Commercial Loan Broker Institute SEO
Can Search Engine Optimization be impacted by on-site content without significant backlink building?
Case: CLBI
The value of long-form content in SEO
The Commercial Loan Broker Institute (CLBI) is a training program for those who want to launch a commercial loan brokerage without having to purchase a franchise. The program provides training in pitching financing services, matching businesses to lenders, and packaging loans.
In this instance, a major industry provider was heavily advertising their services but often delivered lower-quality support in key areas, despite higher entry costs. To reach prospective students, CLBI leveraged SEO-optimized long-form content to answer questions found in common search queries. By providing valuable, in-depth information, CLBI positioned itself as a credible, cost-effective alternative to an aggressive industry leader, driving student interest and program growth.
Choosing and Optimizing Keywords
Our first step in creating high-performing content was analyzing other training programs in the sector. We reviewed competitor websites, identifying high-traffic key phrases as well as underutilized, potentially valuable topics. These insights were compared to CLBI’s existing language to uncover opportunities for new pages or expanded content.
Next, we evaluated each keyword’s competition level. High-competition keywords are those already targeted by many competitors with established backlinks, which makes ranking for them more challenging and resource-intensive.
Once the target keywords were selected, we:
- Categorized them by page topic
- Outlined each page
- Created copy optimized around meaningful phrases
The result is a high-performing long-form page that provides a comprehensive overview of becoming a commercial loan broker. Each section is aligned with specific search terms, giving multiple opportunities for prospective students to discover the page. (See example “How to Start a Loan Broker Business.”)
What you see to the right is about one-third of a top-performing page on the site. The page is a high-level look at what is necessary to become a commercial loan broker. Each section is optimized around a meaningful phrase. That provides many varied search options that could result in a visit to the page.
Transparency Builds Credibility
At first glance, it may seem risky to showcase an entire program online. However, CLBI’s approach provides prospective students with a realistic picture of what it takes to launch a brokerage. The program covers website setup, CRM, social media, blogging, opportunity discovery, financing insights, lender connections, and business registration. While it can’t instill personal drive, offering this detailed view upfront contributes to a high completion rate—most participants finish the program with an operational business structure in place.
Measuring Engagement
Data from May 16, 2023, to May 16, 2024, shows that one top-performing page received 6,777 unique visitors and 8,758 total views, averaging 1.29 views per person. Visitors spent an average of 1 minute and 31 seconds on the page, meeting CLBI’s target of 1 minute 30 seconds for long-form content.
While the home page averages only 17 seconds per visitor—partly due to proactive link-building—high-value pages retain the attention of visitors genuinely interested in the content. This ensures that those who engage are more likely to act on the information provided.
Aligning SEO with Goals
SEO metrics—keywords, content length, and engagement—are only meaningful when aligned with your organization’s mission and objectives. For CLBI, high traffic is necessary to reach individuals serious about entering the commercial loan industry.
The key to effective SEO is matching your objectives with the right language and structuring it thoughtfully on the page. This alignment ensures that your content drives tangible outcomes.
Diversifying Access to Capital
An ongoing goal of CLBI founder Darrick Brown is to enhance the financial capacity of borrowers while training brokers to deliver tailored solutions. This often involves educating borrowers and finding underwriting approaches that go beyond run-of-the-mill financing. In particular, minority-owned businesses face the greatest uphill challenge to achieve sufficient business funding.
To support these objectives, we developed two diversity-focused landing pages
Building ABF
The work supporting diversity through the CLBI funnel led to writing and building a new website for Darrick’s consulting business, ABF.
ABF works with certified Disadvantaged Business Contractors registered with the federal government, helping them build capacity to participate in government contracts. Many contractors face challenges financing projects before inspections and payments are completed; ABF provides the guidance and resources to ensure their success.
Ready to develop and document meaningful optimized content and diversity-promoting trainings?
Contact Murdock Media Production today. We’ll help you develop your program from concept through implementation, and document the work for your website along the way.