How to Use Google Ads for Recruiting

Danielle Meakin - 6 Comments - 29 Sep 2019

 

Are you interested in running Google Ads for recruiting? Do you know which steps to take? The aim of this article is to provide some answers to these questions.

 

First of all, you need to ensure that your ads will reach your target job seekers. You can achieve this by drafting high-quality posts that are relevant to your candidates.

 

What is Google Ads and how does it work?

Google Ads is the search engine’s leading advertising platform, giving you the opportunity to place sponsored job posts across the entire Google network.

So, how do you create an ad?

 

First, you need to:

• Search for and choose the keywords that will help you achieve your recruitment goals
• Set a budget, including the amount you are willing to ‘bid’ for every click

 

When a potential candidate searches for one of your keywords, Google will select an ad or two to display at the top of the search results. This selection is based on several criteria, such as bids and relevance scores.

 

The ads are similar to the ordinary search results but they are labelled as ‘sponsored ads’.

 

You may think that people will not click on these ads, but you would be mistaken. Anyone who is looking for a job is more likely to click on the sponsored results rather than the organic ones. This is why it’s so useful to use Google Ads for recruiting.

 

Choose the right keywords for your Google Ads

Your target candidates will use search terms to find the jobs they want. As a recruiter, you need to identify these keywords. This will depend on your target audience and whether you are looking for active or passive candidates.

 

Active candidates are more likely to use search terms that include a specific job and location. For instance, they may type something like ‘nursing jobs London’. Meanwhile, passive candidates will probably search for something that could resolve their medical query.

 

It is easier for your ads to reach active candidates. By contrast, engaging passive candidates may take some doing. Nevertheless, your ads may be able to persuade them to click on a link if they include educational content, such as a blog.

 

How can you use Google Ads for recruiting?

1. Keep costs down by matching your keywords to the right searchers

Google uses an auction system to determine which ads are shown to your target audience. This is where your keywords will play a crucial role. For instance, if you use the term ‘retail recruiter’, you may end up bidding for several keywords, such as:

• Retail recruiting
• Retail clothing shop
• Retail shop

 

If you don’t correct this mismatch, you may find yourself paying more than is necessary when using Google Ads for recruiting. Fortunately, there is a way to overcome this problem. If you place the keywords in square brackets [retail recruiter], this will inform Google that it should only display the ads to people who clearly typed the term ‘retail recruiter’.

 

2. Maintain a high-quality score

Being the highest bidder in a Google Ads auction does not guarantee automatic placement. Google will want to ensure that:

• The ads are relevant to the user
• The user experience is of high quality

 

Furthermore, the search engine will assign a quality score to your keywords ranging from 1 to 10. If your keywords have a better quality score than your competition, Google can show them even if you have made a lower bid.

 

Now you understand that quality scores can affect your ad campaign, how can you obtain a favourable score?

 

Well, the first thing you should do is optimise the click-through rate and landing page experience. This is one of the essential SEO for recruiters tips you need to implement in your Google Ads recruitment campaigns.

 

3. Increase your click-through rate

Your click-through rate goes up every time a job seeker clicks on your ad. However, if they see the ad and ignore it, your rate goes down.

 

For Google, a high click-through rate means that your ad is beneficial to your audience, namely your target candidates. Now, before you can identify ways to increase your click-through rate, you need to understand the ‘search query to ad text’ match.

When a job seeker sees their search query in your ad, they will probably consider it helpful and click on it. In addition, Google will highlight the search term once it appears in your ad text.

 

With this information, it’s best to customise your ads to your candidates’ search queries.

 

When it comes to placing the keywords on your landing page, it is advisable to use specific locations such as the page title or the URL.

