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How to Format Articles for Your Website

jacksonmiddleton@gmail.com (Jackson Middleton) — Wed, 12 Apr 2023 11:22:06 GMT

Context note: As Deploy works primarily with Canadian Mortgage Professionals, this content has been written with that target audience in mind and published on Deploy.Mortgage, but we've shared it here as well as many of the concepts are transferrable to any business.

Understanding how to format articles for your mortgage website is pretty straightforward when you consider the following:

The psychology of content consumption
Best practices in formatting website content
Benefits of consistent formatting

Here is some information that will show you how to write content for your website that connects with clients and encourages them to start the process of working with you. If you'd like to outsource the writing of your website content, we'd love to work with you. Consider subscribing to any of our content packages.

The psychology of content consumption

To better understand how to format content for your mortgage website, it's best to start with the psychology of why and how people consume content. This can be complex and multifaceted. However, some key factors that influence content consumption include:

Motivation: People consume content based on their current needs and goals. For example, suppose someone has been thinking about investing in real estate and come across an article on social media explaining the process of investing in rental properties. In that case, they'd be motivated to read/skim that article.
Relevance: People are more likely to consume content relevant to their interests, needs, and values. If a person is interested in a specific topic or has a particular problem they are trying to solve, they are more likely to engage with content that addresses those interests or issues.
Ease of access: People are more likely to consume content that is easily accessible. This can include content that is free and easy to find, such as through a regular email newsletter or social media platforms.
Trust: People are more likely to consume content from a trusted source. This can include content from experts in a particular field, someone they follow on social media, friends, and family members.
Engagement: People are more likely to consume content that is engaging and invites them to connect with you directly. You should always finish your article with an invitation to connect with you to learn more.
Format: The format of the content can also affect consumption. People tend to consume content in a format that is most comfortable for them, whether it be text, audio, or video.

It is important to consider these factors when creating content, as they can influence how successful the content is at connecting with an audience.

Best practices in formatting website content

So as a mortgage professional, how do you format content or an article in a way that shares your knowledge as a professional and invites potential clients to take the next step in working with you? You should format an informative article for a website in the following way:

Title: The title of your article should be self-explanatory as to the subject matter you'll be addressing.
Introduction: Begin with a brief overview of the topic. Summarize what you're going to say throughout the article. Don't expect that people will read everything, so if your goal is to provide value, give it to them immediately.
Education: Provide detailed information on the subject matter. Format the article with headings and lists to allow people to scan and go in depth where it interests them.
Personalization: Use real-life examples and case studies to illustrate the information provided and make it more relatable to the reader. Of course, keep client information confidential.
Conclusion: Summarize the article's key points and reiterate the benefits of working with a mortgage professional. Indicate that they can connect with you to learn more about the article's subject matter.
Call to Action: Encourage the reader to take the next step by connecting with you to start the process of working together. Include a clear and prominent call to action.

Benefits of consistent formatting

Formatting your articles in a consistent manner will have several benefits for both the readers and your business:

Improved readability: A consistent format makes it easier for readers to scan and read your content, leading to improved engagement and retention of the information.
Branding: Consistency in formatting can help to establish a strong brand identity. Using the same font, colours, headings, and layouts will create a recognizable and memorable look and feel that can help build trust and credibility with readers.
Professionalism: Consistency in formatting can convey a sense of professionalism and attention to detail, making readers more likely to trust and engage with the content.
Navigation: Consistently formatted articles can make it easier for readers to navigate the content and find the information they are looking for.
Increased retention: Consistency in formatting can help readers remember the content and the brand, increasing the chances that they will return to the website or take action after reading the content.
Efficiency: Consistently formatting articles will save time for you as you can use templates and workflows to create new content faster.

Overall, formatting articles in a consistent manner will help to create a more professional and trustworthy image for the business, as well as make it easier for readers to engage with and retain the information presented in the articles.

Syndicated Content Subscription

If your time is more valuable writing mortgages than writing content for your website, consider subscribing to any of our content packages. We have a growing library of articles that can be published on your website and scheduled on your blog. We also have landing pages formatted to target niche client demographics.

We do all the work, so you don’t have to. Let us handle everything for you! Learn more here.

User Experience (UX) for a Website

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 12:00:08 GMT

If you're unfamiliar with User Experience or UX, it refers to the overall experience a person has when interacting with a product or service, such as a website or mobile app. This includes the product's design, layout, content, and functionality, as well as how easy it is to use and navigate.

UX design is an interdisciplinary field that involves understanding and applying principles from various fields, including psychology, sociology, and computer science. UX design aims to create products that are easy to use, efficient, and enjoyable for the user.

The UX design process typically includes research to understand the needs and goals of the target audience, prototyping and testing of different design options, and implementation and iteration based on user feedback. The result is a product that meets the user's needs and provides a positive experience.

UX on your website's main page

In the context of building a website for the Canadian mortgage professional looking to convert more referrals online, UX is most importantly displayed on the website's front page. So if you're looking to be preferable and encourage site visitors to connect with you directly for mortgage financing, here are several key elements to consider.

A clear and compelling value proposition: The main page of your website should clearly communicate the value you offer to your clients. This can be in the form of a headline or tagline that highlights your unique selling point.
A professional and engaging design: The design of your main page should be professional and engaging, with a clean and polished layout, consistent typography, and appropriate use of colour.
A clear call-to-action: Your main page should have a clear and prominent call-to-action, such as a button or link, that encourages clients to contact you or learn more about your services.
Testimonials and customer reviews: Including customer testimonials and reviews on the main page can help to build trust and credibility with visitors.
High-quality images and videos: Using high-quality photos and videos can help to communicate your skills and abilities and make the website more visually appealing.
Contact information: Having easily accessible contact information, such as a phone number and email address, can help visitors feel more comfortable reaching out to you.
Social proof: Having links to your social media profiles or showing the number of followers can help to establish your presence and reputation in your field.
Clear and concise information: The main page should provide concise and clear information about what you do, how you do it and the benefits for the client.
Navigation: The main page should have a straightforward and easy-to-use navigation menu that helps visitors find the information they need quickly and easily.

By including these elements on your main page, you can create a professional and engaging online presence that encourages clients to connect with you and ultimately lead to more business opportunities.

UX throughout your website

A good user experience on a website is intuitive, efficient, and enjoyable for the site visitor. Some key elements that contribute to a positive UX include:

Clear and consistent navigation: A website should have a clear and consistent navigation menu that is easy to use and understand. This helps users find the information they need quickly and easily. We've written about this previously here.
Intuitive design: The design of a website should be intuitive and logical so that users can find what they are looking for without having to think too much. This includes using a clear and consistent layout, typography, and imagery.
Use of white space: Proper use of white space can help to create a sense of balance and hierarchy on a website, making it easier for users to scan and read the content.
Mobile-responsive design: A website should work well on different devices, including smartphones and tablets. This ensures that users have a good experience regardless of how they access the website.
Personalization: A website should offer a personalized experience to users where possible. You can speak directly to a specific client demographic by using landing pages. For example, if you do a lot of business with First Time Home Buyers, consider a landing page that speaks directly to their needs.

