How A Good Website Benefits Your Mortgage Business
Who needs a website? If you are in the mortgage business, you do.
Some potential customers prefer the old-fashioned approach, but a growing number of consumers not only prefer online contact, they expect a high-quality website that showcases your products, services, and credibility. A substandard website reflects poorly on your business – and lack of a website suggests that you are out of touch with today’s mortgage consumer and not a trustworthy option.
Consider the ways in which a quality website pays dividends.
Expanding Your Audience
Many younger consumers prefer online searches as a means of finding potential mortgage providers. Since younger homebuyers are more likely to be first-timers, this is the demographic you need to grow your business. Attract young buyers and serve them well, and you may have loyal customers for years to come.
First Impressions
Online consumers can make a snap judgment within the first few seconds of accessing your website. A good first impression is critical, as it helps establish credibility.
Make sure that your site is aesthetically pleasing but still informative. Put some thought into the construction of your site. Review competing websites for a frame of reference. Put yourself in the shoes of a first-time homebuyer – and if you can’t objectively do that, ask a friend outside the industry to give you honest feedback. Have you made all the information that a customer needs available and easy to access?
Ensure that you list items like your NMLS#, full contact info, and your social media links. Include a privacy policy, terms and conditions, and all legal and other content that makes it abundantly clear that you are a credible, established business. Testimonials are a good addition, or links to your Yelp page if it reflects well on you.
Online Convenience
Is your site interactive? Include an interactive tool or FAQ that helps the borrower understand what kind of situation they’re in, and then helps guide them to the most useful and relevant information. Tailor your content to the key borrower segments that you want to address. Make it easy for a customer to quickly receive answers to questions and to fill out an online application, and you have a much higher likelihood of converting a speculative lead into a successful mortgage loan.
Try to make your site easily distinguish its value. Why is it better than the other options in this crowded space?
Keep your site user-friendly and compatible with current browsers and mobile devices. Make certain that it works on iPhones, Android phones and various tablets. Invest the resources into keeping your website in top condition, and you’re likely to see a payoff in increased mortgage conversions.
Useful Information
By making your site engaging and informative, you can develop a regular following. If you offer sound advice and good tips on your local market, potential customers will be drawn to your site – both those who are looking for a home now and those who plan to shop in the future.
The more relevant content you have, the higher you should rank in search engine optimization (SEO) results for Google. The higher quality the site, with more relevant content, the better the organic search results should be in all the search engines, including Bing and Yahoo. By investing in quality content, you can save on Search Engine Marketing (SEM) by reaping more from SEO.
A blog can be an excellent way to keep your customers informed while establishing your mortgage business as the place to go when they are ready to enter the market. You’ll build a base of useful information while increasing the likelihood of turning up in an online search. Make sure to archive your past content so customers can refer to previous blogs.
Don’t Be Left Out
There’s one final reason why a website is important – most, if not all, of your competitors already have one. Without a website, you are at a significant disadvantage; with a poor website, you aren’t much better off. But if your website is able to facilitate digital lending better than the rest, that gives you a leg up.
See how your site compares to your direct competitors. If it doesn’t compare well, put in the work necessary to make your site tops in search engine results, quality content, and interactive tools. If you’re already there, keep up the good work!
