Expert Advice + How to Get it Right

PPC for recruiters includes pinpointing your target market, leveraging strategic advert copy, highlighting worth propositions, and extra. We’ll inform you our confirmed ways to create profitable recruitment paid search campaigns that ship main outcomes.

6 confirmed advert methods for recruitment corporations:

1. Identify your target personas 
2. Use industry pain points to inform ad copy
3. Highlight the value your recruitment company brings
4. Make sure your landing page matches your persona and ad copy
5. Geo-target your ads 
6. Test, analyze, and optimize your ads

The previous few years have seen main shakeups (to place it mildly) within the job market throughout all kinds of industries. In consequence, discovering the proper folks for the proper roles is as tough as it can be crucial.

And there’s nobody higher suited to that activity than a recruitment firm. 

There’s only a tiny drawback: The recruitment trade is extremely aggressive. Not solely that, but it surely’s changing into tougher for recruitment companies to draw purchasers amongst the huge pool of competitors as of late. 

We tapped one in all HawkSEM’s lead strategists, Matt Monroe, to supply his information and professional insights into how recruitment corporations can set themselves other than the gang and land the right purchasers.

The times of bodily job boards are over: it’s time to put money into focused pay-per-click (aka paid search or PPC) adverts.

How can PPC adverts profit recruitment corporations?

Earlier than we dive proper into PPC methods, let’s focus on the the reason why PPC adverts are a great funding for recruitment corporations.

Based mostly on our evaluation, right here’s how recruitment corporations profit:

• You possibly can goal the proper viewers. With PPC promoting, you solely goal enterprises (inside your area of interest) which can be genuinely searching for a recruitment firm. Advertisers can conduct key phrase analysis to assist focus campaigns on related long-tail key phrases and enter damaging key phrases. This helps recruitment corporations seize high-quality leads sooner and keep away from losing advert spend on corporations that aren’t a great match. 

• You’ll see a excessive return on advert spend (ROAS). A sensible PPC marketing campaign can pay for itself. Whenever you solely goal prospects who’re searching for a recruitment firm, you solely pay for the nice and cozy leads who will click on in your adverts.

• Your company shall be on the high of the search engine outcomes web page (SERP). Whenever you run paid search adverts on any search engine, your posts will seem on the primary web page of the SERPs above the natural search listings. Stats present that PPC visitors converts 50% better than natural website guests.

• You forged a wider web with PPC adverts. With PPC, you’re not restricted by location. You possibly can goal purchasers throughout the globe who’re actively searching for assist from a recruitment company. Stats present that 65% of high-intent searches, regardless of the place they arrive from, will lead to a click on.

“Staying on high of the damaging key phrases is essential in these campaigns – can’t actually “set it and overlook it” like another industries,” Monroe explains. “These candidates are continually looking out completely different queries. Remarketing campaigns can carry out somewhat effectively.” 

He provides that it’s key to remember that somebody searching for work is most certainly prepared to tug the set off and enroll instantly, typically on the primary click on or after trying round for a number of days. 

Nonetheless, the “gross sales cycle” is way shorter than an organization trying to make investments $10,000 or extra a 12 months for a SaaS product, for instance.

What PPC advert methods might help recruitment companies entice new purchasers?

Most recruitment corporations have two audiences: new purchasers and job seekers. Most definitely, the methods you employ to draw new purchasers in your recruitment agency and to seek out new expertise in your purchasers gained’t be the identical. 

As a recruitment skilled, you already know the most effective methods for locating the proper expertise in your purchasers. However whenever you’re trying to land new purchasers in your recruitment agency, a paid search company can do wonders that will help you create a focused PPC marketing campaign. 

Listed here are some high-level PPC methods for recruitment companies that can assist you to seize extra purchasers and increase your ROAS.

1. Establish your goal personas

The very first thing to do to create a profitable PPC marketing campaign is to outline your goal persona. With out figuring out precisely who your goal consumer is, you threat promoting to the unsuitable crowd and losing your advert price range.

