Best Mortgage Lead Generation

Why Great Leads Are Never Free, Pay-Per-Lead Doesn’t Work, and How to Build a Pipeline That Actually Converts

If you’re in the mortgage or finance industry, you already know that lead generation is make or break. The right leads — well-timed, financially qualified, and interested — can turn into long-term clients and referral sources. The wrong leads? They waste your time, drain your energy, and make you question your marketing strategy altogether.

At David Hannah Marketing, we specialise in building qualified mortgage lead pipelines that consistently deliver. Not just one-off inquiries — but leads that convert, stay warm, and integrate into your broader sales system.

In this guide, we break down what works (and what doesn’t), why pay-per-lead models almost always fail, and what to look for in a mortgage marketing expert if you’re serious about growing in 2025.

Google vs Meta: Which Platform Is Best for Mortgage Leads?

The short answer: both work — for different reasons.

Google Ads capture high-intent leads. When someone types “mortgage broker Gold Coast” or “first home loan VIC”, they’re already in the research or application phase. It’s direct, measurable, and works best when you have a strong landing page and booking funnel.

Meta (Facebook/Instagram) is about interruption and education. These platforms are great for targeting specific demographics — first home buyers, investors, refinancers — and warming cold audiences with clear messaging and retargeting. It’s more top-of-funnel, but with lower cost per click and great audience reach.

Our approach at David Hannah Marketing? Use both. We combine intent-based Google campaigns with nurturing-focused Meta campaigns to bring people in early, then capture them when they’re ready.

Why Free Leads Are Never Free — and Never Good

You’ve probably seen the pitch: join a Facebook group, post on Reddit, use a referral swap site, or download a free lead list.

Here’s the truth: free leads are either unqualified, already spammed, or not actually looking for what you offer. If they’re not actively engaging with your brand, they’re not part of your sales ecosystem — and that means you’ll either be ignored or racing ten other brokers to get their attention.

Real leads require:
Ad spend (to reach the right people at the right time)
Engaging creative and messaging
Tracking and retargeting
Follow-up, re-engagement, and pipeline nurturing

Free traffic can play a small role in your long-term strategy (especially organic content or referrals), but if you're serious about growth, you need a lead system — not a lucky break.

Why Pay-Per-Lead Is a Terrible Idea

It sounds appealing: pay only when a lead comes in.

But here’s what they don’t tell you:

• You have zero control over where the leads come from

• Leads are often sold to multiple brokers at once

• They’re cold, unqualified, and low intent

• There’s no long-term pipeline building — you’re just renting traffic

Worse, you’re not building your brand, your email list, or your retargeting audience. You’re paying for the illusion of growth, not actual scalability.

At David Hannah Marketing, we don’t rent leads. We help you own the entire lead funnel — from first click to booked consultation and beyond.

Australia vs International Markets: What You Need to Know

In Australia, finance advertising is heavily regulated — and rightly so. You need compliant messaging, a clear privacy policy, and disclaimers built into every asset. Our campaigns are built for that.

We understand nuances in the Australian market like:

• First home buyer behaviour

• Investment property trends

• Refinancing cycles

• Regional vs metro targeting

In the international market (e.g. New Zealand, UK, USA), platforms are more flexible — but competition is often higher and ad fatigue is faster. That’s why we localise messaging, test offers aggressively, and use data-driven optimisations based on region.

Our team is based in Australia. We understand the compliance, audience behaviour, and economic patterns of this market — and we build systems that fit your local reality, not just a global template.

What Makes David Hannah Marketing Different?

We don’t just deliver leads — we build lead systems.

That means:

• Targeted campaigns across Google and Meta

• Custom landing pages optimised for conversions

• Full tracking (calls, forms, calendar bookings)

• Retargeting ads to warm up cold traffic

• Email and SMS nurture flows (with optional CRM setup)

• Engagement-focused campaigns to pre-qualify interest

• Ongoing support to adjust and improve as the market shifts

Our average campaigns achieve:
Cost-per-clicks under $1.20 on Google
Clicks as low as $0.30–$0.70 on Meta
Click-through rates of 5% or more
Lead-to-booked call conversion rates above 20%
Consistent cost per lead in the $15–$40 range depending on market and funnel maturity

And importantly — you own every part of the system.

What to Look for in a Mortgage Lead Generation Partner

If you're hiring someone to generate leads, make sure they understand:

• Sales intent — not just ad reach

• Engagement metrics — like time on page, booking flow completion, open rate

• Lead warming — email sequences, retargeting, social proof

• Pipeline visibility — knowing which leads are ready now, and which need nurturing

• Compliance — Australian legal and financial advertising regulations

• Real reporting — no vanity metrics, just cost per lead and cost per result

You need more than clicks. You need predictability, control, and growth over time.

Let’s Build Your Lead Machine

If you're ready to stop chasing cold, low-quality leads — and start building a lead system that feeds your mortgage business consistently — we can help.

At David Hannah Marketing, we work with brokers, finance firms, and aggregators to create high-performance campaigns that convert. Whether you’re launching in a single suburb or scaling across multiple states, we’ll help you build a funnel that warms leads, books calls, and drives revenue.

Book your strategy session today here, and let’s turn your marketing spend into a long-term pipeline of qualified clients.