As recruiters seek better return on investment in recruitment advertising, they are increasingly looking to job-posting analytics to inform their strategies. Initially, recruiters may simply use analytics reports to choose where (or where not) to advertise. But further analysis could provide greater insight. Analysis of job-performance data on TopSchoolJobs, for example, suggests that some education organizations are more strategic about maximizing their ROI. Here are three strategies that are easy to implement:
1. Use Great Keywords.
Utilizing popular and relevant keywords has never been more critical to your recruitment advertising success. Job titles and descriptions crafted with keywords candidates will use can directly impact your results—not only on your favorite job boards, but on search-engine results pages.
There are several hundred million job-related searches performed on major search engines each month. These search engines pull jobs from most major job boards and can quickly deliver an additional candidate pool, that is, if you use the right keywords.
Example: Two job postings on TopSchoolJobs advertising teaching vacancies outside of the U.S. garnered very different traffic results. A five-minute keyword review suggests that the higher performing posting may have improved its results by using two additional keywords—“overseas” and “abroad”.
Tips:
• Brainstorm a list of search terms job seekers would use to find your job.
• Browse similar job postings for ideas.
• Use the Google keyword tool to research popular, relevant terms.
2. Include All Relevant Job Categories.
Top performing job postings not only use great keywords, but also select relevant job classifications. Categorizing your posting with the occupations listed on a given job board defines your vacancy in a way that’s easier for many job seekers to find. While over one-third of all job searches on TopSchoolJobs.org use job category selections, many employers neglect to select even one.
Example: Job-performance analysis of postings for educational consultants showed that listings that included “Consultant” as a job category selection tended to outperform those that did not by a factor of at least 2 to 1. Some of the top performing postings included additional categories that related to desired skill sets or targeted audiences (i.e. Curriculum, Assist. Superintendent).
Tips:
• Take a little extra time to scroll through the entire list of job categories and determine how job seekers might search for your vacancy.
• Select as many job occupations as you feel relate to the job qualifications as well as your target candidate pool.
3. Market The Job Opportunity. Brand Your Organization. The job postings that garnered the best results in our analysis excelled not only at attracting talent with keyword and category selections, but by using basic marketing to entice viewers to apply. These job descriptions did not describe mere vacancies, but opportunities to fulfill one’s dreams. They did not simply list the organization’s name, but provided compelling reasons to work there. For candidates who might still have doubts about applying, they provided a link to frequently asked questions.
Example: The highest-performing job this year (based on job page views and applications) led with questions like “Would you like to…,” “Do you have an interest in… .” The description included descriptive copy about the organization, including phrases such as “ABC School District is dedicated to …” Job seekers were also provided multiple ways to learn more and apply to the job, including an e-mail address, phone number, Web site and a link to frequently asked questions.
Tips:
• Proofread and spell-check your ad copy.
• Ensure your posting is attractive and formatted for easy reading (bullets, paragraphs, and perhaps html).
• Describe the broader career opportunity in addition to the job details and requirements.
• Include copy about your organization to pique interest in working there (perhaps you have a Youtube video).
• Offer helpful information and links (e.g. salary, FAQs, alternative application methods).
• Add your organization’s logo, slogan.
—Jonathan Rogers
Product Manager
