A mortgage website is just the beginning of effective internet mortgage marketing.  If you want to establish an online presence that will help you connect with borrowers and generate leads, you’ll need to develop a tactical search engine optimization (SEO) plan to support your site.

SEO is complex and often difficult to understand.  Some major SEO principals for mortgage websites are outlined below.

1.  Backlinks boost your rank.  Links on other websites that point back to yours tell search engines such as Google that your site is getting noticed and is worth viewing.  The higher you rank, the more you’ll be seen.

2.  Search engines love content.  Provide as much information as possible about what you do and the industry you’re in.  In the mortgage industry, provide consumer advice or industry stats or charts outlining current mortgage rates.

3.  New content is good.  The older your content, the less powerful it is.  If you update your site with fresh content on a regular basis, search engines will recognize that your site is worth watching.

4.  Optimize your content with relevant keywords.  Research the keywords that will best describe your site and lead searchers to it.  Include these keywords in your content and across your page as often as possible.

5.  Measure the results.  Use Google Analytics or other analytical software to keep track of your traffic.

These points just skim the surface of quality SEO.  Best practices change all the time, and as a result, it’s important to stay updated on what works and what doesn’t.