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Event of The week

The MTD Countdown – A Window for Tax Tech Positioning

Why the MTD Countdown Matters for B2B Marketers

The countdown to Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (MTD ITSA) is officially underway, and while the 2026 deadline may seem distant, senior accountants and tax leaders are already navigating real challenges and searching for trusted partners who can help them prepare.

For B2B marketers in the tax tech, accounting automation, or compliance tooling space, this is a clear signal: the demand for solution-led content is rising, and your audience is primed to engage if you position it right.

A recent survey highlighted that 81.7% of accountants view MTD as both a risk and an opportunity. Many know they need to act but are overwhelmed by complexity, client education needs, and integration delays.

If you want your product or platform to stand out, now is the time to be useful, not just visible.

What Accountancy Age’s audience data is showing

• Engagement with MTD readiness content has surged over the past quarter

• Practical resources like step-by-step guides, webinars, and integration checklists have outperformed blog-style thought leadership

• Firms are increasingly responding to content that combines education + urgency + clear commercial benefit

• Mid-sized firms and sole trader-heavy practices are showing the highest click-to-open ratios on tax automation messaging

How to position your campaign for maximum impact

1. Lead with clarity, not complexity: Most firms are still confused about how to phase in MTD your job as a marketer is to provide reassurance and a roadmap. Break your messaging into easy-to-follow milestones. Position yourself as a partner in preparation, not a last-minute fix.

2. Segment your messaging by firm maturity: Larger firms need integration solutions. Smaller ones need awareness and client education tools. Build campaign content with personas in mind you’ll improve engagement and reduce waste.

3. Use trusted editorial environments: In an over-saturated market, where you show up matters. Our Q1 data shows that content on MTD hosted by Accountancy Age drove 2.3x more click-throughs than the same content shared via brand-owned email lists.

4. Optimise your timing: MTD-related content sees peak open and click rates on Monday afternoons (1–3PM GMT), with over 85% of traffic coming via desktop. That’s your window to reach accountants in work mode, not scrolling mode.

The Bottom Line

The MTD rollout is more than a compliance deadline; it’s a multi-year transition that will define accounting operations and technology decisions for the next decade. B2B brands that offer clarity, confidence, and capability will lead the conversation and win long-term loyalty.

📩 Download our latest media pack
📅 Or book a 15-min call to build a high-conversion MTD content plan today.

Pressure at the Top – How Big Four Challenges Shape Mid-Market Messaging

Why Big Four Instability Creates a Unique Opening for Challenger Brands

The financial press has been filled with headlines: PwC cutting 1,500 roles, KPMG trimming back growth expectations, EY pausing mid-tier hiring but these aren’t just HR stories. They’re reputation signals.

For CFOs, Finance Directors, and accounting firm leaders, these headlines raise questions:

• Will my provider still prioritise my account?

• Will service suffer as teams shrink?

• Is now the time to reassess our advisory partners?

For mid-market solution providers, this represents an uncommon opportunity: to position themselves as the agile, responsive, high-impact alternative to the Big Four.

What The CFO audience is responding to

• Our Q1 engagement data shows a 49% uplift in content performance related to Big Four consolidation and workforce changes

• Articles framed around “what it means for your firm” outperformed those focused on news alone

• CFOs are engaging most with content that connects strategic pressure with actionable alternatives particularly in the areas of audit, reporting, and advisory transformation

• Mid-market readers are increasingly interested in case studies and comparisons that help justify vendor transitions internally

How to align your message with CFO intent

1. Reframe “smaller” as “strategically focused”: Mid-market decision-makers don’t want “affordable” they want “tailored.” Campaign messaging should focus on adaptability, faster delivery, and partner-level support things they feel they’re losing from enterprise firms.

2. Make agility tangible: Don’t just say you’re faster prove it. Share real turnaround time metrics. Show before-and-after results. Use proof points and testimonials to show exactly how mid-sized teams benefit from your approach.

3. Tap into editorial trust to validate your message: Showing up in The CFO or Accountancy Age adds credibility to your narrative. Native placements and sponsored insights tied to Big Four trends consistently outperform direct outreach or product-centric ad spend.

4. Align with leadership pain points: Focus your messaging on outcomes CFOs care about right now: risk visibility, leaner forecasting, audit prep, and strategic resilience.

The Bottom Line

The Big Four aren’t going away, but their grip is loosening. If your brand serves mid-market finance leaders, now’s the time to position yourself as the alternative built for today’s reality: leaner teams, faster cycles, and greater expectations.

📥 Explore our Q3 media kit
📅 Or schedule a call to create a message that meets this moment in the finance market.