 

4. Ensure candidates have a pleasant landing page experience

Once a candidate clicks on your ad, it should lead them to your landing page. Even if they visit your site after leaving Google, the search engine will still want to know whether they enjoyed a high-quality user experience. To ensure your landing page does provide a pleasant experience, consider the following guidance:

• Instead of directing candidates to your home page, use your ads to lead them to a page that caters to their needs. Use strong call-to-actions, such as ‘click here to find out more about the job’.
• Ensure the text on your landing page matches your keywords. Google will check to see whether the landing page and ads share the same relevant keywords. For instance, if you bid on the search term ‘finance accountant recruiter’, then you need to ensure that both your ad and the landing page have this exact phrase in at least one section.
• If possible, the landing page should incorporate the exact phrases used in your ads. If the candidate clicks on the ads and sees the identical ad text on the landing page, it will assure them that they have reached the right place. It will also improve their user experience and encourage them to stay longer and explore.

 

 

Check and monitor your Google Ads results

Google Ads will enable you to monitor all your keyword performances through bidding and conversions. For instance, once a candidate completes a form on your landing page, Google Ads can inform you of the keywords that drove them to your site. Although this can take time, you will be able to build a significant database of your most effective keywords.

 

Conclusion

Using Google Ads for recruiting is an effective marketing tool that can engage candidates and new clients. However, your ads will be useless if they don’t contain the right keywords to attract your target audience.

 

Whilst Google uses an auction or bidding system, high-quality scores can result in your ads being placed even with a lower bid. To improve your score, make sure your ads generate a high click-through rate and the landing pages provide an excellent user experience. Again, using identical relevant text on your ads and landing page can help reassure your audience that they will find valuable and helpful information.

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How to Boost Your Workplace Corporate Social Responsibility

Danielle Meakin - 6 Comments - 29 Sep 2019

 

Workplace corporate social responsibility is more important today than ever before, and it comes in various forms, from product donations to employee volunteer days and eco-friendlier work practices. 

 

It’s beneficial for companies to evaluate their initiatives to determine the ways they can have a positive impact on their community and as a result, attract and retain new talent to their organisation. 

 

Here are some suggestions of how leadership can find new talent by boosting their workplace corporate social responsibility, take responsibility for their corporate actions and contribute to a more sustainable society.

 

Get staff on board with recycling

Businesses should strive to keep waste to a minimum wherever possible, to reduce how much they’re sending to landfills. An effective way to achieve this is by encouraging members of your team (and the wider organisation) to recycle. “The more staff that are on board, the more this is adopted throughout the entire business”, explains waste recycling business Countrystyle Recycling, “rewards and recycling incentives are a great method to encourage employees to recycle. Not only does this enable you to reach recycling goals but gives a sense of competition throughout the business”.

 

Take advantage of your monthly/quarterly meetings and communicate the importance of improving your corporate sustainability credentials. Discuss in an open forum what would motivate them to recycle and experiment with a range of different schemes to help implement an effective sustainability model in the workplace. 

 

By adopting and implementing ethical recycling processes into your team’s workflow, it will encourage everyone to only print where necessary, place recycling points around the site and donate office furniture or equipment when it’s no longer needed. 

 

Promote green commuting

Regardless of the size of your team, it’s likely that a proportion will still look to commute to work each day (even after COVID-19). For larger businesses, in particular, this could result in a larger carbon footprint for the company as a whole. 

 

Businesses that are keen to adopt a greener mindset can encourage both new and existing staff to choose alternative commuting methods where possible, whether that’s walking, cycling or car sharing. 

 

Many companies have had great success improving company culture with bike-to-work schemes and incentives, whether it’s set up in-house or you use a third-party company to offer these benefits to your staff. 

 

Create a green team

Appointing a few members of your team or even just an individual within the company to innovate new ideas on how the company can become more eco-friendly is a great way to empower your team and introduce new initiatives. 

 

Where possible, you should appoint people from different teams to gain fresh perspectives and unique ideas, as these individuals will be able to see the sustainability problems the business faces from different angles, whether it’s marketing, packaging and logistics, or operations. 

 

Not only will it help your company adopt eco-friendly practices but it contributes towards a positive brand image and shows that the business takes such issues seriously – which will encourage potential new talent to show an interest in working for your business if their ethics and values align. 

 

Carry out an energy audit

All companies rely on energy to some degree, but how well your workplace uses that energy is important when it comes to sustainability. An energy efficiency audit can help you assess areas of your office where you can save on energy, reduce your carbon footprint and save on utility bills in the process. 

