In this episode, we dive into a recent landing page experiment where a single formatting change—switching the main H1 headline from sentence case to ALL CAPS resulted in a 59.82% increase in leads for a mortgage broker's website. We break down the test methodology, the results, and the psychological reasons why this simple, low-effort tweak outperformed the status quo.

Key Talking Points

• The Experiment Setup: We ran an A/B test over 23 days with 216 visitors from Google Ads. The only variable changed was the H1 headline; every other element (form, photos, content) remained identical.
• The Results: The ALL CAPS headline generated 59.82% more leads per click. Conversely, when the sentence case version was live, the blended cost per lead increased by 59.39%, and the conversion rate dropped by 21.10%.
• Dispelling the "Shouting" Myth: Contrary to the belief that ALL CAPS feels like shouting or aggressive, bounce rates were identical. Visitors didn't leave the page; they actually spent 27.54% longer on the ALL CAPS page, indicating higher engagement.
• The Psychology of Clarity: Capital letters are processed faster by the brain because their shapes are more distinct and uniform. In a high-stakes search context where visitors have one question—"Am I in the right place?"—ALL CAPS provides instant clarity and signals authority, much like road signs.
• The Caveat: A headline change is not a "silver bullet." This experiment succeeded because it was backed by a high-quality page, including 5-star Google reviews and content tailored to user intent. The headline simply served as a more effective first impression.

Actionable Takeaways

• Run Your Own Split Test: If you're running Google Ads, create a duplicate landing page with a capitalized headline and split your traffic.
• Monitor Performance: If you aren't running ads, simply apply the change and track your leads over the next 30 days.
• Low Effort, High Impact: This is one of the lowest-effort tests you can run. No developers or designers required—just hit Caps Lock on your headline and measure the results.

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

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.