Your website gets a real workout during tax season. Prospective clients looking for an accountant go to your site to evaluate your firm’s services. And your existing clients rely on your site for current tax numbers, deadlines, and other vital information. Is your website ready for this increase in traffic?

You should go to your website throughout the year to make sure it’s up to date. But if you don’t review your site before tax season hits, you’re likely to lose prospective clients (and maybe even some current clients) due to outdated information, dead links, and “page not found” errors.

Take the time now to check your site. Ensure that it provides useful information for your clients and that it reflects the current services that your firm offers. Tax information should be updated at least monthly, if not weekly, to show that your firm stays current with changes in the law. Make sure office hours and driving directions are clearly posted. If your firm uses a client newsletter, offer a free subscription to the newsletter on the opening page of your site — it’s a great way to build your prospective client list with qualified leads.

A website that is easy to navigate and understand makes it easy for prospects to familiarize themselves with your firm. And keeping your site up to date shows clients you’re a top-notch firm that provides useful information year-round as part of your quality service. So give your site a once-over and make sure it’s ready to work for you this tax season.

I invite your comments and questions. Contact me at mostad[at]mostad[dot]com or 1-800-654-1654.