Whether you’re working overtime to find qualified job candidates or just dipping your toes into the world of recruitment marketing, you already know that skilled talent is a must-have. And if you’re struggling to reach the right people, pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is the answer.
Maybe you’re already leveraging search engine optimization (SEO) to boost your rankings, but it’s time to take a different approach to recruitment. Your candidates are changing—and the way they search for jobs is changing, too. To win the war for attention in today’s recruitment landscape, you need effective organic and paid search strategies.
The good news? It’s easy to get started with paid search, even if you’re not a marketing pro. Here’s everything you need to know to attract top-tier job candidates with PPC recruitment marketing.
Why Do Recruiters Need PPC?
Contrary to popular belief, paid search isn’t just an effective strategy for marketing products and services. It’s also a powerful tool to put your employer brand and open job positions in front of the right people. According to 2022 recruitment statistics, approximately 70 percent of active job candidates use Google to search for jobs and research potential employers. And if you’re not showing up on the first page, you’re going to have a hard time attracting qualified candidates.
Sure, SEO can help you reach skilled workers, but it shouldn’t mark the end of your strategy. Truth is, building out an organic SEO strategy requires time and effort. Even if you have all the right resources, SEO campaigns take several weeks to drive results, while PPC ads start driving relevant traffic to your careers website as soon as you launch them.
- Paid search is fast and efficient. If you’re scrambling for candidates to fill open positions and avoid lost productivity, then you probably don’t have weeks to develop a comprehensive SEO strategy. If you need to drive job candidates now, PPC marketing can save the day.
- PPC ads boost your online exposure. One of the biggest benefits of PPC ads? They’re an amazing tool for building brand awareness. Even if prospective job candidates don’t click on your ad, they’ll start to recognize your name and become familiar with your brand through your paid ads.
- Paid ads reach the right people. When you focus on relevant keywords and target audiences, you can serve ads to the people who are most likely to convert into loyal, long-term workers. This way, you won’t have to worry about wasted ad spend on people who will never click Apply.
How Does Google Ads Work for Recruitment?
When it comes to online advertising, Google Ads is one of the best platforms to launch your first campaign. Simply put, Google Ads is Google’s advertising platform, which allows businesses to serve sponsored posts within Google’s search results. It’s a powerful tool that shows your ads to the right people based on specific keywords that are relevant to your business.
Of course, the benefits of Google Ads don’t end with their incredible targeting capabilities. They also come in different formats (think: text-only, banner ads, etc.), so you can capture your ideal candidates’ attention with scroll-stopping content. As the name suggests, you only pay for the number of clicks your ad receives.
“But nobody clicks on sponsored ads,” you’re thinking. This is a common misconception—and paid ads drive much more attention than you might think. According to marketing statistics, 65 percent of all high-intent searches result in an ad click. At the same time, PPC traffic converts 50 percent better than organic site visitors.
In other words, if you’re not using paid search in your recruitment strategy, you could be missing out on mountains of lost leads. Once you’ve drawn candidates in with click-worthy ads, it’s time to highlight your employer value proposition and show them why you’re worth working for.
How to Launch a Google Ads Recruitment Campaign
Ready to make PPC work for your recruitment strategy? Launching a successful campaign with Google Ads requires preparation, market research, and ongoing optimization. But with some time and effort, it’s possible to create attention-grabbing ads that drive conversions. Here’s how to get started.
1. Target Relevant Keywords
What’s the first step to building your recruitment advertising campaign? Choosing relevant search terms for your paid ads. When you target relevant keywords, you’ll be able to reach qualified job candidates.
How do you choose the right keywords? Start by thinking about your candidate personas. What will they type into Google when they’re searching for a new job? There’s a good chance that active and passive job seekers are going to search for fairly different terms, so you’ll want to consider different audience segments when building out campaigns.
For example, if you’re hiring manufacturing workers in Cleveland, you might expect active job seekers to search for terms like “manufacturing jobs in Cleveland.” Meanwhile, your passive job seekers might search for more general terms, like “manufacturing job salary Ohio,” to find the answers they’re looking for.
