Is Your Website Enough to WIN in 2022?
Sep 22, 2022
Mortgage websites are unlike traditional business websites. As a highly regulated industry, lenders have a slew of compliance requirements in addition to state and federal regulations like the CCPA in California and WCAG 2.0 across the nation.
But having a mortgage-compliant website isn’t the only thing you have to worry about.
A mortgage professional’s website must also incorporate crucial structural, design, marketing, branding, and functional elements –all while delivering a borrower experience that delights and converts!
Does your current site meet the standards of 2022 consumers?
Check out this list of the most critical and essential elements your site should have right now.
Essential Elements of a Mortgage Website
Clear Site Navigation and Architecture
Several avenues may lead a user to your site. Google My Business could have directed them to your homepage, or maybe a search query landed them on one of your mortgage blog articles.
Or perhaps a real estate partner or former client forwarded them an email resulting in the user clicking over to your site. Where ever the user came from, it’s important that they can easily find what they are looking for.
Navigation should be located both at the top and bottom of the site. Nest categories in the menu to minimize clutter and include a link to a site map at the footer.
Also, make sure the navigation is intuitive to the visitor’s device.
Visible Call-to-Action (CTA)
Again, depending on the page the user landed on and their intent, you’ll want to provide clear direction as to what to do next, and there are several key spots where you want to include a CTA.
Your homepage should include a lead capture form, and it’s good practice to have an apply now at the top of your navigation –visible on every page they visit on your site. Including a CTA at the end of every article and a lead capture form on key evergreen content is also an excellent idea.
The CTA can vary in wording, but essentially you want to encourage the user to continue through the sales funnel and get closer to completing an application. This can be accomplished by:
Telling them to contact you for more details on a particular program
- Pre-qualify using your online form
- Download your mortgage mobile app
- Subscribe to your newsletter
- Read more articles about a specific topic on your blog
Mobile-Friendly Version
There’s some confusion about what constitutes a “mobile-free” website. Mobile-friendly isn’t just about its site resizing to fit on a smaller screen. According to Google, a website must have these features to be classified “mobile-friendly” by their Google bots:
- Avoids software not commonly used on mobile devices –like Flash.
- Uses text that is readable without zooming.
- Content fits the screen without requiring users to scroll horizontally or zoom to view
- Places the links far enough apart so that the user can tap on the correct one easily.
Well-Defined Mortgage Business Brand
Your brand is what makes you memorable and unique. From a mortgage consumer’s perspective, a well-defined brand makes them feel at ease and familiar.
It can also give them a sense of happiness and satisfaction -both rooted in the emotional connection that digital consumers build with brands they find trustworthy.
When it comes to your website, make sure that you communicate your brand throughout your site –from your logo and tagline to mission statement and “about us” pages.
Even font and color scheme elements communicate your brand to the digital consumer, so be mindful of that when customizing your mortgage website.
Mortgage Content and Resources
Many loan applications begin with questions like, “how do I…?” or “the truth about…” or something similar. In other words, it’s unlikely that a digital consumer landed on your site because looking to apply for a loan at that time.
A consumer typically lands on a mortgage site researching loan or real estate services and topics, making it essential to have a library of well-written informational articles on your site. Note that relevant content goes hand-in-hand with your SEO efforts and search engine ranking.
Reviews From Previous Happy Clients
Positive reviews from past clients underscore a phenomenon called social proof. Social proof is the idea that others place a higher value on something simply because someone else has placed a high value on it.
Social proof also encourages people to follow suit. In other words, if a prospect is unsure if using your services is the correct course of action, seeing that someone else had used your services and was happy with the result will reinforce the idea using your services is the best action to take.
So while positive reviews raise the trust factor, reviews also make your services more valuable and desirable. This is why this element is necessary for your site.
Pre-Designed Mortgage Websites by LenderHomePage
A well-built mortgage website that connects to a digital consumer takes more than just looks.
It must also be compliant, well-branded, and positioned as a reliable, professional resource for all mortgage needs –all of that in addition to easy to navigate and designed to capture leads!
Our flagship product, mortgage websites, is still one of our most highly-praised digital mortgage assets. We’ve maintained this reputation by consistently improving and evolving with the needs of our clients, their digital borrowers, and search engine trends.
Explore our gallery of templated mortgage sites –including designs tailored for personal branding –and try it free for 14 days.