Paid Ads for Mortgage Brokers – Insights from Charley of Vahler Media

In this episode of Broker Tools, Charley from Valher Media chats about how Brokers can leverage paid ads to grow their business. We dive into when ads make sense, realistic budgets, and the difference between Google Ads and Meta campaigns, while exploring the power of niche targeting and ensuring high-quality leads.

BrokerTools & Charley Valher

January 21, 2026

Podcast Transcript

0:00 | Katey: Hi and welcome to episode two of Broker Tools. This is where we unpack the tools, systems, and strategies that help brokers optimise the way they work. I'm Katey, your host, and the conversation you're about to hear is with Charley Valher from Valher Media.

0:16 | Katey: In this episode, we are talking paid ads—when they actually make sense for a broker business, what is realistic for your budget, and why ads are not just "set and forget."

1:38 | Charley: Thank you so much for having me, Katey. It's a pleasure to be here. And I love the name Broker Tools. What a great name.

2:28 | Charley: To set context, I've been doing ads online for about 15 years. My biggest regret is that I was online when you could buy the keyword "mortgage broker Melbourne" for 5 cents a click. Today, that same click is about $25.

3:53 | Charley: I don't actually think Google is the best opportunity for brokers today. I think we're in a better time with Meta advertising—Facebook and Instagram. It is as "frothy" as when I first got on the internet. We are generating thousands of mortgage leads in Australia right now.

5:24 | Charley: During COVID, everyone went online. Brokers who served a local area realised: "If I have good processes, I can service leads all over Australia." That change made advertising particularly lucrative.

6:30 | Charley: Meta and Instagram have gotten so much better at targeting. I have clients who just want "investor leads" or "SMSF" leads. It allows broking businesses to become very streamlined.

7:50 | Charley: I think it’s a terrible idea to build a niche without seeing if there’s market demand. The great thing about advertising is you can test. For example, a client was struggling with First Home Buyers until we pivoted to "First Home Buyers who are new arrivals to Australia." That little twist made a market.

10:10 | Charley: Ad copy works best when you focus on qualified leads ready to buy. This year, we'll spend $50M on ads. We've built templates so that when we work with a client, we have a massive head start.

11:12 | Charley: If you're a great broker, you should double down on the process—getting the money, document collection, and client management. Team up with a specialist for the leads. Don't try to learn what I know while also competing against me in the marketplace.

12:12 | Charley: If you're working with a marketing agency, the game is: whatever money you give them, they've got to create more than that back. If a broker writes a $1M loan, that’s worth about $6,800 to the business on the front end. You need to return above that line to scale.

14:21 | Charley: I don't think brokers shouldn't do marketing—referrals and BNI are fantastic. But the time it takes to get good enough at ads to compete isn't justified.

15:08 | Charley: Ads become useful when you have one or two brokers working for you and you need consistency. Referral partnerships are lumpy. An ad agency gives you the confidence to scale because you control the flow of leads.

16:53 | Charley: Personally, I don't like mortgage calculators or checklists for lead gen. Brokers want people who want to borrow money now. I’d rather have a list of 100 people who need finance today than 100 people who used a calculator.

18:41 | Charley: Compliance has become a "spicy" topic. You shouldn't be making unrealistic claims like "0% deposit and 10% guaranteed growth." If you put forth unrealistic expectations, you can get shut down.

21:19 | Charley: Advertising comes down to two components: the Agency Fee and the Ad Spend. If you pay an agency $10k and only spend $1k on ads, there's no chance of a return. My recommendation is to budget about $10k as a starting point for a mix of fee and spend.

23:46 | Katey: We were talking earlier about AI setters doing lead calls, but nothing beats a human in some of these respects.

24:11 | Charley: Right now, having human "setters" is definitely winning for us over AI.

24:51 | Charley: I wouldn't recommend a one-man band start with ads. It's better to work on relationships and referrals when you're starting. Ads become interesting when you have two brokers plus, because you need that consistency to cover the costs of your team.

