Promoting Accounting & CPA Websites- Article Distribution and Proper Keyword Manners

I don't need to tell you that CPA sites are becoming extremely difficult to market these days. Some firms have seen some considerable success by utilizing an approach called article distribution. Alas, a lot of these firms are using it fallaciously and this is giving the technique a bad reputation.

You've probably encountered loads of references to "keywords" and "article marketing". You've probably also run into some of the horrendous – and clearly keyword driven – articles online that may have put you off keyword use altogether. This is actually a useful strategy, but you'll get much better long term results if you respect some simple rules of "keyword etiquette".

The following two scenarios will show what search engines and customers alike think of a keyword stuffed – and then a well written – paragraph. The keyword – or rather, the phrase – in this instance is "Philadelphia CPA."

Keyword Stuffing

Keyword stuffing is a common spam technique and offers little or no SEO value. A spammy article will look something like this:

"If you are looking for a Philadelphia CPA, look no further than the premier Philadelphia CPA website, PhillyAccounts.com. Your Philadelphia CPA problems are easy for our high quality Philadelphia CPA experts. With many Philadelphia CPA offices located in Philadelphia for all your accounting needs, you don't have to look far to find a good Philadelphia CPA."

This is the wrong way to write an article. Back in the days of yore, like a couple years ago, this type of schwag actually worked. Not any more. Search engines can identify this kind of spam and ignores it.

What Search Engines "think:"

"This article is obviously full of keywords and trying to attract our attention, so we'll mark it down for that. The article also does not seem to be written for a reader, so that's another few points lost."

And what about actual traffic? What will a real person think if they come across this "article"?

"Uggh, I hate spammers. This is just useless. Why should I click on any of the links to this CPA website if the article is just geared toward search engine rankings? I don't consider this company professional and I am likely to use a different business for my accounting needs."

A Good Article

"If you are a company looking for a Philadelphia CPA, it's best to be discerning and look around for the firm that'll be most likely to fit your business needs. It's not as hard as you think to find a good practice. Just follow a few basic guidelines...

• A good CPA will offer references. Look for testimonials and the like.
• Experienced firms won't have trouble with estimates. Find a CPA that's willing to let you know how much services will cost up front.
• Your potential CPA should be easy to talk to, "above board" and prepared to show off his or her licensing and other qualifications upon request."

 

The search engines see this as a real article...

"OK, the keyword density is reasonable and the text isn't full of exact matches. This looks like a real article. We believe this article is relevant to the keywords incorporated and will rate it more highly in our search results."

More importantly, lets look at what an actual person might think if they come across this article...

"This company obviously cares enough about their customers that they're willing to provide me with decent information and a good read. That's awesome. I will read this article and click on the links to this CPA website because I feel I can respect their business."

It's important when article marketing to write quality content that adds actual value to the publishers' websites. Always presume that a genuine person will be exposed to your post. It doesn't have to be a masterpiece, it just needs to be passably informative. This will make publishers happy and add a high-quality article to their blog, attract visitors who see it, and help your rank in the search listings.