Discover the fastest ways to create the kind of content that will attract your audience. You can use these video strategies to rank on each channel, advertise online, and post to social media. In addition, you’ll even get insights into abiding by new privacy laws and the cookieless web. 

Learn more about this event from Ignite Visibility speakers John Lincoln, CEO, Jen Cornwell, Director of Digital Strategy, Carl Bivona, Director of Social Media and Oscar Lutteroth, VP of Creative. 

Video has taken over social media and found its way into the search rankings and has produced incredible returns for marketers who have integrated it into their marketing strategies. 

86% of video marketers say video has increased traffic to their website. 84% say video has helped them generate leads. And 78% report that video has directly helped increase sales. 

Video can increase all your KPIs. You just have to use it the right way. 

On November 17, 2021, Ignite Visibility is hosting a free event for marketers and entrepreneurs called How to Launch a Winning Video Strategy and Increase Conversions.

During this live event, our award-winning team will take some of the guesswork out of creating and optimizing video content. You’ll see step-by-step how to incorporate video into your strategy and use it to increase traffic and leads.

You’ll learn:

• The simplest ways to engage your audience across different platforms

• SEO strategies to make sure your videos are seen by viewers and rank in search results

• Creative best practices to quickly produce high-quality videos

• Common misconceptions and mistakes when it comes to video content

• Our methods for optimizing videos for different search algorithms

And more.

By the end of this training, you’ll be able to confidently add video into your marketing strategy and create the kind of content your audience will love. 

To register or learn more about this event, click here.

The post Free event: Create a winning cross-channel video strategy in 2022 appeared first on Search Engine Land.

Google will begin rolling out the page experience ranking update to desktop search results starting in February 2022. Google said the rollout will finish rolling out by the end of March 2022. This update will include all the current signals of the mobile version of the page experience update, outside of the page needing to be mobile friendly.

“This ranking launch will be based on the same page experience signals that we rolled out for mobile earlier this year,” Jeffrey Jose, Product Manager on Search at Google said.

We knew this would be coming, Google told us this would happen back in May 2021 at Google I/O.

Mobile vs desktop. Which factors is will be included in this desktop version? Google said all of them with the exception of the mobile friendliness requirement, which is kind of obvious. Here is a chart Google designed showing the specific factors:

Search Console tools. Google will be updating the Google Search Console tools and reports to help site owners prepare for this update. “We are also planning to help site owners understand how their desktop pages are performing with regards to page experience using a Search Console report which will launch before desktop becomes a ranking signal,” Google said.

Don’t expect drastic changes. Google said with this rollout and this new Google update, do not expect drastic changes. “While this update is designed to highlight pages that offer great user experiences, page experience remains one of many factors our systems take into account… Given this, sites generally should not expect drastic changes,” said Google. We expect the same to be true for the desktop rollout.

Why we care. While, I do not believe this page experience update will be a significant update where you will see tons of sites see their rankings drastically change, those working towards improving their page experience have been primarily focused on their mobile pages. Now, that you have your mobile pages ready for this update, you can shift focus towards your desktop pages.

The post Google to add page experience ranking signals to desktop search in February 2022 appeared first on Search Engine Land.

When you work in a highly competitive field like the mortgage industry, your business needs all the advantages it can get! 

While there are many tools available to help you grow your business, one of the most valuable is customer relationship management (CRM) software. This innovative technology can leave a positive impact on every part of your day-to-day operations.

Below, our experts outline what a CRM is, what benefits it can provide, and how you can incorporate it into your business model to grow your business, no matter what size your brokerage currently is.

What Is a Mortgage CRM?

A mortgage CRM is a software that can streamline the mortgage process. This technology essentially allows loan officers to perform tasks more efficiently. A CRM can help you to follow up with clients, submit digital documents, advertise your services, and collaborate with team members.

If you work in a team or a larger organization, the best CRM solutions will give you the ability to closely monitor each loan officer’s performance while also improving upon the borrower’s experience. 

The best part? CRMs can be integrated with many of the software solutions that your firm might already be using.!  

Why Mortgage Brokers Need a Powerful CRM

Mortgage brokers have to balance a ton of moving parts and pieces to successfully close loans on time. Deploying a robust CRM solution can also offer many benefits, allowing you to automate standard processes, present unified branding from one loan officer to the next, and communicate with everyone involved in the transaction in a meaningful way. 

