Google Ads for mortgage brokers
measured to a funded loan, not a click
Someone searching 'mortgage broker near me' or 'refinance rates today' is already deciding. A campaign chasing cheap clicks wastes that intent on rate-shoppers who were never close to applying. We fix tracking and the pre-qualification funnel first, then run campaigns measured to a funded loan, not a click.
Where mortgage leads leak
Mortgage searches run high-intent, but also rate-sensitive. Someone typing “best mortgage rates today” is often comparing five brokers in one sitting. A campaign optimized for cheap clicks happily delivers form fills from people who are months away from actually applying. The gap between what the platform calls a lead and what a CRM can confirm as pre-qualified is often huge. A form asking only for name and phone attracts curiosity alongside real borrowers.
A second problem: budget split by instinct, not by what a loan type actually converts into. A refinance lead and a first-time-buyer lead differ a lot in close rate and loan value. Without a reconciled view against CRM and loan-origination data, that difference stays invisible and budget spreads evenly across campaigns that are not actually comparable.
A third is the landing page itself. A generic “contact us for rates” page with no qualifying fields pushes spend toward clicks. The page then fails to turn those clicks into a real pre-qualified lead a loan officer can act on.
A fourth, specific to this category: advertising rules around rate claims. Mortgage advertising is regulated in most jurisdictions. A campaign written without that in mind creates exposure that a team optimizing purely for click-through rate has every incentive to overlook.
What we build for mortgage brokers
We start with the account and the funnel, not new ad copy. An audit of the existing Google Ads account, conversion tracking and the pre-qualification landing page usually finds fixable leaks. Untracked conversions. Campaigns targeting generic “mortgage” terms instead of the specific loan-type searches that actually convert. A form asking too little to qualify a lead on arrival.
We rebuild tracking to follow a lead from the ad to a funded loan. Conversions API and offline conversion import, so a funded loan feeds back into the platform’s own optimization. UTM parameters on every campaign. A connection into your loan-origination system or CRM, so a “lead” in the ad platform and a pre-qualified lead in your pipeline are the same record. Campaign structure rebuilds around loan type and borrower intent, not one broad “mortgage rates” campaign.
Typical integrations: Google Ads with offline conversion import from the loan-origination system. amoCRM or HubSpot for pipeline-stage data. A pre-qualification landing page built or fixed to capture income range and loan amount on every submission.
Any ad copy mentioning rates runs as a clearly marked indicative range, never a firm quote. It gets flagged for your compliance review before it goes live, since rules for this category vary by jurisdiction.
We also watch a pattern specific to rate-sensitive categories. A campaign that looks strong on cost per lead during falling rates can quietly stop working once rates move the other way. The search behavior driving clicks shifts with the rate environment itself. Reviewing campaign structure against the current rate cycle, not just last month’s numbers, is part of what ongoing management actually means here.
What stays with humans
Any specific rate quote, qualification decision or loan recommendation stays a conversation your licensed loan officers have directly with the borrower. The campaign’s job is bringing a pre-qualified, ready borrower to that conversation faster and at a lower cost. Any compliance question about how the campaign describes rates or terms goes to your own counsel before launch.
Price and timeline
| Model | Price | What it covers | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agency runs it | from $1,000 | We audit, launch and manage the campaigns, weekly reporting included | 2 to 3 weeks to launch |
| Full control, handover-ready | from $2,000 | Same build, plus full account access, tracking documentation and a written handover for your own team | 3 to 4 weeks |
Related
Pair this campaign with an AI agent for mortgage brokers, so pre-qualified leads get document collection started within minutes. Or start with a website for mortgage brokers if the landing page itself needs rebuilding first. See the full package breakdown on the performance marketing service page. Read about tracking a high-ticket funnel honestly in the citizenship consulting case study, or get a written audit plan with a fixed price.
FAQ
What does it cost to start?
Audit and launch starts at $1,000: account and funnel audit, tracking fixes, campaign structure, first ad copy and a two-week watch period. Ongoing management is $1,000 a month and up, depending on loan types and markets.
Can ad copy mention specific rates?
We write rate-adjacent copy as ranges, clearly marked indicative, never a firm quote. Any rate-specific language gets flagged for your compliance review before launch, since mortgage advertising rules vary by jurisdiction and that call is not ours to make.
What ad budget do we need?
A realistic minimum is $800 to $1,200 a month per loan-type campaign, so the algorithm sees enough conversions to learn. Below that, we usually fix the pre-qualification form and tracking first and start ads once the funnel can actually convert.
How do you track a lead through to a funded loan, not just a form fill?
Conversions API and offline conversion import on the site, UTM discipline on every campaign. A join between ad data and your loan-origination system's funded-loan status makes a lead's full path from search to funding visible in one report.
Can you target specific loan types like refinance or first-time buyer?
Yes. Campaigns split by loan type and borrower intent: purchase, refinance, first-time buyer. Budget goes toward the searches that actually match the loan types you want more of.