Not creating content yet? Then it’s time to start.
And if you have been creating content for a while now, and even though you’re consistent, it’s not getting you the results you want…
Keep on reading.
You’ll walk away with seven types of content that you should be creating, and it’s more than just:
Creators who follow an approach like the one above?
It rarely gets the results they’re chasing.
But it’s a different story when you create these seven types of content.
I go over these content types in more detail in my YouTube video.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is everywhere. Some are calling it the “next search engine,” and it’s time for you to feed it some content.
Why?
People no longer consume content like they used to. Just think about the last time you researched something:
Overall, has AI usage for you increased? A lot of people are leaning on AI tools more now than a year or two ago. They go to their favorite AI bot to ask questions, do some research on potential accountants and compare options.
ChatGPT, for example, receives 66 million “search-like” queries daily, and over 2.5 billion prompts are sent daily.
If your firm isn’t showing up as an AI solution, you’re invisible to users who use these tools like a search engine to look for for things, such as:
Create content that answers these AI queries, which means clear and concise answers to very specific questions. You want to show up when people are asking these questions, and the right type of content will help you reach this goal.
While I could create an entire video on content for AI, just know that these tools prefer answers that are clear, draw distinctions and show how decisions are made. Skip the marketing language to focus on clarity and the results will follow.
You’re adding AI-focused content into your toolbox, but now it’s time to focus on problem-first content.
Read through a lot of accountant’s content, and you’ll quickly realize that it’s all about them:
People want to know the problems you can solve for them, not that you have 23 years of experience and a bunch of credentials.
Problem-first content reshapes the narrative by showing that you understand the person’s pain point:
Your goal is to make your audience feel like you understand their problems. When your content hits the mark like this, they walk away feeling like you truly understand where they’re at and how you can help them overcome their problems.
For the third type of content that you need to create, it’s going to be very personal to you.
Now this doesn’t mean sharing photos of your dogs or kids (you can if you want – it’s just not required).
Rather, it’s sharing your point of view, thoughts, and experiences.
Doing so will help you stand out and make your personality magnetic.
I’m going to reframe this just a little bit by saying, if you don’t repel some, you’re not going to attract anyone.
Think of someone who is immensely popular. Let’s go with Kim Kardashian.
Say what you want about her, but she has droves of diehard fans and yet there are people who don’t like her one iota.
You don’t need to be the Kim K of the accounting world, but you do need to have a point of view.
Take a stand for what you believe in.
But here’s the thing: even your marketing team can’t help you here.
You need to sit down and figure it out based on your own experiences. Ask yourself:
Start with these questions and dig into your story and past. Only you know what your opinions are and how you’re different from all of the other accountants.
Still stuck?
Check out Kelly Rohrs if you’re looking for someone who does an amazing job sharing their unique point of view and opinions. She’s incredible and someone who knows how to create this type of content better than most.
Here’s a type of content I think that many accountants overlook. The idea is simple: You share something that isn’t working as well as it used to.
Highlight why an old way is failing.
Because let’s face it: People don’t change because there’s a better option.
They change only because something isn’t working now.
Here’s an example:
Doing your tax return once a year and keeping your books up to date doesn’t work anymore. Why? Because it’s costing you so much growth and potential.
Be specific. How much growth? Let your potential client see what they’re missing out on.
As an accountant, you know the consequences of not doing tax planning year-round or what happens when you don’t look at your books all year long.
Your clients? They may not know these consequences. They don’t know why what they’re doing is ultimately failing them.
You can open their eyes through your content.
Empathize with them. Say, “Hey, I see what you’re doing right now. I see why you think this is good enough. But it’s not enough if you want to reach and exceed your goals. Here’s what you need to do instead.”
Help potential clients understand why they need to make a change. That expertise that you share will build trust and ultimately, put you at top of mind when they’re ready to hire an accountant.
The next type of content you should create is called trust transfer content.
I’m not talking about just showcasing a Google Review. I’m talking about going in-depth and showing:
Explain the whole process and experience, or better yet, have your client explain it.
