLocal Local Consumer Review Survey 2026 found 45% of consumers used AI for local recommendations and 42% trust those recommendations as much as reviews. Your website, Google Business Profile and directory listings should all describe the firm the same way, with the same name, address and phone.SourceLocal Consumer Review Survey 2026BrightLocal, February 2026Read the source →
The free Receipt shows how your firm looks across search and AI answers. You can see how I work with firms on my page for accountants.
Today, open your website on your phone and try to reach the client portal login without scrolling. If you cannot, move it to the top bar before anything else.
Want it built for you? Run the free audit or book a 30-minute call.