In our last post on how to stay ahead in recruitment during a market downturn, we touched upon doubling down on digital marketing. In this post, we delve deeper into search engine optimisation (SEO) and explain how recruiters can effortlessly leverage content they already produce – job adverts – to increase their company's search ranking. We'll also explore the rise of Google Jobs and what this means for you as well as AI Recruitment tools to assist.
Introduction
Digital marketing is all about being seen. In recruitment, there's hardly enough time to craft loads of content. But what if your routine job adverts could be the key to climbing higher on Google's search results with just a few adjustments? Let's unravel the power of SEO – optimising your online presence to ensure higher rankings when candidates or clients search for jobs or recruitment services.
Understanding SEO in Recruitment
SEO is the art and science of making your online content more visible and attractive to search engines like Google. For recruiters, this means optimising job adverts so that they appear prominently in search results, tapping into the vast pool of potential candidates who begin their job search with a simple query.
The Rise of Google Jobs
The increasing trend of people using Google to search for jobs rather than independent job boards, significantly boosts the importance of SEO for recruitment agencies. Google Jobs scans job adverts across the web including job boards such as Reed and Total Jobs, LinkedIn and company websites, and aggregates them on a single job listings page on google. What does this mean for recruiters, it means SEO is more important than ever and here’s why:
Greater Visibility on Search Engines: As Google becomes a primary job search tool, appearing in the top results is essential. SEO ensures your job listings rank higher, making them more visible to job seekers.
Reach a Wider Audience: Unlike specific job boards, Google has a broader user base. By ensuring your job appears through casual searches using effective SEO strategies, this can help you tap into a larger and more diverse pool of candidates including both active and passive candidates.
Edge Over Competition: In a saturated market, recruiters using SEO effectively are more likely to grab the attention of top talent.
Cost-Effectiveness: By focusing on more cost-effective organic search traffic, you can reduce reliance on paid job board listings and other forms of paid advertising.
Quality Applicants: By using targeted keywords and creating detailed job descriptions, you're more likely to attract quality candidates who are a good fit for the role.
Brand Visibility and Reputation: Enhance your agency's brand visibility and reputation, as high-ranking sites are often perceived as more credible and authoritative generating new lead enquiries.
How to Optimise Your Job Adverts
Ok so now we’ve covered why SEO optimised job adverts matter, here are some tips on how you can tailor your job adverts to rank high on google:
Feature Job Adverts on your Website
Make sure your job adverts are on your recruitment website. This isn’t just about keeping everything in one place. Each new job advert is like a new page for Google to notice, making your website rank higher in search results. Create a new page for every job advert, and link to that page from your home page to boost SEO.
Sprinkle in the Right Keywords
Identify keywords that potential candidates are likely to use when searching for jobs in your industry and include these keywords naturally throughout the job advert, title and meta tags as Google detects when keywords are forced into content and penalises it.
Ensure keywords such as title, industry and location are used in your heading title to ensure it can easily be picked up by search engines. Make sure the job title is clear, accurate and standard for the industry.
Detailed Adverts Keep People Engaged and Reduce Bounce Rates
The more information you share about the job, the longer people will stay on your website reading it, and the more room for inserting keywords. This not only provides a better candidate experience but also signals to search engines that your content is valuable, improving your SEO ranking and reducing bounce rates.
Include details such as job location, job type (full-time, part-time, contract), job description, company overview, responsibilities, qualifications, and salary range. The more detailed and engaging your job advert, the better it can be matched with potential candidates’ searches and the more engaged candidates will be significantly improving the quality of candidates likely to apply.
Location, location, location.
Most candidates search for jobs by location, so make sure to include the location in a heading.
Structuring
Effective structuring is crucial in SEO-optimised job adverts for both search engines and potential candidates. Including clear headings and subheadings, organising content into distinct sections like job description, responsibilities, and qualifications, and employing bullet points for key details, enhances readability and scannability. This approach not only makes the advert more accessible to candidates but also enables search engines to index the content more efficiently, ensuring that each crucial element – from required skills to company values – is easily discoverable and contributes to higher search rankings.
Other Tips to Improve SEO
Beyond the job advert itself, there are other ways to boost your SEO efforts:
Backlinks: When your jobs are posted on other job boards and social media, ensure they link back to your website. This 'digital pathway' is SEO gold.
Mobile Optimisation: With many candidates searching on mobile, a mobile-friendly job advert and website are essential.
Regular Updates: Keep your listings fresh. Regular updates signal to search engines that your content is relevant.
Remember, Job Boards and other job platforms often provide their own guidance on optimising your job adverts for increased traffic however, make sure your sources are credible and their advice benefits you rather than their own interests. Writing the job title 5-7 times in your job advert can see google penalise you!
Ok, so the above is a lot to remember, but with the rise of generative AI tools such as AdScribe, recruiters now have a powerful ally. AdScribe With just a single click, AdScribe generates compelling, SEO-optimised job adverts that not only rank high on Google but also attract top-tier talent.
AdScribe goes beyond basic automation; it offers customisable tools that allow you to tailor each advert to your unique requirements, ensuring they truly resonate with your target audience. And the best part? You can effortlessly repurpose your job advert with a single click, presenting the same core message in a fresh, SEO-friendly way to maximise your online presence.
Ready to experience this transformative tool? Book a demo with AdScribe to witness the magic first-hand.
Conclusion
Incorporating SEO into your recruitment strategy is more than a trend; it's a transformation. By applying these tips and utilising platforms like AdScribe, your job adverts will not only attract the right candidates but also position you as a leader in the digital recruitment space.
Stay tuned for our next post on actionable strategies to increase your digital presence as a recruiter.