Effective lead generation involves identifying and implementing pivotal touchpoints, or points of contact, throughout a mortgage lending buyer’s journey. It is a survival strategy. You miss one touchpoint, and your prospect drops off and gives another lender their money.

It takes an average of eight touchpoints to make a sale. However, this is a general stat, and the number varies from industry to industry and depends on what buying stage a prospect is in. The mortgage industry requires almost twice as many touchpoints.

Touchpoints should also be leveraged post-sale, as it’s vital that you stay in touch with clients to generate new business through referrals, refinancing, etc.

Read on to see the 14 touchpoints you MUST incorporate for a successful mortgage broker lead generation strategy.

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Before a Sale

1. Intuitive Website

Your mortgage website serves as the initial gateway to your professional brand, and it’s crucial that it exudes intuitiveness and user-friendliness. Ensure that every visitor finds all the essential information at their fingertips, including:

1. Specialized Loan Offerings: Clearly present the types of loans you specialize in, making it easy for potential clients to identify the financing solutions you offer.

2. Service Areas and Licensing: Highlight the regions you serve or are licensed in, establishing trust by demonstrating your commitment to local expertise and compliance.

3. Contact Information: Make it effortless for potential homeowners to reach out to you. Your contact details should be readily accessible and prominently displayed.

The significance of a professional brand cannot be overstated.

It sets the tone for your mortgage business and instills confidence in potential clients. To optimize your website’s potential, consider incorporating interactive tools that facilitate the collection of crucial information to enhance your engagement with inbound mortgage leads.

The result of a well-branded, user-friendly website is that it not only exudes professionalism but also fosters a seamless and professional experience, leaving a lasting positive impression on your audience.

1. Social Media

An impactful social media presence is a vital touch point in the homebuyer’s journey. It provides a unique platform for sharing invaluable industry insights that empower prospective homeowners with a deeper understanding of the homebuying process. To maximize this engagement:

1. Share Your Wisdom: If you consistently produce informative blog content on your website, make it a point to broadcast it across your social media channels. This approach broadens your reach and ensures that your expert advice reaches a wider audience.

If producing share-worthy content is a struggle, check out our new LHP3 website builder! It has a built-in AI blog-writing tool to help you blast through writer’s block. Plus, all LHP3 websites come with a library of ready-to-use social media content, so you always have engaging and valuable content ready to share.

2.  Ask The Audience: Enhance your connection with your audience by creating polls or asking questions that delve into their behaviors and preferences. Gain valuable insights and use this information to tailor your content and services to meet their needs.

3. Personalized Interaction: Acknowledge and engage with interested homebuyers by responding to their comments and direct messages promptly. These personalized interactions demonstrate your commitment to fostering a supportive and approachable relationship.

Incorporate social media as a cornerstone in your strategy, and you’ll discover an array of dynamic opportunities to connect with your audience, bolster your brand, and offer invaluable guidance at essential points along their homebuyer journey.

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1. Online Ads

Elevate your impact in the homebuying consideration phase by strategically leveraging targeted online advertising campaigns on platforms like Google Ads and Facebook Ads.

1. Precision Targeting: With Google Ads and Facebook Ads, you have the power to precisely reach your desired audience. Craft ad campaigns that resonate with potential homebuyers at the exact moment they are researching the market. By targeting specific keywords and demographics, you can ensure your brand is top of mind when they are actively seeking information and making critical decisions.

Make it even easier by using a landing page builder –no design or coding know-how needed!.

2. Outshine Competitors: Don’t overlook the opportunity to run Google Ads for terms that indicate someone is researching your competitors. This tactic positions your brand to stand out and articulate its unique strengths. By addressing the competition head-on, you assert your brand’s superiority in the eyes of the consumer.

3. Retargeting Advantage: Reach out to those who have already visited your website but may have temporarily strayed from their homebuying journey. Implement retargeting campaigns to reignite their interest and gently guide them back to your offerings. Remind them of the advantages of choosing your mortgage services, reinforcing your brand’s presence in their consideration set.

By harnessing the potential of online advertising, you not only create additional touch points with homebuyers but also tailor your message to address their specific needs and preferences. This proactive approach strengthens your brand’s position and influence during the pivotal homebuying consideration phase.

1. Blogs & Expert Content

Blogs play a vital role in the homebuying journey. Homebuyers often feel overwhelmed by the complexities of the process. To ease their path, create expert content on a range of mortgage-related topics. Additionally, generate content on less-saturated subjects to attract more readers.

Blogs serve as an essential touchpoint, offering clarity and guidance while establishing your brand as a credible and valuable resource in the journey to homeownership.

Below are some ideas for unique mortgage blog posts:

• 10 Insider Tips for First-Time Homebuyers in Tyler, TX
• Guide to Understanding Fixed-Rate vs. Adjustable Rate Mortgages in West Palm Beach, FL
• Cedar Falls Homebuyers: How to Improve Your Credit Score Before Applying for a Mortgage 

Coming up with original and valuable mortgage blog content on a consistent basis is a challenge.

That’s why we introduced an innovative AI-blog writing tool into our new LHP3 Website Builder. We recently demoed this ground-breaking feature at AIME Fuse 2023 in Las Vegas, and the response was phenomenal! 

1. Events & Webinars

Active homebuyers likely attend real estate events, so every mortgage broker marketing plan should include events to pull in strong prospects. Sites such as Eventbrite list out all the events happening in your area, and you can always do a quick search for ‘real estate’ or ‘mortgage’.

If budget and time permits, consider hosting your own in-person mortgage events, where you educate interested homebuyers on complex mortgage subjects such as building a good credit score, making the most out of a home loan, etc.

Webinars are typically engaging and in-depth versions of blogs, where you have a chance to put your face on the knowledge you distribute online and answer questions directly in the sessions. There’s a lot more content you can cover in a 40-minute webinar than a 1,200-word blog post.

Joint webinars with your best clients better convince prospects to work with you.

1. Referrals

Referrals represent a pivotal touch point in the homebuying journey. These recommendations, originating from satisfied past clients and trusted real estate agent partners, serve as beacons of assurance for potential homebuyers. They provide a roadmap, directing individuals towards your services with confidence.

Incorporating a robust customer referral program is akin to crafting a bridge of trust throughout this journey. The referred leads approach your services with an established sense of reliability, saving you the effort of creating an initial favorable impression. Now, your primary task is to perpetuate and enhance this positive image, ensuring the promises made by previous clients continue to be fulfilled.

Referrals, therefore, do more than streamline your lead generation efforts; they fortify your brand’s reputation and solidify your role as a trusted expert in the mortgage industry, creating lasting impressions along the way for potential homebuyers.

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Tip: Ask prospects what exactly they heard about you that made them want to reach out. You can then elaborate on those points to further solidify your brand as the #1 option in your audience’s minds.

During a Sale

1. Direct Conversations & Discovery Calls

The discovery call stands out as one of the most pivotal touch points in the homebuying journey, as it often serves as the decisive factor in whether prospective homebuyers will choose to work with you. It’s the moment when their aspirations and your expertise align.

To make the best use of this crucial interaction, meticulous preparation is key. Gather all the information necessary to guide them toward their homeownership goals. Some essential talking points that you must not overlook include:

1. Financial Profile: Understand their financial situation thoroughly. Inquire about income, credit history, and outstanding debts. This insight enables you to tailor mortgage solutions that suit their unique circumstances.

2. Homeownership Goals: Delve into their homeownership aspirations. Determine their ideal property type, location, and budget. This information allows you to recommend properties and financing options that align with their desires.

3. Timeline: Discuss their homebuying timeline. Whether they’re in a hurry to secure a home or taking a more deliberate approach, this knowledge helps you set realistic expectations and provide the right guidance.

4. Potential Challenges: Identify any potential challenges or concerns they may have. These could range from understanding mortgage terms to navigating the homebuying process. Addressing these apprehensions instills confidence and trust.

5. Communication Preferences: Inquire about their preferred means of communication. Some clients prefer regular updates, while others may favor a hands-off approach. Understanding their communication style ensures a seamless partnership.

6. Next Steps: Clearly outline the next steps and the path forward. Providing a roadmap of the process and setting expectations ensures a smooth transition from this touch point to the next phases of their homebuying journey.

By giving thorough attention to these talking points during the discovery call, you not only gain a deep understanding of your clients but also showcase your expertise and commitment to guiding them in the right direction. This sets the foundation for a successful and harmonious partnership as they embark on their path to homeownership.

8. 1003 App

Much like your website, your 1003 application serves as a vital touch point in the homebuying journey. Ensuring its ease of use is paramount. An intuitive, user-friendly interface is key, as it streamlines the application process and minimizes any potential hurdles for prospective homebuyers.

An interview-style questionnaire 1003 emulates a conversational experience, creating a sense of engagement and personal connection. This unique approach sets a tone of interaction, making applicants feel like they’re having a guided conversation with a knowledgeable expert.

9. Reviews & Testimonials

Direct potential borrowers to your best reviews and testimonials to further build trust. This is easy if you have testimonials for a broad range of clients, so you can direct them to a client of a similar persona. 

Since this is a high-converting element you MUST HAVE on your website, make sure to keep these updated. A built-in automated review posting feature for your mortgage lead generation website helps a ton.