Once you’ve jotted down a list of potential keywords based on candidate personas and search intent, it’s time to narrow down your options. With Google’s Keyword Planner tool, you’ll be able to determine which keywords people are actually using to search for jobs, their monthly search volume (MSV), and how competitive they are. From there, you should search for terms with a volume above ~1,000 and a competition level between low and medium to kickstart your keyword strategy.
2. Set Your Google Ads Budget
Next, you’ll need to set your budget for Google Ads. To do this, you’ll want to consider your ad placement costs and bottom line. Budgeting for Google Ads can be tricky, so we recommend starting your recruitment ad strategy with a test campaign. With the help of Google Keyword Planner, you can access bid ranges for different keywords and set your budget accordingly.
Sure, Google Ads allows you to compete with top-name companies that have bigger marketing budgets, but it’s important to keep your cost per click (CPC) low. Instead of using popular search terms with high competition, try aiming for long-tail keywords that are easier to compete for. In addition, consider using specific keywords instead of broad-match keywords to stretch your ad budget.
3. Stand Out With Irresistible Copy
Now that you have your keywords and budget in place, you can start writing ad copy. Just like any other marketing or recruitment content, your goal is to be clear and concise.
You want to use captivating language that will capture the attention of your ideal candidates—all while showcasing your employer brand and convincing them to take the next step with your company. Here are a few tips to consider when crafting your recruitment ads:
- Keep it simple. Use your keywords strategically and speak to your candidate persona. It might be tempting, but avoid stuffing your ad with keywords to boost your search engine rankings.
- Highlight your employer value proposition (EVP). While you need to keep your copy short and sweet, you still need to show employees what value you can offer them. For example, if you’re hiring logistics managers, you might say something like “Logistics Manager Jobs—Flexible Hours, Healthcare Benefits.”
- Don’t forget about your call to action (CTA). You’re running ads because you want job candidates to take action—whether that’s signing up for your email newsletter, applying for a job, or visiting your career page. Make sure your prospects know exactly what to do next with a powerful CTA.
4. Optimize Your Landing Pages
When a prospect clicks on your recruitment ad, they’ll be directed to your landing page. In other words, it’s not enough to just build amazing ads. To drive conversions, you also need to impress prospective job candidates with great landing pages.
Remember: Landing pages also determine the search ranking of your ads. Google crawls the text of your landing page, so the better optimized it is for your target keywords, the better. To create optimized landing pages, consider your candidate persona. Your landing page copy should touch on their specific pain points, motivations, and career goals so you can strike an emotional chord.
Whenever possible, include visual content (think: pictures, videos, and infographics) and keep your paragraphs short. Let prospective candidates know what value you can offer them, the unique benefits you offer, and how your company culture fits their needs. Just like your ad copy, you’ll want to top off your landing page with an amazing CTA to encourage candidates to take the next step.
5. Track Your Results
Congratulations! You’ve successfully launched your first Google Ads campaign, but your hard work isn’t over yet. Pay-per-click advertising isn’t a “one-and-done” strategy, especially if you’re searching for top-tier candidates to fill open job positions. You need to track your campaign’s performance to optimize your ads, refine your targeting options, and make the most of your ad spend.
Fortunately, Google collects data so you can easily view a graphic of key marketing metrics (impressions, clicks, and conversions) over time. This way, you’ll be able to check in regularly and pinpoint any areas of improvement—whether that’s redefining your keyword match types, tweaking your target audience, or adjusting your ad copy.
Adapt to the New Normal of Recruiting
Even if you’ve already won Google’s top organic spot, you still need a comprehensive strategy to reach your top picks. Not sure where to start? From paid search to programmatic media, our recruitment experts at Main Street Recruitment can help you streamline your marketing strategy with a powerful omni-recruiting approach.
When you’re ready to tap into the power of paid search, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team. Download our self-audit checklist and schedule a discovery call with our team to get started.
