When you initially decide to promote your job openings on social media, your mind probably naturally goes to LinkedIn. It is, after all, the world’s largest professional online network. And you don’t want to disregard it by any means.
But, of the seven billion people on this planet today, two billion use Facebook at least once a month – and each day, Facebook has more than one billion unique visitors. Any job seekers you may have had a chance of reaching via a traditional job board are likely to be using Facebook regularly – as are many passive candidates, whom you may otherwise miss all together.
Using Facebook ads, Facebook Jobs and Facebook groups can all add up to tremendous success stories as you move your recruitment marketing strategy forward.
Organic vs. Paid Content
Organic social media content is free content: any activity without a paid promotion. And it, too, has a definite place in your job advertising strategy. But it’s not enough to really reach your targeted audience. You need to augment it with a paid strategy where you push out jobs to desired candidates and then back it up with strong organic content on your company page and elsewhere.
At best, your organic content reached 5-10% of your audience, and it’s more likely closer to 1-2%. When your content competes with politics, sports, and music, that’s tough. We can’t just rely on organic traffic for recruitment content. The right paid tactics will bring ROI.
It’s All About Targeting
You need to use smarter, more strategic tactics to tap into today’s talent. Effective recruitment marketing boils down to getting your jobs filled with the right people, faster than your competitors, and for the lowest possible cost per candidate. That basic premise hasn’t changed, but your tactics may, in order to engage the right talent and continue to meet your business needs.
Facebook’s ad targeting enables you to zero in on specific candidate demographics, interests, qualifications and behaviors that fit your open position. You can also use remarketing to reach people who have visited your site before and are already familiar with your brand.
Tips for achieving the right targeted marketing via Facebook ads include:
- Target your candidate persona. Select the audience you want for each individual ad. You can get your employer brand in front of a wide range of audience sizes and characteristics at a highly efficient price per impression.
- Use great visuals. Make sure your ads feature striking, eye-catching images that tell a compelling story about your brand and employer value proposition.
- Keep copy short and sweet. Don’t hesitate to be informal, especially if your workplace is relatively laid back. One or two sentences with a clear call to action, such as “apply now” is all you really need. Be sure to include a link that sends applicants directly to a landing page for a specific position.
- Test and track. Likes and shares are important, but the true measure of your advertising efforts is how many users click on your link, and how many of these are converted into submitted applications. It’s crucial to track your efforts over time.
Would you like to learn more about Facebook and other options for effective recruitment marketing? If so, consider working with the experts at Haley Marketing. Since our founding in 1996, we’ve grown into the largest social and content marketing firm for the temporary staffing and executive recruiting industries. Contact us today to schedule a free recruitment marketing focus call.
