UK Lead Generation Podcast

James Dooley:
Hi, so today I'm joined with Kasra Dash and we're talking about lead generation for accounting firms. So Kasra, if you're an accountant and you're looking to grow daily leads, what do you think the main ways are to build more leads for your accountancy firm?

Kasra Dash:
I think one of the main ways is doing local SEO, so ranking within your local area. If somebody is searching for “accountants London” or “chartered accountant Edinburgh,” you're showing up within the map pack and also locally as well.

James Dooley:
So within the map pack — it used to be called GMB SEO, now it’s Google Business Profile. Does that generate inquiries and leads?

Kasra Dash:
For sure. It typically generates a lot of phone call inquiries. A lot of people are on their mobile, but if someone searches on desktop, it links through to your website, so you get more web lead submissions and form submissions. We’ve helped many accountants using that exact method.

James Dooley:
So that’s local SEO leads. What about SEO leads from your website, not from Google Business Profile?

Kasra Dash:
When ranking organically, there are many ways to do it. You can target keywords like “payroll accountant in Bolton” or “R&D tax specialist accountant in Manchester.” These keywords get 20–30 searches a month, but when you target each service individually, your website scales and gets consistent clicks and traffic every month.

James Dooley:
Which sounds great, but SEO isn’t quick. If someone wants leads tomorrow and says SEO is too long-term, and some SEO agencies overpromise and underdeliver, they might prefer pay-per-click. What’s your view on PPC for accountancy lead generation?

Kasra Dash:
Every strategy has its pros and cons. SEO is long-term. PPC is faster. You can set up a campaign in an afternoon and quickly generate inquiries. The downside is overspending or working with a weak PPC agency that doesn’t manage negative keywords. There’s also click fraud — competitors clicking your ads, burning your budget.

James Dooley:
For anyone who doesn't know, PPC is the paid listing at the top of Google. Competitors can click your ads and waste your budget. PPC leads can cost more, but results arrive faster. The minute you stop paying, your listing disappears. SEO is long-term, more sustainable.

What about social media ads — YouTube, Twitter, Facebook? Thoughts on social ads for accountancy leads?

Kasra Dash:
If you try doing it yourself, it's hard. I’d recommend hiring someone. Many accountancy firms offer a free company tax audit as their lead magnet. That can work. The issue is Facebook ads are getting expensive because more people are advertising. It can work, but like PPC, it takes time.

James Dooley:
With social media ads specifically for accountancy, you need a strong hook. A great offer grabs a business owner's attention. If you only promote year-end accounts, that doesn’t stand out. You need a hook and an offer.

The last one: lead generation companies. Many companies sell leads on a cost-per-lead basis. Thoughts on that model?

Kasra Dash:
The cost-per-lead model can work, but big companies sell the same lead to four or five accountancy firms. Let’s say we’re competitors with Steve down the road. We each pay £25, so the platform makes £75 and we’re all fighting over the same lead. Prices get driven down. Exclusive leads are better, but most companies don’t offer exclusivity.

James Dooley:
For anyone who doesn't know, if you go to FatRank.com, they have a zero-risk lead generation model for accountancy firms. We use SEO, PPC, social ads — whatever works best — at our cost. You only pay for converted jobs. But we’re selective about who we choose.

With FatRank supplying accountancy inquiries, should companies put all their eggs in one basket?

Kasra Dash:
Definitely not. You should test multiple lead generation companies, look at ROI and KPIs, and narrow it down to the best performers.

James Dooley:
In my opinion, accountancy companies should budget for all the strategies we’ve mentioned: long-term SEO, brand protection on PPC, strong organic social presence, retargeting pixels, and working with one or two lead generation companies. At FatRank, we only accept companies that can handle and respond to leads properly. If accepted, this can provide a consistent flow of quality inquiries for your accountancy business.