A website can provide a positive and enjoyable user experience by focusing on these elements, leading to increased engagement and conversions.

Showcase yourself as a professional

While UX talks about the experience site visitors have on your website, it only makes sense to discuss what they find when they're there. Your goal should be a website that showcases your qualifications and abilities as a mortgage professional and should ideally contain the following key features:

A clear and professional design that is easy to navigate.
Language and words that speak directly to your site visitor's needs. They are on your website because they need a mortgage. You must communicate with them in a way that shows them you understand their needs and have the solution to their problem.
Contact information, including an email address, phone number, chatbot, application link, or calendar embed. The goal is to drive site visitors to connect with you. The more options they have to do so will improve your conversation.
A recently updated blog section that keeps visitors up-to-date and provides them with proof that you're actively brokering (if you haven't updated your blog since April of 2019, people will likely think you're no longer brokering and won't reach out)
Information about your areas of expertise and the services you offer. If you specialize in working with a particular client demographic, highlight that on your website. Landing pages are a great way to do this.
Reviews, ratings and testimonials from previous clients, if possible. Embedding testimonials form your Google Business Listings, or Facebook profile is a great way to go.
Social media links allow visitors to connect with you on other platforms.

Having these features on a website will help visitors to get a good understanding of your qualifications, experience, and the type of work you do, which will help them to make an informed decision about whether they want to connect with you.

At Deploy, we build websites with UX in mind, showcasing you as a mortgage professional and giving site visitors every opportunity to reach out to you. Our team will build your site on our predesigned template (built with UX in mind), publish content to your blog, manage site security, and update the site whenever you need, all for a small monthly subscription fee. Please take a look at our mortgage website and content options here. We’d love to work with you!

What is a Hero Section on a Website?

jacksonmiddleton@gmail.com (Jackson Middleton) — Wed, 29 Mar 2023 16:21:40 GMT

A hero section on a website is typically the large, prominently-displayed area of the homepage that is used to showcase important information. It might also be referred to as "the section above the fold" on a website.

As the hero section is often the first thing a user sees when they visit a website, it is intended to capture their attention and encourage them to explore the site further. The hero section should include elements such as a large background image or video, a headline, and calls to action.

The goal of your hero section is to immediately connect with the site visitor and communicate the following three things:

Identify who you are. You need to give them confidence that if they've found you from a Google search, they are indeed where they need to be.
Assure site visitors that you have the solution to their problem. They have come to your website because they need a mortgage. You have 5 seconds to clearly indicate that you can help them arrange mortgage financing.
Let them know exactly how to start the process of working with you. This means you should prominently have a call to action button under your headline.

The hero section of your website should typically include a few key elements to effectively capture the site visitor's attention and encourage them to explore the site further. These elements may include:

A clear and attention-grabbing headline: This should be a short, concise statement that communicates your website's value or main benefit.
A visually striking background: This can be an image or video that is large and prominently displayed and sets the website's tone and style. Typically, you want to display happy people enjoying the product/lifestyle you're promoting. As mortgages are boring, it's best to focus on what the mortgage helps accomplish, the dream of homeownership.
A call to action: This is a button or link that encourages the user to take a specific action. Tell site visitors exactly how they can reach you.
Supporting information: This could be a short description or tagline that provides more context or information about your services.
Navigation: Clear navigation lets the user know where to go next and explore more of the website. Learn more about the essential features of website navigation here.

It's important to note that the hero section should be visually appealing, easy to understand and guide the user's attention to your specific call to action.

As the headline of the hero section is critical in capturing the attention of site visitors, let's look at how you write a good headline for your website. Writing a good headline for the hero section of a website involves a few key considerations:

Keep it short and sweet: A headline should be brief and to the point, ideally no more than a few words.
Use action words: Use words that encourage the user to take action, such as "Discover" or "Learn. "You should also try to convey that while there is sometimes confusion around mortgage financing, you can simplify the process or make mortgage financing easy.
Be clear and specific: Use specific language that communicates the value or benefit of the website and the services you offer, rather than vague or abstract phrases. Don't try and be cute. Be clear. If you confuse site visitors, your website won't convert referrals into clients.
Use strong keywords: Use keywords relevant to the website or product that will help users find the site through search engines. It is a good idea to make mention of your geographic location in the supporting information section.
Make it stand out: Use formatting, such as bold or large text, to make the headline stand out and catch the user's attention.

A good headline for a website's hero section should convey the website's primary message or value proposition in a clear, concise and attention-grabbing way.

Here are a few examples of good headlines for a Canadian mortgage professional:

"Get the Best Mortgage To Meet Your Needs"
"Let Me Help You Get the Best Mortgage Available "
"Finance Your Dream Home with My/Our Expert Mortgage Advice"
"Easily Navigate the Mortgage Process with My/Our Help"
"First-time Homebuyer? Let us guide you through the Mortgage process"
"Refinance your Mortgage and Save Thousands"
"Find the right Mortgage for your needs"
"Your Trusted Partner in Canadian Mortgage Financing"
"Mortgage Financing Made Easy"

These headlines are designed to grab potential clients' attention, convey the mortgage professional's value and expertise, and encourage potential clients to take action and explore the services offered.

If you’re a Canadian mortgage professional looking to better your online presence with a professionally designed website, we'd love to work with you. In fact, our Essential Mortgage Website has been designed with your needs in mind.

While the hero section is only one part of the site, and we’ve written an entire article about how to build an effective website hero section, you can be assured that we’ve put this much attention to detail in every area of sites we make for our clients.

Go ahead and check out our website subscriptions here. We can get started working with you right away.

Should Your Business Be on Social Media?

Fri, 17 Mar 2023 16:23:00 GMT

Should you be posting on social media? That’s a tricky question to answer. Like anything marketing related, you get out of it what you put in. But the answer is likely yes, yes, you should be posting on social media. To what extent and how you publish the content is up to you.

However, if you’re a Canadian mortgage professional looking to build a solid social media strategy, any plan you put together should start with the following:

Identifying and targeting the right audience
Actively posting content on a regular schedule
Creating a consistent brand identity

If your time is more valuable writing mortgages than publishing posts on social media, consider outsourcing your social media scheduling to a reputable company. Be sure that they are a company that is familiar with the Canadian mortgage industry. Assuming your website has the appropriate landing pages and mortgage content, setting up regular posts on social media will help you become more referable online and grow your mortgage business.

Identifying and targeting the right audience

Identifying the right target audience on social media is an essential step in creating an effective social media strategy. Here are a few ways to go about identifying the right target audience:

Define your target market: Start by identifying the demographic characteristics of your ideal customer, such as age, gender, income, education level, and location. This will give you a general idea of who your target audience is.
Analyze your current customer base: Look at your current customer base and identify patterns among those who have worked with you previously. Consider what they have in common and use that information to define your target audience more precisely.
Research your competition: Look at the social media accounts of your competitors and take note of the demographics of their followers. This can give you an idea of who is interested in your industry and what content resonates with them.
Use social media analytics tools: Most social media platforms have built-in analytics tools that allow you to track engagement, reach, and other metrics. Use these tools to gather data on your audience and identify patterns.
Use social listening tools: Social listening tools allow you to track mentions of your brand and related keywords across social media. This can give you an idea of the topics and conversations that your target audience is interested in.
Conduct surveys or polls: Ask your current followers about their interests, demographics and pain points. This can give you a more detailed understanding of your audience.