 

As part of this process, you can see if there is equipment or technology that your environment is using that can be switched to an energy-efficient alternative if necessary, as well as potentially switching to a renewable energy provider. 

Other (seemingly) small but effective changes could include:

• Utilise energy-efficient light bulbs around the office
• Rainwater storage for your office building
• Encourage water-saving practices in the kitchen and restrooms
• Restrict the use of air conditioning and only use when windows and doors are not open
• Utilise natural light to its full potential 
• Review hand dryers and consider switching to more energy-efficient options
• Implement a recycling strategy

 

 

Engage your team by giving them the freedom to come up with their own ideas and initiatives for improving the sustainability of the business. They will likely be more engaged and motivated to stick with the changes being implemented if they have an investment in the cause.  

 

Consider your suppliers

It makes sense that your business aligns with others in terms of the standards and policies you’ve adopted. After all, part of workplace corporate social responsibility is considering how your business can do better, so why shouldn’t that extend to your company’s business partners and suppliers? 

 

Don’t be afraid to show initiative and ask the following questions to senior management:

• Do they have similar environmental goals and values to your company, such as reducing waste or packaging? 
• Are their services aligned with the needs of the business? 
• How does working with them complement or hinder your sustainability efforts and are there ways to improve? 

 

Regardless of the industry you operate in or the size of the business you work for, the chances are someone in your company deals with third parties regularly, so assess with upper management how you can forge more sustainably-minded relationships to coincide with your sustainable efforts elsewhere in the business. 

 

Final thoughts

From gaining the loyalty and trust of your team and wider departments to reducing overhead costs and minimising your carbon footprint, there are many advantages to opting for eco-friendly practices. Attracting talent who values these aspects in an organisation is another key advantage that will hugely benefit your business. 

 

Workplace corporate social responsibility encapsulates so many areas of a business’s operations and the organisations building true eco-credentials understand that long-term plans are far more effective than short-term fixes and temporary solutions.

 

Interested in other effective ways you can attract talent to your business? Book a demo and we can help. 

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Why are application numbers down on my job adverts?

Danielle Meakin - 6 Comments - 29 Sep 2019

 

If you regularly recruit for the same jobs throughout the year and have noticed a significant reduction in application numbers recently, then you are not alone.

 

Hard to fill positions and recruitment for niche skills and sectors are posed with this challenge throughout the year, but recently the applicant shortage issue is being felt by recruiters across many more sectors and for roles that traditionally generate high volumes of applications.

 

Industry and skill sectors feeling this the most include, Hospitality, retail, warehousing and Logistics, Driving & Delivery, Care, customer support and many more

 

According to data provided by all the leading UK job boards and data analysis by Wavetrackr, job advertising numbers are up significantly across the online and job board networks.

 

In many cases new candidate registrations are down too and to compound the problem, applicants are applying for fewer jobs.

 

So why is this happening? Especially as we are recovering from a pandemic and unemployed numbers are significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels?

 

Firstly, when job advertising numbers go up, this will always adversely effect average application numbers, but when this is combined with a reduction in new candidates registering and fewer applications being made, there is a compound effect.

 

As the UK returns to work, individuals have less time to look for and apply for jobs. Sentiment drives behaviours too, so if more people are less motivated to find a new position, or become more selective, we can expect to see this dramatically impact application numbers.

 

Reed reported in their monthly summary the following statistics:

• Over 275,000 vacancies posted on reed.co.uk – the highest monthly figure since February 2008, before the financial crash
• All sectors and regions saw a month-on-month increase in vacancies
• Transport & Logistics roles soared, up 206% month-on-month
• East Midlands saw the greatest month-on-month increase in vacancies, up 161%

 

Not all sectors appear to have been adversely effected though, with Legal, Administration and Sales application numbers going up significantly. However, that increase may still not have trickled through to everyone if vacancy numbers were up and those extra applications where shared out.

 

Data provided by Google suggests that we have topped 18 million unique job-related searches a month, but we know that there are not 18 million committed job seekers looking to move jobs at any one time. The majority of these searches are performed as a social activity and running some sort of job related search online has become an habitual behaviour. Increased unemployment and the unique set of circumstances experienced by workers in the last 12-18 months may well have driven job application numbers up, but eventually that behaviour will settle down again, and that appears to be part of the current trend.