10. Point of Sale

While an easy 1003 application allows you to receive more completed applications, there are a handful of other features you can offer to quickly close more deals.

Quick document uploads help keep everything in one secure portal. Regular loan status updates allow you to hold your audience’s hand without contacting them directly. Automated preapproval letters make borrowers feel in control.

Lastly, direct messaging and communication within the same platform your audience uses for all of the above helps the whole process feel less intimidating and more connected.

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11. SMS Updates

People generally get annoyed by text message reminders, but when it comes to homebuying, your audience WANTS to be updated by text.

Use an SMS reminder platform such as Loanzify to easily set up automated and customizable SMS updates to gently remind clients to continue their application process or alert them to any updates to their loan file.

12. Secure Mobile or Web Portal

Detailed documents are required to get a mortgage. However, the last thing homebuyers want is to sacrifice sensitive information.

Let your audience know that their information is secure in the Loanzify portal, with safe and easy documentation uploads. This further convinces prospects to work with you, as it’s one less worry for them.

After a Sale

13. Thank You Letter

Don’t cut off all contact with clients once you receive payment. Show your audience that you appreciate their business. Take the time to craft a thoughtful email and personalize it to make them feel special.

At the end of the letter, make sure you ask them to leave you a review and link to your review platforms such as your Google Business profile, Yelp, Facebook page, etc.

You can also link to private feedback surveys so you can collect valuable insights into how your service was. Encourage them to be honest.

Lastly, you can gently ask them to recommend you to friends and family if they enjoyed your service.

14. after-Sale Emails

After-sale emails are not just an essential touch point; they are the invisible thread that keeps you connected to your borrowers long after the deal is sealed. By sending after-sale emails with pertinent market updates and valuable homeownership tips, you stay firmly on their radar.

These post-sale emails offer a dual benefit. Firstly, they provide your borrowers with valuable information, helping them make informed decisions regarding refinancing or other financial matters. This thoughtful approach enhances their trust in your expertise and fosters a sense of ongoing support.

Secondly, these emails are subtle reminders to your previous clients about your extraordinary service.

By consistently delivering informative content, you remain a trusted resource in their eyes, making it more likely that they’ll recommend you to friends, family, or colleagues who are embarking on their homebuying journey.

In this way, after-sale emails serve as a powerful tool to not only engage and educate your audience but also to subtly cultivate referrals and maintain your position as a top choice in the mortgage industry.

Final Thoughts

The mortgage lead generation strategies shared in this guide are more than just a roadmap; they’re a compass that points toward a future where lenders not only survive but thrive. 

By leveraging these 14 key touchpoints, you’re not just enhancing the borrower experience—you’re transforming it into an unforgettable journey that sets you apart from the competition.

Your borrowers are waiting, your leads are out there, and now you possess the tools to make an incredible mark. Here’s to a future of lending excellence and unrivaled success.

Interested in learning more about mortgage touchpoints? Check out our post on How to Use Touchpoints to Drive Mortgage Lead Generation.

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Securing a steady flow of top-tier leads for your pipeline is already a daunting task –but you knew this when you got into this industry. But when you factor in the current formidable market conditions with the already fierce competition, the pursuit of prospective borrowers seems like an even greater Herculean endeavor.

We get it.

That’s why we put together this list of the top 10 mortgage marketing strategies specifically chosen because of their proven effectiveness at helping you stand out from the crowd and uniquely position your services as one that goes above and beyond –making for a powerful and persuasive offer that organically feeds your pipeline with leads.

Make no mistake –while these strategies may appear straightforward (and several are quite manageable to implement), they possess the remarkable power to grant you a necessary competitive edge.

Drive Marketing Success –Demo Website Templates

Craft a Captivating Website: Your Secret to Converting Prospects

Your first impression is a primary determinant of whether a prospect will convert or not, and nowadays, these impressions happen online. Chances are, a prospect will land on your website as the final destination before reaching out to you, so you need to strategize a way to effectively make them fall in love (or at least be curious) right from the start.

Your site also needs to entice them to explore further; whether that means learning more about the company, consuming information, or starting the application process. 

In other words, you don’t want to be ‘just another website’ that the prospect will likely forget. You need to create a memorable visitor experience. 

Creating one doesn’t require a lot of time or know-how if you begin with high-converting website templates like one from LenderHomePage.

Speed Matters: Turbocharge Your Mortgage Website for More Leads

A fast-loading website propels visitors through the lead funnel. If your website is using a poor hosting service, has too many plugins, and/or has excessive lines of HTML, CSS, and Javascript code, your audience will abandon your website before it fully loads. 

Search engines are very strict about this and are quick to push down your website to the bottom of results, so you want to make sure to keep user experience at the top of your priority list.

Mobile Optimization: Your Ticket to Mortgage Marketing Success

Mobile devices drive 62% of web traffic, making it absolutely essential that your site is mobile-friendly. Furthermore, Google favors mobile-friendly sites over sites that are not optimized for hand-held devices. No need to hire a developer to overhaul your site –LenderHomePage sites are already mobile-optimized. 

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From Click to Client: The Art of Boosting Conversions on Your Website

To encourage prospects to share their information, you may need to offer something in exchange. For example, an ebook or a quick quote could be offered in exchange for their name and email address. 

You also need to have a dedicated ‘Contact Us’ page to include more detailed information, such as directions to your office, map, address, email, and anything else that would encourage prospects to reach out.

Rise Above the Competition: Mortgage Marketing with Strategic Automation

While your competitors are mainly focusing on getting their name out there to get leads, you can do the same, but with a focus on the consumer’s value in working with you.

The combination of consumer-facing software + automation is a great way to delight your audience. In the mortgage environment, all your audience needs is a simple and fast homebuying experience where they are properly guided through the entire process. Mortgage software that automates the intake process also allows you to scale profits.

If you want to simplify the home-buying experience for your customers, look no further than Loanzify. Loanzify provides an easy-to-follow timeline to help guide clients every step of the way. 

Some useful features include an interview-style questionnaire for the initial intake process, the ability to track all communications between your company and the client all in a single platform and mobile app, and much more.

Out-Perform the Competition – Get a Demo

There are also numerous branding features within the software, such as the ability to customize colors, add a logo and profile picture, etc., to better strengthen the relationship between your clients and your brand.

Timing is Everything: Navigating Mortgage Marketing in the Digital Age

Today’s audience is not easy to market to. With attention spans decreasing due to short-form content apps such as TikTok, you need to be smart about how you approach your target market. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to churn out content every day. In fact, the pressure to post daily content may reduce the quality of the content and make you feel burnt out. 

Sure, there are benefits, such as the opportunity to put out various types of posts and see which ones your audience interacts with most. Posting daily can give you some good insights but does not always benefit you in the long run. 

Instead, start noticing when your audience is most receptive. For example, many businesses like to send out newsletters on Fridays when the work day is not as busy, and everyone is getting ready for the weekend vs. on a busy Monday. 

In the case of your target audience, which is potential homebuyers, notice changes in homebuying patterns and market accordingly. A good time to hit your audience with powerful and convincing messaging to buy a new home is when the market is good for buyers.

Solving the Mortgage Puzzle: Focus on Solutions, Not Just Loans

The only way your marketing messaging can resonate with your crowd is if you provide a solution to an existing problem they are experiencing. This message can be as simple as loans for homebuyers with poor credit, but oftentimes, prospects are looking for much more than that. 

Here are some other pain points you can resolve for clients:

• Simple Application Process: This requires a shift in your way of thinking. Mortgage software, like an LOS, streamlines the application process, but it does so for the originator –not the borrower. So when considering how you can beat out your competition with your application process, meditate on what the borrower experiences with the application. 

Once you’ve pinpointed the precise messaging about how you make applying for a loan stress-free and transparent, it should be clearly addressed in your marketing messaging.

• Personalized Guidance: If your messaging revolves around how you guide homebuyers along every step of the home-buying process, you’ll win hearts instantly. After all, it’s not easy for clients to navigate technology that potentially confuses them and sometimes, they need a human to explain the technicals, such as terms and requirements. Excellent, personalized support combined with easy-to-use technology is a powerful way to stand out above the noise.

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Lights, Camera, Action! Leveraging Videos for Mortgage Marketing

Video content is dominating today’s world. We can see this with current social media trends, and how people view videos is presented quite clearly in these trends. For example, short-form video content is preferred over a 20-minute video explaining the same concept. 

Next time you think about writing a whitepaper or other long-form content, ask yourself whether you can effectively communicate the same content in a video. If the video becomes too long, you can easily break it down into smaller digestible videos or even upload a crash course on YouTube. 

Popular types of video content tell an intriguing story, are testimonials, informational or tutorial, or lighthearted for entertainment.

Know Your Competition: A Winning Strategy for Mortgage Professionals

Mega banks aren’t your only competition. Local lenders and originators are too, so it’s worth checking out what they’re up to –where they’re winning and losing. 

You can see your competitors’ strongest and weakest points by reading online reviews. You can check out their social profiles and get content inspiration. You can also see what types of content they produce are getting the most views, which will give you an insight into the hottest topics in real estate. 

A good strategy is viewing your competitors’ content and asking yourself how to make it 10x better.