By identifying the right target audience, you can create landing pages and content that resonates with them and increases engagement. Additionally, this research will help you to better understand what social media platforms they are using, so you can focus on the right platform and save time and resources.

Actively posting content on a regular schedule

While it’s assumed that social media is active engagement with clients, there is a passive component to it as well. Social media accounts are where potential clients can “check you out online” to see if you are someone they want to do business with.

Actively posting on social media will enhance your online presence and make you more referable in several ways:

Increased visibility and reach: Regularly posting on social media can increase your visibility and reach by putting your brand in front of people who know you, like you, and trust you. If someone has been referred to you, this can help you to attract new followers and potential clients.
Building brand awareness: By consistently sharing valuable and relevant content, you can position yourself as an expert in your industry and increase brand awareness and trust.
Increases your referability. Social media accounts like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Google Business Listing are used as a place to assess you online. By publishing regular mortgage-related content to your social media platforms, you indicate to potential clients that you want their business.
Increased website traffic: When you post on social media, you should include links to your website. This can drive more traffic to your website, which can help to improve your search engine rankings and increase the visibility of your brand.
Improved social proof: creating a strategy to generate reviews on Google Business Listing is a great way to showcase social proof by showing potential clients that you’re actively meeting the needs of your existing customers.

By actively posting on social media, you create a consistent online presence and establish your brand as an authority in the mortgage industry. It also allows you to engage with your audience (if you’re present there) and build relationships with them, which can help to increase brand loyalty and help turn referrals into clients.

Creating a consistent brand identity

Creating a consistent brand identity online is crucial for building trust and credibility with your audience. Here are a few steps you can take to create a consistent brand identity:

Define your brand: Start by identifying the key elements of your brand, such as your mission, values, and unique selling points. This will provide a foundation for all of your online messaging and content.
Develop a visual identity: Develop a visual identity for your brand by creating a logo, colour scheme, and other visual elements that will be used consistently across all online channels.
Establish a consistent voice and tone: The voice and tone of your online content should be consistent and reflective of your brand. It should align with your target audience and the overall messaging of your brand.
Use a consistent template: Use a consistent template for your website, social media profiles, and other online channels to ensure that all of your online properties have a consistent look and feel.
Create brand guidelines: Create brand guidelines that specify the elements of your brand identity and how they should be used. These guidelines should be shared with anyone creating content for your brand.
Implement cross-channel consistency: It is essential to ensure that your brand is consistent across all your online channels, from your website to your social media, email marketing and other online presence.
Use consistent language, messaging and visuals: Make sure you use the same language, messaging and visuals across all your online channels. This includes the text and images on your website, social media posts, and email marketing campaigns.

By creating a consistent brand identity online, you can help to build trust and credibility with your audience and make it easier for them to recognize and remember your brand. It will also help to make you more referable and memorable.

In Summary

Whether you decide to publish posts to your own social media account or hire a reputable company to handle that for you, identifying and targeting the right audience, actively publishing content on a regular schedule, and creating a consistent brand identity will undoubtedly help you establish a better online presence and grow your mortgage business.

When you sign up for any of our subscriptions, we provide you with a social media scheduling platform through our Deploy Command Base. If you’re new to social media and have the time to figure it out, our DIY platform is a great place to start.

If you’re looking for content to share socially, our website and content package is likely a great fit for you. With weekly blog posts, landing pages, articles and resources published on your site, you’ll have all the content necessary to establish a social presence.

If you’d like us to take over and manage the publishing of your content socially, we can do that for you. Our social media management subscription is where you want to be! We’d love to work with you. Get started now!

The Difference Between Unique, Syndicated, and Duplicate Content.

jacksonmiddleton@gmail.com (Jackson Middleton) — Wed, 15 Mar 2023 16:21:44 GMT

Generally speaking, there are three main categories of content you can publish to your website. Unique content, syndicated content, and duplicate content. Let's look at the differences and see what type of content best suits your needs.

Unique Content

Unique website content refers to the content on a website that is original and has not been published elsewhere. This can include a wide variety of types of content, such as:

Articles, blog posts, and news updates that are written by the website's authors
Product descriptions and reviews that are unique to the website
Original images and videos that are created by the website's authors or commissioned specifically for the website
Custom-designed graphics and layouts that give the website a distinct visual identity

Unique website content is important for a few reasons. First and foremost, it helps to establish a website's credibility and authority in its niche. Google prefers to see websites as an authority on their topics, achieved through creating high-quality, original content.

Additionally, unique website content is beneficial for SEO performance, as Google's algorithm tends to favour websites that provide original, valuable information over those that do not. Unique content will get cited in Google search and create more paths for people to find you online.

Syndicated Content

Syndicated content refers to content that is licensed and republished on multiple websites or platforms. This can include various types of content, such as articles, blog posts, landing pages, videos, images, etc. Syndicated content is typically created by one source (such as a publisher, blogger, or content creator) and then licensed to other websites or platforms for republishing.

It's important to note that when a website or platform republishes syndicated content, it may not hold the same SEO value as unique content. However, if targeted correctly, it will be just as relevant to website visitors. So, while Google's algorithm does not value syndicated content as highly as unique content because it's been published in multiple places online, it still has some SEO benefits because the site is still being updated with content that is valuable to the site visitor.

Using syndicated content on your website is an excellent idea to keep your blog active. But don’t expect syndicated content to show up in long-tail SEO or add citations to Google searches.

Duplicate Content

Generally speaking, duplicate content is any content on your website that is designed to manipulate search engine rankings to make you appear active in multiple physical locations. Google doesn't allow duplicate content as it deems it manipulates search results or misleads users. Duplicate content goes against Google’s guidelines.

Google's algorithms are designed to detect and penalize websites that use duplicate content to manipulate search results or deceive users. The main concern is that duplicate content can harm the user experience as it can provide the same information multiple times in the search results. Google wants to provide the best and most relevant information to its users.

Google uses various techniques to detect duplicate content, such as comparing content across multiple pages and websites and analyzing the structure and layout of pages. If a website is found to be using duplicate content in an attempt to manipulate search results, Google may take various actions to penalize the site, such as:

Lowering the site's ranking in search results
Removing the site from search results
Applying a manual action penalty to the site

Moreover, It's important to note that creating or publishing duplicate content to manipulate search results or deceive users is considered a form of spamming and can result in long-term damage to a website's visibility and reputation. It's always better to have original, high-quality content or syndicated content that provides value to users.

Confusion between Syndicated and Duplicate content

Oftentimes, people confuse syndicated content and duplicate content. They assume that because an article, post, landing page, or image is published on multiple sites at one time that it is being “duplicated.” This is untrue. Just because a single post has been published on multiple websites doesn’t lessen the value it brings to readers.

However, duplicate content or content that is identical in nature with keywords swapped out in an attempt to increase the sites SEO value is against Google’s policies.

