Recruiting is changing! Along with traditional promotion, social media is increasingly being used to improve the visibility of job ads.
Using sites such as LinkedIn and Facebook to advertise new roles can greatly increase the reach and effectiveness of a job advert, but with a new platform comes great responsibility. While you are always better off working on social media job adverts with a qualified recruitment specialists, there are some practices which can be applied to social media job adverts universally.
Here are five top tips for ensuring your adverts are reaching the right people and creating the right impression:
1. Keep it short
Don't weigh your post down with words. Remember, it's a status update rather than a full job description. Seeing a long and drawn out post will immediately turn potential employees off and cause them to scroll straight past.
Make sure you keep it short and snappy and simply provide a link to a full job description if you feel it requires more detail. A small but well-worded advert will grab attention and get much more engagement than an essay describing each fine detail of the role.
2. Keep it simple
Recent studies from the University of California have found that using generic corporate speak within job adverts actually makes candidates less likely to engage and ultimately apply. Using jargon can ‘mask real meaning' and makes your adverts sound more cliché.
Try to avoid buzz phrases like ‘can-do attitude' or ‘team player', and really think about the meaning of the words you are writing. Be specific.
Do these words actually contribute anything to your advert? Do they give the candidate an insight into what the job is going to be like? If not, you're in danger of producing an overly wordy advert which doesn't really say much at all, and in so doing, turn people away!
3. Make it as easy as possible for the candidate
Once you have your simple, punchy advert, you'll need to add a call to action detailing how to apply. The easier it is to apply for your role, the better, so ensure you include a range of methods. For example, as well as providing a link to the formal application process, you should also include your phone number and email address so that there are different options for application.
Remember, many of those using social media will be on mobile and so may not have the facility to easily upload a CV or fill out an online form, providing other options means you won't miss out on valuable applicants. It can also be a good idea to encourage those interested to contact you within the social network itself. Not only does this increase the ease of contact, it also makes the process feel open and friendly.
4. Make it visual
Posting your ad is one thing, but making it stand out amongst a constant stream of other content is another! The best way to get people to notice your advert is by making it as visual as possible. An attractive cityscape which shows where your candidates will be working, or a relevant picture demonstrating the nature of the role will draw the eye to your post and increase engagement.
Video is another way you can make your ad pop. LinkedIn statistics have proven that posts with videos attached get 100% more engagement than those without. Perhaps think about finding a ‘day in the life of' video relating to the role in question. YouTube is your best friend here! A word of warning, however, make sure you bear in mind copyright laws before posting media to your adverts.
5. Ask a question
Did you know that posts with questions on LinkedIn get 50% more comments than those without? Just reading this one question has caused your mind to automatically answer ‘yes' or ‘no', making you immediately pay attention.
This doesn't have to be deep and meaningful, it could be a simple rhetorical question like ‘how do you fancy a change of scene?' or ‘do you want to work in the bustling heart of London? Questions are a well-known, tried and tested marketing tool. Using them naturally starts a conversation in users' heads and means they will spend that little bit more time paying attention to your advert.
Need help with your social media job adverts? Contact your local Reed office.
