You’ve earned your CPA credentials, built a team of talented professionals, and created an office space that exudes professionalism—yet your appointment calendar has too many empty slots while that mediocre accounting firm across town is turning clients away.
You’ve updated your website, dabbled in social media, and perhaps even invested in local advertising—but the phone just isn’t ringing as often as it should. Sound painfully familiar?
Here’s the real problem: potential clients are actively searching for accounting services like yours but finding your competitors instead. Why? Because they’ve cracked the code on targeting the right keywords—the ones that actually convert searches into paying clients.
That’s precisely what I’m delivering today: 201 meticulously researched accounting keywords, including 39 low-competition opportunities that represent your fastest path to visibility.
I’ve analyzed 10,069 accounting keywords with over 500,000 monthly searches using enterprise-level SEO tools. After rigorous data analysis, I’ve distilled this substantial dataset into 13 strategic categories covering every accounting service facet.
Understanding the Accounting Keywords Landscape
Before diving into specific keywords, let’s examine the broader patterns I discovered:
- Tax-related keywords dominate the landscape with the highest search volumes, particularly during Q1 tax season
- Local intent keywords (“near me,” “local,” etc.) show strong conversion potential
- Cost-related queries represent some of the lowest competition opportunities
- Specialty service keywords (payroll, bookkeeping, etc.) might have lower volume but often convert better
The most revealing insight? Most accounting firms cluster around the same high-competition keywords while ignoring numerous profitable niches hiding in plain sight.
1. Tax Preparation & Filing
Keyword | Monthly Search Volume | Competition |
tax preparation services | 5400 | Moderate |
income tax preparation | 3600 | Moderate |
tax preparers | 3600 | Easy |
income tax services | 2900 | Moderate |
tax preparer | 2900 | Moderate |
tax filing services | 2400 | Moderate |
best tax preparation service | 1600 | Moderate |
best tax preparation | 1300 | Moderate |
tax preparation near me | 1300 | Moderate |
income tax preparers | 1000 | Moderate |
2. Accounting & CPA Services
Keyword | Monthly Search Volume | Competition |
accountant | 33100 | Moderate |
accountants | 12100 | Moderate |
accounting firms | 8100 | Moderate |
cpa | 6600 | Moderate |
certified public accountant | 6600 | Moderate |
accounting services | 5400 | Moderate |
accounting firm | 4400 | Moderate |
accountant near me | 4400 | Moderate |
cpa near me | 3600 | Moderate |
best accounting firms | 1900 | Moderate |
cpa firm | 1600 | Moderate |
top accounting firms | 1300 | Moderate |
accounting services near me | 1300 | Moderate |
local accountant | 1000 | Moderate |
📍 IMPORTANT
This accountant keyword data offers powerful insights into how potential clients search for accounting services. However, implementing these keywords effectively requires tailoring them to your specific accounting practice. Generic keyword lists can’t account for your:
Current Keyword Rankings – Whether you’re a new practice with no keyword rankings, an established firm with some rankings, or a regional leader already dominating certain terms will fundamentally shape your strategy. New accounting practices need a different approach than established firms with existing authority.
Marketing Capacity – Your available resources—budget, team size, content creation abilities, and link-building capacity—directly impact which keywords you can realistically target and your timeline for building rankings. Solo practitioners face different constraints than multi-partner firms.
Practice Specialization – Your expertise significantly influences keyword selection. Are you primarily focused on tax preparation, business accounting, forensic accounting, or financial advisory services? Each specialization requires targeted keyword strategies aligned with your core competencies.
Client Focus – Your ideal client profile should guide keyword prioritization. Whether you serve individuals, small businesses, specific industries (real estate, medical, e-commerce), or high-net-worth clients, your understanding of profitable client segments should determine which keywords receive priority attention.
Competitive Landscape – Understanding who you’re competing against in search results—whether it’s national accounting chains, established regional firms, or specialized boutique practices—significantly affects keyword difficulty and strategy.