Dive deep into the answer of: How did you get them to where they are today?
I love Kelly Rohrs, and so I will use her as another example.
We started working together years ago now. She came to me with this vision of the firm she wanted to create and the impact she wanted to create. So we asked an important question: Where is she at right now?
She had a vision of where she wanted her firm to go. It was our job to help her get there.
Now? Her firm has seen amazing growth.
She’s:
All of these achievements happened because she knew where she was at and where she wanted to go, and she got the support she needed to get there.
I want you to highlight stories like this in your content. Get the person online to talk about it. If they’re willing to create a video about it, share that.
Use your success stories as social proof to show potential clients that you can help them get from A to Z.
Here’s a type of content I see almost no accountants creating today: process and behind-the-scenes content. Content like this can be absolutely transformative in helping people take the next step when it comes to working with you.
Now, when I say behind-the-scenes content, I don’t just mean, okay, let’s take a video of me working today and create a vlog of what my day-to-day looks like.
Yes, that content can be great, but what I mean is helping people really see how you make decisions and what it looks like when you become a client.
Maybe it’s content about how you decide:
Think about questions your prospects have and roadblocks that may be stopping them from working with you.
For example, people are probably going to wonder: Okay, what’s the cost?
Let’s clarify that upfront. You don’t have to give a hard figure. Maybe you just give a range.
Or other potential clients may be ready to switch accountants, but they want to know what that process looks like. Create a video about it. Clarify the process and show them that making a switch isn’t as hard as it seems.
The ultimate goal with process and behind-the-scenes content is to help potential clients overcome their concerns when it comes to working with you.
If you answer the right questions and let potential clients peek behind the curtain, it can be an absolute game changer.
The last type of content you should be making is called “clarity content.” The aim of this content is to outline:
Exactly who you can and who you cannot help.
Ultimately, you want your content to attract the right people just as much as you want it to repel clients who aren’t a great fit.
Maybe you want to attract business owners who:
Whatever your ideal client looks like, you want to create content around that. Let your audience know that this is exactly who you help. Those who aren’t aligned with your criteria? They can self-select out.
You should be creating clarity content for:
But this whole concept should also apply to content everywhere, including things like your intake form.
For example, let’s say that you don’t want to work with clients who have inventory.
Your intake form could ask, “Please confirm that you don’t have inventory. We only work with clients who don’t.”
This way, you’re weeding out clients who aren’t a good fit for your firm.
When creating clarity content, I don’t want you to just think about who you work with in terms of size, niche or location. I also want you to think about what the person is like.
For example, maybe it’s, “Hey, we aren’t a good fit if you aren’t someone who doesn’t want to meet with your accountant regularly.” Or, maybe it’s, “Hey, we aren’t the cheapest option because we do A, B and C.”
Just put that out there. We’re not the cheapest, and if that’s your top concern, then we’re not a good fit.
At the end of the day, you don’t want to waste anyone’s time, and you don’t want your time wasted. That’s exactly what clarity content helps you avoid.
If you’ve been creating content and not seeing the results you want, it’s time to shift your focus. We’ve seen great results for our clients with these 7 types of content.
And if you’re thinking, “Wow, I have to create a lot of content,” don’t panic. I have a video that goes over the content system we use at Leaders Online for our clients (see it here).
Your firm should create AI-focused content, problem-first content, point of view content, and clarity content to improve visibility and engage potential clients.
Create content that answers specific questions people ask AI tools, ensuring your responses are clear and concise to increase your chances of being recognized as a solution.
Problem-first content focuses on addressing the pain points of your audience rather than promoting your credentials, helping potential clients feel understood and connected to your services.
Use trust transfer content by sharing detailed client success stories that illustrate the journey from their initial struggles to achieving their goals with your help.
Clarity content should specify who your firm can help and who it cannot, helping potential clients self-select based on their fit with your services and values.
Behind-the-scenes content can demystify your processes, answer common client questions, and alleviate concerns about working with you, making it easier for potential clients to engage.