# Are accountant directories and comparison sites worth it?

Pick My Accountant (https://pickmyaccountant.co.uk/answers/are-accountant-directories-worth-it/): Are accountant directories and comparison sites worth it? — Quick answer. Directories are worth it when the maths works: a typical small-business client is worth £1,000–£2,500 a year and stays several years, so a qualified lead at £25–£45 that converts at one-in-three costs £75–£135 per client — usually far below what the same client costs via Google Ads. The catch is quality: pay only for platforms where the buyer actively chose your firm, start on free tiers to test enquiry quality, and track conversion before upgrading.

## Key facts

- Client lifetime value drives everything: £125/month retained three years is £4,500 — measure acquisition cost against that, not against the monthly fee
- Qualified comparison leads in UK accountancy typically cost £25–£45; Google Ads clicks cost £3–£8+ and most clicks never enquire
- Leads where the buyer selected your firm convert several times better than cold directory traffic
- Free tiers exist on most platforms — test enquiry quality before paying
- Response speed is the biggest controllable conversion factor: same-day replies win shortlists

## The comparison that actually matters: cost per retained client

Work each channel back to one number. Google Ads: at £5 a click, a 5% click-to-enquiry rate and one-in-three close rate, a client costs roughly £300 — before the agency fee or your landing-page time. A £35 comparison lead closing at one-in-three costs £105. A referral costs 'nothing' but arrives at word-of-mouth speed. Networking costs your evenings for months before it pays. None of these numbers is scary against a £4,000+ lifetime client — the mistake is not tracking them at all.

## What separates good platforms from listing farms

Useful signals: the platform shows real information buyers compare on (fees, qualifications, verification) rather than just names; leads arrive because a buyer picked your firm, not because your details were blasted to everyone; pricing is transparent (per-lead or subscription, stated up front); and your details aren't resold beyond the enquiry. Listing farms — pay £30 a year, appear in a list of forty identical entries — mostly sell citation value for local SEO, which is fine, but don't expect the phone to ring.

## How to run the test properly

Claim the free listing, complete the profile fully (services, fees, website — incomplete profiles convert poorly everywhere and make any platform look bad), then track for a quarter: enquiries received, how many were genuinely in your market, how many converted, and revenue won. Upgrade on the platforms where the data works; drop the rest without sentiment. Treat lead generation like you'd tell a client to treat any supplier — on measured return.

## FAQs

**Q: Why do some accountants say directories are a waste of money?**
A: Usually one of three reasons: they paid for placement with an incomplete profile that couldn't convert, the platform sold untargeted contact-detail leads rather than buyers who chose them, or they never tracked results and are guessing. The channel works when the platform is honest and the profile is complete.

**Q: Per-lead or subscription — which is better?**
A: Per-lead suits firms testing a platform or wanting a strict cost ceiling. Subscriptions win once volume is proven — a tier with included leads beats per-lead pricing as soon as you'd buy that many anyway. Start per-lead, graduate on evidence.

**Q: Do directories hurt my own website's SEO?**
A: No — consistent listings with a link back generally help local SEO. The thing to avoid is inconsistent name/address/phone data across platforms, which dilutes the local signals Google uses.

Updated: 2026-07-09

Source: https://pickmyaccountant.co.uk/answers/are-accountant-directories-worth-it/