Mortgage brokers will need to take a more strategic, long-term approach to search engine optimisation in 2026 as Google increases its emphasis on local relevance, content quality, and user experience.
Hunter & Scribe owner Nick Bendel (pictured) said many brokers still underestimated how much business was won or lost based on their online visibility.
“SEO still feels like a black box for many brokers, but you don’t need to understand every technical detail to see meaningful gains,” Bendel said. “What matters is focusing on the right actions consistently. Small, steady improvements add up.”
Industry indicators suggest an increasing number of borrowers now begin their home-loan research online, heightening the importance of strong digital visibility and clear educational content. Younger borrowers in particular appear more digitally engaged, often reviewing brokers, reading online feedback, and researching loan concepts before making contact.
One of the biggest opportunities next year, Bendel said, will be improving brokers’ Google Business Profiles (GBP), which he described as “one of the most influential digital assets a broker can control.”
“Your Google Business Profile often appears before your website, so it can be the first thing a potential client sees,” he said. “A complete, accurate profile with fresh photos, weekly posts, and strong reviews can significantly boost your visibility in your area.”
He added that brokers should encourage clients to leave detailed, suburb-specific reviews, helping Google match them with local borrowers.
Beyond local optimisation, Bendel said brokers should focus on publishing educational content that answers genuine borrower questions in clear, simple language.
“Google has made it clear it wants expertise-driven, helpful content,” he said. “Explanations of serviceability, refinance timelines, or lender policy differences will always beat generic marketing fluff.”
Recent keyword analysis from MONEYME found that “mortgage meaning” attracted 3,600 monthly searches, while interest-related queries generated an average of 9,590 searches per month and mortgage-related terms drew 8,900, highlighting the scale of financial confusion among consumers.
Bendel noted that growing use of voice search means brokers should write more naturally.
“Think headings that ask direct questions and content that mirrors how people speak, not just how they type,” he said.
Google continues to reward websites that load quickly, perform smoothly on mobile devices, and offer intuitive navigation.
“A slow, cluttered website will hold a broker back,” Bendel said. “Clean design, fast load times, and simple structure help users stay longer, which tells Google your site is valuable.”
Despite rising enthusiasm for digital marketing, Bendel warned against expecting instant results.
“SEO is absolutely not a get-rich-quick scheme,” he said. “In most cases, it takes one to three years to achieve meaningful traction, especially in competitive metro markets.”
Bendel said the fundamentals remain unchanged heading into next year: strong local signals, high-quality content, and a smooth user experience will determine which brokers succeed in Google’s search rankings.
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