Mortgages:

Question: What would a bank say a mortgage lender who has an attractive interest rate offer pay to Google Ads to have the offer come up in search?
Answer:
- Cost Overview: A mortgage lender with an attractive interest rate offer advertising via Google Search Ads can expect to pay between $2 and $30+ per click, depending on competition and keyword intent.
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Typical Google Ads Cost for Mortgage Keywords:
- Low end: $2 – $5 (less competitive, long-tail keywords)
- Mid-range: $10 – $20 (e.g., “mortgage lender near me”)
- High end: $30 – $100+ (e.g., “best mortgage rates”, “refinance mortgage”)
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Example High-Intent Keywords & Estimated CPC:
Keyword Estimated CPC Competition "best mortgage rates" $25 – $50 Very high "refinance mortgage today" $30 – $70 Very high "mortgage lender near me" $10 – $30 High "5-year fixed mortgage Canada" $5 – $15 Moderate "VA loan rates" $20 – $45 High (US only) -
Why So Expensive?
- Mortgage leads are extremely valuable — a single borrower can generate thousands in revenue.
- The financial services category is among the most expensive on Google Ads.
- Competition is intense from banks, fintechs, and aggregators.
- Even with strong offers, visibility requires competitive bidding — it’s a pay-to-play environment.
Personal Loans:

Question: What would a bank say a lender advertising personal loans with an attractive offer would pay to Google Ads to appear in search results?
Answer:
- Cost Overview: A lender promoting personal loans via Google Search Ads can expect to pay between $1 and $60+ per click, depending on keyword competition and search intent.
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Typical Google Ads Cost for Personal Loan Keywords:
- Low end: $1 – $4 (niche or low-competition keywords)
- Mid-range: $5 – $15 (localized or branded keywords)
- High end: $20 – $60+ (e.g., “apply for personal loan”)
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Example High-Intent Keywords & Estimated CPC:
Keyword Estimated CPC Competition "personal loan for bad credit" $20 – $50 Very high "apply for personal loan" $25 – $60+ Very high "best personal loan rates" $15 – $40 High "personal loans near me" $10 – $25 Moderate "fast personal loan approval" $15 – $35 High -
Why So Expensive?
- Personal loan customers can generate high revenue through interest and fees.
- The finance category is highly competitive on Google Ads.
- Searchers often have high purchase intent — making clicks extremely valuable.
- Advertisers include banks, credit unions, fintechs, and comparison websites.
Deposits:

Question: What would a bank pay to advertise deposit products (like savings accounts or GICs) on Google Ads to appear in search results?
Answer:
- Cost Overview: A bank advertising deposit products via Google Search Ads can expect to pay between $1 and $25+ per click, depending on product type, location, and competition.
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Typical Google Ads Cost for Deposit-Related Keywords:
- Low end: $1 – $3 (e.g., niche savings products)
- Mid-range: $4 – $10 (e.g., “open savings account online”)
- High end: $10 – $25+ (e.g., “best high interest savings account”)
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Example High-Intent Keywords & Estimated CPC:
Keyword Estimated CPC Competition "best high interest savings account" $12 – $25 High "open savings account online" $6 – $12 Moderate "term deposits rates today" $8 – $18 High "CD rates near me" $10 – $20 High "best bank for savings account" $5 – $15 Moderate -
Why So Expensive?
- Deposit accounts are long-term customer acquisition tools for banks.
- High-intent users often convert immediately, increasing ad value.
- Fintechs, digital banks, and aggregators aggressively compete on these terms.
- Strong offers and cross-sell potential (e.g., to credit cards or loans) raise lead value.
Market:

Mortgages in Australia (Annual Overview)
Question: How many mortgages are written in Australia per year?
Answer:
- New Home Loans Issued (2023): Approximately 461,979 new loans were issued for property purchases (excluding refinancings).
- Refinancing Activity (2023): Around 452,025 mortgage loans were refinanced during the year.
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Quarterly Insights (2025):
- June quarter recorded 129,994 new dwelling loan commitments (owner-occupier and investor combined)
- This suggests an annualized total of roughly 520,000 new mortgages per year (129,994 × 4)
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Key Takeaways:
- In 2023, about 462,000 new mortgages were written for home purchases.
- Refinancing activity is almost as high, with around 450,000 loans refinanced annually.
- Data for 2025 shows a rising trend, with annualized new loans around 520,000.
Personal Loans in Australia (Annual Overview)
Question: How many personal loans are written in Australia per year?
Answer:
- Monthly Personal Loan Borrowing (New Loans): Australians borrowed around AUD 2.5 billion per month in new fixed-term personal loans as of early 2025.
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Estimated Annual Volume:
- Annual new loan originations: AUD 30 billion (AUD 2.5 billion × 12 months)
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Recent Monthly Peaks:
- In August 2024, new personal loans hit a record: AUD 2.74 billion
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Outstanding Loan Balances (Historical Context):
- As of mid-2019, Australians held AUD 170–173 billion in outstanding personal loan debt
- Roughly 8 million Australians had a personal loan at that time
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Key Takeaways:
- Estimated annual personal loan originations: ~AUD 30 billion
- Monthly borrowing peaked at AUD 2.74 billion in August 2024
- Millions of Australians maintain outstanding balances, indicating consistent demand
Deposits in Australia (Annual Overview)
Question: How many deposits (or what total deposit activity) occurs in Australia per year?
Answer:
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Total Household Deposits (Recent Levels):
- As of July 2024: AUD 1.50 trillion
- As of late 2024: AUD 1.54 trillion
- As of mid-2025: AUD 1.62 trillion
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Quarterly Deposit Growth:
- December 2024 quarter: +AUD 55.7 billion (+3.2%)
- March 2025 quarter: +AUD 29.2 billion
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Breakdown for March 2025:
- +AUD 14.5 billion (transferable deposits)
- +AUD 15.0 billion (term/savings deposits)
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Key Takeaways:
- No published figure for number of deposit accounts opened per year
- Total household deposits grew by AUD 120+ billion from mid-2024 to mid-2025
- Quarterly growth remains strong, driven by higher saving and interest rate sensitivity
Bank Advertising Spend in Australia (Annual Overview)
Question: How much do banks spend collectively per year trying to lend mortgages, then personal loans, and then for deposits?
Answer:
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Total Financial Services Advertising Spend:
- In FY2024–25, Australian banks and super funds spent approximately AUD 696 million on advertising.
- This figure was up from AUD 600 million the year before.
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Mortgage (Home Loan) Advertising:
- Approximately 26% of Big Four bank ad budgets were allocated to home loans in prior years.
- Estimated ad spend for mortgages: ~AUD 180 million
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Personal Loans & Deposits:
- Specific spending on personal loans and deposit accounts is not publicly broken out.
- These fall under broader categories such as “personal banking services” or “everyday banking.”
- Likely significantly less than mortgage marketing spend.
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Spending Priorities (Based on Nielsen Rankings):
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Top ad categories include:
- Corporate sponsorships
- Superannuation
- Home loans
- Debit & credit cards
- Personal and business banking
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Top ad categories include:
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Estimated Breakdown (Illustrative Only):
Category Estimated Ad Spend (AUD) Total Financial Services (FY2024–25) ~696 million Home Loans (Mortgages) ~180 million (26%) Personal Loans Not specified – likely lower Deposits / Everyday Banking Not specified – grouped under general banking -
Key Takeaways:
- Mortgages receive the largest product-specific ad investment (~26% share).
- Spending on personal loans and deposits is likely far lower and aggregated under broader categories.
- Total bank advertising continues to rise annually, driven by digital competition and consumer switching.