An example of duplicate content would be a mortgage professional creating a single page explaining the process of securing a reverse mortgage. But as they live in Vancouver, they would want to use that location keyword to seek clients in Vancouver. If they take that same article and swap out Vancouver for Toronto, keeping all the other information the same, this would be considered duplicate content.

In summary

Unique website content refers to original and high-quality content that has not been published elsewhere. It is important for establishing a website's credibility and authority, improving its SEO performance, and helping it to stand out from its competitors. Unique content is very time-consuming to create and expensive to hire out to an independent writer.

Syndicated content is content that has been licensed for publishing on multiple websites. While it provides less SEO value than unique content, it still provides value to site visitors and is an effective tool in being referable online. Syndicated content is available through a subscription and is considerably cheaper than hiring a content writer to create unique content.

Duplicate content is generally considered a "black hat" SEO strategy, which is any tactic used to manipulate search engine rankings in an unethical or deceptive manner. It is not the same as syndicated content and is not an advisable content strategy.

If you’re a mortgage professional in Canada looking to populate your website with professionally written content, we’d love to see you subscribe to our website and content package. With weekly blog posts, up to 14 landing pages, and a growing gallery of back page articles and resources, our Essential Mortgage Website and Content package will help you establish your presence online. Get started right now!

What Makes a Great Website?

jacksonmiddleton@gmail.com (Jackson Middleton) — Mon, 13 Mar 2023 19:07:04 GMT

The most important features of a website will depend on the goals of the website and the needs of its users. As our clients are Canadian mortgage professionals, this list has been created with them in mind. If you're looking to move from a brokerage template website to a site that will convince people checking you out online to connect with you directly, we'd love to help!

So here are some of the features that are important for a well-designed website that will convert leads into clients. The features include:

Quality mortgage content
A clear and effective navigation system
Responsive design
Fast loading times
Website security and SSL Encryption
Aesthetically pleasing design

Quality mortgage content

Content is an integral part of any website because it is the main reason people visit a website. The content on your site should spell out who you are and build rapport with site visitors. You need to connect with them in a way that lets them know you understand their problem and you can provide them with a solution.

Here are a few specific reasons why content is essential:

Provides value to users: Quality content provides value by answering their questions, solving their problems or providing them with the information they are looking for. This can help to establish the website as a credible and valuable resource, which can encourage users to return to the website in the future. And while you won't be able to answer all the mortgage questions, the content on your site should invite them to further the conversation with you.
Helps with search engine optimization: Well-written, informative content can help with search engine optimization by including relevant keywords and providing search engines with the information they need to understand the website's content and purpose. Publishing regular content to a blog indicates to Google that you are actively engaged in doing business and encourages a higher ranking in Google searches.
Establishes the website's authority and expertise: Quality content can help to establish the website as an authority and expert on a particular subject, which can help to build trust and credibility with users.
Provides a reason for users to share the website: Good content is more likely to be shared, which can help to increase a website's reach and bring in new users.
Keeps the website fresh: If the last time your blog was updated was April 2014, you aren't building confidence that you are actively brokering and seeking new business. An active blog gives clients proof of life, indicating that you are actively brokering and want their business.

It's important to note that the content of the website should align with the goals of the website, the target audience and the message that the website wants to communicate. Landing pages can be used to speak directly to specific client demographics. Also, it's important to have a content strategy in place, which outlines the goals, the target audience and the message and also the frequency and format of the content.

A clear and effective navigation system

A sound website navigation system is easy to use and helps users find the information they are looking for quickly and efficiently.

Some critical elements of a good website navigation system include:

A clear call to action. You need to tell people exactly how they can start working with you.
A clear hierarchy: The navigation should clearly show the relationship between different pages on the website and the relative importance of each page.
Descriptive labels: The navigation should use descriptive labels that clearly indicate the content of each page.
Consistency: The navigation should be consistent across all pages of the website so that users know what to expect.
Fewer clicks: The navigation should allow users to access the information they are looking for with as few clicks as possible.
Responsive design: The navigation should work well on different devices and screen sizes.

Responsive design

Responsive design is important for a website because it ensures that the website can be easily used on a wide range of devices, including desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones. With the increasing number of people accessing the web on mobile devices for their mortgage needs, it is vital to ensure that a website can be easily used on small screens.

Here are some specific reasons why responsive design is important to your mortgage clients:

Improved user experience: A responsive website will automatically adjust its layout and elements to fit the screen size of the device used, making it much easier for users to navigate and interact with the website.
Better search engine optimization: Google and other search engines favour websites that are mobile-friendly in their search rankings, which can help to improve a website's visibility in search results.
Increased reach: A responsive website can reach a wider audience as it can be accessed from various devices and screen sizes, which will help make you more referable and better to interact with mortgage clients online.
Cost-effectiveness: Building a separate mobile version of a website can be costly and time-consuming. By using responsive design, you can create a single website that works well on all devices, which can be more cost-effective in the long run.
Future-proofing: With the number of mobile devices and screen sizes continuing to increase, it is essential to design a website that can adapt to new technologies and devices.

Fast load times

Fast website load times are essential to a good user experience because they help ensure users can access the content they are looking for quickly and easily. No one likes to wait for a website to load, so it is important to optimize the website's performance to ensure that it loads quickly.

Here are a few reasons why fast load times are critical:

Increased engagement: Users are more likely to stay on a website and explore its content if the pages load quickly, which can help to increase engagement and improve the overall user experience.
Improved conversion rates: Fast load times can improve conversion rates by reducing the chances that users will leave the website before they complete a desired action, such as filling out a form, running some calculations, booking a call with you on your calendar, or starting a mortgage application, etc.
Better search engine rankings: Search engines like Google take website load times into account when ranking websites in search results. So, faster load times can help to improve a website's visibility in search results, which can lead to increased traffic.
Better mobile experience: With the increasing number of users accessing the web on mobile devices, it's essential to make sure that a website loads quickly on those devices, especially considering that these devices can have lower processing power and weaker internet connection compared to desktops or laptops.
Reduced bounce rate: if a website takes too long to load, users may lose patience and leave the website; this can be represented by a high bounce rate, which can be detrimental to a website's performance and can negatively impact the user experience.

Website Security and SSL Encryption

Website security is important for various reasons, including protecting sensitive user information, safeguarding against cyber attacks, and maintaining the integrity and reputation of a website.

Here are a few specific reasons why website security is important:

Protecting sensitive user information: If a website handles sensitive information such as passwords, credit card numbers, and personal data, it is essential to ensure this information is secure to prevent it from being accessed by unauthorized individuals. It is good practice to link to a secure online mortgage application from your website instead of handling the transfer of sensitive information on your own.
Safeguarding against cyber attacks: Websites can be vulnerable to a wide range of cyber attacks, such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks. These attacks can not only take a website down temporarily but can also result in the stealing, altering, or deleting sensitive data.
Maintaining the integrity and reputation of a website: A website that has been hacked or compromised can damage the reputation of a business or organization and can result in a loss of trust from users.
Legal compliance: in some instances and industries, there are legal requirements to protect user data and inform them of data breaches.
Protecting against phishing and spear-phishing: By securing a website, it is harder for attackers to use it as a host for phishing and spear-phishing attempts.