When used to its full potential, a CRM platform can also help with:

Improve Borrower Trust

In the mortgage industry, reputation is everything. It’s vital to maintain a positive brand image and build trust with your clients. Remember, they are partnering with you to make one of the biggest purchases of their entire lives.

A mortgage CRM platform will allow you to give your valued clients the experience they deserve. Loan officers will have the tools they need to keep borrowers in the loop at every step of the way. Consistent follow-up and communication will let them know that they can count on you when they have concerns or questions about the mortgage process, which can help to encourage repeat business.

Satisfied customers are more likely to refer a friend to your company or leave you positive reviews on various platforms. When you’ve communicated clearly and effectively throughout the loan process, and when a customer needs mortgage services in the future, there is a good chance that they will seek out your services again.

Reduce Expensive Data Entry Errors

Data entry errors are an unavoidable fact of life. Unfortunately, these mistakes can cost your company money. If a lead’s email address or phone number is entered incorrectly, then your loan officers are going to miss out on a potential sale.

CRM software can eliminate a number of manual data entry practices. You can automate redundant tasks, improving the accuracy of customer data while also avoiding compliance issues. This will free your team up to spend more time doing what they do best — serving clients.

Save Time and Money

Customer relationship management software can also help your business save time and money. Along with automating tedious processes, you can also enjoy access to detailed performance reports. 

Use this data to make informed decisions about the direction of your business. The right data can help you to quickly identify and fix problems that may be hindering your productivity.

If your long-term goals include scaling your mortgage business, improving overall efficiency is vital. By using a system to coordinate with buyers, team members, real estate agents, appraisers, and title companies, you can accomplish more with fewer resources.

Enhance Productivity

No two loan processing experiences are exactly alike. Individual borrower responsiveness and external variables like appraisal turnaround times can influence how long it takes to process a mortgage. However, mortgage CRM can help to improve the consistency of your operations overall.

With the best mortgage CRMs on the market, you can take advantage of workflow tools that can expedite loan processing. This can help individual lenders and brokerage teams of all sizes to close more deals and become more productive. 

With the right tools in place, your firm will gain a reputation for having short turnaround times, which may prompt more borrowers and real estate agents to partner with your company.  

Borrowers can benefit from these workflows, as well. With automated tools that can trigger workflows as documents are turned in, you can reduce delays in loan processing.

Track Loan Officer Performance

Our CRM platform includes user-friendly reporting tools. This software allows you to closely monitor and track the performance of each mortgage broker that works with your firm. 

The benefits of analytics are twofold. You can reward top performers by assigning them more leads. In addition, you can work one-on-one with less productive team members to help them become more efficient.

Monitoring and actively improving upon the performance of your mortgage brokers are a great way to improve productivity, which is essential when you plan to grow your business over time. 

Analytics are also vital for individual brokers. Single brokers can take advantage of the data provided by a CRM, also learn about weak spots in their workflows, improving their services over time to better serve their clients.

Automate Redundant Processes

Imagine how much more productive you and your teams could be if you could automate redundant tasks, like posting ads on social media or manually entering in information? Fortunately, you can!

Our CRM platform puts the power in your hands. You can automate processes that consume your valuable time. This fully integrated environment will take your lead conversion capabilities to the next level.

Automating these processes will benefit your business in other ways as well. When employees don’t have to perform as many tasks manually, they can take on more dynamic responsibilities that allow them to show off their talents. 

Individual brokers and small teams rarely have the time or resources to hire in-house marketing staff, either. With the right CRM, you can take advantage of high-quality pre-made content that’s branded to your firm and posted automatically on a schedule so that you can continue to attract clients long after the end of the business day.

Streamline the Borrower Experience

A great CRM platform also includes a digital loan platform. This helpful tool allows you to streamline the borrower experience. Clients can submit forms and documents online, getting an automatic notification anytime they request new documentation or move forward in the lending process.

Teams can benefit from this powerful platform as well. Take a file through underwriting with ease when team members can seamlessly collaborate with one another, review documents, send push notifications to borrowers, and more.

What Tools Are Included in a Mortgage CRM?

Every mortgage company has unique needs. The best CRM solutions can support lenders of any size, including multi-office enterprises, mid-sized teams of mortgage brokers, and individual loan officers.

