Project overview
Branding, Website Design and SEO Case Study for The Mortgage Pod
The Mortgage Pod partnered with Targeted SEO in July 2023, needing a stronger brand, a new SEO-led website and a clearer organic search strategy.
The project included branding, website design and development, technical SEO, content strategy, service page optimisation, local SEO, blog content, hosting and ongoing website support.
The campaign ran across short, non-continuous periods, which meant the SEO strategy did not have the full time needed to mature. However, the work created strong foundations for future growth. The new brand and website gave The Mortgage Pod a much clearer online presence, while the content and local SEO strategy helped the website begin building visibility across relevant mortgage searches.
The site grew from 10 organic keywords in July 2023 to 247 by December 2023 during the first active campaign period. By September 2024, after the website had more time to settle and the client briefly restarted SEO activity, the site was recorded as ranking for 492 organic keywords, with estimated organic traffic of 269.
Client testimonial:
I’ve worked with Ben and the team at Targeted a while and I highly recommend their services. Very professional and highly skilled technically. 5 stars.
Steve Humphrey – Director/Owner @ The Mortgage Pod
The Challenge
The Mortgage Pod needed a stronger brand, a better website and a clearer SEO structure
The project needed to create a website that looked professional, reflected the personality of the business and provided a platform for future SEO growth. The challenge was not simply to publish a few mortgage blogs. The website needed to be built around a wider strategy, covering services, locations, advice-led content and conversion pathways.
The campaign needed to support:
- Branding and visual identity
- SEO-led WordPress website development
- Technical SEO foundations
- Service page creation and optimisation
- Local SEO for Portsmouth and surrounding areas
- Content strategy for mortgage topics
- Blog content
- Case study content
- Ongoing hosting and maintenance
- Website updates and technical support
The SEO campaign also ran across short, non-continuous periods. This meant the website did not receive the same level of uninterrupted long-term SEO investment as some larger campaigns. For that reason, this case study is best understood as a branding, website launch and SEO foundations project, rather than a mature long-term SEO campaign.
Our Combined Website & SEO Approach
Branding & Logo Design
The first priority was to create a stronger online identity. The Mortgage Pod needed a brand and website that felt clear, modern and trustworthy. Mortgage advice can feel complex for users, so the design needed to make the process feel more approachable.
The branding work helped give the business a more distinctive digital presence.
SEO-Led WordPress Development
The website was developed in WordPress with SEO at the forefront. This included setting up the website structure, supporting technical SEO, creating a platform for future content, hosting the website on Targeted SEO’s dedicated server and ensuring the site had the right foundations for ongoing optimisation.
For mortgage broker websites, this matters because content can grow quickly. Service pages, local landing pages, mortgage guides and case studies all need to sit within a clear structure.
If the website is not built properly from the beginning, future SEO work can become harder and less effective. The development work created a more scalable website that could support the content strategy over time.
Mortgage Broker SEO Content Strategy
Content strategy was a major part of the project. The Mortgage Pod needed to target a mix of service-led, advice-led and local search opportunities. The strategy included core mortgage service pages, blog content and case study ideas.
This content strategy was designed to do two things: First, it helped build relevance across different mortgage services and borrower situations. Second, it gave the website opportunities to appear for more specific searches where users had a clearer need.
Rather than only targeting broad terms such as “mortgage broker”, the strategy looked at more focused and useful topics that matched real borrower questions.
Local SEO for Portsmouth & Surrounding Areas
Local SEO was another important part of the strategy. The Mortgage Pod was based around the Portsmouth area, so the website needed to build relevance across local search terms and surrounding locations.
The local SEO strategy included landing page opportunities. This local structure was important because many users search for mortgage advice with a location in mind.
Someone searching for a mortgage broker in Portsmouth, Fareham or Havant may be much closer to making an enquiry than someone searching for broad mortgage information nationally. Local landing pages helped create more specific entry points for users in the areas The Mortgage Pod wanted to target.
Service Page Optimisation
The strategy also included service page optimisation. Mortgage broker SEO often needs strong service pages because users search around specific needs. This can include first-time buyer mortgages, product transfers, let-to-buy, limited company lending, non-standard construction and joint borrower sole proprietor mortgages.
The service page strategy helped the website explain these topics more clearly and build relevance for more commercial searches The aim was to create pages that could:
- Explain each mortgage service clearly
- Answer common questions
- Support internal linking
- Improve search visibility
- Give users a clear next step
- Build trust around more complex mortgage scenarios.
This created stronger foundations for both search engines and users.
Technical SEO, Hosting & Website Support
The project also included hosting, website maintenance and technical support. The website was hosted on Targeted SEO’s dedicated server with SSL, daily backups and maintenance support. The retainer also covered content uploads, metadata updates, technical SEO, form tweaks, contact detail updates, bug fixes and core website support. This was important because mortgage broker websites need to stay accurate, functional and secure.
The results
Mortgage Broker SEO Performance Results
The Mortgage Pod worked with Targeted SEO across short, non-continuous campaign periods.
The first active campaign ran from July 2023 to December 2023. During this period, the website began building a stronger organic keyword footprint. The website grew from just 10 organic keywords in July 2023 to 247 organic keywords by December 2023.
After the first campaign period, the client moved to hosting only, before briefly restarting SEO activity in July 2024. By September 2024, the website had continued to build visibility, recording 492 organic keywords and estimated organic traffic of 269.
These results should be understood in context. The campaign did not run as a long, consistent SEO retainer. However, the website and content foundations created during the project helped the domain build a stronger search footprint over time.
This is an important point for SEO-led website design. Even when a client does not continue with a long-term campaign, a well-built website, clear structure and useful content can continue to create value after launch.
Key outcomes included:
- New branding and logo design
- New SEO-led WordPress website
- Improved website structure and user journey
- Technical SEO foundations
- Content strategy for mortgage broker SEO
- Service page planning and optimisation
- Local SEO strategy for Portsmouth and surrounding areas
- Blog content strategy for first-time buyers and specialist mortgage topics
- Case study content planning
- Growth from 10 to 247 organic keywords during the first active campaign period
- Growth to 492 organic keywords by September 2024
- Estimated organic traffic increasing to 269 by September 2024
- Stronger long-term foundations for mortgage broker SEO.
What Made This Project Successful?
The success of this project came from building strong foundations. The Mortgage Pod needed a better brand, a better website and a clearer SEO structure. We delivered those foundations through branding, SEO-led web design, technical SEO, content strategy and local SEO planning.
The campaign did not run long enough or consistently enough to become a mature SEO success story. But the work did give the business a much stronger website and a clearer route to future organic growth.
For mortgage brokers, that matters. A website needs to build trust quickly, explain complex mortgage topics clearly and help users take the next step. The Mortgage Pod website achieved that. It gave the business a stronger digital identity, clearer service pathways and a content structure that could continue to support visibility over time.
How we can help you
Need SEO-led website design for a mortgage broker?
Mortgage broker SEO is competitive, local and trust-led. Your website needs to do more than look professional. It needs to explain your services clearly, build confidence with users, support local visibility and provide search engines with the right technical and content signals.
At Targeted SEO, we help mortgage brokers and financial services businesses build SEO-led websites designed for long-term organic growth.
Our work combines branding, WordPress web design, technical SEO, content strategy, local SEO, on-page optimisation, reporting and ongoing website support.
Speak to our team about SEO-led website design for mortgage brokers.
