Strategy to Page

Stephen Meisel

Case Study: Educational Home Loan Content

Role: Content Strategist & UX Writer
Industry: Financial Services (Home Lending)
Project Type: New Web Content Development for Loan Education
Scope: Strategy, stakeholder collaboration, editorial execution, and legal review for a major home equity loan product page
Tools: CMS, Google Docs, SEO research tools, Editorial Calendars, Figma

🧩 The Challenge

A national financial institution was preparing to publish a suite of educational product pages for a new home lending offering. The goal was to inform prospective borrowers about home equity loans and drive qualified leads through clear, trustworthy content.

As part of this effort, I was brought in to lead content development for one of the site’s foundational loan pages. There was no existing content for this product category, and accuracy, clarity, and compliance were critical to the success of the launch.

🧠 My Role

  • Content Strategy: Defined structure, tone, and SEO objectives for the new product page
  • Research & Positioning: Synthesized market comparisons, product details, and internal documentation to craft user-focused, differentiating content
  • Editorial Execution: Wrote, structured, and revised long-form product page content designed to explain complex financial products in plain language
  • Compliance Collaboration: Acted as the primary content liaison with legal and product teams to review, revise, and finalize regulated copy

🛠 Key Contributions

  • From the Ground Up: Led strategy and execution for a new evergreen product page on home equity loans, designed to inform consumers and support funnel entry
  • Content Architecture: Created a modular structure that explained how home equity loans work, key terms (e.g. LTV ratio, term lengths), and comparisons to HELOCs and cash-out refis
  • Compliance-Ready Copy: Navigated multiple rounds of legal feedback to ensure accuracy and regulatory alignment without sacrificing clarity
  • On-Page Optimization: Applied SEO research to develop metadata, heading structure, and keyword placement aligned with search intent
  • Stakeholder Alignment: Worked cross-functionally with product owners, compliance officers, and designers to balance UX, legal precision, and business goals

✅ Outcome

  • Page launched on time and became a cornerstone of the home loans content experience
  • Ranked on page 1 for multiple high-intent queries within 90 days
  • Provided a content framework later adapted for related product pages (refinancing, HELOC)
  • Earned positive internal feedback for successfully translating complex subject matter into approachable, trustworthy copy

💡 Takeaway

This project showcased the value of thoughtful, audience-first content strategy in a tightly regulated space. From content architecture to final sign-off, I guided every word on the page—and helped ensure that users could make informed decisions with confidence.