To create the perfect persona in your goal consumer, ask your self and/or your group the next questions:

• What’s the kind of group (e.g., small to mid-sized companies or enterprise employer manufacturers) you’re suited to serve?
• Which industries do your splendid purchasers usually belong to?
• What are your purchasers’ main ache factors on the subject of hiring expertise?
• Which candidate sorts do they usually search for?
• What are their hiring insurance policies?
• How acquainted is your viewers with recruiting companies?
• What sorts of issues is your viewers looking for when they should rent expertise?
• What are their present practices?
• How a lot cash are they spending on recruiting?

Upon getting the solutions to those questions, you’ll have the data it is advisable create a nuanced marketing campaign that targets solely the proper viewers.

You possibly can then use your goal consumer persona to put in writing wonderful advert copy,  phase your viewers correctly, bid on the proper key phrases (and exclude the unsuitable key phrases), and finally create a changing PPC marketing campaign.

Creating a robust persona will make a distinction in how a lot you spend on lead era and the way you maximize your ROAS.

Categorize your viewers’s ache factors into distinct drawback areas. (Picture: Unsplash)

2. Use trade ache factors to tell advert copy

What good is a PPC advert supply if it utterly misses the purpose of what your prospects need? Creating PPC adverts round misdiagnosed consumer ache factors — or leaving the ache level out altogether — is likely one of the most typical PPC errors and a surefire option to waste your price range.

It’s important to have a continuing pulse on trade ache factors to create an efficient advert. Listed here are some methods to seek out this info:

• Spend time in on-line communities
• Ship out surveys to previous and present purchasers
• Sit in on pitch conferences and interviews
• Take a look at the ache factors your competitors are focusing on
• Have casual conversations together with your prospects
• Scour the social media websites the place your viewers hangs out (LinkedIn, Instagram, Fb, and so forth.)

When you’ve recognized the ache factors (e.g., trimming recruitment prices, lowering the lead time on positions being crammed, and so forth.), you should utilize them to put in writing sturdy advert copy.

Recruitment firm search advert examples

I googled the extremely aggressive key phrase “recruitment agency in Philadelphia.” Under is a take a look at a few the highest PPC advert listings for example to see how they do or don’t goal potential ache factors.

This primary itemizing from Peak Sales Recruiting does an incredible job writing advert copy that speaks to trade ache factors. Whenever you learn the advert, you perceive that Peak Gross sales Recruiting doesn’t simply discover salespeople. The agency finds salespeople who will hit aggressive income targets and meet gross sales targets. 

It’s difficult for organizations to seek out good salespeople, and excessive gross sales employees turnover prices some huge cash. This advert does a great job displaying the viewers that this recruitment agency understands that and can go above and past to resolve wants — not simply discover somebody to rent.

“Avoiding generic search phrases like ‘recruitment company’ or ‘freelance employer’ will assist to stay environment friendly,” says Monroe. “Nonetheless, having these as a low price range or top-of-funnel sort strategy might be useful.”

One other PPC advert underneath this key phrase merely tells you what the company does. Nonetheless, it doesn’t point out how they remedy ache factors. 

Cheatsheet: Categorize your viewers’s ache factors into distinct drawback areas. Then, write an advert that targets every of these ache factors accordingly. Listed here are some widespread examples you should utilize as a place to begin:

• Monetary: How a lot will your prospects save by hiring your agency?
• Productiveness: Why would it not be environment friendly to rent you?
• Assist: What sort of assist would you have the ability to present their firm?
• Course of: What processes do you’ve got in place that assist pace up the method and get monetary savings?

3. Spotlight the worth your recruitment firm brings

When you nail down goal personas and perceive viewers ache factors, create a suggestion in your paid search advert that’s inconceivable to refuse.

We talked about how one can converse to ache factors, however there’s far more that goes into creating a suggestion that incentivizes clicks.

Listed here are some extra golden nuggets you’ll be able to embody in your advert copy:

• Concentrate on what the purchasers would get out of the deal. Would they save prices by hiring you? Would you narrow down the time it takes to rent expertise? Do you’ve got entry to the proper candidates?

