I can still recall, quite vividly, the days when my whole household had one cellphone, and it was carried by the family member who could justify the greatest need for it.
In 2007, I reluctantly purchased my first cellphone that I didn’t share with a family member. I was 22 at the time and being a late adopter was a point of pride – I wanted to see how long I could hold out before being swallowed by the mobile revolution. Tell that to my parents, and they’d laugh thinking about the technology they had when they were 22. Tell that to one of my cousins in high school, and well, they’d probably laugh as well – who waits till they’re 22 until getting their very own phone?
Fast forward to today, and I’m more likely to leave my house without my wallet than my cellphone – a sentiment that I believe is quite significant in terms of how the Internet and proliferation of mobile devices has truly changed our society.
The mobile revolution has transformed the practice of hiring and recruiting too, and it’s never been more important for employers to adapt. Though it isn’t an all-encompassing fix, for recruiters and employers looking to secure the best talent, being easily-searchable on the Internet (now being accessed more on mobile than through desktops) serves as a significant advantage in today’s increasingly digital world. SEO (search engine optimization) is the practice of increasing the visibility of one’s website in a search engine’s results, and an important component to recruitment marketing.
WHY RECRUITERS SHOULD CARE:
- 30% of Google searches are job hunt related: Talented candidates are looking, but are you searchable?
- Candidates who want what you offer: The organic web traffic that comes as a result of a keyword search is some of the best a site can hope for – these are the visitors who are actively seeking what you’re offering. Consistent application of strong SEO practices helps you stay visible when they look.
- Job seekers are doing it already: According to a 2014 survey, 80% of today’s job seekers expect to be able to easily perform their job search on a smartphone. Make sure you aren’t losing talented candidates through these channels!
HOW TO GET STARTED:
- Use the right keywords: Start using keywords in the content of your site and postings. Use Google’s handy-dandy keyword planner to get an idea of which ones will yield the best results.
- Get mobile-responsive: Since last year, Google has penalized websites that are not mobile-friendly. If your site isn’t mobile-responsive, it’s time to start making the change.
- Change it up…regularly: New, fresh and relevant content will keep visitors coming back and increase the likelihood that site will be linked to – all of which gives Google an excuse to put your site higher in its results.
Unfortunately, applying even the best SEO principles won’t take a website to the top of Google overnight – the process takes time to build up. Once it has started, though, there are long-term benefits to be had. Start using SEO today in order to ensure your pipeline of talent never goes dry.