A website is often a potential client’s first impression of you, so it needs to look professional, modern, and clean. With so many bad (and we mean awful) mortgage websites out there, we thought we’d round up some of our favorites and also tell you what makes them good.
Why Mortgage Websites are Important
If you don’t have a mortgage website, you’re behind the competition. For today’s loan officer, this is a necessity, not a luxury. If you don’t have a mortgage website, clients may wonder why you’re not willing to invest in your business.
A website is also the perfect place to collect emails so you can continue to market to people. You can encourage people to request more information about a purchase or refinance. It’s also a place where you can share resources, giving people the information they need to make a decision about getting a mortgage.
What Makes a Good Mortgage Website
You might be wondering what features make up a good mortgage website. Here’s what we were looking for when we made this list:
Features (10 points each)
Team Directory
It’s a good idea to let people familiarize themselves with your team and the people they’ll be working with while getting their loan.
Social Proof
Social proof helps people see why they should work with you over other mortgage companies. Social proof includes testimonials (even better with pictures or videos), awards, and organizations you’re a part of.
Defined Sales Funnels
Sales funnels help guide your clients to do what you want them to do. You want to bring people to your website, get them to interact with your content, and then ask them to schedule a consultation with you so they can apply for a loan.
Lead Magnets/Forms
Lead magnets are the perfect way to get people’s contact info (usually email address) so you can market to them over time. This is key for nurturing clients who are not yet ready to close. When the time comes, they’ll remember you if you’ve stayed in touch with them.
Loan Products Info
People are hungry for information, so make sure you give it to them. Tell them which purchase and refinance options might be good for them.
Display Rates on Site
This is something not many websites do, and it’s something clients really want to know. Current rates can be updated automatically, too.
Interactive Calculators
We’re not talking about your typical lame mortgage calculator here. We’re talking about a fully interactive calculator that’s actually fun to use.
Good SEO
Search engine optimization, or SEO, is really important if you want your website and content to show up in search engine results.
User Experience (5 points each)
Mobile-responsive Website
Over 50% of web traffic is now mobile, and that number will likely continue to rise. If people get frustrated by your site because they have to pinch and zoom on their phones, you’ve caused them unnecessary problems.
Mobile-responsive Application
Ditto to the mobile-responsive application. If you have an application on your site, it better be something that can be filled out on a phone.
Clean, Professional Design
So many mortgage sites are cluttered, overwhelming, and dated. Having a clean, professional design showcases how professional you are, too.
Non-stock Photography
There is plenty of stock photography out there, but it’s worth taking the time to find photography that doesn’t look like it (even if it is). Stock photography gets old really quick. Bonus points if you have real pictures to go with testimonials or pictures of your team engaging with customers and around the office.
Infused Company Culture
What is it like to work with YOU and your company? Let people know what they can expect when they interact with you.
Easy to Navigate
Nothing is more frustrating than a site that’s confusing to navigate. Remember, simple is always better than clever. Here are 22 principals of good website navigation.
Fast-loading
The longer people have to wait for your site to load, the more likely they are to leave. Plus, a slow website also hurts your SEO. Google aims to load in under half a second! While you don’t have to be as fast as Google, your site should fully load in under three seconds.
Secure Site (HTTPS)
Here’s a great article about why you should secure your site, but basically, you want the information people give you to be secure and private.
Total Possible Score: 120
For the sites below, we scored them based on this criteria. We also included things we liked that went above this criteria, as well as things we’d add or change.
Need Some Help with Mortgage Websites?
After seeing the modern, sleek mortgage websites below, let us know if you’re thinking you really need one of your own! You might be interested in one of our mortgage websites. They’ll get you well on your way toward better marketing.
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