Accountants · experts-comptables · commercialisti
Digital marketing and AI search for accountants and tax advisers in Belgium and Italy
Oltre Digital helps accountancy and tax practices in Belgium and Italy turn referrals into a visible reputation. Oltre Digital builds clear websites, writes pages that answer clients’ tax and accounting questions, keeps the firm’s profiles consistent and monitors what AI assistants say about it, in English, French and Italian.
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Your clients
What do clients ask before they choose an accountant?
Most clients still arrive through a recommendation, but they check the firm before they call. And new clients start with a question, not with the name of a firm:
- “Do I need an accountant to start as a freelancer in Belgium?”
- “Which costs can a self-employed consultant deduct in Belgium?”
- “Commercialista per partita IVA forfettaria: quanto serve e cosa fa?”
- “Expert-comptable pour une SRL à Bruxelles : quelles obligations la première année ?”
A practice whose website answers these questions, in the client’s language, is the one that a referred client trusts and that an AI assistant can cite.
Why now
Do referrals still bring clients to accountants?
They do, and they remain the first channel. But the referred client checks the firm online, and AI assistants are becoming a new kind of referral.
58%
of US businesses found their current accountant through a referral; 17% through online search.
97%
of consumers who use AI for business recommendations at least sometimes check the answer against reviews.
45%
of US consumers asked an AI tool for a local business recommendation in the past year, up from 6% the year before.
The rules
What can an accountant publish online in Belgium and Italy?
Accountants can communicate online in both countries, but the rules are stricter than for most businesses. In Italy, DPR 137/2012, art. 4 allows informational advertising for all regulated professions, including fees, and the code of the CNDCEC adds specific limits. In Belgium, ITAA has not yet adopted a single code of conduct: the rules of the two former institutes still apply, and they differ.
| Belgium · former IAB (experts-comptables, conseils fiscaux) | Belgium · former IPCF (comptables) | Italy · commercialisti (CNDCEC) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advertising | Objective information only; no canvassing or offers of services | Allowed on activities, specialities, services and fees, in any medium | Informational advertising allowed by any means, fees included |
| Price and quality claims | No reference to price or quality, comparative or not | Fees may be published | No emphatic, superlative, comparative or suggestive claims; everything verifiable |
| Client names | Only with the authorisation of the client and of the Institute’s President | Not allowed | Not allowed, even with the client’s consent |
| Unsolicited contact | Canvassing not allowed | No offers of free services | No unsolicited electronic messages to potential clients; no intermediaries |
What this means for an accountancy practice’s website:
- Explain, don’t sell. Pages that answer clients’ tax and accounting questions are information, and they are what AI assistants cite.
- No client names or testimonials that identify clients, in Italy even with consent.
- No cold emails to prospects in Italy. The CNDCEC code forbids electronic messages to potential clients, even through third parties.
- Check the open points. Which Belgian regime applies to which ITAA member, and how article 44.11 of the CNDCEC code (no commercial or advertising references on the professional’s website) is read locally, are questions for ITAA and for the local Ordine.
This summary is for orientation and is not legal advice. Rules change, and the professional body of each firm has the final word.
How it works
How does Oltre Digital work with an accountancy practice?
- Clients and questions. Which clients the practice wants more of (start-ups, freelancers, SMEs, expatriates) and the questions they ask, in each language.
- Answer pages. Pages for each type of client and service, opening with a clear answer and kept up to date when tax rules change.
- Reputation. Google Business Profile, professional directories and reviews from satisfied clients, consistent with the website.
- AI monitoring. Every month Oltre Digital checks which practices AI assistants cite for the questions your clients ask.
Services
Which services fit an accountancy practice?
AI Search Optimization
Be among the firms that ChatGPT, Perplexity and Gemini cite for your practice areas.
SEO
Rank on Google and Bing for the searches that bring the clients you want.
Web design
A clear, fast, multilingual website that answers clients’ questions.
Online advertising
Search and LinkedIn campaigns written within the rules of your profession.
Digital strategy
A short plan: which clients, which channels, which budget, in which order.
Frequently asked questions
Can accountants and tax advisers advertise in Belgium?
It depends on the member’s former institute, because ITAA has not yet adopted a single code of conduct. Former IAB members (experts-comptables and conseils fiscaux) may give only objective information, without canvassing and without references to price or quality. Former IPCF members (comptables) may advertise their activities, specialities and fees. ITAA can confirm which rules apply.
Can a commercialista advertise in Italy?
Yes. Article 4 of DPR 137/2012 allows informational advertising by any means for regulated professions, fees included. The CNDCEC code of conduct (article 44) requires every statement to be verifiable and forbids misleading, comparative, superlative or emphatic messages.
Can an accountant send emails to prospective clients?
In Italy, no: article 44 of the CNDCEC code forbids sending electronic messages to potential clients, even through third parties. In Belgium, former IAB members may not canvass. Being found through useful content on the website and in search is a way to attract clients that respects these rules.
Can an accountancy practice show client names or testimonials?
In Italy, not even with the client’s consent (CNDCEC code, article 44). In Belgium, former IAB members need the authorisation of the client and of the Institute’s President, and former IPCF members may not mention client names.
Do referrals still matter if clients use AI assistants?
Yes. Most clients still arrive through a referral, but they check the firm online before calling, and AI assistants are becoming a new source of recommendations. A clear website and consistent profiles help in both cases.
In which languages can Oltre Digital write for an accountancy practice?
In English, French and Italian, with the local terms of each country: expert-comptable, comptable and ITAA in Belgium, commercialista and Ordine in Italy.
Free tool
How do AI assistants describe your firm today?
With the free AI Visibility Scan, Oltre Digital checks what ChatGPT, Perplexity and Gemini say about your business and sends you the results.