SWOT Analysis: Your Blueprint for Mortgage Marketing Mastery

A SWOT analysis is a report you can create that lists your company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. This helps you steer your marketing strategy to focus on growing your strengths, recognize your weaknesses so you can act accordingly, take advantage of opportunities, and become more aware of threats, whether they are in your control or not. 

• Strengths: This involves a comprehensive evaluation of your unique selling points, such as specialized expertise, exceptional customer service, or a vast network of real estate referral partners. By understanding and highlighting these strengths, you can emphasize your competitive advantages and effectively communicate them to potential clients to set you apart from competitors.
• Weaknesses: Assess any areas where you may fall short, such as limited product offerings, inadequate technology infrastructure, or a lack of brand recognition. By acknowledging weaknesses, you can develop targeted strategies to address and overcome them, improve you overall service, and enhance your market position.
• Opportunities: This may include emerging market trends, changes in regulations, or new customer segments. By staying attuned to these opportunities, you can tailor your marketing strategies to capitalize on them. For example, if there is a growing demand for eco-friendly home improvement loans, a loan officer could position themselves as a specialist in this area.
• Threats: This may include increasing local competition, economic fluctuations, or evolving customer preferences. By addressing threats head-on, you can adapt your marketing strategies to remain resilient and competitive.

When You’re Ready To Take Your Lending Career to the Next Level –LenderHomePage

If you’re ready to take your mortgage business to new heights and see these strategies in action, we invite you to experience an on-demand demo to discover how we can empower your marketing efforts to gain a competitive edge and achieve greater success in your mortgage business.

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Many mistakenly believe that SEO and social media are two different entities when, in reality, they’re two sides of the mortgage marketing “coin.”

If you are a loan officer or mortgage broker handling your brand’s marketing on your own, keep reading to learn about social media’s impact on your mortgage website. Our mortgage SEO strategies, backed by an active and impactful social media presence, can significantly improve search engine rankings and increase website traffic, ultimately producing more leads in your pipeline.

Done-For-You Mortgage Social Media

Social Media’s Impact on Website SEO

‘Social SEO’ is a marketing term you may have come across. It refers to the site’s search engine ranking resulting from your social media content.

While Google has mentioned that social media doesn’t directly impact a website’s SEO, many studies suggest otherwise. For example, a recent Hootsuite study revealed that content backed by social promotion performed 22% better in search engines than content with no social promotion.

Other search engines, however, have openly shared that social media signals influence their ranking algorithms.

The truth is that social media and SEO are closely integrated.

In fact, marketers consider social media platforms themselves to be a form of mini search engine. Platforms like YouTube and Facebook receive a couple of billion searches a day! Therefore, would it be unreasonable to assume that those billion searches are influencing search engine rankings, too?

An active social media presence helps to get your business in front of the prospect’s eyes –whether that’s on the social media platform itself or through its SEO impact.

Top Social Media Strategies to Improve SEO

Now that we’ve covered what social SEO means, let’s dive into some expert tips on improving SEO for mortgage brokers using top social media sites such as Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, etc.

Sustain Visibility of Your Top-Performing Content

Social media provides a continuous opportunity to share your best content to bring new traffic. So instead of a one-time post on your website, which will get buried under an array of other posts in just a month or less, you’ll reignite interest and extend the life of each piece of content.

Plus, it gives you more chances to reengage your audience in a topic you already know matters to them!

Want to get even more life out of your content? Invite your followers and referral partners to reshare the post on their social media.

The traffic generated to the content, plus the time spent on your site, all vouch toward your boosting the visibility of your mortgage website, resulting in a boost to your organic search engine ranking.

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Capitalize on Social Media to Share Glowing Reviews and Elevate Your SEO

The public actively searches out business reviews and considers them necessary to learn about a company’s reputation. So it’s not surprising that search engines prioritize businesses with favorable reputations by ranking them higher in search results.

So, how can you use social media to do the same?

Ask your top clients to follow you on your socials. Chances are they will comment on your posts and support you, boosting your buzz and rep! Having social profiles also allows clients to tag you when they want to commend your service.

As long as your social media community praises your services and uses terms related to your industry (mortgage, loan officer, real estate, etc.), the public and search engines will quickly pick up on this to influence your ranking within related searches.

Harness the Power of Social Media to Boost Backlink Prospects

In the world of SEO, having another website link to your site matters. This is called backlinking. Social media opens up an avenue for backlinking by creating opportunities to connect with content creators who also own websites.

You’ll want to do this in an organic and valuable way. Simply messaging or tagging other content creators on a post without developing a relationship first is unlikely to yield results.

It might even get you blocked by the creator!

Instead, engage with their content and build a rapport. Research their site and see where you can add value to their platform that makes sense for your business as well. When you’ve found where you can provide value and you have the content that will fill the gap, share it with them!

They will have a tough time passing on linking to your content now that familiarity and confidence have been established.

Use Social Media To Get Your Content Indexed Faster

Did you know that search engines prioritize indexing content that generates the most clicks in the least amount of time? This tells Google and other search engines that a particular piece of content is important and should be shown in front of more people.

That’s why you should make it a key goal to post your content often on social media so you increase the chances for more clicks to your blogs and pages.

Pro tip: Use social media in tandem with the manual indexing feature in Google Search Console for lightning-fast indexing!

Fast-Track SEO Success: LHP3 Website Templates

Social Media Helps to Establish Authority –A Key Factor in SEO Ranking

Google prioritizes subject authority. It wants to present the most helpful content to its searchers, using every avenue at your disposal to send signals that you are an authority in this industry for your location is a must.

And as you might’ve guessed, social media helps with this aspect too!

There are many types of posts you can share on your socials to present yourself as an expert in your niche, including:

• A reel where you demystify the home loan process in three steps
• Mythbuster carousel posts about why people opt to rent rather than buy
• Client stories about how you led them through multiple hurdles (reels or posts)
• Not only will you increase SEO authority with more backlinks, but with more content circulation, others recognize how valuable your content is.

BUT…

Make sure authority doesn’t stop after someone clicks to go to your website. If a potential mortgage client has high expectations about your mortgage services and is led to a difficult-to-navigate website, overlapping design elements, inconsistent messaging, etc., chances are you’ll never get the lead!

Even details like page speed can affect your SEO ranking!

If you need to redesign your website to better convert your site visitors, consider using a mortgage website template. LenderHomePage’s library of SEO-optimized website templates includes all the features that every mortgage brand needs on their website, including:

• Built-in lead funnels
• Lead magnets with professionally drafted eBooks
• Interview-Style digital 1003
• Landing pages for your paid campaigns
• Interactive mortgage calculator, client testimonial engine,  and more.

Open Up Referral Partnership Opportunities

Social media is meant to connect people in general and not just to connect businesses to their target audience. Remember, thousands of companies have business profiles on top social media sites. This makes it easy for you to seek out new partnership opportunities for client referrals.

To find new partners to work with, look for other brands within the mortgage industry that have a decent following but aren’t your direct competitors. However, keep in mind that if your business profile has 20 followers, chances are that a brand with 5,000+ followers won’t want to partner with you. In the end, both of you should provide equal value for each other’s business, so try to find other accounts with a similar amount of followers as yours.

Once you find a company you are interested in partnering with, DM them asking to collaborate.

Types of collaborations can include:

Content collaborations: Split a piece of content in half so your partner encourages their audience to go to your website to read the rest, and vice versa. (ex. In an article about refinancing tips, go over three tips on your website and send your audience to your partner’s website to read the other three tips. Your partner will do the same for you.).

Client referrals: Ask your partner to refer their clients to you for their loan process, and make sure you do the same for them.

Start Winning With Local SEO

Gain Insight Into Your Followers’ Needs to Provide Tailored Content

If you think about it, social media is one of the few options that provide you with a community where you can get to know your audience better. When you create interactive content that encourages your followers to respond to you or ask questions, you can learn more about their interests.

There are also a number of social media features that help you learn about what’s trending in the mortgage industry, including hashtags, top posts, and others’ blog content.

This can help you brainstorm topics for new content that your audience wants to see. Creating content on trending topics will likely garner more impressions and clicks to your mortgage content through Google.

Through indirect means, social media can help you improve your search engine ranking and helps you gain more traction on your quality content.

If you don’t know how to start creating top-notch social content, or you don’t have a design team to create social graphics for your brand, try using a mortgage social media service –included in every LHP3 Website! That way, you don’t have to worry about reinventing the wheel and brainstorming new ideas for top-performing posts.

LenderHomePage’s social media program includes done-for-you posts to generate social engagement, leads, and followers. Our posts include powerful call-to-actions to ensure your audience is enticed to click and be led to your website. Request a demo of our all-new AI-driven mortgage websites with social media today!

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The time it takes for a web page to load can make or break a user’s experience, influencing their decision to stay and explore or abandon the site altogether. As a mortgage website owner, you understand precisely how fierce the competition is and how critical it is to grab a digital prospect’s attention from the first click –and prioritizing website page speed is the battleground that cannot be ignored in the aspect.

In an increasingly competitive mortgage landscape, even a single additional second of loading time can jeopardize valuable leads and tarnish your company’s reputation.

Start Winning With an AI-Driven Mortgage Website

Stay tuned as we cover all the essentials about website page speed, helping you understand what factors are at play and a list of free tools you can use to check your site speed.

What is Website Page Speed?

