Question 1

Does your broker website's homepage clearly state what you do and who you serve, in 5 seconds?

Accepted Answer

Most broker sites lead with their own business name. A visitor needs to know in 5 seconds what's in it for them — refinancing, first home, investment, commercial — and where you serve. Without that clarity, they bounce.

Question 2

Does your broker website use real photos of you and your team, not stock photography?

Accepted Answer

Visitors can spot stock photos instantly, and they kill credibility. A genuine photo of the broker earns trust the moment a visitor lands.

Question 3

Does your broker website have a clear primary CTA visible above the fold?

Accepted Answer

If visitors have to scroll or hunt for the next step, they leave. The hero of every broker site should have one high-contrast primary action — book, call, or enquire — visible without scrolling.

Question 4

Is your industry membership badge (MFAA or FBAA) displayed above the fold on your broker website?

Accepted Answer

The badge is the trust shortcut. MFAA Accredited Broker logo, FBAA logo, or aggregator affiliation should be visible without scrolling. Below the fold = invisible to most visitors.

Question 5

Are the testimonials on your broker website genuine, attributed, and tied to specific outcomes?

Accepted Answer

FBAA Principle 4 and Australian Consumer Law: fake or unattributed testimonials are a legal risk. Specific outcomes ('refinanced in 3 weeks') out-convert vague praise ('great service'). Real names with permission, no guaranteed-outcome claims.

Question 6

Are your years in industry, qualifications, and credibility signals visible on your broker website?

Accepted Answer

Borrowers vet brokers before they enquire. Years writing loans, total clients helped, professional accreditations — these signals are what move a curious visitor to a confident enquirer.

Question 7

Does your broker website have a working repayment calculator that loads on mobile?

Accepted Answer

Calculators are the highest-intent feature on a broker site. A broken or slow-loading calculator means a lost deal. Test on mobile, with sensible default values, and check the result correlates with form submissions in analytics.

Question 8

Is there one clear next step on every page of your broker website?

Accepted Answer

One clear next step per page — book a call, phone, or contact form — converts. Three competing CTAs cause choice paralysis. Pick one primary action per page and make it the most visible thing.

Question 9

Is your phone number tappable on every page of your broker website, and do all booking forms work?

Accepted Answer

MFAA mandatory: easy-to-find contact details on every page. A tap-to-call link on mobile is the lowest-friction conversion path a broker site has. Broken booking forms kill deals mid-funnel — test quarterly.

Question 10

Are your Credit Licence, Credit Representative status, ABN, and AFCA membership visible on your broker website?

Accepted Answer

Showing these builds trust and is what MFAA and FBAA expect of members. The strict legal disclosure (NCCP s52, plus your Credit Guide) sits in your Credit Guide and printed advertising, not the website, so a footer block is best practice rather than a hard website rule. It's still the standard place clients and reviewers look, so it's worth having on every page.

Question 11

Does your broker website have a live privacy policy and a working cookie consent banner?

Accepted Answer

Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles (APP 5) require notification when you collect personal information, including via cookies. A live linked policy plus a functional banner is the baseline.

Question 12

Does your broker website have Terms & Conditions and a Complaints / disputes process with the AFCA pathway visible?

Accepted Answer

ASIC RG 271 requires every credit licensee to have a clear Internal Dispute Resolution process available to clients, with the External Dispute Resolution path (AFCA) for unresolved complaints. Publishing it on your site is the standard way to make it accessible. Website Terms & Conditions are standard digital business practice and protect both you and your visitors.

Question 13

Does your broker website avoid restricted language (e.g. 'guaranteed', 'best', 'cheapest', 'independent', 'unbiased', 'free') and acknowledge the Best Interests Duty?

Accepted Answer

MFAA, FBAA, ASIC RG 234 and Australian Consumer Law all prohibit guaranteed-outcome and self-aggrandising claims. NCCP s160C specifically restricts brokers (who receive lender commissions) from claiming to be 'independent' or 'unbiased'. The Best Interests Duty (NCCP s158LA, guided by ASIC RG 273) applies to the credit assistance you give. It doesn't have to appear on your website, but acknowledging it is best practice and builds trust.

Question 14

Are the lender logos on your broker website only displayed with written permission?

Accepted Answer

ASIC RG 234 and bank brand teams require written authorisation to use lender marks. Using CBA, Westpac, BankWest or any lender logo without permission breaches both regulatory and brand-licence rules. Where you don't have permission, use generic wording like 'we work with 40+ lenders including the major banks' instead.

Question 15

Does your broker website show a 'subject to lender criteria' disclaimer on rate or calculator outputs?

Accepted Answer

ASIC RG 234 requires disclaimers wherever a borrower might mistake a calculator output or rate example for a binding offer. A small 'Results are indicative only. Final eligibility is subject to lender criteria.' line below calculator results is the standard.

Question 16

Do your broker website's page titles describe each page's topic, not just your business name?

Accepted Answer

Page titles like 'Refinancing in Brisbane with a broker' beat 'Smith Mortgages | Home' every time. Title tags are the strongest on-page SEO signal and the first thing AI search reads. Format: topic | business name. Under 60 characters.

Question 17

Does your broker website reference your local area (suburb or region) and link your Google Business Profile?

Accepted Answer

MFAA mandatory: local area references. Suburb and region words on the homepage drive map-pack and local SEO. A linked, active Google Business Profile is half your local visibility.

Question 18

Is your broker website mobile-friendly, fast (under 3 seconds), and updated within the last 12 months?

Accepted Answer

Most broker enquiries now come from mobile — slow loading bounces visitors before the page renders. Stale content (outdated copyright year, old rates, dead links) tells visitors and Google your business is too. All three need to be true.

The Self-Audit Checklist

Tell us about your accreditation.

Five pillars. Eighteen sharp checks. Three minutes.

Ready to look the part?

The Self-Audit Checklist.

Tell us about your accreditation.

Five pillars. Eighteen sharp checks. Three minutes.

Ready to look the part?

The Self-Audit Checklist