If your mortgage broker website feels slow, it’s not just annoying.

It’s expensive.

Because in 2026, Google doesn’t rank slow websites, and borrowers don’t wait for them.

Site performance is now one of the biggest silent drivers of:

• SEO rankings
• Enquiry rates
• Trust
• Lead quality

That’s why working with the best marketing agency for mortgage brokers often comes down to whether they can improve not just your content, but the technical foundation underneath it.

Strong results require technical SEO excellence, because even the best service pages won’t rank if your website is slow, unstable, or difficult for Google to crawl.

Google measures performance using something called Core Web Vitals.

These are the speed and usability metrics Google uses to decide whether your website provides a good experience.

Let’s break down what they mean, and exactly what mortgage brokers can do to improve them.

What Are Core Web Vitals? (In Plain English)

Core Web Vitals are Google’s way of measuring:

“Does this website load fast and feel smooth for real users?”

There are three main metrics.

1. LCP — Largest Contentful Paint

This measures how quickly the main content loads.

For brokers, that’s usually:

• Your hero heading
• The first image
• The top section of your homepage

Good benchmark: Under 2.5 seconds

If your homepage takes five seconds to load, borrowers are already gone.

2. INP — Interaction to Next Paint

This measures how fast your site responds when someone clicks or taps.

For example:

• Clicking “Call Now”
• Opening a menu
• Submitting a form

Good benchmark: Under 200 milliseconds

Slow interaction makes your site feel clunky and untrustworthy.

3. CLS — Cumulative Layout Shift

This measures whether the page jumps around while loading.

You’ve seen this before:

You go to click something, then the button moves.

That’s CLS.

Good benchmark: Under 0.1

A stable site feels professional. A jumpy site feels cheap.

Why Core Web Vitals Matter So Much for Mortgage Brokers

Mortgage leads are high-stakes. Borrowers are cautious.

If your website feels slow or unstable, they subconsciously think:

• This broker doesn’t look established
• This feels outdated
• I’ll click the next one

Speed isn’t just technical.

Speed is trust.

And Google knows it.

The SEO Impact: Faster Sites Rank Higher

Google has confirmed that page experience is a ranking factor.

That means if two brokers have similar content, the faster and smoother website has the advantage.

Especially in competitive metro suburbs.

Core Web Vitals are often the difference between:

• Position four
• And position one

The Lead Impact: Speed Directly Affects Enquiries

Here’s what happens when a broker site is slow:

• Fewer calls
• Fewer form submissions
• Higher bounce rate
• Lower trust

Even a one-second delay can reduce conversions significantly.

Fast sites convert better. Period.

Practical Speed Fixes Mortgage Brokers Can Implement

Now let’s get actionable.

Here are the highest-impact improvements brokers can make quickly.

Step 1: Test Your Website Speed Properly

Use Google’s official tool:

https://pagespeed.web.dev

Test your:

• Homepage
• Refinance page
• Suburb landing pages

Focus on mobile results, not desktop.

Most mortgage traffic is mobile.

Step 2: Compress Your Images (Biggest Quick Win)

Most broker websites are slow because of massive images.

A 3MB hero image will destroy load speed.

Fix it by compressing images before uploading using tools like:

• TinyPNG
• ShortPixel
• Imagify

Target size: Under 200KB per image where possible

This alone can dramatically improve LCP.

Step 3: Remove Plugin Bloat

WordPress broker sites often have 25+ plugins running.

Every plugin adds scripts, requests, and load time.

Action plan:

• Audit your plugins
• Remove anything unused
• Avoid heavy page builder stacks
• Replace bloated plugins with lighter alternatives

Less clutter equals a faster site.

Step 4: Upgrade Hosting (Cheap Hosting = Slow Rankings)

If your hosting costs $5 a month, your performance will show it.

Mortgage SEO requires speed and reliability.

Look for hosting with:

• LiteSpeed or NGINX servers
• Built-in caching
• Australian-based servers (if targeting AU suburbs)

Hosting is the foundation.

Step 5: Enable Caching and Performance Tools

Caching makes repeat visits instant.

Install a proper caching solution like:

• WP Rocket
• LiteSpeed Cache
• FlyingPress

These improve LCP, INP, and overall load time.

A fast broker site feels premium immediately.

Step 6: Simplify Mobile UX

Google measures real mobile experience.

Check:

• Are buttons tap-friendly?
• Is the menu fast?
• Do forms lag?
• Does the site jump while loading?

Mobile-first performance is non-negotiable.

Step 7: Prioritise Your Money Pages

You don’t need every page perfect immediately.

Start with:

• Homepage
• Refinance page
• First home buyer page
• Top suburb pages

These are your lead engines.

Speed improvements here deliver the fastest ROI.

Example: A Broker Speed Upgrade That Drives Leads

Let’s say your refinance page loads in five seconds.

You compress images, enable caching, and remove plugin bloat.

Now it loads in two seconds.

Results:

• Lower bounce rate
• More calls
• Better rankings
• More suburb visibility

Speed improvements compound across SEO and conversion.

Final Thought: Core Web Vitals Are a Competitive Edge

Most mortgage brokers are competing with similar services, similar suburb targeting, and similar content.

The technical difference is what separates leaders from everyone else.

A fast website is not a luxury.

It’s a ranking weapon, a trust signal, and a lead multiplier.

Brokers who fix performance win more enquiries, even with the same traffic.