Various security measures can be implemented to protect a website, such as using secure connections (HTTPS), regular software updates, keeping backups of website data, firewalls and security software, disabling unnecessary services and features, securing the server infrastructure and more. It's important to note that website security is an ongoing process, as new threats and vulnerabilities are constantly emerging. Hence, regular monitoring and updates are essential to maintain a secure environment.

Aesthetically pleasing design

Simply put, a well-designed website can make a good impression on visitors and make them more likely to stay and explore the site further. An aesthetically pleasing design can help to convert more leads for a few reasons.

Here are a few examples:

Trust and credibility: A well-designed website can create a sense of trust and credibility with users, making them more likely to complete a desired action, such as filling out a contact form or starting a mortgage application.
Branding: An aesthetically pleasing design can help to establish a website's brand and make it more memorable. This can make it more likely that users will return to the website and recommend it to others.
Improved user experience: A website that is easy on the eyes, easy to navigate and provides a clear structure can make users feel more comfortable and engaged, which will increase the time they spend on the site, and this can increase the chances that they will complete the desired action.
Attention to detail: A good design pays attention to details such as typography, colour scheme, images and layout, making the website more visually appealing and more likely to capture users' attention and hold it for longer.
Professionalism: A good design can communicate that a website and the business behind it is professional, reliable and up-to-date.

A great website is a combination of all of the above. While none of these features alone will convert leads to clients, the more you have in place, the better your chances of making a great connection with someone checking you out online.

It's essential to have a good user experience, clear messaging, valuable and relevant content, a single call to action, easy navigation, fast load times, site security (SSL Encryption), and an aesthetically pleasing design.

Building a website as outlined above will make you more referable online and help to grow your mortgage business. If you'd like to have us build you a website that does all of these things, click on the get started button and choose your website subscription.

How to Handle Negative Reviews

kirista@deploy.online (Kirista Beckett) — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 17:18:21 GMT

Bad reviews will happen; it's just part of doing business and dealing with the public. How you deal with them can showcase to potential clients what they can expect in working with you.

Obviously, you want to collect as many 5-star reviews with raving testimony of how you've helped people of all walks secure mortgage financing. And if you're looking for information on how to generate good reviews, here are six strategies . But we're here to discuss how to handle negative reviews.

So, the best way to handle negative reviews on Google Business Listing is to respond promptly and professionally. Acknowledge the customer's concerns and apologize for any inconvenience they may have experienced. It's also important to address any specific problem raised in the review to show that you are taking the feedback seriously. The last thing you want to do is ignore the review. It won’t go away.

Here are six tips on what you should do to handle negative reviews.

Respond quickly: Responding to negative reviews promptly shows that you care about your customers and are actively working to resolve any issues.
Be professional: Keep your response polite and professional, especially if the review is overly negative. Avoid getting defensive or blaming the customer. Keep your cool.
Show empathy: Acknowledge the customer's feelings and show empathy. Let them know that you understand how they feel and that you are sorry for any inconvenience they may have experienced.
Address the specific concern: Make sure to address the particular concern raised in the review. This shows that you are taking the feedback seriously and working to improve your business.
Learn from it: Use the feedback from negative reviews to improve your business. Look for patterns in the complaints and make changes to prevent similar issues in the future.
Don't ignore negative reviews: Ignoring negative reviews is not a good idea. It will make you look like you don't care about customer feedback and will not solve the issue.

By following these tips, you can effectively handle negative reviews on your Google Business listing and show your customers that you value their feedback and are committed to providing excellent service.

Now, likely you're passionate about your business and taking care of your clients. That's good, don't let negative reviews get you worked up and respond in an attacking way. In fact, your goal should be to take the negative review and turn it into a positive for your business, especially if the negative review is baseless.

While this may sound challenging, it's essential to respond in a professional and measured way. Here are some tips for handling a baseless negative review. Here is a list of ways to turn a negative review into a positive for your business:

Respond promptly and professionally: Don't ignore the review or respond in a defensive or unprofessional manner.
Show empathy: Don't blame the customer or dismiss their concerns. Acknowledge their feelings and apologize for any inconvenience they may have experienced.
Offer a solution: Don't leave the customer hanging or provide a generic response. Offer a specific solution to the problem and show that you have considered your response.
Learn from it: Don't ignore the feedback or make excuses. Look for patterns in the complaints and make changes to prevent similar issues in the future. While we strive to do a great job with each client, negative reviews allow us to reflect and self-check.
Use it as an opportunity to show your customers that you care about their satisfaction: Don't just say sorry. Provide a real solution and show your expertise by talking through the scenario without assigning blame to the reviewer.
Use it as an opportunity to improve your public image: If applicable, don't be secretive about how you’re handling the problem, address it openly and transparently, show that you are willing to improve and learn.
Use it to inform your business strategy: Don't ignore multiple reviews pointing out the same problem. It might be a sign of a systemic problem.
Follow up with the customer: Don't assume the problem is solved. Reach out to the customer and ask for feedback and if they would be willing to change their review.

By avoiding these mistakes, you can turn a negative review into a positive for your business by showing that you value customer feedback, are committed to providing excellent service and continuously improve your business.

Writing Great Copy for Your Website

jacksonmiddleton@gmail.com (Jackson Middleton) — Wed, 08 Mar 2023 10:00:01 GMT

The front page of your website is often the first impression potential clients will have of your business, so it's important to make sure that the copy on the front page is well-written and effectively communicates who you are and how you can help solve the site visitor's problem (they need a mortgage and are looking for someone to work with).

Here are some tips for formatting the copy on the front page of your website:

Keep it concise: The front page of your website should be easy to skim and should quickly communicate the most important information about working with you. Keep the copy on the front page concise and to the point. Use headings, subheadings, and bullet points to break up the text and make it easy to scan.
Use persuasive language: Use clear language to encourage site visitors to take action, apply now, run some calculations, or contact you for more information. This is also known as a "call to action."
Use images: Use images on your front page to break up the text and make it more visually appealing. Images can also help to communicate information about your business and your products or services.
Use clear and consistent typography: Use clear and consistent typography to make your front page easy to read. Ensure that the text is large enough to be easily read and that the font is consistent throughout the page.
Use white space: Use white space to create a clean and uncluttered look on your front page. This will help make the text more legible and make it easier for site visitors to focus on the most important information.
Be consistent with your branding: Use the same colours, fonts, and images throughout your website to ensure that your front page is consistent with your branding.
Use a clear and compelling headline: Use a clear and compelling headline in your hero section that communicates the essential information about your business. This could be your company's name or a tagline that summarizes what your company does.
Use short paragraphs: Use short paragraphs to make the copy on your front page easy to read. This will help visitors quickly understand how you can help them with mortgage financing and encourage them to explore your website further.

By formatting the copy on your front page in a way that is easy to skim, read, and understand, you can make a solid first impression and encourage visitors to explore your website further.

So with this in mind, I’d like to introduce you to the Essential Mortgage Website layout. This is the general website layout and copy we feel is most effective for the Canadian mortgage professional as they look to build their referral business online. It has been designed with all the features listed above and contains everything you need to connect with site visitors online.

