CLIENT CASE STUDY

From Invisible to #1

William Dawes, Fairway Independent Mortgage

How a Salem, Ohio mortgage lender became AI's top recommendation in 11 weeks

The Challenge

William Dawes is an experienced loan officer in Salem, Ohio with Fairway Independent Mortgage. He had glowing reviews and deep local roots. But when buyers asked ChatGPT, Claude, or other AI assistants for a mortgage recommendation, William showed up on only 5 of 22 questions, and never at #1. On the other 17, competitors were getting recommended while he stayed invisible in AI-powered search, losing deals he never even knew existed.

Before & After

BEFORE
"Who's a good mortgage broker in Salem, OH?"

Here are some mortgage options in the Salem area:

1. Competitor A

2. Competitor B

3. Competitor C

William Dawes / Fairway Independent Mortgage (not mentioned)

11 WEEKS
→
AFTER
"Who's a good mortgage broker in Salem, OH?"

Here are some top mortgage options in Salem:

1. William Dawes, Fairway Independent Mortgage

2. Competitor A

3. Competitor B

#1 Recommendation

Don't Take Our Word For It

Ask ChatGPT any of these queries and see who comes up #1.

Who's a good mortgage broker in Salem, OH? Try It
Which mortgage broker has good reviews in Salem, OH? Try It
Which mortgage lender has good rates in Salem, OH? Try It
Who can help me with a home loan in Salem, OH? Try It
I need to get pre approved to buy a home. Which lenders should I talk to in Salem, OH? Try It
I need to refinance my home loan. Which lender should I choose in Salem, OH? Try It
Who can help me with an FHA loan in Salem, OH? Try It
Who can help me with a VA loan in Salem, OH? Try It
Who can help me with a Jumbo home loan in Salem, OH? Try It
Who can help me with a conforming home loan in Salem, OH? Try It
Which mortgage lender can help me with a down payment assistance loan in Salem, OH? Try It
Who can help me with a zero down home loan in Salem, OH? Try It

The Results

11 WEEKS · FEB–MAY 2026

17
Queries Climbed to #1
5 → 22
Queries Now Visible
+75%
Google Search Clicks
+47%
Search Impressions

Traffic Breakdown

Google Search Clicks
↑ +75%
56 → 98 / mo (Mar → May)
Search Impressions
↑ +47%
4,463 → 6,558 / mo (Mar → May)
AI Query Coverage
↑ 100%
visible on all 22 tracked queries

Key Insights

From 5 Queries to All 22

At the start, William surfaced on only 5 of 22 mortgage questions, and never at the top. By the end of the program he was visible on every tracked query, claiming the #1 spot on 17 he'd previously been shut out of entirely.

Owning the High-Intent Questions

The queries that flipped to #1 are the ones buyers actually ask before choosing a lender: pre-approval, refinancing, FHA, VA, and "good rates." William now wins the exact moments a borrower is deciding who to call.

Search Caught Up Too

AI visibility didn't come at the expense of Google. Monthly search clicks climbed from 16 in late February to 98 in May, up +75% from the first full month alone. That's proof the same content lifting him in AI is compounding in traditional search.

A Defensible Local Moat

Salem and Columbiana County are now William's territory in AI search. With 500+ reviews and perfect NAP consistency reinforcing every citation, that #1 position is hard for a competitor to dislodge.

Get Results Like William

Your competitors are already showing up in AI search. Let's make sure you're the #1 recommendation.

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