What a Hertfordshire Accountant Should Put on Their Website for AI Search

Look, I've spent the last year working with accountants around Hitchin and Stevenage on their AEO, and there's this thing that keeps coming up. They'll show me their website and it's got all the right stuff for 2019. Nice clean design. Services listed. Maybe a blog about tax deadlines.

And then ChatGPT or Perplexity or whatever AI someone's using just... doesn't mention them. At all.

Because here's what's happening in 2026. Your potential clients aren't Googling "accountants near me" and clicking through ten blue links anymore. They're asking Claude "which accountant in Letchworth should I use for my limited company" and getting a single answer. Or they're asking Perplexity "what's the difference between sole trader and limited company" and it's pulling from whoever actually answered that question properly on their site.

Your website isn't competing for rankings anymore. It's competing to be the source that AI uses when someone asks a question about accounting in Hertfordshire.

Different game. Different rules.

The stuff that used to work (and why it doesn't now)

You know what every accountant website has? A services page that says "We offer bookkeeping, payroll, tax returns, and business advisory." Maybe some nice icons. Maybe they're arranged in a grid.

Totally useless for AI search.

Because when someone asks an AI "do I need an accountant if I'm just starting out," that generic services page doesn't answer the question. The AI skips right past it. It finds the accountant in Baldock who wrote 400 words about exactly when a startup should hire an accountant, what it costs, what you can do yourself first, and what happens if you wait too long.

That's who gets mentioned.

The old approach was "here's what we do, contact us to learn more." The AI approach is "here's everything you need to know, and by the way we're the ones who know this stuff."

I had a client in Royston who rewrote three pages in January. Went from generic service descriptions to actual answers. Their enquiries from AI sources went up 60% in two months. Not because they got better at accounting. Because they got better at being the source AI pulls from.

What questions your potential clients are actually asking

Right, so this is where most accountants get it wrong. They write content about what they think is impressive. Tax planning strategies. Complex corporate structures. MTD compliance updates.

But your potential client in Stevenage who's just registered as a sole trader is asking:

How much does an accountant cost for a sole trader
Do I need an accountant in my first year
What can I claim as expenses when I work from home
When do I actually have to pay tax
Can I do my own tax return or should I get help

See the difference? These aren't sophisticated questions. They're the questions someone asks at 11pm when they're worried about whether they're doing this whole business thing right.

And if your website doesn't answer them, clearly and completely, the AI will find someone else's website that does.

I went through this with an accountant last month. Pulled up ChatGPT right there in the meeting. Asked it five questions that his ideal clients would ask. It recommended three other accountants. Not him. Even though he's been doing this for 15 years and knows his stuff cold.

His website just didn't have the answers in a way the AI could use.

The actual content that works for AEO

This isn't about gaming the system. It's about being genuinely useful in a format that AI can understand and cite.

Question-based pages that go deep. Not blog posts that dance around a topic. Actual pages that take one question and answer it thoroughly. "How much does an accountant cost in Hertfordshire" should be its own page with real numbers, different scenarios, what affects the price, what's included.

I'm talking 600-800 words minimum. Not because longer is better, but because if you're actually answering the question properly, that's how much space you need.

Local context that matters. Don't just say "we serve Hertfordshire." Talk about the specific things Hertfordshire business owners deal with. The commercial property market in Stevenage. The mix of startups and established businesses in Letchworth. The fact that half your clients are commuting to London but running local businesses.

AI is really good at picking up on genuine local knowledge versus someone who just stuck a town name in their meta description.

Scenarios and examples. This is the bit that makes the biggest difference. Instead of "we help with tax planning," write about what that actually looks like. "Sarah runs a graphic design business in Hitchin, turnover around £45k. Here's what we did in her first year, here's what changed in year two when she hit the VAT threshold, here's what we're planning now she's thinking about hiring someone."

That scenario-based content is gold for AI. Because when someone asks "I'm a graphic designer earning about £45k, what should I be thinking about tax-wise," the AI can actually match that to your content.

The structure stuff that AI needs (but humans barely notice)

OK so this gets a bit technical but it matters.

AI doesn't read your site the way a human does. It's not impressed by your design. It's looking for clear, structured information it can extract and cite.

That means:

Headings that are actual questions or clear topics. Not "Our Approach" or "Why Choose Us." Try "When should I register for VAT" or "What records you legally need to keep."

Lists and tables where they make sense. If you're explaining different business structures, put them in a table. If there are steps to something, number them. AI loves pulling from structured content.

Clear, specific answers at the start of sections. Don't bury the answer in paragraph three. Lead with it, then explain.

Facts and figures with context. "Our bookkeeping service starts at £150/month for sole traders with straightforward income and expenses" is infinitely better than "competitive pricing available."

The weird thing is, this also makes your site better for humans. Who knew.

What this looks like in practice

I worked with an accountant who rewrote her main services page into eight separate question-based pages.

Instead of "Tax Services" as a heading with three paragraphs underneath, she created: - When do I need to register for Self Assessment - How much tax will I pay as a sole trader in Hertfordshire - What's the difference between an accountant and a tax advisor - Can I claim my home office as a business expense - What happens if I miss the tax return deadline

Each page answered one question properly. Real detail. Local where it mattered. Actual numbers and scenarios.

Three months later, Perplexity was citing her site for probably 70% of local accounting queries I tested. ChatGPT mentioned her by name when I asked about accountants in North Hertfordshire.

Her enquiries doubled. And they were better enquiries. People who'd already done their research, understood what they needed, just wanted to work with the person who clearly knew what they were talking about.

The bit no one wants to hear

This takes time. Or it takes money if you're getting someone else to do it.

You can't just sprinkle some keywords around and call it AEO. You have to actually create content that answers questions properly. Which means either you're spending hours writing this stuff, or you're paying someone who understands both accounting and AI search to do it for you.

But here's the thing. Your competitors are mostly still treating their websites like digital brochures. They'll still be doing that in 2027 while they wonder why no one finds them.

You've got maybe a year, maybe less, before this becomes table stakes and everyone's doing it. Right now it's an advantage.

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If you're an accountant around Stevenage, Hitchin, anywhere in North Herts really, and this is making you think "bloody hell, I need to sort this out"... yeah, you probably do. We work with accountants on exactly this stuff. Not the generic "we'll do your SEO" thing. Specific, practical AEO in North Hertfordshire that actually gets you mentioned when people ask AI where to find a decent accountant.

Worth a conversation at least. Book a call and we'll look at what AI is currently saying about you. Might be fine. Might be time to do something about it.