 

So what can recruiters do to get application numbers back up to the levels they need to start filling jobs?

 

You can’t magic applications out of nowhere, but you can start to think about recruiting more strategically in order to optimise advertising performance and win your unfair share of the applicants that are still out there. You can also increase adverting budgets in order to increase and maximise visibility online, to help counter the current reduction in application numbers.

 

To help improve outcomes you will need to refine your talent attraction tactics and this is all about optimisation of results, at every stage of the talent acquisition process. To help, here is a useful article on how to improve quantity and quality  and another on mastering talent attraction that you might find quite useful.

 

 

However, if you don’t have the time and resources to address this yourselves, feel free to contact one of our customer success team on 01908 268368 to talk through how we can help to quickly get your application numbers and quality of applications back up and beyond pre-pandemic levels.

 

 

We specialise in Talent Attraction and have access to over 5000 Online media channels and have already helped dozens of companies to quickly and effectively address this challenge.

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Working from Home is Not the New Normal

Danielle Meakin - 6 Comments - 29 Sep 2019

You may have noticed that business owners and leaders have, on the whole, remained very quiet on the topic of remote working during the lockdowns, and that is probably because they have had very little choice in the matter.

With the option to return to the office only a few weeks away, I believe that we are going to see more business leaders start to speak up about what they actually want to happen.

It’s been really interesting listening to different people across a diverse range of roles and across different industry sectors talk and share their opinions on social media about what is going to be best for the business moving forward in this respect. But in some ways, that’s a bit like football supporters sharing their opinion on who should start for their team on Saturday. It’s all interesting, and in many cases valid debate, and people do get very passionate about their own opinions, but in the end it has little or no bearing on the managers team selection. And in that respect, the remote working debate will naturally be decided by the management and not by the employees of the business.

Of course there has been an opportunity to rethink the working model and having been forced to adopt a full working from home scenario for 12 months, every business owner has been able to evaluate its impact on the company.

 

I think that it is fair to say that most employees want to retain at least some working from home options going forward, but the majority of people also want some return to the office, and this desire by the workforce will form part of the decisions being made going forward by management, along with many other factors, such as company culture, wellbeing and mental health, productivity, quality and standards of work, customer service and satisfaction, practicality, sales, teamwork, information sharing, staff retention and the list goes on.

There is also the question of who is responsible for the work from home set up, the equipment and health and safety, because if a company requires you to work from home there is an extended duty of care.

 

 

This week, David Solomon, the CEO at Goldman Sacks Investment bank, hit the headlines, when he came out and said ‘It’s not a new normal’

Speaking to a conference on Wednesday, Solomon said: “I do think for a business like ours, which is an innovative, collaborative apprenticeship culture, this is not ideal for us. And it’s not a new normal. It’s an aberration that we’re going to correct as soon as possible.”

Barclays CEO, Jes Staley also said this week that he did not believe that remote work was “sustainable” long-term. He too pointed towards the negative impact that remote work has had on collaboration and culture.

However, some CEOs are also coming out to state that they will adopt more of a hybrid model, and Spotify and Salesforce have both said that they will adopt that type of flexible approach to remote working.

 

It may simply come down to things like the industry sector and the way that those individual businesses like to work collaboratively, or not, and where a scheduled Teams or Zoom call just can’t replace the spontaneous, on the fly impact sessions, collaborations and debates that make that company what it is. If remote working has any negative impact on culture or productivity, then a return to the office is likely to be a major part of the outcome.

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Highlights from Business Live Health & Wellbeing

Danielle Meakin - 6 Comments - 29 Sep 2019

It’s a wrap! We had so much fun sponsoring Business Live’s Health & Wellbeing Event last week. Over 300 HR Managers, Wellbeing Experts and Hiring Managers signed up to share their experiences and learn some helpful wellbeing tips from our panel of expert speakers.

Couldn’t make it? We’ve put together some of the highlights for you here.