26:34 | Charley: On our website, valhermedia.com, we have an "Ad Audit." If someone fills that out, they can book a call with me to see if advertising is right for their business.

Podcast with Charley from Vahler Media:

In this episode of Broker Tools, we catch up with Charley from Valher Media about how Mortgage Brokers can leverage paid ads to grow their business.

We dive into when ads make sense, realistic budgets, and the difference between Google Ads and Meta campaigns, while exploring the power of niche targeting and ensuring high-quality leads.

Charley shares real-world examples of brokers targeting first-home buyers, investors, and SMSF clients, and explains why partnering with an expert can save time, increase efficiency, and help brokers focus on closing deals rather than managing campaigns. Practical tips on budgeting, compliance, and testing markets make this episode essential for brokers looking to scale their business with paid advertising.

Episode Links

▶️ WATCH TO THE FULL PODCAST HERE: https://youtu.be/3C91JekVB_k

🎧 LISTEN ON SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7aClGLdSAN3wfIGHBlTUuV?si=lT4FJ0wmRUSTDwKeP-OwMw

🌐 VISIT VAHLER MEDIA WEBSITE HERE: https://www.vahlermedia.com

The Core Problem With Paid Ads

If you struggle with whether or not paid ads are worth your time and money - or don’t know which platform to invest in, how to target the right audience, or how to ensure the leads they generate are qualified. Without the right strategy, you will risk wasting money on ads that don’t convert.

The Big Shift: Why Paid Ads Are More Effective Than Ever

The mortgage industry has shifted from local, referral-based leads to nationwide, online opportunities. Meta platforms (Facebook & Instagram) now allow brokers to target highly specific niches, from property investors to SMSF clients or new arrivals to Australia. This niche targeting, combined with improved ad tools, creates a huge potential for brokers to generate high-quality leads at scale.

Key Paid Ads Takeaways for Brokers

Platform choice matters:

Google Ads are costly and competitive, whereas Meta Ads allow precise niche targeting.

Lead quality is crucial:

Collect the right information upfront (employment, banking details, home ownership) to avoid wasted time.

Budget strategically:

Consider both agency fees and ad spend; a balanced investment ensures efficiency and ROI.

Test before committing:

Validate niches and campaigns to find the most lucrative markets.

Ads aren’t “set and forget”:

Continuous optimisation is needed to maintain cost-effective lead generation.

How Paid Ads Connects to Broker Growth

When executed correctly, paid ads free brokers to focus on their core skills: closing loans, managing clients, and delivering great service. High-quality, targeted leads enable brokers to scale their teams, improve consistency in lead flow, and increase revenue without relying solely on referrals or local networking.

Practical Next Steps for Brokers

Identify a high-demand niche to focus your ad campaigns.
Partner with a specialist agency to optimise targeting and ad copy.
Allocate a clear budget for both agency fees and ad spend (e.g., start around $10k total).
Ensure your lead capture process collects the right qualifying data.
Regularly review and optimise campaigns to maximise ROI.

Listen To The Full Episode

Curious how brokers can make paid ads actually work for their business?

Listen to this episode with Charley from Vahler Media as he explains the differences between Google Ads and Meta Ads, how to target the right niches, and why lead quality matters more than volume.

He shares practical advice on budgeting, scaling, and optimising campaigns so brokers can focus on what they do best — closing loans and growing their business.

⚠️ Disclaimer: This content is for educational and research purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or business advice. Always conduct your own due diligence before implementing systems, tools, or operational changes in your business. Some links or recommendations mentioned may be affiliate partnerships, meaning we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you if you choose to engage with a product or service. This helps support the ongoing creation of educational content. All opinions remain independent and based on research and experience.

Vahler Media

Performance marketing without the fluff

Make growth feel automatedwith Broker Tools workflows.

Browse the directory and compare software or services made for the Mortgage, Asset or Commercial broker in Australia. Need help to uncover the ideal tech stack for your workflow and growth goals? Work with us.