“We need a shorter domain!” As the internet matured, all the good domains were quickly snatched up. If you wanted to own the JonesCPA.com address, it was probably already held by some other Jones CPA, or by a squatter who bought it in the hopes of selling it at a higher price. This led to some very long domains that are virtually impossible for clients to remember. The .cpa domain offers the opportunity for firms to secure shorter, more memorable domains—a simple and effective boost to your brand and marketing efforts. That’s why Texas-based DWG CPA jumped at the opportunity to secure the DWG.cpa URL, which is easy for clients and prospects to remember and supports the firm’s branding efforts. “Over 10 years ago, we secured dwgcpatx.com for our newly launched firm,” said Managing Director Darrell Groves, CPA, CGMA. “But as our firm grew and matured over the years, it became clear that our domain name was just too long and hard to remember. When we thought about the value of marketing our firm, and of having a shorter url, it didn’t take us long to decide we needed to make the move to a .cpa domain,” he said. “Let’s target specific markets with our domain.” Specialization continues to grow in importance as a tool for firms to distinguish themselves from the competition and tap into a deep well of clients. For example, some firms focus on serving the restaurant industry, or manufacturers. Others specialize in certain types of services, such as taxes, SOC audits, or client accounting services (CAS), to name only a few. Some focus on segments such as startups. Some firms distinguish by geography and are looking to market themselves within specific towns, regions, or states. Many firms have already started to adopt domain names that ref lect their specific niche, making it easier for clients to find them in online searches and reinforcing their commitment to specific markets. Acosta Tax & Advisory’s MiamiBeach.cpa is one example of this hyper-targeted strategy in action, helping the firm appear prominently in the online search results of prospective clients looking for a CPA in the area. Another is SOCAudit.cpa. Guess what they specialize in? Firms can even heighten the impact of these URLs through a multiple domain strategy. By leveraging website redirects, they can advertise market-specific or geotargeted URLs that stand out from the competition and then redirect web browsers to a primary website. This strategy enables firms to have a primary website, such as Cromer.cpa, but also advertise with catchy, branded domains such as TaxGuru.cpa or BayArea.cpa, while not having to manage multiple websites. The .cpa domain hasn’t been available for very long, so right now is the best time to secure your firm’s top pick. It’s easy to do—just visit Domains.cpa. You’ll find all the details you need to inform your decision, including a whitepaper, case studies, and video interviews with leaders at firms that have already made the switch. In these short videos, these leaders share their tips and best practices for transitioning to a .cpa URL. 21 nebraska society of cpas W W W . N E S C P A . O R G
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