In this episode, explore the role of inbound calls in Google Ads campaigns for mortgage leads. He argues that businesses often overlook the power of immediate phone contact, treating it as an afterthought rather than a primary conversion channel. The discussion covers why these leads are unique, the importance of operational processes, and how to effectively track call performance.

Key Takeaways

• The Urgency of Inbound Leads: When a user clicks to call directly from an ad, they have a clear intent: they want answers immediately. They are bypassing the standard web form journey because they are ready to talk now.
• Abolish the Phone Menu: Complex phone menus (IVRs) act as a barrier to potential clients who are already in a "solve my problem now" mindset. Alex advises businesses to remove these menus for ad-driven traffic, or use a dedicated phone number that connects directly to an adviser.
• Availability is Critical: Running Google Ads without a plan to answer the phone is "throwing money in the fire." If you miss the call, the lead will almost certainly move on to a competitor. If you cannot answer, consider outsourcing call handling, though speaking to an adviser directly remains the gold standard for conversion.
• The Power of Tracking: Use Google’s call tracking numbers to get the full picture. This enables you to report on which specific keywords, ads, and landing pages are driving the most calls, allowing for better ROI analysis.
• There is no "Standard" Split: The ratio of web forms to inbound calls fluctuates wildly depending on the business. Data from various clients shows ranges from 80% forms to 80% calls. Don't assume a standard conversion ratio; track your specific data to understand your business reality.

Actionable Advice

• Audit Your Process: If you are running ads, ensure someone is available to answer the phone immediately. If it's just you, prioritise availability during your active campaign hours.
• Clean Your Data: When reviewing call reports, filter out calls shorter than 10 seconds. These are often accidental "fat finger" clicks and will skew your conversion data.
• Be Accessible: Don't overthink the "professionalism" of being a small team. People want to know who they are working with; they don't need a corporate phone menu to feel secure.

Connect with Alex

For more insights into content experiments and lead generation data, subscribe to The Lead Engine newsletter on LinkedIn via Alex Curtis's profile.

Brought to you by the team at The Lead Engine who specialise in generating mortgage leads.

In this episode, we explore why "boring," straightforward, and simple content is far more effective for generating mortgage leads than "jazzy" or highly entertaining marketing copy. Mortgage clients aren't looking to be entertained; they are seeking safety, reassurance, and clear answers to their problems. We discuss why stripping back your content to the essentials helps you convert strangers into clients.

• The Path of Least Resistance: Users on search engines and social platforms are looking for quick, easy-to-read answers. Complex, wordy copy often feels like high effort and leads users to scroll past.
• The Power of "Boring" Content: Data from our experiments consistently shows that plain, factual, and direct content increases click-through rates on Google Ads and time-on-page metrics compared to more exciting, sales-heavy copy.
• Less is More: Extra words act as a tax on the reader's time. We discuss the benefits of short-form emails and direct, concrete language over abstract adjectives like "amazing" or "incredible."
• The Q&A Strategy: Building your content around simple, frequent questions (like "Joint Borrower/Sole Proprietor") provides immediate value. This approach builds trust and helps your content rank better in search and AI results.
• The "Well" Analogy: When a potential client has a mortgage problem, they are "stuck in a well." They don't need entertainment; they need a clear, direct ladder to get out.

Brought to you by the team at The Lead Engine who specialise in generating mortgage leads.

In this episode, we dive into a cost-free, highly effective strategy to boost your mortgage website's performance. We explore why adding a simple adviser photo is one of the most powerful changes you can make to increase trust and lead volume.

Key Highlights:

• The Experiment: We break down a recent test on a mortgage broker’s website that compared identical web pages—one with an adviser photo and one without. The results? The page featuring the adviser's face generated 11% more leads.
• The Science of Trust:
  • Ambiguity Aversion: People feel uncomfortable discussing private financial matters with strangers. Seeing a face reduces this uncertainty and builds immediate rapport.
  • Hard-Wired for Connection: Our brains are evolutionarily designed to assess trustworthiness through faces, making them a more powerful trigger for trust than logos alone.
  • Eye-Tracking: Studies show that when a user lands on a page, their eyes are naturally drawn to human faces immediately.
• Authenticity Wins: We discuss why generic stock photos are easily identified by users as "filler" and ignored. Real, authentic photos of your team members are essential for improving credibility.
• Practical Implementation:
  • Every Page Counts: Don’t relegate your team to just the "About Us" page. Every page is a potential meeting point with a client.
  • Equipment Doesn't Matter: You don't need a high-end photoshoot to start. A simple, well-lit photo taken on an iPhone is significantly better than no photo at all.
  • Avoid the Fake: A genuine iPhone photo will always outperform an AI-generated image that looks "too perfect" or fake, as visitors are naturally wired to spot authenticity.
• The Bottom Line: While showing your face is a major conversion booster, remember it works best as part of a solid foundation that includes persuasive copy, 5-star reviews, and a clear call to action.

Brought to you by the team at The Lead Engine who specialise in generating mortgage leads.