As you scroll through our general site layout, pay close attention to how easy it is to consume the information presented. You should know exactly what you're seeing at all times. That is good copy in action.

As you can see, the copy on our Essential Mortgage Website is minimal. We keep things concise, using clear and compelling headlines, while keeping paragraphs short. There are consistent calls to action throughout the website, we use images, consistent spacing, and typography with white space. Our website can be edited to include your brand elements, fonts, and colour schemes.

If you're a busy mortgage professional, likely, your time is more valuable writing mortgages than copy for your website. We've already built a website that provides your site visitors the best chance of taking the next step in working with you. Go ahead and sign up for our Essential Mortgage Website subscription. We'd love to help you grow your mortgage business.

Essential Features of Website Navigation

jacksonmiddleton@gmail.com (Jackson Middleton) — Mon, 06 Mar 2023 23:39:57 GMT

If you’re looking to provide a solid user experience for site visitors, it starts with a good website navigation system. The menu or site navigation should be intuitive and easy to use, allowing site visitors to find the information they want.

A good website navigation system will include the following features:

A primary call to action (CTA) button

A CTA button is a good idea for a website because it helps to guide users toward a specific action or goal you want them to take. A good CTA does precisely what it says. It calls people to action. Some examples of a good CTA would be:

Apply Now
Get Started
Book a Call
Start Here
Contact Me/Us

Having a clear and prominent CTA button helps to increase the chances that users will take the desired action by making it easy for them to find and use.

Additionally, a primary CTA button helps to:

Direct site visitors’ attention to the desired action
Helps to increase conversions and sales by making it simple and easy for visitors to take the next step
Allows site visitors to quickly know the website's main goal so they can decide if it is the action they want to take.
It creates a sense of urgency and immediacy with the action it invites to

When designing a website, it is essential to consider the primary goal and effort that you want users to take and to make sure that the CTA button is prominently displayed on the page to make it as easy as possible for users to take that action.

Clear and consistent labelling

The labels used in the navigation should be clear and intuitive and should be used consistently throughout the website. Your menu should always be visible while the visitor is navigating your website. The exception is for squeeze pages or landing pages, where the goal is to force the user into a single option.

You should also add your company logo to the menu to help enforce your personal or company branding.

Organization and accessibility

The navigation should be organized logically and hierarchically, with main categories and subcategories distinguished. Drop-down menus for subcategories or pages nested under a category make site navigation considerably easier.

Your menu should be easily accessible from any page on the website in what is called a sticky-header menu. To help clients know where they are on your site, having active and hover states for links and buttons is a good idea.

Responsiveness is also important. The navigation should be responsive and adapt to different screen sizes, such as on mobile devices.

If you’re a Canadian mortgage professional looking to better your online presence by investing in a professional website, please look at our subscription options here. It would be a pleasure to work with you!

Why Your Website Needs Video Reviews

jacksonmiddleton@gmail.com (Jackson Middleton) — Fri, 03 Feb 2023 14:20:57 GMT

As a mortgage professional, you’re always looking for ways to improve your online presence and attract new clients. One way to do this is by showcasing client video reviews on your website. Video reviews provide a more personal and engaging experience for your potential customers, allowing them to see and hear real testimonials from people who have already used your products or services.

Advantages to displaying video reviews on your website

Increased credibility: Video reviews provide a level of credibility that written reviews cannot match. When potential customers see real people discussing their positive experiences with your business, they are more likely to trust your brand and consider using your services.
Improved engagement: Video reviews are more engaging than written reviews, as they provide a visual and auditory experience for your potential customers. This can help keep visitors on your website for longer, leading to a higher chance of them becoming clients.
Better SEO: Video content is highly valued by search engines and can help improve your website’s search engine optimization (SEO) rankings. This means that by including video reviews on your website, you may be able to improve your visibility and attract more organic traffic.
Increased social proof: Video reviews provide social proof that your business is trustworthy and provides high-quality products or services. This can help to build brand awareness and increase your online reputation.
Compilation Videos: Video reviews can be spliced together to create a powerful message that tells site visitors exactly what you want them to hear through the mouths of people who have experienced the benefits of working with you.

In conclusion, showcasing client video reviews on your website can be a powerful tool for your small business. By providing a more personal and engaging experience for your potential customers, you can improve your online credibility, engagement, SEO, and social proof while showcasing your business through an engaging video.

If you've been looking for a way to showcase video reviews on your website, but don't have the time or money to hire a professional videographer, consider taking a look at Deploy Reviews. Setting up your account takes a few minutes. You'll be able to start collecting video reviews immediately. As you only pay for the videos you approve, you’ve got nothing to lose!

The Importance of SSL Encryption

jacksonmiddleton@gmail.com (Jackson Middleton) — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 19:11:55 GMT

As a mortgage professional in Canada, you likely understand the importance of ensuring that your client's personal and financial information is protected. This is especially true when it comes to sensitive information that is transmitted through your website. One of the best ways to protect this information is by using SSL encryption.

Industry best practices dictate that you use a secure online mortgage application through a third-party platform like Finmo, Velocity, or the one provided by your brokerage network provider. It is not advised to use a contact form on your website to collect confidential client information. However, even if you're linking to a separate mortgage application form, SSL Encryption is one way to ensure the online security of your clients.

What is SSL Encryption?

SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer and is now referred to as TLS (Transport Layer Security). This technology creates a secure connection between the user's web browser and the website, encrypting all information transmitted between the two. This helps to ensure that sensitive information, such as client personal and financial details, cannot be intercepted and misused by cybercriminals.

Benefits of SSL Encryption

There are several benefits to having SSL encryption on your website as a Canadian mortgage professional, including:

Protection of sensitive information: As mentioned, SSL encryption helps to protect sensitive information transmitted through your website, including client personal and financial details.
Increased trust: Having SSL encryption on your website can improve clients' confidence in your business. They are more likely to feel comfortable entering personal information on your site when they know it is secure.
Improved search engine ranking: Google and other search engines increasingly use SSL encryption as a ranking factor. Having SSL encryption on your website can help improve your search engine rankings, making it easier for clients to find you.

Possible Exploitations if SSL Encryption is Not Present

Not having SSL encryption on your website can lead to several exploitations, including:

Man-in-the-Middle attacks: In this type of attack, a hacker intercepts the communication between the user and the website, allowing them to access sensitive information such as login credentials and other personal details.
Sniffing: In this attack, a hacker monitors network traffic to capture sensitive information transmitted over an unencrypted connection.
Phishing attacks: In this attack, a hacker creates a fake website that looks identical to the original, tricking users into entering their personal information.
Tracking Code: In this attack, hackers can potentially use a compromised website to track clients to multiple websites. If a hacker gains access to a website and installs malicious code, they can use tracking cookies or other methods to track a client's online activity even after they leave the compromised site. This can allow the hacker to gather sensitive information such as login credentials and other personal details, potentially giving them access to multiple accounts and sensitive information across different websites.

In Summary

The most crucial threat you need to protect yourself and your clients against is the tracking code. A website that has SSL Encryption does this.

