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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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:

1. A clear call to action. You need to tell people exactly how they can start working with you.
2. A clear hierarchy: The navigation should clearly show the relationship between different pages on the website and the relative importance of each page.
3. Descriptive labels: The navigation should use descriptive labels that clearly indicate the content of each page.
4. Consistency: The navigation should be consistent across all pages of the website so that users know what to expect.
5. Fewer clicks: The navigation should allow users to access the information they are looking for with as few clicks as possible.
6. 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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Legal compliance: in some instances and industries, there are legal requirements to protect user data and inform them of data breaches.
5. 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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.