Industry insight from our Marketing and Communications Manager, Jessica Canning:
Recruiting? You need your job ad to stand out. A well-marketed job advert means more applications, better candidates, and a faster hire. Here’s a detailed breakdown of how to get it right.
Before you get started:
Define your target audience & opportunity
When it comes to any marketing, defining your target audience is crucial to ensure the best results.
Who are you trying to reach? Are you looking for local candidates or industry-specific professionals?
Identifying your audience has a number of advantages:
- Better engagement: Knowing who you’re targeting allows you to craft job ads that speak directly to their needs and pain points.
- Efficient use of time and resources: Instead of a broad and generic approach, knowing who your target audience is allows you to invest time and resources into channels and strategies that reach your target audience.
- Higher quality applicants: A targeted job ad attracts professionals with the right skills, experience, and cultural fit, saving time in your hiring process.
- Improved job ad performance – Using the right keywords, job boards, and social media platforms boosts visibility and applications from suitable candidates.
Writing a great job advert
A well-structured job advert attracts the right candidates and improves application rates. Here’s how to make yours stand out:
- Start with the benefits: Candidates want to know what’s in it for them. List perks such as salary, flexible working, career growth, or company culture at the top.
- Use clear and concise language: Avoid jargon and overly complicated descriptions – keep it straightforward.
- Structure it well: Use bullet points for key responsibilities, skills, and qualifications to improve readability.
- Include a strong call to action: Make it easy for candidates to apply by providing clear instructions and application deadlines.
The importance of SEO in job ads
SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) ensures your job advert appears higher in search results, making it easier for candidates to find.
The world of SEO is huge and can feel a little daunting if you’re not in it. Luckily for you, there’s a few things you can do to better the performance of your job advert.
Here’s how to optimise your ad:
- Use relevant keywords: Include key terms like job title, location, industry, and specific responsibilities throughout your advert.
- Write a keyword-rich job title: Avoid vague titles – be specific, e.g., “Marketing Manager – Remote” instead of just “Marketing Manager.”
- Optimise for local search: If hiring in a specific area, mention the city or region multiple times.
- Keep it mobile-friendly: Many candidates search for jobs on their phones, so make sure your advert is easy to read on all devices.
Google Business Profile
Google Business Profile is a free tool from Google that allows you to create and manage your online presence in Google search – it’s a hidden treasure!
You can showcase your essential information, boost your company’s visibility, credibility, and engagement with potential candidates. Here’s why it helps:
- Increases your employer brand visibility
- When job seekers search for your company, your GBP appears in Google Search and Maps.
- A well-edited Google Business Profile that’s optimised makes your business look more professional and appealing to potential candidates.
- Showcases company culture
- By adding photos of your workspace and your team, you can showcase your company culture – allowing potential candidates to get a feel for what it’s like to work there.
- Trust building through reviews
- Google Business Profile lets you manage Google Reviews from your customers. The benefit of this? Potential candidates can see you engaging with reviews, showing you value feedback and have a great reputation.
- Shares job opportunities easily
- Not many people know this, but you can actually post updates about open job opportunities on your Google Business Profile using Google Posts. This lets local job seekers find opportunities quickly when searching for work.
- Provides contact & application info
- You can update your Google Business Profile to include your phone number, website and location – making it simple for candidates to apply or inquire.
- Your phone number, website, and location are easily accessible, making it simple for candidates to apply or inquire.
Online marketing strategies
Sticking your job advert on your website and marketing it nowhere else is dated and ineffective.
Social media
- Create engaging content: Share insights about your company culture, benefits, and behind-the-scenes glimpses of what life is like working there.
- Run targeted ads: Based on what budget you have, targeted ads can be a great way of ensuring you get the best reach. Word of advice? With LinkedIn adverts, you can choose your OWN budget!
- Use relevant hashtags: Increase visibility by using industry-related keywords and job-specific tags.
Email marketing
- Build an email list: Collect potential candidates’ emails from your website and networking events.
- Send targeted emails: Personalise messages based on job type and audience interest.
- Offer exclusive insights: Share company culture and career growth opportunities to attract applicants.
Working with recruitment agencies
Of course, I was going to talk about recruitment agencies… But not because I’m paid to!
From a marketing point of view, recruitment agencies can be really useful. Pros and cons of using agencies:
- Brand enhancement
- A recruitment agency represents your business, positioning your company as a great place to work.
- Access to a wider talent pool
- We know a fair few candidates to say the least – both active and passive! We can expand your reach beyond a traditional job positing.
- Stronger job marketing & messaging
- Speaking on behalf of our marketing department, we’re pretty skilled in crafting engaging, well-optimised descriptions to attract high-quality candidates.
- Improved candidate experience
- A smooth, professional recruitment process reflects positively on your brand – improving your reputation as a business!
- Faster hiring = less reputation risk
- Positions that are online and unfilled for a long time can harm your company perception – pointing to the possibility of a high turnover!
By using a mix of these strategies, you can effectively market your job vacancy and attract the best talent.
If you find that your current tactics aren’t working, get in touch.. We’d love to lend a helping hand!