• Add in stats and numbers. You possibly can embody quantifiable numbers that inspire purchasers to go together with your agency. For instance, it can save you 3-4 weeks find the proper candidate.

• Add social proof. Spotlight consumer testimonials or record the names of your widespread purchasers in your touchdown pages.

• Use high-converting phrases. Some phrases are extra highly effective than others. When operating a recruitment advertising technique, you’ll be able to goal key phrases like save, outperform, win, high, and greatest.

• Write your distinctive promoting proposition (USP). You possibly can write about your quick hiring course of, what number of years of trade expertise you’ve got, when you’ve got entry to a big pool of expertise, and the way you’ve got a greater understanding of the market. Right here’s a great instance of an advert that exhibits distinctive advantages, from healthcare staffing agency CareRev.

• Double-down on key phrases. Should you’re focusing on location as a key phrase, then you should utilize the key phrase within the title and the textual content to readdress how one can assist rent expertise from these areas.

4. Be certain your touchdown web page matches your persona and advert copy

Booya, your goal prospect has clicked in your advert and also you’re in your option to capturing a brand new lead.

The subsequent step in making a killer PPC marketing campaign in your recruitment firm is to knock the touchdown web page out of the park.

First, guarantee that touchdown pages have the identical presents as your advert copy and because the key phrase you bid on. Should you mentioned you had been a “clerical recruiting company” in your advert, then your touchdown web page ought to be constructed round your clerical recruiting companies. It could sound easy, however we’ve seen too many companies that serve up an inconsistent ad-to-LP expertise.

Further methods to create eye-grabbing touchdown pages in your PPC marketing campaign:

• Spotlight your worth. Embrace social proof, metrics, and your distinctive promoting proposition (USP) in your touchdown web page. CareRev does a great job of this too. Whenever you click on by means of to their advert, you’ll not solely have the ability to schedule a gathering with a recruiter, however it’s also possible to learn how CareRev saves well being organizations thousands and thousands.

Black Crow AI

• Add in a micro case examine. Should you can present the way you helped one other firm discover the expertise they wanted inside a sure period of time, then do it. It’s a good way to lend credibility to your companies. Ecommerce machine studying platform Black Crow AI typically contains case research and information of their touchdown pages, and it really works nice for them.
• Don’t be afraid to get granular. “Keep away from being too all-encompassing together with your campaigns and advert teams,” Monroe suggests. “Getting extra granular will assist you to spend your price range, time, and vitality the place it makes essentially the most sense and affect.”
• Embrace sturdy visuals.  The design and pictures in your touchdown web page matter. Your design ought to complement the CTA. Each the CareRev and Blackcrow AI touchdown pages above do a great job with the design.
• Nail the headline. The headline could make or break your possibilities of capturing a lead. According to CopyBlogger, solely 20% of individuals learn your complete touchdown pages, whereas 80% of individuals learn your headline. Let that sink in.
• Cut back website loading time. If the web site load time is just too lengthy, your prospects will bounce out of the web page. Then, you’re paying for the clicking however not getting a lead. 
• Write one clear name to motion (CTA). Personalize your CTA. HubSpot analyzed 330,000 CTAs to seek out out customized CTAs convert 202% extra. Forgo generic copy like “click on right here” and change it with extra customized CTAs and even “sensible” CTAs that serve up distinctive phrases primarily based on who’s viewing the web page.

5. Geo-target your adverts

When focusing on, suppose outdoors of the job description and job title.

Geo-targeting is likely one of the best-kept secrets and techniques in paid search promoting. Okay, it won’t be a secret — however it may be extremely strategic should you do it proper.

With a bit bit of additional analysis on the place many firms in your area of interest are positioned, you’ll be able to geo-target your adverts to areas the place many firms want recruiting assist. This technique will scale back your advert spending.

For instance, if you’re a recruiting firm that works for large expertise companies, then it is sensible to create geo-targeted adverts for areas like Silicon Valley, Austin, and Lehi, Utah.

