A professional services website should show who you help, what you do and the next step. Law firms, accountants and consultants share those needs. Their rules on advertising, registration and confidentiality differ. Build around real services and a working enquiry process, then check the rules for your profession.
What a professional services website has to do
People rarely choose a lawyer or accountant the way they buy a product. Scope is often unclear at the start, with personal or commercial stakes. The work may also run for months.
Your website can't settle anyone's legal or tax question. What it can do is help them decide whether to contact you.
Those three questions shape the rest of this guide. They're a planning framework, not research findings. Here's how they play out across the three kinds of firm:
Firm type | Typical client question | Useful evidence | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|
Legal services | Can you act on my matter here? | Practice areas and responsible lawyers | Request a first consultation |
Accounting or tax | Do you handle my entity and lodgements? | Registered entity and the services offered | Enquire with your entity type |
Consulting | Can you solve this problem for us? | Approach and relevant work, with limits | Book a scoping conversation |
These are planning examples, not universal client behaviour. Your clients may ask different questions first. For the wider build, start with planning a small business website.
Build the homepage around the client's decision
The homepage has one job. It tells people quickly whether they're in the right place. Name the clients you help and the work you do. Say where you work and who does it, then make the contact route easy to find.
It's a fictional planning structure, not a real firm's page. Swap every placeholder for checked facts before anything goes live. The button wording isn't a promise.
The first screen can identify the firm and the next step. It can't replace the detail on scope, fees and practitioners further in. No single layout suits every firm.
Add availability details where they affect whether someone should enquire:
whether you're taking new matters or clients right now
whether you act for individuals, organisations or both
whether you work remotely, in person or a mix of the two
which jurisdictions or locations you can actually handle
Any waiting list or response statement has to reflect your real capacity. If you can't staff it, don't publish it.
Specific beats impressive. "Trusted advisers for every need" tells a visitor nothing. "Business tax and BAS for Melbourne trades and construction firms" tells them plenty. For the copy itself, see our guide to writing a clear homepage.
Give each distinct service a useful home
A service page earns its place by meeting a distinct client need with real substance. A new keyword isn't enough reason on its own. Neither is a suburb name swapped into a copied page.
A useful service page covers these points:
the problem it solves and who it's for
what's included and the important exclusions
the process and the team responsible for the work
your fee approach, where it's appropriate to share
the next step and what happens after it
The map is an example. Add a separate page only where it serves a distinct task with enough to say. Two thin pages on the same service help nobody.
Fees need care. Explain what's included, the assumptions you're making and the variables that move the price. Then say how a quote or engagement follows.
Don't publish a starting price that hides unavoidable work. Detailed fee disclosure and formal cost agreements need your own adviser.
Three of our guides go further. For page structure, see structuring useful service pages. For service and team descriptions, see writing natural website copy. Scope and ownership decisions come first, in planning the site before design.
Introduce the people and verify credentials
Profiles show clients who will actually do the work. A useful one covers:
the person's role and the services they work on
relevant experience, described accurately
current responsibilities, such as supervising a team
how a client would work with them day to day
Use real, approved material and a current photo where it suits.
Credentials aren't all the same kind of fact. An earned qualification, like a degree, stays accurate after a membership changes. A practising certificate, registration or accreditation is different. It's a current permission. It needs current evidence for the right person or entity.
Check before you use a regulator's or association's logo. A registration confirms the registration and its conditions. It doesn't endorse your website, validate unrelated services or promise a result.
Claim: [exact qualification, registration or membership]
Holder: [correct person or legal entity]
Scope: [services, jurisdiction and relevant conditions]
Evidence: [official register or issuing body record]
Permission: [title and logo use checked]
Lifecycle: [ongoing qualification or time limited entitlement]
Owner: [person responsible for changes]
Review trigger: [renewal, restriction, departure or other change]
Keep the evidence itself private. The record shows what you checked, not the documents behind it.