Your website’s page speed measures how quickly the page content loads, including text, images, animations, links, and all other elements present on your website, page by page.

In technical terms, page speed is the amount of time it takes between the browser’s request for a page until the browser completes processing and rendering the content. How fast a web page loads depends on many factors, which we will get to later.

So why should you care about page speed?

Website speed directly affects the user experience. After all, who would want to endure the irritating loading sign for even a mere 5-10 seconds? Many lose patience quickly. A survey from early 2022 revealed that more than half of web users expect a web page to load in just three seconds or less.

If you delay webpage speed improvements, you risk losing a staggering 90% of your visitors with little chance of them returning.

Therefore, you need to make a good impression on your potential homeowners now so new visitors are enticed and returning visitors keep returning.

Meet LHP 3.0: Mortgage Sites Built For Speed!

How Page Speed Impacts SEO

Along with user experience, Google and other search engines are favorable toward websites that load quickly. Google algorithms are moving towards pushing out pages that are helpful to the audience, and a slow page does the opposite.

A slow site leads to higher bounce rates (percentage of website visitors who leave a webpage without interacting with it further), which causes search engines to deprioritize ranking your site higher than other websites with lower bounce rates.

Imagine losing out on hundreds of interested home loan buyers because they leave your website too quickly due to slow load times. This is the last thing you want in an already competitive market.

Additionally, search engines can crawl fast-loading pages faster and more easily. When thinking about page speed to optimize for mortgage SEO, we can’t forget optimization for mobile devices. Luckily, there are free tests you can run online, which test for mobile too, which we will cover here.

What All Affects Mortgage Website Page Speed?

To fix your website page speed, you need to first understand the various factors that slow down your website.

Number of animations and eye-catching elements

Did you know that around 50% of online users prefer a fast-loading site over cool-looking animations? Animations are created through Javascript, and using too much Javascript on your website can severely slow it down.

If you’re able to balance using the right amount of Javascript so site speed is not sacrificed too much, then there should be no problem. However, you should be able to determine when it becomes detrimental to your visitors’ experience.

You also want to be careful about which website theme you choose. Certain eye-catching themes do no good for your user experience. That captivating GIF on your homepage? It’s likely that only 3 out of 25 people who land on your site see it since it’s the last element that loads.

Luckily, most mortgage websites are simple and to the point while having a professional look and feel, so there’s no need for advanced animations.

Large file sizes

Building upon the previous point, there are other types of files along with Javascript that reduce site speed. Websites can have redundant lines of HTML and CSS code, which wouldn’t harm your user experience if you took them out; it would only improve the experience.

If a certain line of code serves no purpose to encourage your audience to talk to you, you should eliminate it. A large file size is not worth even 10 seconds of your audience’s time, as most will leave after 3-5 seconds.

Images and videos

Website owners don’t normally think too much about images affecting site speed. You may upload an image that’s 732KB followed by an image that’s 3.3MB, and it may never catch your eye. That’s until your site starts loading at a turtle’s pace.

To resolve this issue, manually compress images or use a website platform like our newly launched LHP3 to automatically compress images and videos as you upload them to your website.

Number of plugins and widgets

Having a few good plugins that help improve operations and save you time should be no biggie.

However, every new plugin you add makes your site slower and slower, and you eventually reach a point where it harms your conversion rates.

Plugins are also notorious for downloading certain harmful software onto your website, such as viruses and malware. Even if you ensure that you download a plugin from a trusted source, it’s still easy to download an earlier version of a software that has vulnerabilities.

That’s why you want to keep this to a minimum.

Redirects

It makes sense that redirects slow down your website because users are directed to one web address and then immediately taken to another, resulting in the loss of valuable seconds.

Redirects are sometimes necessary to point traffic to a new URL when you have to retire the old URL, and they also forward authority, or the number of links to your web page from other domains, which gives you good SEO benefits.

However, site owners should keep redirects minimal because they play a major part in slowing down your website. The best way to avoid redirects is to carefully name your URL the first time you create a new page. Ask yourself if the URL name will work 2, 5, or even 10 years from now.

For example, if you are writing an article about ‘Everything You Need to Know About FHA Loans in 2023’, you must realize that you may come back and revamp that same post for next year. So your URL can be ‘websitename.com/fha-loans-everything-to-know’, eliminating the year from the slug so it’s not constrained by time.

Hosting service

All websites have to rely on a hosting service to help their website run. However, certain hosting services have slow servers that directly impact the performance of your website.

It’s important to choose a good hosting service that has little to no downtime. Luckily, if you do happen to choose a bad hosting service, you can always migrate to a new service with little to no extra charge.

LenderHomePage websites already have dedicated servers that can host your mortgage website. One of the key components of our new LHP 3.0 website templates is impressive load times backed by our lightning-fast servers to ensure optimal lead generation numbers.

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Tools to Monitor Page Speed

Did you know that there are a handful of free tools online that allow you to monitor the speed of your web pages and present you with detailed suggestions for fixes? Here are a few of our favorite ones.

Google PageSpeed Insights

Google’s PageSpeed Insights is one of the most reliable page speed tools since it comes directly from Google. This tool tests the speed of your mortgage content on both desktop and mobile.

PageSpeed Insights assigns a score to the webpage based on its performance, ranging from 0 to 100. A higher score indicates better performance and faster loading times. Additionally, you are presented with helpful suggestions to improve your page’s speed.

GTMetrix

GTMetrix is another reliable tool similar to Pagespeed Insights that tests your website for free. It assigns a grade (A, B, C, D, or E) to your website, with A being the best score. The neat part about this tool is that it also tests your core web vitals.

The tool’s report includes specific recommendations for improving elements such as page caching, image optimization, JavaScript and CSS minification, and server response time.

Google Search Console

Another powerful tool by Google, Google Search Console not only shows you how well you rank on Google for different search queries but also what elements of your website are slowing it down. The Speed report breaks down URLs into three different categories “Slow, moderate, and fast”. 

The data in Google Search Console connects directly to Pagespeed Insights to give you a better idea of each issue and gives you a list of ways to accelerate page speed.

WebPage Test

This tool provides detailed insights into various aspects of webpage loading, including load times, rendering, and resource usage. Upon completing the initial test, WebPage Test provides a performance summary broken down by site loading time, usability, and resilience with actionable next steps.

What’s unique about this tool is that it provides you a visual of each millisecond so you can see how long the screen remains blank before the content loads and which elements load first.

As online users become increasingly impatient and demanding, mortgage website owners must prioritize optimizing their page loading times to remain competitive. 

A fast-loading website not only enhances the user experience but also improves search engine rankings, increases conversion rates, and ultimately boosts overall business success. 

Now that you understand what website page speed is and what factors affect it, how will you ensure that your website runs properly and loading times are prompt? 

Whether you are redesigning your website, getting your website up for the first time, or simply trying to improve your website speed, LenderHomePage’s mortgage website templates offer solutions for all mortgage companies, regardless of size. 

Our templates are built with mortgage website page speed optimization at the top of mind. Instead of downloading a pesky plugin that automatically compresses your images and files as you upload them to your site, LHP’s templates have a built-in file size compressor tool to keep your site speed optimal.

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We knew we had something compelling, innovative, and unlike anything else in the market when we launched our new LHP 3.0 website builder–but what we weren’t prepared for was the OVERWHELMING POSITIVE response from our early adopters!!

The excitement is palpable, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to hear our clients rave about how LHP 3.0 helped them take their business to the next level.

LHP 3.0 has redefined what’s possible for mortgage websites and for my business…it’s not just an upgrade, it’s a game changer! –Stephen G.

Love [LHP 3.0] and the new AI features. Makes it simple to really optimize your content. — Adrain J.

Are you ready to join the ranks of LHP 3.0 success stories? The clock is ticking, and the time to upgrade is NOW!

Until October 20th, we’re offering an exclusive opportunity for our existing clients to migrate their websites to LHP 3.0 with no migration fees.

Watch LHP 3.0 Recorded Webinar

Absolutely the best service. They have upgraded their editing software for the website and it’s more customizable. –James B.

Don’t miss out on the chance to unlock the power of AI-driven features that will not only transform your online marketing strategy but also set you on a path to unparalleled success!

Why Upgrade to LHP 3.0?

1. Simple Page Design & Editing

With LHP 3.0, you’ll experience a website builder that’s user-friendly and intuitive. Say goodbye to coding nightmares; our stackable page editor allows you to effortlessly create and edit pages. Drag and drop content, images, videos, and more with ease, giving you full control over your website’s design.

2. AI-Generated Content

Struggling with content creation? LHP 3.0 introduces Chat LHP, powered by Chat GPT, an AI-powered content writing assistant. Generate engaging and personalized website content, from blog posts to product descriptions, with ease. Boost productivity and enhance your online presence.

3. Rank Higher (SEO)

Stay ahead of the competition with LHP 3.0’s top-ranking performance. Build a blazing-fast website that captures organic traffic effortlessly. SEO speed considerations are integrated seamlessly, helping your website rank higher on search engines.

4. Social Media Content

Revolutionize your social media marketing with LHP 3.0. Automatically generate branded content tailored to your company’s identity. Empower loan officers with personalized content to increase traffic and build stronger connections.

Act Fast, Pay Less: Upgrade to LHP3

5. Integrated Landing Pages

Create custom landing pages in minutes, or choose from pre-made templates that align with your branding and messaging, showcasing your services professionally and effectively. Ideal for paid ad campaigns!