Advantages of a Mortgage CRM for Individual Brokers

A CRM platform for individuals provides independent loan officers with the tools and resources they need to keep pace with larger lenders. Top software should include a mortgage lead marketing platform, digital loan tools, and access to a massive mortgage content database.

CRM solutions for individuals make staying in touch with borrowers easier than ever before. Stay on top of transactions for current clients while also remaining in contact with previous customers.

Set-it-and-forget-it functions may include pre-configured campaigns that will provide alerts for meaningful dates like birthdays and closing date anniversaries and notify you when a buyer might benefit from a note about refinancing their loan to take advantage of new rates.

These tools are usually available for a fixed monthly fee. If you decide to expand your services in the future or partner with another mortgage broker, you’ll want to work with a provider that can easily upgrade your account to a team solution at any time.

Advantages of Mortgage CRMs for Teams

A CRM for teams should expand on the features included in the individual package. These solutions should also be scalable based on the size of your office, accommodating as few as two loan officers or as many as 50!  

Perhaps the most beneficial tool you’ll want to find is a comprehensive team collaboration platform. This allows your loan officers to stay connected with real estate agents, assistants, processors, and other partners.

With top tools, every team member can work on the same files, share important notes, and access status updates on pending loans.

A team-oriented solution should also offer an innovative lead distribution platform. You can receive and distribute leads automatically. This kind of platform allows you to track and analyze the performance of each loan officer. You can use this data to reward your best brokers and identify ways that you can improve the borrower experience as an organization.

Powerful CRM Solutions for Enterprises

Managing a mortgage enterprise that includes multiple offices and dozens of loan officers is an incredibly complex undertaking. That is why you need a customer relationship management platform that is designed to keep up.

An Enterprise CRM includes the functionalities outlined in the “Individual” and “Team” sections, as well as several unique capabilities.

Enterprise solutions should give you total control of every aspect of your business. They can also provide you with access to multi-level analytics, which can yield insight into team performance.

You can use this information to deepen customer satisfaction, improve brand awareness, and revolutionize the way you process mortgages.

BNTouch: The Premier Mortgage CRM Platform

Whether you are an independent loan officer, a mortgage broker supervising an entire team, or the leader of a multi-office enterprise, BNTouch has a solution for you. Our scalable CRM platform gives you the tools you need to succeed.

To learn more, contact our staff today. We can provide you with additional pricing details or set you up with a free demo.

The post Lenders of All Sizes: How a Great Mortgage CRM Can Help Your Business appeared first on .

Some pretty fantastic promises have been made regarding what social media can do for a business. Post daily on Facebook and triple your revenue in 3 months. Be more active on Linkedin, and leads will pour in by the hundreds. Reach 10,000 followers on Instagram, and your pipeline will be filled with qualified leads.

While social media is a catalyst for remarkable growth and revenue, it doesn’t happen quite so easily or quickly. It takes time –a continuous and strategic effort –to achieve measurable, long-lasting, revenue-generating results. 

However, the bottom line is that social media for mortgage businesses does, in fact, work. It’s just a matter of knowing how to work it and having the patience to do it for a sustained period. In fact, it can be one of your most powerful tools in lead generation and so much more. 

Let’s take a look at recent stats that every mortgage professional should be aware of regarding social media and consumer behavior:

• 72.3% of Americans are on social media (Data Reportal)
• 74% of social media users review business sites to make buying decisions (Statista)
• Facebook is the largest organic lead source, second only to websites (Hootsuite)
• The number of social media users in the US increased by 10 million between 2020 and 2021. (Data Reportal)
• Information found on social media influences the shopping behavior of 75% of Americans (Adroit Digital)

Now that we’ve established that it’s is a powerful tool that’s worth the investment and effort, let’s drill down even further and explore the various ways social media benefits your mortgage business.

The Power of Social Media for Mortgage Business Growth

Increase Traffic To Your Mortgage Website

Social media posts are vital for driving more traffic to your mortgage website. You can do this by sharing content from your blog or with a graphic that directs them to a landing page. Be sure to include your main mortgage website on all your social media profiles, as motivated prospects often investigate a business’ online presence before contacting them.

Generate More Mortgage Leads

Social media is a critical part of your mortgage sales funnel, and as the number of users continues to boom, so does the opportunity to reach more prospects. Use the platforms to amplify your reach and put your lead capture form in front of more eyes.