Across the whole site, keep a simple evidence register with an owner for every claim. Here are some example rows:
Claim | Evidence and scope | Permission | Review trigger and owner |
|---|---|---|---|
Accredited specialist status | Accreditation record and area covered | Title use checked | Renewal date, practice manager |
Registered tax agent | Register entry and any conditions | Register link approved | Changed conditions, principal |
Client logo on the homepage | Written client approval | Logo use agreed | Withdrawn consent, marketing lead |
Quoted client review | The original review and its platform | Context shown accurately | Edits or removal, marketing lead |
Review the register when any of these happen:
a practitioner leaves the firm, changes role or stops doing a type of work
the scope or conditions of a registration change
a membership lapses or a licence becomes restricted
a client withdraws consent for their story or logo
Name who takes a claim down and how quickly. Record each removal in the register. Our guide to checking credentials and claims covers the general method, including honest case studies.
A common mistake is leaving a departed partner's profile, quotes and photo live for months.
Use proof that is accurate and appropriate
Each kind of proof supports a different claim, so match the evidence to what you're saying:
genuine reviews show what clients said about their experience with you
case studies show the kind of work you do, within stated limits
qualifications show training or permission
publications show expertise on a topic, not suitability for every matter
process explanations show how the work runs
None of these is universally better. Don't rank them or give them trust scores.
Case studies need the client's permission and enough context to avoid a misleading impression. State the problem, the work and the outcome only when you've verified them. Keep the outcome bounded to what you can show.
We deliver outstanding results for every client
For a [client type], we [approved work] over [timeframe]. Result: [verified outcome], within [stated limits].
The after version is a wording direction, not a real client case. Fill it only with verified, approved facts.
Anonymising a case study takes more than removing the name. Check whether details like the industry, timing or location could still identify the client. Unusual facts can give it away too. A client's permission doesn't remove your professional or statutory duties either.
Reviews and other claims
Reviews have their own rules. The ACCC says it's illegal to create fake reviews or arrange them. Suppressing genuine negative reviews can mislead. So can reviews from staff or family without the connection disclosed.
Don't draft a client's praise for them. Don't present a hand picked selection as the complete picture. Check your professional rules before you ask for or publish reviews.
The same discipline applies to every claim. The ACCC's guidance on claims says a business must be able to prove what it advertises. Fine print can't contradict the overall message.
Healthcare is a different case. Ahpra's advertising summary bans testimonials about the clinical aspects of regulated health services. Don't copy a law firm's review approach into a clinic's site. Start with healthcare website requirements instead.
Make enquiry and engagement separate steps
A form submission isn't the firm accepting the work. It's the start of an assessment. Design the website, the inbox and the follow up around that.
Keep the first form focused on routing and replying. Typical fields cover:
a name and the best way to reply
the service category that fits best
a short description of what they need
Add a clear note not to send sensitive documents yet. W3C's forms tutorial says to only ask for what's required to complete the process.
Between assessing and collecting sits a gate. Someone decides the right next step. That can mean declining the enquiry. The real duties and timing depend on your profession and the circumstances.
The confirmation screen should describe what actually happened. "We've received your enquiry" is accurate. "Your matter is under way" usually isn't.
Have the firm approve its wording about first contact. Don't promise that every enquiry is confidential or privileged. Equally, don't claim no duties exist before engagement, because some can arise before formal acceptance.
An example first contact note might read like this, once the firm approves it:
Send urgent or deadline sensitive matters to a monitored route. Say clearly what that route can and can't do.
Plan for failures
Plan for the ways the handoff breaks:
Stage | What can go wrong | Evidence to keep | Response and owner |
|---|---|---|---|
Delivery | Enquiries go to an unmonitored inbox | Safe test reached the real inbox | Backup recipient, office manager |
Allocation | The responsible person is away | Cover roster | Reassign same day, team lead |
Booking | The booking integration fails | Test booking and notification | Fallback contact shown, web owner |
Filtering | Spam filters catch real enquiries | Regular spam folder checks | Safe sender list updated, office manager |
Scope | The enquiry is outside your services | Triage notes | Decline or refer, responsible practitioner |
Confirm delivery with a safe test, never a real client's details.