6. Customizable Lead Funnels

Capture more leads with ease using LHP 3.0’s lead funnel templates. Guide website visitors through the mortgage journey, providing relevant information and encouraging applications.

7. Automated Review Posting

Enhance your credibility by seamlessly integrating third-party reviews. Display authentic customer feedback, building trust and confidence among visitors. Boost your brand reputation and conversion rates –all within your LHP3 website!

8. Calendar Integration

Streamline communication with Calendly integration. Allow prospects and borrowers to schedule appointments with loan officers directly from your website. Simplify the appointment booking process for your clients.

9. Analytics

Access detailed analytics on traffic, sources, and content performance. Make data-driven decisions to optimize your strategies and achieve outstanding results.

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to supercharge your digital presence with LHP 3.0. Upgrade before October 20th to enjoy a seamless migration with no migration fees. Elevate your online marketing strategy and stay ahead in the competitive mortgage industry. Connect with us today to get started!

No Migration Fee for LHP 3.O – Act Now!

The days of physical directory books left at your doorstep are long gone, but that doesn’t mean business listings are dead. In fact, a vast amount of consumers still research a local business before reaching out. In fact, Google revealed that roughly 46% of ALL Google searches are specifically looking for a local business! As a loan officer, you know that when it comes to making a major decision like home financing, prospective buyers need to have all the facts and feel confident before making a move.

So, how do you help homebuyers discover your business in a sea of fierce originator competition?

Discover Our Loan Officer Solutions

Along with excellent local SEO on your mortgage website and an active social media presence, local online directories and business listing sites are where it’s at! However, we’ve found that most loan officers don’t truly understand what it takes to effectively manage their business listing –if they even have one! 

Since there are numerous online local business directories and many components to manage, we’ve put together this simple “marketing ideas for mortgage loan officers” guide to help you simplify managing your loan officer business listing.

The 4 W’s of Business Listings for Loan Officers

Before we get into the various business listing sites and the tools to manage listings, let’s take a step back and learn the importance of business listings for loan officers. 

Why Should Loan Officers and Brokers Create Business Listings?

As we mentioned earlier, a large portion of online searches are for local businesses, which is why Google’s algorithm highly favors geo-targeted listings. Adding your loan officer info to local business listings is an organic way to appear higher in search results.

What Info Should You Have On Your Business Listing?

Typically, a business listing has three core fields: name, address, and phone number (also known as NAP). Again, since your business thrives on online presence, you’ll also want your website URL. Not only does this affect your SEO, but it also makes it more likely for searchers to visit your site.

Additionally, the option to add photos helps you show off your business visually and give your audience a sense of the face(s) behind your business.

Where Can Loan Officer Business Listings Be Found Online?

One of the most common business listing websites is Google itself. When somebody searches for a local business, a Google Business listing is usually shown first. That’s if you’ve set up your Google Business listing. Other top local business directories for loan officers include Facebook, Yelp, Apple Maps, etc. It’s also worth noting that many online directories search the web to compare business information. So, if any of your business listings are incorrect, it may trigger a domino effect and start spreading incorrect information across the web!

When Is the Right Time to Create a Business Listing?

The right time to create a business listing is NOW. The sooner you create one, the sooner you expose yourself to more home buyers, and you will gain a lot more traffic on your website and receive more inquiries. 

Schedule a Demo

However, be sure that you have your mortgage website ready and have a dedicated phone number that people can call. This will ensure your audience that your business is established and you’ve had previous clients.

Top Business Listing Sites All Loan Officers Should Take Advantage of

Although there are numerous online business listing sites that you can create a listing on, here are the top ones that are extremely beneficial for your mortgage brand.

Google MY Business

Creating a Google Business profile as a loan officer takes just minutes, costs no money, and is generally easy to manage. The more often you update your profile, add new photos of your business, update your hours, and answer some of the most frequently asked questions on your profile, the more likely your listing will rank higher. 

When somebody searches for ‘loan officer near me’ or any similar inquiries, your business has a better shot at appearing as a top listing if your info is complete and current. Another good way to help your Google Business listing rank better is to gain as many reviews as possible. Be sure to ask your happy homebuyers to leave you a quick review! 

Meta/Facebook

Social media is one of the best ways to get real estate clients, and contrary to the popular myth that Facebook is dead, the platform still gets around three billion monthly users. The truth is that many homebuyers are on social media.

One of the top benefits of creating a Meta page is that it makes it very easy for users to reach out to you through the Messenger option. This exposes your company to a brand new audience online that is otherwise not so easily accessible. Plus, it’s free to create a listing. 

On-Demand Demo – Click Here

Apple Maps

With at least 200 million users, Apple Maps is one of the top business listing sites on which every local business should be. Since nearly half of the American audience uses iPhones, having a listing on Apple Maps makes it easy for mobile users to find you whether they are sitting at home or on the go.

Like most directory sites, you’ll need to verify your business at the end, and then you’re good to go.

There are also listing sites geared more towards real estate, such as Trulia and Zillow, which are great sites for loan officers and brokers to get listed on.

Some real estate websites automatically pull up a list of licensed local loan officers and brokers without any action required on your side. It’s still a good idea to monitor these and ensure your information is accurate.

Local Business Listing Management Tools You Should Know About

The sites listed above are just a few of the many directories on which you can list your business. The more websites you get listed on, the more challenging it will be to manage every listing to ensure that your business information is accurate and consistent on all websites.

The good news is that you can use many listing management tools to get a single view of all your listings and a report on how consistent the data is across different sites. Here are a few of them. 

Yext

Yext is an online platform that allows businesses to control and synchronize their online listings across 200+ business listing websites. In other words, Yext helps companies ensure that business information such as phone numbers, addresses, hours of operation, and reviews are accurate and up-to-date. Some of the publishers Yext allows you to manage your listings on include Google, Apple, Amazon Alexa, and Bing.

With features such as the ability to remove duplicate listings, reputation management tools, and analytics reports that show how customers interact with a business’s online content, Yext provides invaluable insight that can help you improve your overall customer experience and drive more online and offline traffic.

Thryv

Thryv may not be as advanced as Yext when it comes to business listing management, as it only allows you to manage around 40 listings. However, the platform is great in other ways. The main benefit of Thryv is that you can add your listing once to the platform, and the data auto-populates to the 40 other websites, saving you massive time. 

Additionally, Thryv includes features to monitor reviews from customers, providing insights to improve customer engagement and help with reputation management.

BrightLocal

BrightLocal allows you to easily monitor and track the performance of 50+ online directory listings while also helping you clean up any inaccuracies that could be affecting your visibility online. 

The platform provides detailed analytics to help you understand how your business appears in search results, which websites drive the most traffic to your site, and areas for improvement.

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LenderHomePage Helps Loan Officers Elevate Their Digital Presence

If approached correctly, listing management doesn’t have to be difficult for your mortgage business. There are numerous tools to help you manage your online presence. 

As long as you are listed on the top directories mentioned earlier and your basic fields, such as your business name, address, phone number, and website URL, are consistent across platforms, your business can gain so much more exposure. 

Business listings are just one of the many marketing ideas for mortgage loan officers. As you scale up your marketing efforts and gain more traffic on your website, you’ll want to equally give importance to how your brand is presented to your audience. 

Check out LenderHomePage’s mortgage website templates and delight your prospects and customers today.

Your mortgage website is your digital real estate (no pun intended). But while you have the freedom to design it any way you want and the obligation to deliver an ideal user experience, you also must ensure that your website’s visibility is optimal. This is where a mortgage site’s structure comes into play.

As a mortgage provider, you may not have a team of web designers to help guide you through this critical process. That’s why we created this ‘mortgage website audit checklist’ where we guide you through the most critical aspects you should focus on, ensuring that you’ve maximized your website’s visibility and indexability.

What is a Website Audit?

A website audit is an assessment of every page on your website to determine elements that need correction or improvement. While it may be easy to spot issues on your homepage, an audit combs through your entire site, looking for visual and technical problems that can negatively impact user experience and search ranking.

Common issues that an audit may uncover are broken links, duplicate pages, missing meta descriptions, and not mobile-friendly.  

Thin or non-original content and slow page loading are typical but significant issues that most mortgage websites suffer from, and it’s no surprise. Creating pages upon pages of original, quality content isn’t fast or simple.

And designing a website that provides optimal page speed often means a complete technical redesign of its framework –an overhaul that other website providers aren’t willing to invest in.

But we did…

Meet LHP 3.0 — Websites Built For Speed!

But let’s get back to website audits.

Why Bother Auditing Your Mortgage Website Anyway?

There are numerous reasons why you should conduct an audit of your mortgage website.

Gives you insight into your website’s framework

Unless you understand the ins and outs of your site, you won’t know what to alter to improve your search ranking. 

Optimizing for SEO

Only through a website audit can you determine how to improve your website’s SEO. Conducting a site audit can help you find what errors you have made so you can correct them and also identify any missed opportunities to gain more SEO benefits.

Better convert visitors

Track your visitor’s journeys by identifying where your audience clicks and whether they fall off at a certain point. A website audit gives you a chance to spot these issues and get them fixed.