 

Emilie Barlow Martin

Our first speaker Emilie discussed her own experiences supporting mental health during lockdown. She described how setting time aside to purely focus on self-care is vital, whether that’s through fitness or just settling down with a good book.

Emilie works with Document Logistix to deliver centralised document management systems, which has proved hugely important to businesses during the lockdown period. You can find their website here.

Connect with Emilie – LinkedIn

 

Daryl Woodhouse

Daryl works closely with businesses to improve their performance through the life-work effect. This is achieved by forming daily habits in 4 key areas: Smart Action, Productivity Mastery, Work-Life Balance (or Life-Work Balance!), and Wellbeing. Daryl even gave some top tips on how to manage the return to the office, with the main takeaway to have more fun. Have a 5-minute huddle at the start of every working day with a short, fun team exercise, to help boost your employees’ mood and thus their productivity.

If you want some extra action points on how to improve your productivity, you can sign up for Daryl’s next free event here.

Connect with Daryl – LinkedIn

 

Navrita Atwal

With over 20 years in the industry, Navrita gave some excellent insights into Equality and Diversity in the workplace. Her top tips included ensuring your business is promoting equality of opportunity, so that all your employees’ needs are being met – for example, providing the right equipment for those who require extra support. Giving your employees the confidence to share their needs is also a must, through a supportive working environment with zero tolerance policies and staff support groups.

Connect with Navrita – LinkedIn

 

Michael Stephens

Talking through his own experiences, Michael gave us some deep insights into how burnout can unexpectedly happen to you. In a world where many employees put themselves under stress and pressure to succeed, self-care and wellbeing in a corporate environment is important. This drove Michael to launch Create Space, a global retreat and workshop service for businesses to support employee self-care, and equip them with tools for personal growth.

You can book yourself on one of Michael’s bespoke learning and development workshops here.

Connect with Michael – LinkedIn

 

Jon Manning

Jon operates one of the biggest mental health services in Milton Keynes, Arthur Ellis. Aptly using the imagery of bananas and donuts, Jon discussed how Banana Behaviours (Moving, Focusing Attention, Communicating, Learning, and Helping Others) all contribute positively towards health. When these behaviours are interrupted, or we indulge a bit too much in Donut Behaviours (wine, Netflix etc.), our overall health can decline. Making sure you have a good balance between these behaviours positively impacts your health.

You can find a wide range of useful mental health guides and support on the Arthur Ellis website here.

Connect with Jon – LinkedIn

 

Ravi Summan

Our final speaker, Ravi, shared how physical health can help lead to better mental health, and employee wellbeing. After great success in the business world, in 2019 Ravi turned his sights to helping corporate workers transform their physical health, and launched his wellness brand Ravi Summan Wellness. Ravi recommends encouraging your workers to exercise throughout the week, setting aside time to keep their physical and mental health strong.

You can find Ravi’s wellness podcast here on Apple and Spotify.

Connect with Ravi – LinkedIn

 

After a successful event, we are greatly looking forward to the next one and hope to see you there. More details to follow…

To watch the recording of the event, click here (passcode: F*1ZXkY#)

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Business Live Health & Wellbeing Event 2021

Danielle Meakin - 6 Comments - 29 Sep 2019

Smart Recruit Online are happy to share that we are once again sponsoring Business Live’s free Health & Wellbeing Event on the 25th of February. If you are a HR manager, Wellbeing Expert or Hiring Manager looking for extra ways to support your staff with their mental and physical health, this event is well worth signing up to.  

 

What is the event?  

Employee mental health and wellbeing are topics that have been gaining a lot of traction in businesses. This is now even more so the case, with many people working from home and looking for support from their employers as we continue to navigate a ‘new normal’. 

Business Live’s Health and Wellbeing Event aims to give you the tools to help support your employees for years to come. With a fantastic virtual panel of expert speakers on the subject, you will gain insight into their own experiences and practical solutions that you can bring into your business to improve staff wellbeing.  

 

Why should you attend?  

Research has found that happier employees lead to higher productivity, staff retention and ultimately, a more successful business. Fostering a positive work culture around staff wellbeing will help this, and this event gives you the tools to do just that. Better yet, a good working culture will be attractive to any future talent looking to join your business.  

