Why Most Mortgage Broker Websites Don’t Rank (Technical SEO Issues Explained)

Let’s be blunt.
If your mortgage broker website isn’t ranking, it’s usually not because of your content.
And it’s not because Google “doesn’t like” brokers.
It’s because your technical foundation is quietly holding everything back.
You can write the best suburb page in your city. You can publish amazing borrower guides. You can even build backlinks.
But if Google can’t properly crawl, render, or trust your site, you won’t win.
That’s why working with the best marketing agency for mortgage brokers is often the difference between a site that looks good and a site that actually generates consistent local enquiries.
More importantly, strong rankings require technical SEO excellence — the behind-the-scenes foundation that allows your content and service pages to perform properly in Google.
The Hard Truth: Most Broker Websites Are Technically Weak
We regularly see mortgage broker sites with:
- Slow load speeds
- Bloated themes
- Broken internal linking
- Duplicate suburb pages
- Indexing issues
- Poor mobile usability
And the worst part?
Most brokers don’t even know it’s happening.
Google sees technical problems as risk. And when there’s risk, rankings suffer.
The 6 Technical SEO Issues That Stop Mortgage Brokers Ranking
Let’s go through the most common problems.
1. Slow Page Speed (Especially on Mobile)
Google prioritises speed.
If your site loads slowly, two things happen:
- Users bounce
- Google lowers your ranking potential
Most mortgage broker sites are built on heavy WordPress themes with:
- Oversized images
- Unnecessary plugins
- Unused scripts
- Page builders stacked on page builders
Why this matters:
Even a one to two second delay can reduce conversions significantly.
2. Duplicate Suburb Pages
This is extremely common in mortgage SEO.
Example:
- /mortgage-broker-bondi
- /mortgage-broker-coogee
- /mortgage-broker-bronte
But the content is identical except the suburb name.
Google sees that as duplication.
And instead of ranking three pages, it often ranks none.
3. Weak Internal Linking
Your service pages need authority.
If your blog posts aren’t linking to your:
- Refinance page
- First Home Buyer page
- Investment Loans page
Google struggles to understand which pages matter most.
Internal linking is how authority flows through your site.
Most brokers completely ignore it.
4. Poor URL Structure
Messy URLs confuse both users and Google.
Example of weak structure:
- /services-page-1
- /blog-post-2023-update
Better structure:
- /refinancing
- /first-home-buyer-loans
- /mortgage-broker-bondi
Clean URLs create clarity. Clarity leads to stronger rankings.
5. Indexing Issues (Google Isn’t Seeing Your Pages)
Sometimes pages don’t rank because they’re not indexed properly.
Common causes include:
- Accidental noindex tags
- Broken sitemaps
- Orphan pages (not linked from anywhere)
- Redirect chains
If Google can’t crawl it properly, it won’t rank it.
6. Mobile UX Problems
Over 60% of mortgage searches happen on mobile.
If your site:
- Has tiny buttons
- Uses hard-to-read text
- Has slow tap responses
- Includes clunky enquiry forms
Borrowers leave. Google notices. Rankings drop.
Practical Technical SEO Fixes You Can Implement This Week
Now let’s move into action.
Here’s a simple technical improvement plan you can start immediately.
Step 1: Check Your Site Speed
Go to:
Enter your homepage and top service pages.
Look at:
- Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)
- Interaction to Next Paint (INP)
- Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)
If your mobile score is below 70, you likely have work to do.
Quick wins:
- Compress images (TinyPNG or similar)
- Remove unused plugins
- Disable unnecessary scripts
- Use proper hosting (cheap hosting hurts speed)
Step 2: Fix Duplicate Suburb Pages
Open your suburb pages and ask:
“Is this genuinely unique?”
Each suburb page should include:
- Local borrower scenarios
- Suburb-specific language
- Tailored FAQs
- Different headings
- Unique testimonials
If they’re copy-paste with suburb swaps, rewrite them properly.
Step 3: Strengthen Internal Linking
Every blog post should link to:
- At least one service page
- At least one suburb page
- Your main contact page
Example:
Blog: “Fixed vs Variable Rates”
→ Link to: /refinancing
→ Link to: /mortgage-broker-sydney
→ Link to: /contact
That tells Google what matters most.
Step 4: Clean Up Your URLs
Check your top pages.
Are they short, descriptive, and clear?
If not, improve structure when possible, with proper redirects.
Clean architecture strengthens authority.
Step 5: Improve Mobile Experience
Open your website on your phone right now and ask:
- Is the call button obvious?
- Is the enquiry form easy to complete?
- Is the text readable without zooming?
- Does it load quickly on 4G?
If not, this is costing you leads and rankings.
How Long Do Technical Fixes Take to Impact Rankings?
Often:
- Speed fixes lead to improvements within weeks
- Indexing issues result in faster crawling
- Internal linking can create ranking lifts over 4–8 weeks
Technical SEO is not glamorous, but it’s incredibly powerful.
Final Thought: Content Alone Won’t Save a Weak Foundation
Mortgage SEO is like building a house.
- Content is the interior
- Links are the structure
- Technical SEO is the foundation
If the foundation is cracked, nothing performs at full strength.
The brokers who dominate suburbs aren’t just writing content. They’ve fixed the technical layer underneath it.
And that’s why their rankings stick.