SEO

Recruitment websites that rank well in Google’s search results often rely on effective SEO strategies. So, how can you replicate their success?

You can begin by creating content that will engage clients and candidates and provide valuable information to them. Secondly, you can use specific recruitment SEO techniques that will lead the target audience to your content.

How can you accomplish these objectives?

There are a wide variety of SEO strategies that online recruiters can use. One of the most effective is on-page SEO. For many online recruiters, on-page SEO success is critical as it usually produces a higher ranking on Google’s search engine results pages (SERPs). This will, in turn, boost their website traffic.

Here are four tips that will improve your on-page SEO.

1.   Title tag optimization

Title tags are the links you see in the search engine results and they are a major influence on searchers. So, how can you make them stand out from the competition?

Firstly, ensure the title is the right length as Google will only display the first 50 to 60 characters. You can make use of title tag preview tools to check its appearance in the search engine results.

Also, when creating a title, bear in mind the following three factors.

  1. Curiosity

 

  • Give the readers something unexpected

For example, you could intrigue readers with a title such as “How to obtain that accountancy job without a résumé”. This type of title will spark curiosity among visitors, prodding them to read your story.

  • Ask your readers a question

Creating a title in the form of a question is also an excellent way of attracting clients and candidates. For example, a title such as “Why Using LinkedIn to Find the Best Candidates Isn’t a Viable Strategy” will often make readers think. Usually, this will in turn, encourage them to click on your article to find out whether or not it’s true.

  • Create some conflict in your readers’ minds

A title such as “Pay a Recruiter for Quick Results or Pay with Your Time” presents a conflict about a specific subject. As a consequence, your readers will be more likely to click on your link to find out which side of the argument holds true.

  • Give a negative side

Consider this example: “A Job Board Post is NOT a Recruitment Plan.” People who see this title will wonder why posting to job boards will not suffice. They will click on the title to read about your ideas on a comprehensive recruitment strategy.

  1. Benefit

People often visit websites that offer value. To entice candidates and clients to click on your title, consider adding words or phrases such as:

  • ‘How to…’
  • ‘Find out how…’
  • ‘10 tips for…’
  • ‘8 ways to…’

You can also add numbers to your blog posts, but don’t overuse them.

  1. Emotion

Stir the right emotions in your clients and candidates. You will increase your chances of engaging them by using titles such as:

  • 5 Ways to Fill a CEO Position
  • 5 Surprising Ways to Fill a CEO Position

A single but emotionally loaded word (surprising) can make the title appealing. There are numerous emotional words you can use. For example:

  • Astonishing
  • Irresistible
  • Insane
  • Epic
  • Killer
  • Tempting
  • Uncommon

Writing and publishing relevant content is an indispensable recruitment lead generation tool.

2.   Meta descriptions

Many online recruiters overlook meta descriptions even though they will help Google understand your page. To create the perfect meta description, consider following these rules:

  • Keep to Google’s 160-character limit.
  • Write a sentence or two to inform readers about your blog. Make sure it will trigger curiosity and emotion, and offer a benefit.

Remember, your article doesn’t have to appeal to everyone; what is crucial is that your target audience will read it. They are the ones who will generate high traffic to your website.

3.   Use images

Avoid making use of cheesy stock photos. People will instantly recognize them and this can either intimidate them or cause them to think negatively of your website. Here are some ways you can use images to help your recruitment campaign:

  • Use sites such as Fiverr to obtain customized blog images for your post. The cost is a small price to pay for professional pictures.
  • Add diagrams to express ideas that are not easily explained by words.
  • If your article is about interview tips relating to health and safety, create image names such as interview_tips_health_safety.jpg. Don’t forget to include the keywords in the image’s alt text.

4.   Learn the HTML basics but master the heading tags

You need to understand heading tags and how they can be optimized. They are codes that enable you to ‘wrap’ your headings to make them prominent on the page. While there are six heading tags, you will probably only use the first three in the majority of situations.

The heading tags are numbered 1 to 6 (<h1> to <h6>) so it is likely that you will use <h1> for your article’s title. Then, for the secondary heading, you can use <h2>, and so on.

Consider including your important keywords in the headings. This will let Google know what keywords you are ranking for.

Conclusion

There are many ways to increase the chances of your website reaching top spot in the rankings. One of them is on-page SEO. For example, you should create titles that will pique your readers’ interests. Stir their emotions or create conflict in their minds. Anything that will persuade them to click on your article is worth trying. However, you should also make sure that the content is relevant and valuable to both candidates and clients.

Chris Anderson is a search engine optimization (SEO) and pay-per-click (PPC) expert with over 15 years’ experience in online marketing. As Head of Recruitment Traffic, he builds strong and lasting relationships with recruitment businesses by providing them with client leads, candidate applications, and significant bottom-line results.

SEO stock photo by perfectlab/Shutterstock

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