There are a whole lot of giant tech corporations in these areas, and they’re at all times searching for new expertise. And anybody in these areas who wants assist with recruiting will begin their search with a time period like “recruitment firm in Austin.”

Total, geo-targeting adverts present the next advantages: 

• Seize extra related leads sooner
• Enhance click-through-rates
• Save your price range by focusing on essentially the most related viewers

Don’t overlook that you simply additionally have to create separate touchdown pages for various niches and completely different geo-locations. 

The very last thing you wish to do is create an advert for “recruitment companies in Austin,” and have your advert hyperlink to a touchdown web page that’s all about recruiting for corporations in Silicon Valley. It’s occurred earlier than. Don’t let it occur to you.

Check, analyze, and optimize your adverts

Making a high-performing PPC advert isn’t a one-and-done course of. To get essentially the most out of your PPC advert spend, you additionally have to get your arms soiled. In different phrases, you will need to take a look at your adverts, analyze the outcomes of various adverts, and optimize advert campaigns for improved efficiency.

Check your adverts

It’s simple to put in writing one model of your advert copy and create one touchdown web page and depart it at that. However, reality be advised, you don’t know the way an advert will resonate together with your target market. Taking a wholly completely different strategy could find yourself bringing in higher leads.

As such, it’s important to check all the pieces in your adverts to seek out out what works greatest. Take into account A/B testing the next:

• Kind placement
• Headline
• Key phrases
• Design
• Format
• CTA buttons
• Advert copy
• UX

As you proceed testing completely different variations of your PPC adverts, you gained’t be guessing what you suppose will carry out. As an alternative, you’ll have the ability to make data-driven selections about how you can make your adverts convert at larger charges.

Analyze your outcomes

This stat could shock you: 72% of companies don’t take a look at advert campaigns in a month’s time. (Be sincere. Are you one in all these corporations?)

If most corporations aren’t their advert campaigns, it additionally means they’re not how their adverts carry out. Whereas it is a horrible advertising technique, it does signify a wonderful alternative in your recruitment firm. 

Should you preserve an in depth eye on the outcomes you get/don’t get out of your campaigns, you can also make tweaks to your campaigns as you go that can assist you to beat out your opponents. 

Listed here are some instruments you should utilize to trace your campaigns:

• Heatmapping: Warmth maps present you the place guests are spending the vast majority of their time in your touchdown web page. This exhibits you the “scorching areas,” or areas of your web site that customers get pleasure from. You should utilize these warmth maps for conversion fee optimization.
• Google Analytics: Dive into Google Analytics, particularly key phrase conversion charges with key phrase visitors charges, to get a greater understanding of what key phrase adjustments it is advisable make.
• Quality Score: High quality Rating gives you perception into your anticipated CTR, how guests just like the touchdown web page expertise, and the way related your key phrase is to its advert group. Consider this metric to find out how it is advisable enhance your marketing campaign.

Optimize your advert campaigns

When you get into the behavior of A/B testing your recruitment firm adverts and reviewing your outcomes, you’ll be able to implement a technique to optimize your campaigns for improved outcomes.

When optimizing:

• Replace your key phrase record on Google Adverts (FKA Google Adwords), Bing, and some other platforms you employ
• Re-write advert copy to carry out higher
• Embrace social proof from present prospects larger up on the web page 
• Replicate outcomes from A/B checks which have labored effectively
• Create localized touchdown pages for something that’s too generic
• Enhance website loading pace

The takeaway

Whereas the methods above will assist you to make an efficient PPC advertising marketing campaign, in your recruitment firm, the reality is that creating a really terrific PPC marketing campaign goes far past a guidelines. 

What’s extra, with all the pieces you’ve got in your plate, it’s simple to let monitoring your PPC recruitment campaigns fall by the wayside.

We’re right here for you – no, actually. All of our paid search and search engine optimisation digital advertising execs are senior-level specialists — no juniors right here. Let our professional advertising group take the lead and assist you to handle your paid search campaigns so you will get the outcomes you deserve and spend extra time on all of your different duties at hand.

This text has been up to date and was initially revealed in December, 2023.