Every accounting practice has unique strengths, service offerings, and local market dynamics that demand tailored keyword targeting.
While these 201 keywords provide a robust foundation for your SEO strategy, achieving meaningful rankings requires a customized approach that aligns with your specific practice model and business objectives.
Done-For-You Accounting Keyword Research
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3. Bookkeeping
Keyword | Monthly Search Volume | Competition |
bookkeeping services | 2900 | Moderate |
bookkeepers | 2400 | Moderate |
bookkeeper | 1900 | Moderate |
bookkeeping | 1900 | Moderate |
small business bookkeeping | 1300 | Moderate |
online bookkeeping services | 1000 | Moderate |
bookkeeping services near me | 880 | Moderate |
virtual bookkeeping services | 720 | Moderate |
bookkeeper near me | 720 | Moderate |
professional bookkeeping services | 590 | Moderate |
local bookkeepers | 480 | Moderate |
best bookkeeping services | 390 | Moderate |
monthly bookkeeping services | 320 | Moderate |
affordable bookkeeping services | 260 | Moderate |
4. Payroll
Keyword | Monthly Search Volume | Competition |
payroll services | 2400 | Moderate |
payroll companies | 1600 | Moderate |
small business payroll services | 1300 | Moderate |
online payroll services | 880 | Moderate |
payroll service | 590 | Moderate |
payroll services for small business | 590 | Moderate |
local payroll services | 480 | Moderate |
outsourced payroll services | 390 | Moderate |
best payroll service for small business | 320 | Moderate |
payroll accounting | 260 | Easy |
payroll tax services | 210 | Moderate |
5. Business Accounting
| Keyword | Monthly Search Volume | Competition |
| business accountant | 1600 | Moderate |
| small business accountant | 1300 | Moderate |
| small business accounting services | 720 | Moderate |
| corporate accounting | 320 | Moderate |
| business accountant near me | 260 | Moderate |
| company accountant | 210 | Moderate |
| small business bookkeeping | 590 | Moderate |
| small business tax services | 390 | Moderate |
| startup accountant | 260 | Moderate |
| llc accountant | 170 | Moderate |
| sole proprietor accountant | 90 | Easy |
| s corp accountant | 90 | Moderate |
6. Personal Tax & Accounting
Keyword | Monthly Search Volume | Competition |
personal accountant | 1000 | Moderate |
tax accountant | 880 | Moderate |
individual tax preparation | 720 | Moderate |
personal tax services | 590 | Moderate |
personal accounting services | 320 | Moderate |
personal tax accountant | 260 | Moderate |
personal income tax preparation | 210 | Moderate |
individual tax services | 170 | Moderate |
personal tax preparation | 170 | Moderate |
personal tax return | 140 | Moderate |
family accountant | 140 | Moderate |
individual accountant | 110 | Moderate |
7. Financial Planning & Advisory
Keyword | Monthly Search Volume | Competition |
financial advisor | 27100 | High |
financial advisors | 8100 | High |
tax planning | 1600 | Moderate |
financial planning services | 1000 | High |
financial advisor near me | 880 | High |
accounting and financial services | 590 | Moderate |
tax consulting services | 210 | Moderate |
tax advisor | 170 | Moderate |
accounting and advisory services | 110 | Moderate |
financial consulting services | 110 | High |
accounting advisory services | 90 | Moderate |
8. Audit Services
Keyword | Monthly Search Volume | Competition |
audit services | 720 | Moderate |
audit firm | 480 | Moderate |
financial audit | 390 | Moderate |
tax audit | 320 | Moderate |
accounting audit | 260 | Moderate |
audit accounting | 210 | Moderate |
audit firms near me | 170 | Moderate |
accounting and audit services | 140 | Moderate |
business audit | 110 | Moderate |
audit and assurance services | 90 | Moderate |
9. Accountants Near Me
Keyword | Monthly Search Volume | Competition |
accountants near me | 8100 | Moderate |
tax preparation near me | 5400 | Moderate |
accountant near me | 4400 | Moderate |
cpa near me | 3600 | Moderate |
tax preparer near me | 1900 | Moderate |
local accountants | 1300 | Moderate |
tax services near me | 1300 | Moderate |
accounting firms near me | 1000 | Moderate |
local tax preparer | 880 | Moderate |
local accountant | 720 | Moderate |
accounting services near me | 720 | Moderate |
bookkeeper near me | 720 | Moderate |
tax accountant near me | 590 | Moderate |
📍 Important Note About “Near Me” Keywords
While “near me” keywords are valuable, don’t plug these terms directly into your website. Here’s why:
“Near me” is handled by Google’s location algorithm, not literal text matching. Instead of using the phrase “near me” in your content, focus on:
- Properly setting up your Google Business Profile
- Including your city name and neighborhood in title tags and headers
- Getting local citations and backlinks
- Adding structured data markup for your business address
- Creating location-specific pages for areas you serve
This approach works with Google’s location intelligence rather than trying to force “near me” phrases into your content unnaturally.