As a Canadian mortgage professional, having SSL encryption on your website is essential for protecting your client's personal and financial information. Not only does it help to keep this information secure, but it will also increase trust in your business.

At Deploy, all our websites come with SSL Encryption built in. You don't have to subscribe to it as an additional product with your registrar or provider. Look at our Essential Mortgage Website ; it's precisely what you need to build your business online. And as it comes equipped with SSL Encryption as a standard feature, you and your clients will have confidence all information is secure.

9 Strategies to Increase Your Connections on LinkedIn

Fri, 27 Jan 2023 13:00:00 GMT

LinkedIn offers a range of features and tools to help you grow your business and connect with industry people, colleagues, and potential clients, such as creating and joining groups, sharing updates and articles, and using LinkedIn's advanced search and targeting options.

Building your network on LinkedIn is a process that takes time. Here are 9 things you can do to start increasing your connections on LinkedIn today:

Optimize your profile: Make sure your profile is complete, professional, and up-to-date. Use keywords relevant to your industry in your headline and summary to make it easier for potential connections to find you. We've written about post about this previously, you can find that here.
Connect with people you know: Start by connecting with people you already know, such as current and former colleagues, classmates, friends, and family members.
Join groups: Join groups relevant to your industry and participate in discussions. This will help you connect with potential clients and other industry professionals.
Reach out to people you want to connect with: If you come across someone you want to connect with, don't be afraid to reach out to them and introduce yourself. Personalize the message and explain why you'd like to connect with them.
Leverage LinkedIn's "People You May Know" feature: LinkedIn's "People You May Know" feature suggests connections based on your existing connections and your profile information. Consider connecting with people LinkedIn suggests.
Attend events: Attend events in your industry and connect with other attendees.
Respond to connection requests: Respond to connection requests promptly and thank people for connecting with you.
Networking: Networking is a powerful way to increase connections, whether it's through a LinkedIn event, in-person networking events, or a referral from a friend or a colleague.
Use LinkedIn's paid features: LinkedIn offers several paid features that can help you connect with potential clients, such as sponsored posts and InMail.

Remember to always be respectful and professional when connecting with people and to not connect with people you don't know or have no purpose for connecting. Quality connections are more valuable than a large number of connections.

Using Social Media to Capture Referrals Online

jacksonmiddleton@gmail.com (Jackson Middleton) — Wed, 18 Jan 2023 12:00:00 GMT

If you are a Canadian mortgage professional doing most of your business through referrals or working with past clients, your social media and online presence have two jobs; to let potential clients know that you want their business and to provide them with the next step in working with you.

That's it. Your goal is to be referable.

Don't let anyone tell you that generating generic online leads through SEO, creating social media posts with all the fancy hashtags, or advertising on Facebook is the way to go. Sure, that stuff CAN work, but before considering that, make sure you're referrable online first. Because referrals are the best quality business and convert considerably better than talking with cold people who don't know you, like you, or trust you (yet).

Stay on the referral train.

So, with that said. Business is changing. Just because you've always been able to generate referrals doesn't mean that tap won't run dry. As business changes, we need to change. Sharing relevant industry content on social media is a great way to stay in front of existing clients and provide proof to anyone "checking you out online" that you are actively brokering mortgages and want their business. This is how you capture referrals online.

To be referable, you need to be present.

You have to show up to the proverbial online party. And while that seems pretty straightforward, you'd be surprised by how hard it is to do consistently, especially when your time is more valuable writing mortgages than content for your website or captions for your social media posts.

Using social media to capture more referrals for a Canadian mortgage professional boils down to one simple thing.

Make it easy for customers to refer you and your business.

Make sure that it is easy for customers to refer their friends and family to you. When someone googles you, what do they find? Do they know you can help them with mortgage financing? Do you tell them how to get started working with you?

Here is what you need to create an online presence that will capture referrals:

Optimized Google Business Listing (GBL)
Our Essential Mortgage Website
Weekly blog posts scheduled on your website
Articles shared to Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and GBL
Weekly call-to-action posts shared to social accounts
Clear and consistent contact information
Consistent branding across your website and social platforms
A strategy to generate testimonials

And while that all may seem daunting, you have nothing to worry about; we can handle all of this for you.

Our Essential Mortgage Website and content package is the place to start. From there, our social media scheduling subscription will keep you everywhere you need to be online, starting with your Google Business Listing. We'd love to work with you!

Claiming and Setting up your Google Business Listing

Thu, 12 Jan 2023 07:17:56 GMT

A Google Business Listing is a listing that appears on Google Search and Google Maps when people search for businesses like yours. It provides critical information about your business, such as its name, address, phone number, hours of operation, and customer reviews. A Google Business Listing is created and managed through Google My Business, a free tool that allows business owners to manage their online presence across Google, including search and maps.

When someone searches for your business, your Google Business Listing will appear in the search results, along with a map and other information. This can help customers find your business more easily and give them a sense of what to expect when they connect with you.

Setting up your Google Business Listing

Claiming your Google Business Listing involves a few steps:

Search for your business on Google Maps or Google Search. If your business is already listed, you will see a "Claim this business" button. If not, you can click on "Add a missing place" to create a new listing.
Click on the "Claim this business" button or "Add a missing place" and follow the prompts to verify your business. Depending on your chosen method, this may involve receiving a verification code by mail or phone.
Once your business has been verified, you can access the Google My Business dashboard for your listing. This is where you can update your business information, add photos, and respond to reviews.

If you haven't yet claimed your Google Business Listing, you should probably do that now. Here's a video that shows you the steps.

What makes a good Google Business Listing?

A good Google Business Listing profile should have the following elements:

Accurate and consistent business name, address, and phone number
A clear and detailed description of the products and services offered
High-quality photos of the business
Positive customer reviews
Accurate business hours and categories
A verified Google My Business account
A link to the business website
Responses to all customer reviews, both positive reviews and negative ones.
A way for customers to book or schedule an appointment if applicable.

As part of our Reputation Management subscription, we'd be happy to set up your Google Business Listing and help you manage it long-term. We'll share content to your profile, ensure that it is optimized, and even respond to reviews on your behalf (using a series of approved responses). If you'd like to learn more, head over to our Reputation Management page and subscribe when you're ready to enhance your online presence.

Best practices for Optimizing your LinkedIn Profile

Wed, 11 Jan 2023 07:45:03 GMT

LinkedIn is a professional networking site that allows individuals and businesses to connect, network, and find opportunities. It's a platform where you can create a professional profile, connect with other industry professionals, share content, and look for job opportunities. LinkedIn is a great way to build and expand your professional network, establish your professional brand, and showcase your skills and experience to potential employers and clients.

LinkedIn also offers a range of features and tools to help you grow your business and connect with potential clients, such as creating and joining groups, sharing updates and articles, and using LinkedIn's advanced search and targeting options.

It is a powerful tool for job seekers, entrepreneurs, small business owners, and professionals of all levels and industries to establish and expand their professional network, showcase their skills and expertise, and discover new opportunities.