If you promise a reply within a set time, define the business hours and who's responsible. Check you have the capacity before it goes live. Otherwise, describe the next step truthfully. A promise isn't a tactic to publish now and staff later.
A common mistake is promising a call within the hour on the thank you page. Then nobody checks the inbox after five.
For the form itself, see designing the initial enquiry form. Some clients would rather call, and making phone contact easier covers that route.
Documents, analytics and consent
Decide which documents you actually need and who needs access. Then set up secure intake. Don't ask for identity, financial or case documents in an open first form. Keep them out of ordinary analytics events too. Test the portal and its notifications as part of the journey.
Google says Analytics must not receive data that could identify a person. It says URLs, page titles and form fields often leak personal data by accident. The OAIC's tracking pixels guidance adds that IP addresses, URL details and hashed emails can still identify someone.
Collection wording belongs with privacy notices and engagement documents. Keep marketing consent separate. A tick acknowledging your policy isn't blanket permission for unrelated use.
What law firms need to check
Start with the practitioner's jurisdiction, role and current rules. Then check the advertising against them.
The Law Society of NSW explains rule 36 of the Australian Solicitors' Conduct Rules. Advertising must not be false, misleading or deceptive. It also can't be offensive or prohibited by law.
Specialist claims have a hard line. Only a solicitor accredited by the relevant professional association can advertise as an accredited specialist. Years of experience in an area don't make someone one.
Which rules apply
In NSW, Victoria and WA, solicitors practise under the Legal Profession Uniform Law. The Victorian regulator's rules page lists the conduct rules that apply in Victoria. Barristers have their own conduct rules. Other states and territories have adopted versions of the solicitors' rules on their own dates.
So don't assume every rule applies to every practitioner nationally. The regulator's rules page is a starting point, not evidence that your website passed any review. A common mistake is copying another state's advertising checklist without checking which rules apply.
A law firm site still needs the basics:
clear practice areas and the lawyers responsible for each
the jurisdictions and courts you act in
how the first consultation works and what it costs
fee information that's appropriate to the work
One generic disclaimer doesn't meet your disclosure or costs obligations.
Client stories, results and reviews need permission. Confidentiality and your professional rules still apply on top. Skip winning percentages and promised outcomes. Present legal content as general information, with the real author and reviewer named where they've approved it.
Keep a short publication record for each review:
the rule and jurisdiction checked
who actually reviewed the page, and when
the specific claims reviewed
anything still unresolved
Reading a checklist doesn't let a writer call a site compliant or regulator approved. For getting found in search, see SEO for law firms.
What accountants and tax practitioners need
Separate three kinds of service on the site. Accounting work is one. Registered tax or business activity statement (BAS) services are another. Regulated financial or credit services are a third.
One title doesn't establish all the permissions. Show the actual legal entity, the practitioner details and where each service stops.
The Tax Practitioners Board (TPB) registers tax and BAS agents. Its client information guidance says they must give current and prospective clients five kinds of information in writing:
the TPB public register and how to search it
the TPB complaints process
their rights, responsibilities and obligations under the taxation laws, and clients' obligations to them
prescribed events in the last five years
prescribed matters, such as conditions limiting their services
For partnerships and companies, the entity providing the services carries the duty.
TPB guidance statement 54/2024 describes one approach the TPB accepts. It combines three steps:
publishing the information on a public website you use to promote your services
including it in engagement letters, for new and returning clients
giving clients the TPB's information factsheet
The guidance says that isn't the only way. A practitioner without a public website can use the letter and factsheet. Your website is one channel in that process. It doesn't prove every client received what's required. A common mistake is treating a footer link to the TPB register as the whole duty.
Timing matters too. Prescribed events and matters go to prospective clients at the time of their enquiry. Existing clients who weren't told get them within 30 days of the event.
