Choosing a financial adviser or accountant is a decision people take slowly. They are handing over their retirement savings, their tax affairs or their business numbers.
So marketing in this sector is mostly about earning trust before the first meeting. This guide covers the practical steps for Perth financial planners, advisers and accounting practices.
For an overview of how we work with firms like yours, see our financial services marketing page.
What clients search for and how they choose
Most people search with a life event in mind. They are approaching retirement, have received a redundancy, sold a business, or come into an inheritance.
In Perth, that often looks like a FIFO worker wanting to make the most of a few high-income years, or a mining professional weighing up a voluntary redundancy package.
Typical searches include “retirement planning Perth”, “financial adviser Subiaco”, “SMSF accountant Perth” and “redundancy financial advice WA”. Many people also search their question first, such as how to roll over super or whether to salary sacrifice.
When comparing firms, people look for qualifications, a clear fee model and a sense of who the adviser is. Many will check the Financial Advisers Register or the Tax Practitioners Board register before they call.
Referrals still drive a lot of work. But even referred clients will look you up online, and a thin website can lose a warm lead.
The website
Pages it needs
- A page for each core service, such as retirement planning, superannuation, insurance, SMSF or business tax
- A page on how you charge, written in plain English
- Adviser and accountant profiles with qualifications and registrations
- A clear explanation of the first meeting and what to bring
- Your Financial Services Guide, privacy policy and licence details where they apply
Trust signals
Show your AFSL or authorised representative details, and your tax agent registration where relevant. Link to the official registers so people can check.
Real photos of your team and office help. Professional memberships, such as the FAAA, CPA Australia or Chartered Accountants ANZ, are worth showing if they apply.
Be open about fees. You do not need to publish a price list, but explaining whether you charge a flat fee, an hourly rate or an ongoing service fee removes a common barrier.
The enquiry path
Offer a low-pressure first step, such as a short introductory call. Keep the form brief and avoid asking for account balances or sensitive financial details online.
Booking tools can work well for accounting firms during tax time, when clients want to pick an appointment slot themselves.
Our web design team builds sites for professional firms with this kind of enquiry path in mind.
Google Business Profile and reviews
Set up a Google Business Profile for each office, with the right category, such as “Financial planner” or “Accountant”. Add your services and keep hours current, including any extended hours during tax season.
Reviews need care in this sector. Financial advisers should check the current ASIC guidance on using testimonials and reviews before asking for them, and make sure nothing published could mislead.
When you reply to reviews, keep it short and polite. Never mention a client’s situation, products or results.
Content worth writing
Financial and tax content is held to a high standard by Google, because it affects people’s money. Content should be accurate, dated, written or reviewed by a qualified person, and clear about being general information.
- Explainers on life events, such as planning for retirement or receiving a redundancy
- Guides for FIFO workers on super, tax and insurance
- End of financial year reminders for individuals and small businesses
- Plain English updates when super or tax rules change
- Explainers on how your advice process works, step by step
Include a general advice warning where the content could be read as advice. Review older articles each year, because thresholds and rules change.
Well-kept content also supports your SEO, especially for suburb and service searches.
Paid ads
Google Ads can reach people searching for a specific service, such as retirement planning or business tax help. Searches are fewer than in many trades, but each new client can stay for years.
Financial services ads have their own policy requirements. Our page on Google Ads for financial services in Perth covers targeting, tracking and policy.
Email and social media
Email is one of the most useful channels for advisers and accountants. A regular newsletter keeps you in touch with clients, prospects and referrers such as solicitors and mortgage brokers.
Use it for EOFY reminders, budget updates and practice news. Our email marketing service can help set this up and keep it consistent.
LinkedIn suits advisers who work with business owners and professionals. Short commentary on changes to super or tax, with your own view, tends to land better than reposted articles.
Keep all posts general. Our social media marketing page explains how we approach this.
The rules that apply
Financial advice marketing is regulated. The main points to keep in mind are:
- ASIC Regulatory Guide 234 sets out good practice for advertising financial products and advice services
- Words like “independent”, “impartial” and “unbiased” are restricted under the Corporations Act, and only some advisers may use them
- Advertising must not be misleading or deceptive under the ASIC Act and the Australian Consumer Law
- Tax agents must follow the Tax Practitioners Board Code of Professional Conduct, including on advertising
- Mortgage brokers and credit providers have their own obligations under credit law
Avoid return figures, guarantees or anything that sounds like personal advice in marketing. If your licensee has a compliance team, have them review campaigns before they go live.
The rules change from time to time, so check the current ASIC and TPB guidance.
Measuring enquiries
Track phone calls and form submissions back to their source. Record how each new client heard about you, especially to separate online enquiries from referrals.
The sales cycle can be long. Someone may read your retirement guide in March and book a meeting in August. Look at results over a full year, not just month by month.
Our digital marketing work includes setting up tracking that connects these dots.
A short checklist
- A page for each core service, plus a clear fees page
- Licence, authorised representative and registration details shown and linked
- Real team photos and qualifications
- A simple first step, such as a short introductory call
- Google Business Profile set up for each office
- Reviews and testimonials checked against current ASIC guidance
- Dated, reviewed content with general advice warnings
- A regular email for clients and referrers
- Calls and forms tracked by source over a full year
If you’d like help with your practice’s marketing, SLINKY has been working with Perth businesses since 1998. You’ll deal directly with senior people, and there are no lock-in contracts. Ask us for a free quote.