Here are some best practices for setting up and optimizing your LinkedIn profile as a Canadian mortgage professional:

Use a professional headshot: Use a professional headshot as your profile picture. This will help you stand out and make an excellent first impression.
Use a strong headline: Your headline is one of the first things people will see when they view your profile. Use a headline that clearly states what you do and the value you can provide to potential clients. This headline should be consistent with what is found on your website and other social media profiles.
Write a compelling summary: Use your summary to highlight your experience, skills, and what sets you apart from others in your field. Make sure to include keywords relevant to your industry to make it easier for people to find you. Also, ensure you indicate which client demographics you specialize in working with. For example, if you work with First Time Home Buyers, list that in your summary.
Highlight your experience: List your current and past positions and include detailed descriptions of your responsibilities and accomplishments.
Include industry-specific information: List your licenses, certifications, and any other industry-specific information that may be relevant to potential clients.
Add media: Include multimedia such as videos and images to your profile to make it more engaging.
Get Endorsements: Ask your clients, colleagues, and other industry professionals to endorse your skills and write recommendations for you.
Keep it up-to-date: Regularly update your profile to reflect any changes in your professional experience or skills.

By following these best practices, you can optimize your LinkedIn profile to attract potential clients and establish yourself as a credible and trustworthy mortgage professional.

With your profile setup and optimized, you’ll likely want to start sharing regular content, which will help you accomplish the following:

Increase your visibility: When you share content on LinkedIn, it increases the chances that more people will see your posts, which can help improve your visibility and credibility in your industry.
Build relationships: Sharing content allows you to engage with other professionals in your industry and build relationships with potential clients.
Increase website traffic: Share content from your website, and you can drive more traffic to your website through the links you share on LinkedIn.
Improve your search ranking: LinkedIn is also a search engine. By sharing quality content regularly, you can improve your search ranking and make it more likely that potential clients will find you.
Showcase your brand: Share content that aligns with your brand and messaging. Sharing content will ensure you are regularly in front of people, keeping you “top of mind.”
Keep your network engaged: By regularly sharing content, you can keep your network engaged and remind them of your brand and services.

In summary, sharing content on LinkedIn can be a powerful way to establish yourself as a thought leader, increase your visibility, build relationships, and attract potential clients.

If you'd like to learn more about how we can help you schedule regular mortgage content to your LinkedIn profile, check out our Social Media page. We’d love to work with you!

What is a Landing Page?

jacksonmiddleton@gmail.com (Jackson Middleton) — Tue, 10 Jan 2023 02:12:16 GMT

A landing page is a web page a prospective client is directed to after clicking on a link, typically from an advertisement or social media post.

The purpose of a landing page is to convert visitors into leads or clients. It is a web page distinct from the main page of a website and is designed with a single focused objective, such as connecting with a specific target client demographic and getting them to take action.

There are several ways to use landing pages to target a niche market or clients:

Tailor the content to the niche market: By creating content specific to the interests and needs of a niche market, the landing page can speak directly to that market and increase the chances of converting them into leads or clients.
Use targeted language: The landing page can further emphasize its relevance to that market by using language and terminology specific to the niche market. Let’s say you’re looking to connect with self-employed people. You can use terminology they’d expect to hear from someone who works specifically with small-business owners.
Segmented landing pages: Create landing pages for different target audience segments. This way, you can tweak and optimize the message and design calls to action for each market.
Use images and videos that appeal to the niche market: For example, if the niche market is older Canadians, pictures and videos should show older adults. If you’re targeting first-time home buyers, you should have images of young people moving into their first home!
Specific offers and incentives: Offering specific deals or incentives relevant to the niche market can entice them to convert on the landing page. Your calls to action can be different based on the client demographic you’re looking to connect with.
Provide content that is niche specific: Landing pages can be populated with content that is relevant to that audience. Suppose you’re talking with clients looking to refinance a mortgage. In that case, articles should be provided that discuss why using a broker at renewal is a better idea than renewing with your bank/existing lender.

Using these techniques, a landing page can be optimized to appeal to a specific niche market and increase the chances of converting them into leads or clients.

At Deploy, as part of our website and content subscription, we offer up to 14 different landing pages that seek to connect with the following audiences:

Purchase
Refinance
Renewal
First Time Home Buyers
Self-Employed
Buying your Next Home
Investment Properties
Older Canadians | Reverse Mortgages
Divorce or Separation
Private Lending
Mortgages for people with Credit Issues
New to Canada
Construction Financing
Debt Consolidation

On these landing pages, we have over 52 articles in our knowledge base (with posts being added monthly) that can be used to connect with clients in each of these target demographics.

If you’re a Canadian mortgage professional looking to build your website with content to better connect with clients, landing pages are a great way to do this. You can get started by checking out our Website and Content packages here.

6 Startegies to Generate Testimonials Online

jacksonmiddleton@gmail.com (Jackson Middleton) — Thu, 05 Jan 2023 21:40:50 GMT

Testimonials are essential for growing your business because they can help build trust and credibility with potential customers. In this article, we'll establish why you want to generate testimonials and six strategies to do so.

Our reputation management subscription is designed to help Canadian mortgage professionals generate testimonials and deploy them online.

Here are a few specific ways that testimonials can help your business:

They provide social proof: Testimonials can help establish that other people have had positive experiences with your business, which can increase trust and credibility with potential customers.
They can help address objections: Testimonials can address common objections or concerns that potential customers may have about your business, such as concerns about the quality of your products or services.
They increase the perceived value of your business: Positive testimonials can help make your business appear more valuable and desirable to potential customers.
They can help boost your search engine rankings: Having testimonials on your website and other review sites can help improve your search engine rankings, which can make it easier for potential customers to find your business.
They can help improve your conversion rates: Having testimonials on your website can help increase the likelihood that a potential customer will take a desired action, such as making a purchase or signing up for a free trial.
They can be used across different marketing channels. Testimonials can be used in various forms of marketing like email campaigns, advertising, brochures or videos.
They are relatively low cost: Testimonials are relatively low cost to acquire compared to other forms of advertising and can have a long-lasting impact on the business.

Overall, testimonials can play a critical role in convincing potential customers to choose your business over your competitors, which can help drive growth for your mortgage business.

So if you're looking to build testimonials, here are six strategies to generate testimonials to grow your mortgage business.

Ask for them. Reach out to satisfied customers and ask them to write a review or testimonial. Make it easy for them by providing a link to a review site or sending them a quick email asking for their feedback.
Make it a part of your process. Incorporate a request for a review or testimonial into your business process. For example, you can include a request in your email signature or send a follow-up email after a purchase asking for feedback.
Respond to reviews. If you receive a negative review, try to resolve it and ask the customer to update their review. If you receive a positive review, thank the customer and ask if they would be willing to write a more detailed testimonial that you can use on your website.
Use social media. Encourage your followers on social media to leave reviews or testimonials on your business page or on review sites.
Include calls to action. Add calls to action, such as "Leave a review" or "Write a testimonial," to your website or marketing materials.
Use customer quotes. If a customer gives you a positive quote about your business, with permission, you can use it as a testimonial on your website or in your marketing materials.

If you'd like to know more about how we help you manage your online reputation, click here to get started. Or, if you'd like to learn more about how we help clients generate online video reviews, you can visit us at deploy.reviews and sign up for a free account.