Beat competition

With a competitive website audit, you can see what is working for them so you can possibly replicate it. For example, SpyFu is a great tool for learning about the most popular keywords that your competitors use.

Backlinks analysis tools such as Ahrefs and Ubersuggest allow you to examine your competitors’ backlink profiles and compare them to yours.

How to Conduct a Website Audit

There are many tools you can use to conduct a website audit. Free tools such as Google Pagespeed Insights and Google Search Console give you an excellent view of what’s going on with your site.

There are also paid comprehensive website audits, although the information overload may leave you with more questions rather than answers. 

So which audit road should you take? 

We recommend starting off with a mortgage website template that addresses the most common offenses right off the bat.

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After that, follow the list below of the primary areas you’ll want to focus on.

DIY Website Audit Tips for Loan Officers and Mortgage Brokers

Use a site audit tool

The tools previously mentioned are great for pinpointing the most overlooked website issues, such as 404 errors, technical errors, duplicate content, crawlability issues, etc. Any red flag warnings should be the first ones your fix.

Review and Elevate Your Web Content

One crucial aspect of this audit is assessing the existing content on the website. Content not only serves as the voice of the business, but it’s foundational to search engine ranking and conversion. However, editing and creating content is much easier said than done.

But that’s where AI-powered editing and writing tool comes to your aid! Audit your content using AI tools that check your spelling, grammar, and tone. Depending on the tool, it may also suggest keywords to strengthen your SEO.

When it comes to content creation, professionals can use AI to efficiently generate first-draft content that helps expedite writing web content. Can it really be that simple? See for yourself!

Our newly launched LHP 3.0 websites come with built-in AI-writing tools, empowering loan officers and mortgage brokers to effortlessly craft compelling and relevant content for their online platforms. With this advanced feature, you can streamline the content creation process, optimize search engine visibility, and connect with your audience more effectively than ever before. 

Take a closer look at your website’s user experience (UX)

Nobody wants to stay on a website that is hard to navigate. Is your homepage clean with a clear, concise message? Would first-time visitors know where to navigate different pages and your contact page? Ask yourself these questions and make any changes accordingly.

Once you have done all of the above, make a list of recommended changes and hand it over to your developer(s) and or designer(s).

If you rather not bother with all of these design issues, your best bet is to go with a mortgage website template from LenderHomePage that is already designed for an optimal borrower experience and lead generation.

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Features That Every Mortgage Website Should Have

Are you missing any of the below features on your website? If so, it’s time to start creating a plan for implementing them.

An ‘About’ Page

Your clients want to know exactly who they are working with, so it’s highly essential for mortgage companies to provide an ‘About Us’ page on your website telling them who you are and what makes you different. 

Loan Officer Pages
Loan Officer pages give your team a way to promote themselves, your company and bring traffic to your website. To provide a more personal connection, add short bios under each team member’s photo. Add the ability to apply with each loan officer and potentially schedule meetings with them directly. This is a great value add to clients and a feature that helps with attracting and retaining originators.

If you are the sole owner and employee at your company, you can include a longer bio next to your photo since you’ll have a lot more real estate on the page.

Testimonials

A website should not just be an avenue to increase online presence. You can also leverage it to build trust. How do you build trust? By showcasing customer stories.

Having high-quality and relatable case studies on your website can ensure prospects that you are an expert in your field and have benefitted others with your work. 

Especially in an industry such as real estate, where your clients have to make important decisions and invest a lot of money, you absolutely need to have case studies on your site to move your leads along the funnel.

Reviews

Client reviews serve as a validation of your business’s credibility and reliability. During the consideration phase, prospects seek out feedback from others who have experienced your service and expertise first-hand. 

By having a collection of genuine client reviews readily available on your website, you provide valuable information that assists potential borrowers in their decision-making process. By prominently displaying your reviews, you demonstrate that real people have had positive experiences with your business and brand, strengthening your reputation and making it easier to convert web visitors into mortgage leads.

Interactive Tools

Once a visitor has landed on your website, you want them to stay. To do this, you must provide free interactive tools and resources that engage prospects. 

It’s fine if you want to create gated content to collect lead information, but be sure to provide a handful of ungated resources as well. Not everybody wants to provide their information, but this doesn’t mean they will not make a good client. An example of a free tool that every mortgage company should have on their website is a free mortgage calculator. 

Sometimes, popups can be interactive. However, you want to keep these to a minimum as nobody wants to keep hitting the ‘x’ button to see the content that they came to your website for in the first place.

Social Media Icons

You may come across many websites where you scroll down to the bottom footer and find a line of social media icons for LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, etc. What’s the real purpose of linking your social channels to your website?

Although it may seem counterproductive to lead key prospects away from your site, you should consider that the people who will click these icons are your site visitors who are taking the time to learn more about your company. They are likely deeply invested and just need to see that you are an expert in your field before they convert to a customer.

Make sure that you’re consistently posting high-quality content to each of your channels to have a positive impression among your crowd. This is your chance to showcase that you are knowledgeable about the mortgage process. You can share your blogs, testimonials, infographics, social tiles, and any other information that can better convince your audience that they should choose you as their lender.

You should also include a link to your website through your social channels. This allows your social media audience to get one step closer to contacting you, which should be your final goal.

Optimize with LHP 3.0 – Request A Demo Today!

Lead Magnets / CTA Buttons

Encourage your audience to commit further to you by incorporating lead magnets and call-to-action buttons on your website.

A lead magnet is an element where you offer something of high value for free (such as an ebook or guide) in exchange for their contact information.

A call-to-action (CTA) button is similar. It contains only a motivational message that encourages visitors to take additional action that moves them closer to a funded loan.

That action could be to interact with your chatbot, call your office, use your online mortgage calculator to estimate a monthly payment, or even begin their online application. The messages on the buttons are typically short (ex., ‘Inquire Today,’ ‘Schedule a Call with Us’).

Blog

If your website does not already have a blog, you should create a section for it. Blogs help you showcase your expertise and knowledge while also helping you show up better and more frequently in local search queries. 

Decide how often you will create content and post. A healthy schedule is to post about once a week. 

Have writer’s block? Use our AI mortgage writing tool to blast through it! Available on LHP 3.0 websites.

Effortless Website Optimization: Utilizing LenderHomePAge Mortgage Website Templates for Increased Leads

There are so many improvements you can make on your mortgage website to increase leads and encourage prospects to reach out to you faster. By making even the most simple adjustments, such as moving around certain elements on your website, you can greatly improve the visitor experience.

If working with website design elements is not your strongest area, leverage a mortgage website template from LenderHomePage.This out-of-the-box solution establishes a strong baseline that checks off most of the audit list. Then, you can use the tips provided in this guide to fine-tune your site as you see fit.

Elevate Your Mortgage Site’s Visibility: Get A Demo

Link building plays a vital role in SEO and is one of the factors Google considers when determining search rankings. While actions like improving page speed can provide an immediate impact on ranking, link building is an endeavor that focuses on enhancing your website’s authority over time.

Although it may require some patience to see tangible outcomes, each high-value backlink compounds your authority, propelling and solidifying your site’s position in top search results for your target market.

Over time, backlinks increase website visibility and lead-generation opportunities.

While directory sites are a popular and effective link-building tactic, there are more advanced strategies that offer even greater advantages. Uncover the simplest and most impactful method to obtain high-quality backlinks for your mortgage website using AI, empowering your website to enhance credibility, authority, and achieve higher rankings.

SEO-Friendly Website Templates –Demo Today!

Link-Building 101: Understanding The Basics

When you “build links” to a website, you are essentially inserting your URL on other domains, which tells search engines that your website is important, and, therefore, should be ranked higher in search results. This is one of the main link-building benefits for mortgage websites. 

However, the catch is that you can’t just add any backlinks. It has come from a site with a related niche and also has some authority of its own. More on that later.

It’s also important to note that tackling backlinks to increase your site’s visibility is best done after foundational content and technical SEO strategies have been implemented, such as: 

• SEO mortgage content with meta titles and meta descriptions (continue reading to learn how we make this easier with our AI-enabled content creator on LHP3)
• Responsive, mobile-friendly design
• Optimized site architecture
• XML site map
• Optimized page speed

Now let’s discuss best practices for link building.

Pro Tips for Effective Link Building on Mortgage Websites

There are so many complexities involved with link-building. Here are some practices you should steer away from to avoid getting penalized by search engines.

Avoid paying for links (Sort of)

Google does not like it when sites attempt to artificially enhance their ranking, and this includes buying backlinks that go to sites whose purpose is just to host backlinks. This is called link farming and is penalized by all search engines. 

However, paying a marketer or agency to attempt to secure backlinks on your behalf is allowed. But buyers, be aware! Some marketing agencies may still employ “link farming” tactics in their services. This is because building links takes time and effort. Avoid getting penalized by never buying farmed backlinks, work with a reputable marketing agency —or do it yourself with the tactics we’re about to teach you!

When guest blogging, post on sites related to your niche.

Google and other search engines quickly pick up on the type of websites linking to you. As a mortgage broker or loan officer, you may not want to post on sites about general pet care, for example. Otherwise, search engines assume your site is about pets and will not help you rank for mortgage, real estate, or location-specific keywords.

Get rid of outdated practices, such as commenting on blogs with your website link.