Scope: [registered practitioner entity and relevant service]
Required matters: [current TPB client information guidance checked]
Website: [accurate, prominent information and register access]
Engagement: [written information and factsheet process]
Existing clients: [review communication and timing]
Changes: [conditions, events and update responsibilities]
Evidence: [what was provided, when and by whom]
Review: [actual adviser and unresolved questions]
The template records a review. It isn't a substitute legal checklist. Other compliant methods may suit your practice better.
Financial and credit advertising
Advertising financial or credit products or services brings in the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). The current RG 234 was issued on 9 June 2026. ASIC withdrew RG 53 and moved its past performance guidance into RG 234.
RG 234 follows what you advertise. The word accountant doesn't trigger it. A tax or bookkeeping page isn't automatically financial product advertising. Where it applies, review benefits, risks and qualifications, along with the overall impression.
Other checks for accounting firms
Describe your services precisely. Give tax and BAS work their own descriptions. Keep bookkeeping, accounting and any authorised advice distinct too. Say who does the work and how you assess enquiries. Avoid promising the best tax outcome or implying a refund is certain.
Professional body membership sits apart from TPB registration. CA ANZ holds its members to its codes and standards, for example. Check current entitlement before using a CA or CPA designation.
From 1 July 2026, anti money laundering obligations apply to certain services offered by accountants and lawyers. Coverage follows the designated service, not the job title. If you provide one, review intake and privacy handling for it. The OAIC's AML/CTF guidance covers the privacy side.
For getting found in search, see SEO for accountants and financial advisers. Advice firms can also compare finance website requirements.
What consultants need to show
Consultants have to make an often abstract offer concrete. Explain the problems you handle and the organisations you suit. Then show how you deliver and what the client gets at the end.
Say whether it's one off work, like a diagnostic, or continuing work, like ongoing support. Note what the client supplies and who makes decisions. Spell out what's out of scope. A prospect should be able to judge fit before the first call.
Client need: [specific problem and suitable organisation]
Work: [diagnostic, workshop, implementation or support]
Outputs: [what the client receives]
Inputs: [access, people, information and decisions needed]
Boundaries: [exclusions and dependencies]
Evidence: [approved relevant work with limits]
Next step: [real suitability and scope discussion]
Specifics beat adjectives. A short engagement outline does more than a list of capability words. Explain any named framework in terms a client can assess. If a method or benchmark has limits, say so next to the claim. A certificate or a wall of logos isn't proof of results in unrelated work.
Good case evidence covers:
a baseline from before the work started
the timeframe and scope of the engagement
the limits of what the evidence can show
Separate the work you did from the changes seen afterwards. Revenue moves for plenty of reasons. A common mistake is crediting the whole change to the engagement. Never make up a return to fill a graphic.
Here's an example. Over six months, a consultant redesigned a client's onboarding process. Average onboarding time fell from 14 days to 9. Two new hires started in the same period and could also have cut the time. The write up says so.
Consulting isn't free of legal duties. Your claims still have to be accurate and provable. Handling sensitive client information brings privacy duties. Some consulting work is regulated in its own right, so check the actual service before you publish.
Publish useful expertise and maintain it
Insight articles earn their place when they answer questions clients actually ask. Write each one for a clear audience, with a useful next action. State its limits. General information shouldn't read like advice tailored to the reader.
Give each important page an owner and a list of triggers, such as changes to:
the services you offer or your fees
staff, roles or who handles a type of work
legislation or professional rules
permission to use evidence, or your availability
Don't wait for the next content cycle when a trigger fires. Remove expired offers promptly. Correct outdated biographies as soon as someone's role changes.
Check accessibility and measure useful enquiries
Test the tasks clients actually complete, not just individual pages:
choosing a service from the menu or services page
reading a practitioner profile on a phone
making an enquiry, including errors and the confirmation
using any external booking or document portal
Check reading and navigation along the way. Keyboard use and form labels matter just as much. A form that submits with a mouse can still fail someone using a keyboard. When an external step creates a barrier, offer a working alternative, like a monitored phone line.