The Power of Social Media for Mortgage Branding

Increase Brand Awareness of Your Mortgage Business

Social media users are open to discovering new brands on social media. Instagram recently released stats that showed that over 200 million users turn to their Explore page, and over 80% discovered a new product or service from their platform.  And with nearly 70% of Americans checking social media at least once a day, your brand is more likely to stay top of mind. 

Increase The Trust Factor with Your Prospective Borrower

Trust is the precursor to all transactions, especially when it comes to large ticket items like mortgage loans. Use the platforms as a way to increase trust by showcasing your company’s mission and values along with establishing your brand as a thought leader in the mortgage industry.

The Power of Social Media for Communication with Borrowers

Manage Your Mortgage Company’s Reputation

Even if you’re not currently active on social media, chances are that people are still talking about your business. Use social media as a listening tool and be part of the conversation about your services. If the conversation is positive, use it to highlight your business and win over more potential borrowers. If the conversation is negative, get ahead of the situation and attempt to resolve it before it turns into a major issue.

Engage With Borrowers and Prospects

When a person feels noticed and part of the conversation, the stronger the bond becomes. In the case of the prospective borrower, this bond makes it more likely that they’ll apply for a loan. For a current or past client, engaging with them builds loyalty that compels them to recommend your services to others and generate leads on your behalf. 

Social Media Management Solutions By LenderHomePage

Communication is as old as humanity itself, so the principles of social media are nothing new. However, the digital age has altered how best to execute communication via social media. The tools, strategies, pace, scale, and capabilities make it a total game-changer in the business world. Are you keeping up with the best practices in social selling? Or are you leaving that to your competitors? 

We can help. 

Click below to learn more about our social media management services and schedule a conversation.

Marketing Services

Microsoft Advertising has detailed four new consumer personas that represent changes in how marketers reach and relate to their audiences across verticals. The personas (luxury shopper, digital nomads, empowered activists and self-care enthusiasts) were identified via Microsoft’s first-party data and analytics over the last 18 months.

Luxury shoppers. This persona was primarily an in-store audience, but they increased in numbers at the outset of the pandemic as luxury retail locations closed. Even though physical locations have largely re-opened, the luxury shopper persona has remained, signifying a permanent consumer behavior shift.

Luxury shoppers “value quality and seek ways to make everyday items more luxurious,” Stephanie Worley, global brand marketer at Microsoft Advertising, wrote, “Their preference for luxury extends into expecting the same seamless, personalized shopping experience in online service as they would receive in-store.” They’re also thorough, conducting extensive research and using multiple queries to find brands that meet their standards. You can learn more about the luxury shopper persona from Microsoft’s study of first-party data for recent luxury shopping trends.

Digital nomads. Remote work became mainstream when offices closed last year. This location-independent audience works while traveling. “The behavior is so prominent, an entire industry is springing up around them,” Worley said, “One example is RVShare, one of the first RV rental marketplaces that nomads are excited about.”

As shoppers, this group uses online research across verticals as much or more than any other group: They’re regularly looking for housing and transportation, as well as the needs, services and amenities that go along with life on the road. They use mobile devices, change locations frequently and the search terms they use make them a viable target for numerous verticals, such as travel products, grocery and dining, entertainment, housing and transportation.

Empowered activists. This audience votes with their wallet, purchasing primarily from brands that align with their ethics and values, which might include stances on the environment, diversity and/or small business brands.

Marketing messages that resonate with their beliefs are more likely to have an impact on this group. They’re also more likely to be interested in and search for political, environmental and/or social issues.

Self-care enthusiasts. The anxiety, stress and fear of the pandemic, combined with uncertainty from political and social upheaval, has led some consumers to turn to self-care for relief. Thus, mental and physical health are a priority for this group.

“Self-Care Enthusiasts are masters at switching between work and life during the day,” Worley said, “Because of this, they expect to get information quickly and to have a seamless digital experience across multiple devices.” They’re often searching for fitness ideas, diet tips, ways to manage their professional and personal lives and leisure activities in their hybrid work-life reality.

Why we care. Identifying what’s important for your target audience is crucial to creating products, services and messaging that actually resonates with them. Their behavior is a reflection of their priorities and showing them that your brand supports those priorities can mean more opportunities to convert.

The emerging personas that Microsoft Advertising has identified were born out of the disruption consumers experienced since the start of the pandemic. If brands are able to demonstrate that their products and values are evolving with the needs of their audiences, they may also be able to extract more customer lifetime value from them.

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