Why this case study matters
Simply Tax Solutions is an accounting firm in Redland Bay, on the outskirts of Brisbane, competing in a crowded and trust-dependent market. Accounting is exactly the kind of service where prospects vet you carefully before they ever call, and where two things now decide who gets the enquiry: whether you show up in Google's local Map Pack, and whether AI assistants name you when someone asks for a recommendation.
We approached the project with an entity-first framework designed to win on both fronts at once. Instead of chasing keywords in isolation, we built the firm up as a clearly defined business entity that both search engines and AI models could understand, trust, and confidently recommend.
The situation
The firm faced three linked challenges. First, local search around Brisbane was competitive, with established firms already holding the top Map Pack spots. Second, more prospects were turning to AI tools like ChatGPT to shortlist accountants, which meant traditional rankings alone were no longer enough. Third, the firm needed to win in both places at the same time, because a lead lost to an AI recommendation is just as gone as one lost in the Map Pack.
The goal was clear: become the obvious, best-supported choice for local accounting searches and the firm that AI answers point to.
What we did
The work combined the fundamentals of local SEO with a deliberate push into AI visibility. We optimized the firm's Google Business Profile so the categories, services, and details matched real search intent, and we tightened citation consistency across directories so the business name, address, and phone number lined up everywhere.
On the site itself we built out local and service-specific content that answered the questions real prospects ask. Underneath that, we implemented entity SEO with structured data so search engines could connect the firm to its location, services, and reputation as a coherent entity.
Finally, we made the content AI-ready. Clear, well-structured, factual pages give AI models the signals they need to cite a business with confidence, so the firm could be surfaced accurately in AI-generated answers rather than overlooked.
The results
The strategy delivered on both goals. Over the year, leads rose 50%, and 78% of new closed leads came from the firm's target client base.
In search, the firm improved its rankings for "accountant near me" and "accountant Brisbane" and reached a wider geographic area in search results.
The takeaway
Winning today means being both findable and recommendable. An entity-first approach that unites local SEO and AI search optimization lets a business own the Map Pack and the AI answer at the same time, turning better visibility into more, and better-fit, clients.