Getting some simple basics can boost your vacancy online but a well-optimised job posting not only increases your chances of reaching top talent but also helps in streamlining your recruitment process. Much has been discussed about SEO and for many it generates a yawn as it’s too “techie”. With burgeoning software platforms and Ai you really can lift your job postings and recruitment strategy online to another level.
In some instances that is true, volume of vacancies do help large businesses take advantage of the latest software but recognising these factors, whatever your size of business to optimise your postings will help you “rank” in targeting your audience and certainly improve your chance of attracting the relevant talent.
To achieve success in attracting the right candidates, it is crucial to delve deeper into online techniques like SEO and the structure of job listings. This means not only understanding keyword research and incorporating relevant terms into your job descriptions but also comprehending the intricacies of search engine algorithms.
Staying updated with the latest SEO trends and best practices is vital. It might sound like a complete “pain in the a” and if this is way above of your head or really not your bag then maybe someone within the business will like to take the task on or consult an external consultant to focus their attention. It could be crucial in establishing your profile and hopefully a pipeline of relevant professionals for you to choose from in the future.
Furthermore, placing vacancies online utilising platforms like Google Jobs, LinkedIn and many other industry specific job boards is one thing, understanding how to focus your job listings to attract your target audience is a game-changer. Leveraging these platforms and social media’s vast reach can significantly increase the exposure of your job listings, ensuring that they reach a broader and more diverse audience.
Be mindful that, a well optimised job posting ranks above 75% of most jobs posted online. Incorporating SEO into your job description will not only boost your visibility on search engines but form a structure to your recruitment strategy surrounding online postings.
Here’s a guide to on how you can optimise any job listing for SEO:
Seek out Keywords for Job Postings:
Identify relevant keywords related to the job role, industry, and location. Numerous tools exist to provide keywords that can help you discover popular search terms. many offer free options to utilise the platform. Naturally subscriptions provide greater insight and services.
Incorporate Keywords:
Use job description keywords naturally throughout your job posting, avoid keyword stuffing. Be aware NOT to utilise internal job titles and avoid acronyms at all cost. They apparently alienate search engines and your audience. Be mindful of common job titles can help or hinder your posting, for instance Property Manager is searched on average over 40000 per month. Focus on specificity in your job title, location, job summary and job description.
Optimise Meta Tags:
Craft compelling meta titles and descriptions that include relevant keywords. These tags influence how your job posting appears in search engine results.
A pro tip, review other job postings that are ranking high in any search for a similar role. You can mimic their postings and keywords. the likelihood is your job posting might differ on location or salary level but that will help boost your profile.
Mobile Optimisation:
Ensure your job posting is mobile-friendly, as many job seekers invaribaly search for jobs through the use smartphones and tablets.
Structured Data Markup:
Implement structured data markup (Schema.org) on your job postings. This helps search engines understand your content and increases the chances of your job appearing in Google Jobs.
Google can help you here with their Rich Results Test platform that can help check the data within your job posting that highlights which rich result types were found on the page, as well as any errors or improvement suggestions for your structured data.
Submit XML Sitemaps:
Create and submit XML sitemaps to Google Search Console. This ensures that Google indexes your job postings promptly. This is a one off task, linked via your website and not need to be undertaken every time you list a position.
Location Information:
Incorporating location-specific information into your job postings offers a multitude of advantages. Firstly, it enhances the user experience for job seekers by providing them with precise details about the job’s whereabouts. This not only saves their time but also ensures that they are genuinely interested and suitable for the role, reducing the number of irrelevant applications.
Moreover, catering to location preferences is critical in attracting local talent. Many job seekers prefer opportunities within a specific geographic area due to personal commitments, commuting considerations, or a desire to stay rooted in a particular region. By including detailed location information, you increase the likelihood of attracting candidates who are genuinely interested and geographically compatible with the role. If “working from home ” is available then this can be listed AFTER the highlighted location or included in the text.
Furthermore, Google Jobs prioritises location-based results, posting a job location will significantly boost the visibility of your listings and ultimately streamlining your recruitment process and leading to more successful hires. In essence, accurate location details in your job descriptions not only improve the quality of applications but also enhance your overall recruitment efficiency.
Salary Level?
Let’s face it, for many businesses posting a salary level in a job listing is sometimes an awkward proposition.
Unfortunately, the bad news is, to optimise your job, a salary level/range is crucial for SEO purposes and enhances search engine visibility.
Think about it, how many candidates pump in “competitive” or “market leading” when it comes to desired salary at the start of a job search? Come to think of it, we’re not sure that job boards have either as an option.
Search engines, like Google, now prioritise listings with detailed salary information. This is key detail to optimise job for search results. Not only improves the chances of your job posting being seen, but also ensures that it attracts candidates are aware of the potential salary on offer.
Best Platforms and Apps for Boosting Rankings:
To optimise your job postings effectively, consider using platforms and apps designed for this purpose:
Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS):
ATS software systems can now help you create and optimise job postings incorporating Ai and SEO tools and integrations with job boards, and systems are available for all types of budgets and not just
Job Board Platforms:
Utilise popular job board platforms like LinkedIn, Indeed, and Glassdoor. These platforms have extensive user bases and built-in SEO features. Dont ignore them but naturally understanding optimising job listings and having your own internal proces will overide the complexity of getting know individual layouts.
Social Media:
Share your job postings on social media platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and in certain instances, Instagram. Social shares do help boost visibility and help get your message across. Again there are specific tools that can help optimise your recruitment strategy with A/B testing but also find out the best platform to utilise.
Job Posting Optimisation Tools for Language, Tone and Inclusivity:
Tools (like Textio, Datapeople, Seekout and many others) analyse your job postings for language, tone, and inclusivity, improving the chances of attracting diverse talent.
Conclusion
In summary, it is imperative to prioritise the optimisation of your job postings for online visibility garnering assistance from the latest SEO software and platforms such as Google Jobs. Even if your hiring has slowed recently, the battle for top talent remains, this approach is no longer a luxury but a necessity. The digital landscape has evolved dramatically, and job seekers rely on search engines and job boards to discover employment opportunities. Improving your online visibility ensures your online recruitment strategy is reducing the risk of losing out on top talent to your competitors.
Implementing these comprehensive strategies and harnessing the power of the best tools and platforms will undoubtedly elevate the visibility of your job postings. This, in turn, enhances your overall recruitment strategy, endorsing the profile of the business and increasing the likelihood of making successful hires. Remember, the modern recruitment landscape is dynamic and ever-evolving, and adapting to these changes is key to staying competitive and attracting the top talent your organisation needs to thrive.
If you consider this is relevant to your recruitment strategy and want to find out how TJ Search can partner with your organisation to boost your recruitment strategy, then call us or email to arrange a meeting.