Simply adding your link and a sales pitch to the comment section of a popular website is a very spammy practice and does not make you or your company look good. Instead, provide engaging and thought-leadership commentary along with your website link for the best results.

Loan Officers: Try Our Game-Changing Mortgage Websites

4 Link Building Hacks for Mortgage Websites to Rule the Rankings

On the other hand, here are some practices you should opt for to improve your link-building efforts and ensure you are building links in an ethical way.

Use Web Content as Ego Bait

Ego bait is a strategy that involves creating content specifically designed to flatter or appeal to influential individuals or potential referral partners. The goal is to attract attention and generate backlinks by tapping into the “ego” or self-interest of these individuals.

Ego bait content can be in the form of an article or interview, but listings are fast and easy ways to gain traction from many individuals from just one piece of content. 

The key to successful ego bait backlinking is to create engaging content that showcases the targeted individuals in a flattering, authentic way while also providing relevant value to your business and prospects.

For example, you can create a listicle highlighting the various yoga studios in your target location, like traditional, hot, prenatal, etc, and detail the differences between them.

Another option would be to use local professionals to create content. A piece titled “Omaha Home Inspectors Answer Your Toughest Questions” is an example of a type of content that may perform well for SEO using keywords but also gives you an opportunity to create a backlink.

Reach out to the business and let them know that you’ll be featuring them on your site. Share the link and ask if they can add it to their site –creating the backlink!

They’re also likely to share it on social media, so remember to tag them on any social posts you create from the content.

When executed effectively, ego bait can not only attract valuable backlinks but also establish relationships with influential figures or brands in your industry, potentially leading to further collaboration and exposure.

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All that’s left for you is a quick polish, and you’re ready to publish. Don’t let time or inspiration hold you back – unleash the power of our AI content creator.

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Thought Leadership

If you have been actively searching for guest blogging opportunities, you may have come across some that are seeking experts on a specific topic. For example, there is a website called HARO, which stands for ‘Help a Reporter Out.’ You can offer your knowledge and expertise to publications to gain valuable and high-quality backlinks.

Other ways to do this are by carrying out original research, doing podcast interviews, speaking at relevant industry conferences, creating and posting infographics to your socials, etc.

Besides the backlinks, you will also benefit by better gaining your audience’s trust. Everybody wants to work with a savvy, well-spoken loan officer. Let’s also remember that high-quality content often leads to increased trust and higher rates of conversion.

Broken Link-Building

There are so many broken links on the web, and these can badly impact a website. Take some time to research sites in your industry that have broken links. The goal is to either create new content or use your existing content and encourage the webmaster of that website to replace the old content with your new content.

Before reaching out, always make sure that the content you are pitching adds value to the page and is not just there for the sake of link-building. Explain what value it will add to that page when you reach out.

Here is more information on broken link building. 

Do Directory Submissions

Directory sites are a great way to build links to your mortgage website. To get the most out of this tactic, you’ll want to create two lists: top general directories and industry-specific directories.

The general directories are those that every business should be listed in (ex. Google My Business, Yelp, Bing, etc.) plus any locale-specific directories. The niche-specific directories will be ones that are related to mortgage or real estate (ex. Zillow and MortgageBite).

When getting listed in directories, prioritize that that allows for a website URL. The ones without a URL are still good for exposure but will not help you with link-building.

Another thing to keep in mind is to ensure all of your company’s information is consistent throughout different directory sites; otherwise, this can negatively impact your SEO.

LenderHomePage: Empowering Loan Officers to Excel in the Digital Age

Unleash the power of link-building! Elevate your mortgage website’s authority and boost search rankings effortlessly with our AI-enabled mortgage content creator. Book a demo now and experience how our tools simplify the creation of quality content that attracts backlinks and builds your online presence.

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If you’ve been a loan officer for any number of years, you’re familiar with the ebbs and flows of the mortgage market. When things are good, they are very good. And other times, they are “less good.” Then there are times like the one we’re currently experiencing where it’s particularly challenging.

The good news is that all signs indicate we’re over the worst of it. The market has somewhat stabilized, and consumer confidence is on the rise. However, while the market is steadying and self-correcting, it’s still a far cry from a booming demand; profitable lead gen and conversion continue to be tough.

Thriving in the current environment and preparing for booming success when we’re on the upswing again means loan officers must adapt and innovate now.

You must take charge of the future by embracing change and finding new solutions that set you apart from the competition.

In this blog post, we’ll explore key strategies to help you become a successful loan officer in any market—from understanding your most lucrative channels to knowing how to leverage mortgage tech to win more referral partners. With our insider tips, you’ll be on your way to becoming a top-performing loan officer –no matter the market!

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Successful Loan Officer Lead Gen Strategies

Consider the following four recession-proof strategies to have a pipeline of consistent leads coming through.

1. Identify 3-4 marketing channels that bring in the most qualified leads.

When you focus on too many lead channels at once, it’s difficult to keep up, and you may spend too much time on marketing strategies that bring little to no return for your business. 

Instead, examine your analytics to understand which marketing channels are truly most successful at converting leads to customers. Your channels could include social media, co-marketing with existing realtor partners, paid leads, paid mortgage digital marketing, organic leads from Google searches, review sites, referrals, and social media platforms.

Examine which channels supply the most leads and have the highest/fastest conversions.

Filter it down to the top three or four that work best for your mortgage business, and see how you can take it a step further. Be sure to set smart, attainable goals which motivate you to work better towards them.

Since digital marketing is a major part of successful mortgage lead generation marketing, be sure to also check out our eBook on how to increase your digital presence online to gain more traffic and leads. The eBook also covers using mortgage loan officer marketing tools to your advantage, including leveraging social media platforms and search engines to find high-quality mortgage leads.

2. Establish new realtor relationships and nurture existing partnerships.

With higher rates and most mortgage transactions lying on the purchase side, you’ll want to consistently work to establish new realtor partners and add value to existing ones. Keeping regular contact with your realtor partners and continuously providing value is key to gaining more purchase leads. Sending a sporadic text or call to “check-in” and see if they have a prospective borrower they’d like to send your way is a poor and ineffective way to build a mutually beneficial relationship.

Instead, you must think of ways to positively contribute value to your existing realtor’s business, especially in the form of digital currency, such as content, tech tools, and marketing. Plus, you need a way to engage new realtors with a compelling reason to work with you. 

For example, originators using Loanzify Mobile App are able to co-brand the mortgage mobile app with their realtor partners to keep prospective buyers engaged with home searches, location-based mortgage payment calculators, and instant mortgage readiness checks – instrumental and advantageous features that consumers won’t find on other real estate apps like Zillow.  

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Going above and beyond to provide extraordinary value to your real estate partners is the only way to stand out and strengthen your relationship and is one of the best strategies for mortgage lead generation.

3. Leverage mortgage technology as a unique differentiator.

One aspect that will forever help your business stand out from your competitors is the technology you use and provide to your customers.

But this is where most companies get it wrong. It’s not just about having tech or even the latest tech (although legacy software is ill-advised).

The #1 benefit you want from your technology is providing customers with the best mortgage experience possible. Home financing is intimidating enough –it should not feel like a chore, too. Luckily, intuitive consumer-facing mortgage software from LenderHomePage helps homebuyers obtain home financing easily and quickly while making the journey exciting. 

If you resolve the issue of borrower experience better than your competitors can, you’ll close loans up to 5x faster. Not only that, but building out a stellar customer portfolio attracts other marketing-qualified leads, and you’ll be well on your way to success. 

4. Gain Insight into Your Local Market and Niche Opportunities

As a loan officer, staying informed about national mortgage trends is essential to providing excellent service to your clients. However, it’s equally important to understand your local market thoroughly. National headlines may not always apply to your region, and being aware of the nuances of your local market can help you identify revenue opportunities that might otherwise be missed.

One way to stay on top of your local market is to cultivate relationships with real estate agents in your area. These professionals are often the first point of contact for home buyers and can provide valuable insights into the current state of the market. And as mentioned above, real estate agents are a vital aspect of lead generation –particularly in a challenging market.

Another strategy is to track the data and metrics specific to your region. This can include things like the number of new home starts, the number of homes on the market, job market demands, and significant city improvements that may draw the attention of curious home shoppers. 

By staying up-to-date on these metrics, you can identify trends and changes in the market and adjust your strategies accordingly.

You can also use this information to create short blog posts to send out to your prospects and referral partners.

Wrapping up: How to stand out as a loan officer

Loan officers must stay informed of the current market shifts and use strategies such as optimizing their marketing channels, leveraging mortgage technology, building relationships with realtors, and understanding local markets to succeed. Whether in a booming market or a downturn, there are ways to remain competitive and profitable. 

Plus, being prepared should never be underrated when it comes to achieving long-term success as a loan officer—regardless of what type of environment you are working in.

So if you’re ready to take action, contact us at LenderHomePage today and get access to powerful digital tools that will give you an edge against all competitors in any market. We look forward to partnering with you to win.

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Picture this: Your ideal customer, a perfect fit for your target market, eagerly searches for “loan officers near me.” As they hit that search button, a multitude of relevant results floods their screen. The prospect starts scrolling and finds a select few local loan officers. Unfortunately, your business is nowhere to be seen.

Or worse yet, the prospect finds your site but quickly clicks out because it took too long to load –triggering Google to drop your site further and further down search results.

