An accountant and bookkeeper website that shows what you do, what it costs and when to call.

A calendar drives the whole business

An accounting practice has a rhythm that clients can feel: January's 1099s and W-2s, March's rush, April 15, the September and October extension deadline, and quarterly estimates in between. A website that follows that calendar is useful to existing clients and shows new ones that you are organized. Use the banner for the next deadline, and keep one page that lists the dates that matter to your clients.

Fixed fees get more calls than a contact form

Small-business owners dread the open-ended hourly bill. If you can, post starting prices for the services you sell the most: monthly bookkeeping, a personal return, a business return, payroll, a clean-up of old books. Say what is included and what increases the fee, like transaction volume or a messy backlog. The prospects who stay after reading it are the ones who suit your pricing.

A short form that qualifies

• Business type and state, such as sole proprietor, LLC or S corporation
• Which software they use for books, if any
• Whether they need taxes, bookkeeping, payroll or all three
• Rough revenue and number of employees
• How soon they need help

Don't collect Social Security numbers, bank details or tax documents on a website form. Say in the thank-you message that you will send a secure upload link by reply.

Photos, trust and search

A friendly portrait and a photo of the office beat any graphic of a calculator. Show your credentials accurately, such as CPA or enrolled agent, with the state. Local search tends to be "small business accountant near me" and "bookkeeper for restaurants," so name your specialty and your city in the headings. Remind clients to book in February rather than April so your spring is not a scramble.

What business owners check before they call an accountant

People usually start looking for an accountant when something changes: a first year in business, a letter from a tax agency, books that got away from them, or an accountant who retired. They want to know quickly:

• Whether you work with businesses like theirs, by type and size
• Your credentials, stated plainly, and the state you are licensed in
• What you do: taxes, monthly books, payroll, or a cleanup
• A starting fee or a range, so they know they are in the right place
• Whether you are taking new clients right now, especially in spring

A clear "taking new clients until March 1" saves both of you a call.

The apps a practice uses, and the ones it can do without

Appointments books the free intro call and the year-end planning meeting as separate services. Turn on approve-each mode in busy season so you only accept what you can take on, and add a holiday closure for the week after April 15. Bookings go to the Inbox and each person to Contacts, where tags like "bookkeeping" or "1040 only" keep the list tidy. The site is not a secure portal: ask people not to put tax or account numbers in the notes box.

The Announcement bar shows the next deadline and switches itself off on the date you set. The AI Agent answers questions about your services, fees, hours and onboarding from your own pages. It won't answer tax questions; it takes a name and email for the Inbox instead. Visitor stats show when traffic picks up each year. The Photo gallery is rarely needed.

A walk through the Ledgerlight Accounting example

Ledgerlight Accounting is the made-up practice in the preview: "friendly bookkeeping and taxes for small businesses" and a Book a free call button. Services lists monthly bookkeeping, business and personal returns, payroll and cleanups. Fixed fees gives a starting price for each, with what raises it. Book a call opens the calendar. Deadlines lists the dates clients ask about every year, and the accountant updates it by asking Chip.

Yours starts with a chat about your services and clients, or with a few phone photos of the office and team. It gets a free address such as ledgerlightaccounting.dollarsite.page, and you can connect your own domain once it is live.

When referrals and your software's directory already bring work

Many practices are full from referrals by bankers, lawyers and happy clients, plus a listing in their accounting software's directory. Keep those. The site helps the referral land: one link that shows your services, fees and how onboarding works. Check your state board of accountancy's rules on how you describe your firm and use titles such as CPA, then add the link to your email signature and your directory profiles.

Software, onboarding and what you need from clients

Say which accounting software you work in and whether you help clients move to it. Describe onboarding: a kickoff call, access to the bank feed, a first cleanup, then monthly closes. List the documents you need from new clients and when they are due. Clients who know the process send you the right records the first time. Mention how you communicate during busy season, how fast you answer email, and when you are away. A client who knows when to expect a reply is far less anxious in March than one who is left guessing.