Understanding Heatmaps to Improve Mortgage Page Design

Understanding Heatmaps to Improve Mortgage Page Design

Every mortgage website aims to generate one thing: leads. But if your pages aren’t designed with user behavior in mind, visitors may leave before filling out a form or calling your office. That’s where heatmaps come in.

Heatmaps provide a visual representation of how users interact with your website—where they click, scroll, and focus their attention. For mortgage professionals, this data is a game-changer in creating pages that actually convert visitors into borrowers.

What Is a Heatmap?

A heatmap is a data visualization tool that shows user behavior on a webpage using color coding. Warm colors like red and yellow indicate high engagement, while cooler colors like blue represent low engagement.

Mortgage websites can use heatmaps to identify:

• Which CTAs (call-to-actions) are clicked most often. 
• How far users scroll down a loan product page. 
• Which sections of content hold attention—and which get ignored. 

Why Heatmaps Matter for Mortgage Websites

Mortgage borrowers often compare multiple lenders before making a decision. A heatmap helps you:

• Understand why some visitors bounce without converting. 
• See if important information (like loan forms) is actually being viewed. 
• Optimize CTA placement to maximize applications. 
• Reduce distractions by eliminating low-engagement elements. 

This insight helps fine-tune your website for performance, not just aesthetics.

Types of Heatmaps Mortgage Teams Should Use

There are three primary types of heatmaps that matter for page design:

1. Click Maps – Show where users are clicking. Useful for tracking CTAs, menus, or calculators. 
2. Scroll Maps – Reveal how far users scroll before leaving. Helps determine if key loan information is too far down the page. 
3. Move Maps – Track cursor movement, often correlated with eye movement. Great for testing whether visitors actually notice rate disclosures or testimonials. 

Each provides different insights for improving design decisions.

Using Heatmaps to Improve CTA Placement

Calls-to-action are critical on mortgage sites, but they don’t always get the attention you expect. Heatmaps help you see:

• If “Apply Now” buttons are buried too far down the page. 
• Whether users click on secondary CTAs (like “Learn More” about FHA loans). 
• If mobile visitors can easily tap buttons without zooming. 

By analyzing click maps, you can reposition CTAs where engagement is highest.

Improving Loan Forms With Heatmap Insights

Loan forms are often the biggest conversion barrier. Heatmaps can reveal:

• Which form fields cause drop-offs. 
• Whether users abandon forms halfway through. 
• If forms are being ignored because they’re below the fold. 

Armed with this data, you can simplify forms, move them higher on the page, or add progress indicators to encourage completion.

Analyzing Content Engagement With Scroll Maps

Mortgage guides and loan program pages tend to be long. Scroll maps show if visitors are actually reading all the way through. If most users drop off before reaching critical details (like eligibility or benefits), you may need to:

• Move key information higher. 
• Break text into shorter sections. 
• Add visuals like icons, bullets, or infographics. 

This ensures buyers don’t miss the information that drives action.

Identifying Design Distractions

Heatmaps often reveal wasted space—elements that attract attention without helping conversions. Examples include:

• Decorative images that get more clicks than actual CTAs. 
• Footer links that distract visitors away from loan forms. 
• Overloaded menus that reduce focus. 

By removing or redesigning these distractions, you streamline the user experience.

Combining Heatmaps With A/B Testing

Heatmaps tell you what users do, while A/B testing lets you experiment with changes. Together, they provide a powerful optimization loop:

• Use heatmaps to spot low-performing areas. 
• Test alternative layouts or CTA placements. 
• Measure conversion differences. 

This process ensures changes are based on real user behavior, not assumptions.

Tools for Heatmap Analysis

Several tools make heatmap tracking accessible for mortgage teams:

• Hotjar – Popular for scroll and click tracking. 
• Crazy Egg – Offers heatmaps and session recordings. 
• Microsoft Clarity – Free tool with robust heatmap insights. 

Choose one based on budget and integration needs.

Combine Design Insights With SEO Power From LoanSites

At LoanSites, we don’t just create stunning mortgage websites—we make sure they’re designed to convert. With heatmap analysis, funnel tracking, and SEO-driven strategies, we optimize your site for both performance and compliance.

Our Advanced SEO package includes:

• Ongoing technical audits and user behavior analysis. 
• Conversion-focused blog content tailored to borrower intent. 
• On-page optimization to ensure every CTA is working. 
• Competitor tracking so you always stay ahead. 

We deliver the best mortgage SEO results in the industry—combining design, speed, and analytics for maximum lead generation.

Schedule a call with us today.