BASS Accounting
Since 1995, BASS has served as a pioneering force in remote accounting services. Their mission has consistently aimed to simplify financial management for businesses of all sizes, employing technology to deliver real-time insights and expert guidance. With an unwavering commitment to excellence and a history of satisfied clients, BASS has earned the trust of companies spanning various industries, making them a valued ally. As they persist in adapting to industry shifts, BASS maintains its dedication to providing top-tier remote accounting solutions, enabling businesses to concentrate on growth with unwavering confidence.
Introduction
BASS is an accounting company that was officially opened on January 1, 1995 their latest website had been built in 2013, but it wasn’t fully responsive, and the owner never received a lead from it. The branding was old, featuring an outdated logo that displayed the old company name “e-Cloud Accounting,” which was a call out to the time when having accounting in the cloud was a big deal.
What were the pain points we were aiming to solve?
- Lead Tracking
- Recruiting
- Branding
What were the final goals we were hoping to achieve?
- Lead Tracking
- Lead Improvement
- Conversions
- Brand Consistency
- User Experience and Functionality
- Recruitment
Plan
With the answers to these questions we were able to develop a strategic plan.
Web Assessment
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Citation Audit
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Backlink Audit
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Competitor Review
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Buyer Persona Development
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Client Interviews
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Development of a Core Message
Metrics and benchmarks we used to establish the success of the redesign:
- Google Analytics Traffic
- Active Campaign Submissions
- Lead Tracking
- Google Search Console Keywords
Research
User Interviews
We interviewed approximately 4 long-time clients to determine why they like BASS and stay with them. Highlights from the interviews we noted the following highlights:
• Hands-off
• Efficient
• As much or as little support as they need
• Responsive
• Makes the process easy
• Nothing is missed
• Feel like they are watching out for them
• A vital part of their business
• Streamlined processes
• Proactive
From there, we developed the following core value proposition and message:
• Better Accounting Saves $$$
• BASS is hands-on, so you can be hands-off.
• BASS has controls, so you can have control.
• BASS has integrity, so you can have trust.
Surveys
We also worked with their current employees to conduct interview on why they like working there. They highlighted the good communication, fun working environment, support from Scott and flexibility with remote work. We created a promo video for their careers page which seems to have had an impact.
Data Analysis
- Primary tracking is through ad conversions, AC form fills, and Google Analytics data.
Competitive Analysis
Primary competitors listed included: Tompkins & Peters, Morrison CPA, and Dark Horse CPA.
These competitors had good branding, clear messaging, professional photos, positive reviews, clear CTAs, industry-specific pages, good SEO, and trust elements. All of which we prioritized in the new web build.
Design decisions based on the research:
The messaging was a large part of the rebuild. We wanted to highlight what makes BASS different. The colors we selected were green and dark blue to show professionalism and green for money, obviously.
We also wanted to add more SEO focus on industry-specific accounting to help better target their buyer personas. We kept the design simple but incorporated some branded elements as a call back to their days as a “Cloud” accountant so that the branding felt familiar.
Design and Implementation
Old Website:
Iterations to the Design:
We have continued to modify and improve the design based on HotJar data showing real human interaction with the site. We make elements that people think are clickable into links, change the order of calls to action if we see they aren’t making it far enough down the page, improve navigation based on reader patterns, and add in unique contact forms to help better segment the leads. We have also continued to add in additional resources and trust elements.
Challenges we faced during implementation.
Branding wasn’t exactly where we wanted it during the initial design refinement. Because BASS was an existing web client, we had already done a full build a few months before the strategy. There was a lot of retrofitting and some design elements needed to be built out over time including the logo, background elements, and cloud items. Again, it’s a process. And continued improvement over time is totally acceptable.
Results
User/Stakeholder Feedback:
Scott is elated with the results. We built out a new site in July of 2021 and started Strategy in October of 2021. In January of 2022, we implemented our design updates and modified the branding.
Over the course of a little over a year, Scott went from receiving no leads at all from his website to at least 5 qualified leads per week.
He has a regular influx of great applicants for employment. He is finally at a place where he feels like retirement is a possibility and he can pick/choose his clients rather than accepting all that comes through. He went from Famine to Feast all in just a little over a year because he stayed committed to the process.
Key Metrics and Benchmarks:
• The initial ad campaign created a lot of spam submissions – we narrowed the audience to more specific regions to reduce this
• Over the last 6 months, we have seen a 37% increase in Organic traffic.
• Over the last year, we have seen a 71.04% increase in Organic traffic.
• Over the last year, we have seen a 150% increase in Avg. Session Duration (from 49 seconds to 2:04 minutes)
• We have seen a reduction of bounce rate by 11.37% and an increase in pages per session by 32%
• We went from 0 leads to approximately 5 qualified leads per week
• We went from 0 consistent recruitment applicants to approximately 2 per month
How the Design Impacted the Goal:
The increase in organic traffic demonstrates that keyword targeting is successful. In particular, to highly targeted pages such as Montana Outsourced Bookkeeping Services or Accounting for MSP IT Companies. Two of the more recent leads have been from MSPs all over the country as far away as Georgia. These companies are engaging with the page and seeing a resource that speaks directly to their problem and their tech needs (in particular, BASS’s understanding of ConnectWise – a commonly used IT Company CRM).
The increase in session duration shows that people are engaging with the content for longer and pages per session show that they are navigating to more pages. The leads speak for themselves that the content and branding affirm the clients’ decision that they’re in the right place.
Scott made the sale to an elderly home care clinic which accounts for 2 years of sales for him.
Which is a lead that came through the website.
Conclusion
Important takeaways:
Stick with the process! The lead engine didn’t get fully formed until we improved user experience, built out more targeted pages, and refined the ad campaign. Once we calibrated the engine just right, we have predictable leads that allow the company to be selective and grow.
Strategy is only one part of the equation. Strategy never ends. A good site is monitored, managed, and improved over time. This is true both from an SEO perspective but also from a user experience and buyer’s journey view.
Lessons learned:
Niches are good and aren’t always clear when a company is in famine mode. The MSP niche is one that Scott can speak to well as he has been working with MSPs for nearly 30 years. He knows their pains and his previous site wasn’t highlighting that.
Ad campaigns can be a burden if not calibrated well, resulting in excessive spam and wasted money.
Marketing is a marathon!
Future plans:
Continued monitoring of user experience. We are putting a LinkedIn recruitment campaign on the backburner for now as he doesn’t need any qualified hires at the moment but continued growth calls for more reliable employees.
Their annual meeting will need a photographer present for great photos of the team. Continued maintenance of the ad campaign and copy updates.
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