10. Accountant [city/state]
Keyword | Monthly Search Volume | Competition |
tax accountant nyc | 880 | Moderate |
accountant nyc | 720 | Moderate |
accountant chicago | 590 | Moderate |
cpa nyc | 590 | High |
accountant los angeles | 480 | Moderate |
cpa chicago | 480 | High |
accountant houston | 390 | Moderate |
accountant san francisco | 390 | Moderate |
tax accountant chicago | 390 | Moderate |
cpa los angeles | 390 | High |
accountant miami | 320 | Moderate |
accountant boston | 320 | Moderate |
accountant atlanta | 320 | Easy |
accountant dallas | 320 | Moderate |
small business accountant nyc | 320 | Moderate |
tax accountant los angeles | 320 | Moderate |
cpa houston | 320 | High |
cpa san francisco | 320 | High |
accountant seattle | 260 | Moderate |
accountant austin | 260 | Easy |
accountant denver | 260 | Easy |
tax accountant houston | 260 | Moderate |
cpa miami | 260 | High |
cpa boston | 260 | High |
cpa dallas | 260 | High |
accountant philadelphia | 210 | Moderate |
accountant san diego | 210 | Easy |
accountant phoenix | 210 | Easy |
small business accountant chicago | 210 | Easy |
tax accountant san francisco | 210 | Moderate |
cpa seattle | 210 | High |
cpa austin | 210 | Moderate |
cpa denver | 210 | Moderate |
accountant florida | 170 | Moderate |
accountant california | 170 | High |
accountant las vegas | 170 | Easy |
accountant portland | 170 | Easy |
accountant nashville | 170 | Easy |
small business accountant los angeles | 170 | Easy |
tax accountant miami | 170 | Moderate |
tax accountant boston | 170 | Moderate |
tax accountant dallas | 170 | Moderate |
accountant charlotte | 140 | Easy |
accountant new jersey | 140 | Moderate |
accountant texas | 140 | Moderate |
accountant washington dc | 140 | Moderate |
tax accountant seattle | 140 | Easy |
tax accountant austin | 140 | Easy |
tax accountant denver | 140 | Easy |
cpa florida | 140 | High |
cpa california | 140 | High |
accountant minneapolis | 110 | Easy |
accountant orlando | 110 | Easy |
accountant columbus | 110 | Easy |
accountant pittsburgh | 110 | Easy |
accountant sacramento | 110 | Easy |
tax accountant florida | 110 | Moderate |
tax accountant california | 110 | High |
cpa texas | 110 | High |
accountant cleveland | 90 | Easy |
tax accountant texas | 90 | Moderate |
11. Accountant Costs & Fees
Keyword | Monthly Search Volume | Competition |
tax preparation fees | 2400 | Moderate |
how much does an accountant cost | 1600 | Easy |
how much do accountants charge | 1000 | Easy |
accountant cost | 1000 | Easy |
cpa cost | 1000 | Easy |
how much does a tax preparer cost | 390 | Easy |
cost of accountant for small business | 320 | Easy |
bookkeeper rates | 210 | Easy |
average cost of an accountant | 110 | Moderate |
accountant fees | 90 | Easy |
12. Online & Remote Accountant
Keyword | Monthly Search Volume | Competition |
online accountant | 1000 | Moderate |
virtual accountant | 880 | Moderate |
remote accountant | 590 | Moderate |
online accounting services | 480 | Moderate |
virtual accounting services | 480 | Moderate |
online tax preparation | 390 | Moderate |
digital accounting services | 320 | Moderate |
cloud accounting services | 260 | Moderate |
virtual bookkeeping | 210 | Moderate |
online cpa services | 170 | Moderate |
e file taxes | 170 | Moderate |
remote accounting services | 140 | Moderate |
13. Industry-specific Accountant
Keyword | Monthly Search Volume | Competition |
accountant for ecommerce business | 1000 | Moderate |