Last year’s event hosted to over 90 HR managers, business owners, and hiring managers. There was extremely positive feedback, with many attendees stating they would come again.

 

 

Talk Schedule  

3.00pm – Registration and entry to the zoom call 

3.05pm – Welcome Victoria Beale, CEO Business Live UK 

3.10pm – Emilie Barlow-Martin – Document Logistix 

3.20pm – Q and A 

3.25pm – Daryl Woodhouse – ABP/ DW/ Mental Fitness and Productivity 

3.35pm – Q and A 

3.40pm – Navrita Atwal – Equality Council UK 

3.50pm – Q and A 

4.00pm – Michael Stephens – Corpwell 

4.10pm – Jon Manning – Arthur Ellis Mental Health 

4.20pm – Q and A 

4.30pm – Ravi Summan – Ravi Summan Wellness 

4.40pm – Q and A 

4.45pm – Mark Glenister – Black Dog/ Corpwell 

4.50pm – Q and A 

4.55pm – Arran Stewart – Job.com 

5.05pm – Q and A 

5.10pm – 10 sec delegate introductions 

5.30pm – Close 

 

 

You can sign up to attend the event for FREE here  

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What Does Uber’s Case Mean for the Future of the Gig Economy?

Danielle Meakin - 6 Comments - 29 Sep 2019

Now that the UK Supreme Court has ruled that Uber drivers are actually ‘workers’, what does this mean for the future of the Gig Economy as we know it? 

In this landmark case, the Supreme Court has now ruled that drivers using the Uber App must be classified as workers, rather than self-employed contractors.

OK, so this has been going on for some time and Uber themselves have already lost three previous cases at the UK highest court of appeal, but this was Uber’s last chance to overturn appeal rulings in 2017 (Employment Appeal Tribunal) and 2018 (High Court).

The courts had been clear all along that the drivers were workers for the purposes of the Employment Rights Act 1996, the National Minimum Wage Act 1998 and the Working Time Regulations 1998 and as such they were entitled to the protections afforded under the legislation.

 

What does this mean for Uber?

Well firstly, thousands of Uber drivers are now entitled to the National Minimum or Living Wage and holiday pay as workers of the company and this means that this is likely to be a massive rush of literally thousands of Uber drivers making compensation claims.

It also means that Uber will need to drastically change the way they recruit workers. With the business now being even more liable for their workers and impacted by any resignations, screening of candidates will need to be more thorough to avoid any issues.

 

 

What does this mean to the wider Gig Economy?

This is likely to set a precedence for similar claims from workers of other organisations and that will result in a significant rethink of how their business models work.

If Gig workers are entitled to full-time employee conditions, then why not just employ them full time in the future?

 

What does this potentially mean to you and me?

If companies cannot enjoy the commercial benefits of this arrangement and are forced to employ people under normal contractual terms, then prices will go up and services may subsequently be effected.

Think home food delivery, shopping, amazon, eBay, etc all these companies have adapted to the same-day/next-day delivery model, and we love it don’t we?

This decision by the Supreme Court mirrors other legal developments in this area around the world, with many other jurisdictions now considering the employment status of those in the gig economy.

 

This latest unanimous decision is likely to not only guide future decisions in the UK but also have a wider impact on policymakers and courts around the world.

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Transport & Logistics: Recruitment Challenges and Trends for 2021

Danielle Meakin - 6 Comments - 29 Sep 2019

The first quarter of the year is often a busy time for recruitment in the transport & logistics industry, but this year the UK market is experiencing new challenges and seeing new trends. There are many factors contributing to this change, with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the UK’s recent exit from the European single market sitting at the forefront.

(more…)

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How A Career In Logistics Has Evolved For The Better

Danielle Meakin - 6 Comments - 29 Sep 2019

At no other time in recent years has the importance of the supply chain been more obvious. The Financial Times reports that developments in digital technology are having a transformative effect on the industry, and with employee priorities changing rapidly too, the roles available in logistics are adjusting to require new skills and abilities. For those looking for a career change or a new role in logistics, what are the areas to focus on to access a fresh and challenging occupation? (more…)

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