To prevent such nightmares from haunting your business, it’s imperative to keep up with the latest updates for local SEO optimization –particularly page speed. In recent years, page speed has emerged as one of the most critical factors influencing search rankings.

Like LenderHomepage, Google understands that page speed and User Experience work together and play a pivotal role in determining the quality of a website and, ultimately, conversions.

Missing this marker means certain doom for any website.

So take charge of your online presence and search ranking by ensuring that prospective borrowers looking for a local loan officer finds you on their first search. After all, according to Google, 81% of consumers use the search engine to search for a local business (Brightlocal, 2021).

Act now, and secure your spot in the local market to maximize your visibility and success with SEO optimization.

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But before implementing a local SEO strategy on your mortgage website, we need to step back and review something called “intent.” Google uses intent to judge what sort of search result the searcher wants. Is the searcher looking for information? Looking to buy? Looking to compare? All of this determines what type of content Google will display. Tying in “intent” with location further determines search results.

So let’s start there.

Understanding “local intent”

46% of all Google searches have some sort of local intent, and a whopping 97% of users will use Google to find a local business. (Safari Digital, 2021). Because of this, Google offers a handful of features to support geo-targeted searches. 

For example, when you search for ‘loan officers in (city name),’ Google will first display results from Google Maps listings and then showcase the traditional ‘10 results per page’ search results.

Now, let’s say that a particular searcher looked up ‘loan officers.’ Even though the user has not mentioned a location in their search query, Google may still display all the loan officers in the user’s area. Some users may even search ‘loan officers near me.’

Again, if the location is detected, Google will do its job of informing the searcher of all the loan officers near where they are located.

Then comes the underlying purpose of the intent of the search query. A transactional intent is where the searcher intends to purchase something now. While informational, commercial, or navigational are other types of intent categories. When it comes to drivers of traffic, those with informational and navigational seem to be the intents with the most volume. When it comes to sales, transactional intent is the big winner –which isn’t surprising since someone that is looking to “apply now” will do just that (it’s just a matter of where).

Now that you have an understanding of the mindset of intent and how that works with the searcher’s location, let’s move on to the strategies to optimize your website to gain local traffic.

Best loan officer strategies for SEO: Your Plan for Implementing Local SEO

Improve Page Speed for Instant SEO Boost

Page speed, also known as load speed, plays a critical role in SEO by determining how fast a page’s content appears. Different factors, like web hosting and page size, affect how quickly a page loads, and this can vary between desktop and mobile versions. Faster loading times improve SEO because it enhances the user experience –essentially, the longer the load time, the more likely it is for a user to click out. 

So if Google detects that a page takes longer than 3 seconds to load, the search engine will drop your ranking. Conversely, a mortgage site with optimized load speed will get an instant SEO boost.

There are several strategies that you can implement to improve your page speed. The easiest one would be to use a mortgage website platform that addresses these factors for you, but if you prefer to hire a developer to work on your existing site, these are items you’ll want to overhaul:

• Optimize image files: Compress images to reduce their file size without compromising quality.
• Minify code: Remove unnecessary characters, whitespace, and comments from JavaScript, CSS, and HTML files to make them smaller and load faster.
• Reduce HTTP requests: Combine or eliminate unnecessary scripts, stylesheets, and other resources to minimize the number of requests the browser needs to make.
• Enable browser caching: Configure caching headers to allow the browser to store certain elements of your website, reducing the need to download them on subsequent visits.
• Use a content delivery network (CDN): Distribute your website’s content across multiple servers geographically to deliver it to users from the server closest to their location, reducing latency.
• Optimize server response time: Improve the server’s processing speed and reduce the time it takes to respond to requests from the browser.
• Minimize redirects: Reduce the number of redirects on your website to minimize the additional time required for the browser to reach the final destination.

Add location-based keywords to your website copy.

We all know that the right keywords are what bring the traffic in. So do your research! There are a handful of free keyword research tools that you can use to find out what the hot local keywords related to your industry are. Here are some of our favorites.

Google Search Console: Search Console is free to set up for any business, and the tool has many benefits. You can see the number of impressions, clicks, and average position for each of your web pages, and you can filter the timeline for when you want Google to gather the results. 

If you go to the ‘Queries’ section, you can see what search terms people are searching for, where your website shows up, and what position you are in for that search query. This is helpful because if you are showing up as the 80th result for a local search term, you know you need to optimize for that search query better.

Free Keyword Planners: There are several free keyword research tools out there to try. Most limit the results displayed on the free versions. However, they present a fair enough amount of data to be a valuable resource. 

Google Keyword Planner: Although built for Google Ads, you can still get a pretty good idea of what keywords are good for regular organic search copy.

Google Suggest and Related Searches: Did you know you do not need to use an external third-party tool to research your keyword? Google itself presents suggestions and related searches when you type in a topic into the search engine. 

The suggestions are presented as you are typing in the query. For example, if you are typing in ‘loan officer…’, Google may suggest that you search for ‘loan officers near me’ or ‘loan officers in California.’ That should give you some ideas for local keywords. As for related searches, you can find these when you go to the bottom of the search results page. The page will give you very similar ideas to the Google Suggest feature.

You can even ask your friends and loved ones for local keyword ideas! Ask them what they would search for if they were looking for local loan officers.

Keep in mind that optimizing your mortgage website for local SEO is one of the best lead-generation strategies for mortgage lenders too!

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Optimize your web pages for on-page SEO.

This is where you go all in and ensure your local keywords from step one are integrated into your website. There are many ways you can do this. The best place to start is your contact page. Do you have your physical address on your contact page? This would also be a great place to add headings such as ‘Best Loan Officer in (your city, state).’ 

Along with your contact page, make sure that the headings throughout your website have a healthy amount of local keywords added in. Do your title tags and meta descriptions mention your location? 

This is one of the best ways for your audience to find you. Of course, you’ll also want to optimize your blog articles, loan program pages, and images with alt tags!

Tip: Don’t forget to optimize for voice searches! A good way to do this is by adding questions that people often search for in your headings. You can use www.answerthepublic.com to find out what types of questions people search for regarding your topic.

Make your mortgage website responsive and mobile-friendly.

Although this is easy to miss, you want to ensure that your mortgage website is mobile-friendly. This is because many search engines, such as Google, have mobile-first indexing.

Use a free tool from Google Search Console called the Mobile-Friendly Test to ensure your site is up to speed and has no issues rendering on mobile. Hint: If you use a LenderHomePage mortgage site, you can rest assured that it’s responsive and mobile-friendly!

Create a Google Business profile

Creating a Google Business profile opens up another opportunity to bring in local traffic. This will allow you to appear in the Google Maps results that list all the registered businesses in the area. It is completely free to create a business profile on Google. 

When creating your profile, make sure that you add high-resolution pictures of your business with good lighting, have a proper description that compliments your business, describe your offerings, request your best clients to leave reviews, and make sure that your address, hours of operation, and name of your business are correct. 

The more relevant your description is to what your audience is searching for, the more likely it is to appear higher in the Google Maps results. 

Then, you need to monitor your listing every now and then and make any changes as needed.

Tip: Along with asking your best clients to leave reviews on your Google Business listing, you can also request them to leave a review on other directories such as Yelp, Trustpilot, etc. However, you don’t want to pay for reviews. Make sure the reviews are authentic and not spam-like.

Don’t forget directory sites

Once you have tackled the Google Business listing, you can move on to getting your business listed on other directory sites such as Yelp and Yellowpages.com. 

The most important thing to remember when listing your business on these sites is that the information must be consistent on every website. This helps Google recognize your business more easily to help it rank higher for relevant search terms. 

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Build high-quality local links to your website

Link-building is a process in which one website links to another site, giving the linked site more SEO value. When doing link-building outreach to secure links on other sites, you first want to ensure that the website you’re trying to build links on is relevant to your niche. 

So a high-traffic informational website on the latest films and TV shows will not be relevant for your mortgage business. However, given the right content and context, linking to a local home contractor or pet adoption website might be perfect.

Reach out to the top local publications and businesses in your area, and see if they are willing to partner with you in some way so that you can give them an opportunity to link to your website. 

You also want to remember to build links on sites with a higher domain authority score. Tools such as Ahrefs and Semrush are great for finding out the Domain score of a website. 

Link-building is not an easy process and will require a great deal of patience and effort. However, if your efforts are consistent, you will certainly start seeing your rankings improve in search engines.

Post on your social media channels to boost engagement

Many homeowners lurk around on social media, so you must make your business visible on all the social channels you can think of. Plus, Bing search engine – which still holds about 10% of all internet traffic –uses social media as a factor in their search ranking. Posting frequent and relevant content can get challenging for a single LO, so consider using an intern or a scheduling tool to plan ahead. This, at the very least, can help take some of the load off of your plate.

For a more comprehensive solution, use a mortgage marketing specialist who can do the heavy lifting. Check out our social media marketing service for more information. 

It helps eliminate competition from businesses farther away from you, and you can further optimize for local SEO with Google Maps. Did you know that 86% of consumers rely on Google Maps to find the location of a business (Backlinko, 2020)? 

There is no reason you should wait to optimize your website to garner local traffic and the traffic you already get. Want to learn more about optimizing your digital presence? Read this previously published article about social media marketing for loan officers. 

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