Our accessibility quick check is a guided starting point, not certification. For the standards and the detail, see website accessibility in Australia.
Then measure what matters. Follow suitable enquiries through to accepted engagements, using clear definitions for each stage:
Stage | What counts | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
Enquiries received | Valid, unique requests | Spam and duplicates removed |
Suitable enquiries | Within your services and capacity | One definition, used every time |
Consultations held | First meetings that went ahead | Cancellations recorded |
Engagements accepted | Confirmed work under agreed terms | Time for decisions to land |
Why unsuitable | A short reason code | Out of scope, location or timing |
Use the same group of enquiries all the way through. Don't divide this month's signed clients by this month's enquiries. They belong to different groups. A common mistake is judging a group too early, before suitable enquiries have had time to decide.
These numbers are examples. Suitability is 12 ÷ 20, or 60%. Acceptance among suitable enquiries is 3 ÷ 12, or 25%. Overall acceptance is 3 ÷ 20, or 15%. None of it is a benchmark, a target or proof the website caused anything.
Read the numbers with care
Treat source reports as observed reporting, not proof of cause. A client who found you in search may also have had a referral.
Keep detailed notes in a controlled system. Analytics should only see stage events that don't identify anyone. Small groups can still need a privacy check, even in aggregate.
Weak numbers are a prompt to look closer. Start with traffic intent and page clarity. Then check service fit, enquiry delivery and response.
Don't blame the design on a handful of enquiries. Test one justified change and record its context. For the wider diagnosis, see diagnosing weak website enquiries.
Our free audit checks your service pages, proof and enquiry path, then tells you what to fix first.
Review the website before publication
Run a final review with three possible results for each check: pass, unresolved or not applicable.
Check | Evidence | Result |
|---|---|---|
Services, scope and fees accurate | Pages compared with the real offer | Pass, unresolved or not applicable |
Credentials current and correctly held | Register or issuing body record | Pass, unresolved or not applicable |
Evidence permission recorded | Approvals on file | Pass, unresolved or not applicable |
Professional review done | Reviewer, rule and date | Pass, unresolved or not applicable |
Enquiry delivery tested | Safe test reached the real inbox | Pass, unresolved or not applicable |
Accessibility tasks checked | Task test notes | Pass, unresolved or not applicable |
Privacy notices in place | Notice at each form | Pass, unresolved or not applicable |
Response owner and fallback named | Roster and backup contact | Pass, unresolved or not applicable |
Use critical gates, not a score. A high score can't offset a broken form or a misleading claim. Record each open issue with its owner and next action.
Our general website audit checklist covers the wider site. It isn't a profession specific compliance certificate.
What we recommend at Elev8d
Start with the enquiry path, not the homepage design. Map what happens from the first message to an accepted engagement. Then build pages that answer what a client needs before they get in touch. Check every credential and proof claim against its source before launch. To work through that order with us, see professional services website design.
Frequently asked questions
Does every service need a separate page?
No. Give a service its own page when it meets a distinct client need with enough substance. The services section above covers how to decide.
Can a professional firm publish testimonials?
Usually, if they're genuine and accurately presented. Check your professional rules first. Regulated health services can't use testimonials about clinical aspects in advertising.
Does an enquiry make someone a client?
Not automatically. Engagement follows assessment and agreed terms. Some duties can arise earlier, so get your first contact wording approved.
Does an accountant's website need financial advice disclosures?
Not automatically. ASIC's advertising guidance follows the financial or credit products and services you promote. Tax and BAS agents have separate TPB information duties.
Can a firm use an anonymous case study?
Yes, if nobody can identify the client from what's left. Check details like timing, location and unusual facts. Your professional duties still apply.
Next steps
Pick the situation that fits your firm.
Starting a new site
Map the enquiry path first. Then plan services, profiles and proof around what clients need to decide.
Improving an existing site
Run the publication review above on your current pages. For a bigger rebuild, see planning a website redesign.
Unsure about the rules
Take your claims, credentials and client information wording to a qualified reviewer for your profession.
