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No matter the year or state of the economy, staffing agencies are expected to optimize their recruitment marketing strategy to attract top talent and keep their clients happy, always. However, as the staffing landscape continues to change rapidly, failing to execute a comprehensive marketing program can result in an unsustainable recruiting process down the line.
In a recent episode of the “Crushin’ It In Staffing” webinar series, David Searns, CEO of Haley Marketing Group, weighed in on the many essential components of an effective recruitment marketing strategy. While you may believe your marketing efforts are on track, recognizing the voids that need to be filled can have a transformative impact on your candidate pipeline, client retention and overall business outcomes.
According to David, here are the four essential pillars of recruitment marketing:
1. Your company’s website.
Above anything else, your company’s website should serve as your main funnel for maximizing conversion and engaging talent. Having a fully functioning website that articulates your company’s value proposition, staffing services and recruitment specialties is instrumental in educating both potential clients and candidates about how you can work with them to meet their goals. What makes staffing websites unique is that they must appeal to two distinctly different audiences – clients and job seekers. Creating a visually appealing and user-friendly website that appeals to both these target demographics requires a comprehensive strategy aligned with your sales goals. Because this is often a difficult balance to strike, using a website designer who specializes in the staffing industry is often the best course of action. In addition to layout and design, your website should be filled with valuable content that complements your mission and services, and most importantly, increases traffic to your site.
2. Job advertising.
Though you’re probably familiar with the process of posting jobs to your website portal, you may not be going about this process in the best way possible. The way in which you promote your job openings to your target audience can influence many aspects of your recruitment, including the number and quality of candidates who apply.
- First, job descriptions are critically important for initially attracting candidates and educating them about your clients’ employment opportunities. Taking the time and effort to write creative and compelling descriptions will not only help your job descriptions stand out, but attract the right type of candidates who are qualified for the positions at hand.
- Second, the way in which you promote jobs is also important. Strategically pushing out jobs via your website portal, social media channels and other job sites is instrumental in casting a wider net in generating interest by the best candidates.
However, what’s most paramount is that you have an ability to know what’s working. For example, what channels generate the most qualified leads? How many people apply through your website each month? Do you know where candidates are coming from? Identifying prime opportunities to increase your reach will allow you to optimize your job post distribution and allocate your paid advertising budget accordingly.
3. Social recruiting.
Social media continues to change the way companies find candidates – and of course the staffing industry is leading the way in this realm. However, many staffing firms are, unfortunately, using social media in the wrong ways. As David explains, “social media is about being social and building relationships – not simply posting a bunch of jobs everywhere.” To be successful in this area, staffing firms must use their social media channels to nurture relationships with both active and passive job seekers. This involves creating meaningful content, generating positive reviews and highlighting company culture. Depending on your recruiting specialty, you’ll want to identify which social media platforms are the best for reaching your target demographic. For example, Facebook is a popular social channel for recruiting entry-level candidates, such as high school and college students who have a more limited employment history. Making social recruiting a core part of your marketing strategy will leverage your other efforts, helping you build your firm’s online presence.
4. Employment branding.
Sure, you’re probably intimately familiar with the importance of branding, but have you considered the role of employment branding? As a staffing firm, one of your top marketing goals should be to convey the culture of your company and your mission at large. This can be accomplished in a variety of ways, including your website, social media pages and online reviews. Using these various communication channels as building blocks to grow your online reputation will help you create a compelling story around your firm, which will in turn translate to better business outcomes over time. In today’s world of “perception is reality,” it’s critical to take control of your brand and develop a story that aligns with your company’s values.
Are you missing one of the four pillars in your recruitment marketing strategy?
As the staffing landscape continues to evolve, it’s never been more important to invest in your marketing strategy. Get in touch and learn how our team can assist you in this process, and design your recruitment marketing strategy.