real estate accountant | 720 | Easy |
real estate tax accountant | 590 | Easy |
construction accountant | 320 | Easy |
non profit accountant | 210 | Moderate |
healthcare accountant | 170 | Easy |
contractor accountant | 140 | Easy |
dental accountant | 110 | Moderate |
farm tax accountant near me | 110 | Easy |
startup accountant | 110 | Easy |
trucking accountant | 110 | Easy |
Skip the Costly Trial-and-Error Approach
Get personalized keyword research for your accounting business to drive targeted traffic and leads.
Unlimited Keywords
All keywords across the entire customer buying lifecycle
Custom Strategy
SEO roadmap built on your keyword rankings & revenue potential
Save Time & Money
120+ hrs. and $300+/mo on DIY keyword research saved
Prioritized Action Plan
Prioritized list of pages and target keywords
Includes: Video Walkthrough + Step-by-Step PDF Guide
Starting at
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Only
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Final Thoughts
This comprehensive analysis of 10,069 accounting keywords with over 500,000 monthly searches gives you a solid foundation, but we’ve barely scratched the surface. The search landscape for accounting services reveals fascinating patterns that unlock real growth opportunities for firms willing to pay attention.
What this keyword research unmistakably shows:
Tax services dominate search volume. With terms like “tax preparation” generating thousands of monthly searches, the seasonal tax rush represents your highest visibility opportunity, hands down.
Price transparency creates ranking advantages. The concentration of “Easy” competition keywords around pricing queries (8,100 monthly searches for “how much does a tax preparer cost”) reveals a blindspot most accounting firms are missing.
Industry specialization creates powerful niches. From “real estate accountant” (720 searches) to “healthcare accountant” (170 searches), specialized expertise attracts highly qualified prospects who value industry knowledge over generic accounting services.
Local intent signals higher conversion rates. Keywords containing “near me” consistently demonstrate stronger purchasing intent than generic service queries, with “accountants near me” driving 8,100 monthly searches from prospects ready to make contact.
Competition varies dramatically by service type. While general accounting terms face moderate competition, specialized services and cost-related queries offer significantly easier ranking opportunities.
But here’s what 20 years in SEO has taught me: cookie-cutter keyword strategies fail spectacularly in professional services. The keywords that fill the calendar for a tax-focused practice in Chicago bear little resemblance to those driving growth for a business accounting firm in Houston.
Your market, specialties, and competitive landscape create a unique keyword fingerprint that generic research can’t fully capture. The 201 keywords identified here provide a powerful starting point, but they’re just the first stepping stone on your path to search visibility.
Need help uncovering the exact keywords that will drive qualified leads for your accounting practice? I’ll dive deep into your specific market and create a create a custom keyword strategy that aligns perfectly with your services, location, and business objectives.
Your path to more organic traffic starts with the right keyword foundation. Let’s build yours together.