If you are an online recruiter, Google AdWords will be an indispensable weapon in your arsenal. This tool is extremely useful for promoting your client’s brand and boosting their job applications.

As an ads platform, Google will provide you with a better opportunity of attracting candidates than most other social media sites. Remember, Google can display search results across its entire network and even on YouTube. Of course, while this potential is exciting for any advertiser, the task can seem overwhelming. Fortunately, this article provides five tips that will enable you to master the AdWords game.

Find and utilize suitable search terms

The success of your ads, especially on Google, will often depend on using the most appropriate keywords to attract your target audience. The search engine giant will display a paid ad on the basis of:

• Quality
• Relevance 
• Bidding amount

If you are using the search terms that candidates often use, and your ads include them, then they will almost certainly find you. 

This tactic is popular in traditional sales, but you can apply the same principle to your recruitment service. Begin by characterizing your applicant’s persona:

• Find out about their online browsing habits
• Determine the search terms they often use and which are relevant to your recruitment ads 

You can place all these words and phrases in the Google Keyword Planner to discover which are most suitable for your ads.

Improve your cost-per-click strategy

According to this recruitment marketing guide, companies spend more than half of their digital advertising budget on paid searches. However, if your larger competitors are using Google AdWords, you may find yourself at a disadvantage. If they have a bigger budget, they can outbid you for popular keywords. If this is the case, you can bid for the less competitive keywords. 

However, you always need to keep an eye on your budget. Make sure you compute your expected ROI for each visitor clicking on the ads. In addition, work out how many of them are coming to your landing page. There is no exact formula for this but you can begin by comparing how many applicants come to you with how many clicks it takes for each successful application. You can use this calculation to set the maximum price you will pay for every click before you get a negative ROI.

Ensure applicant engagement with your landing pages

Google will often try to establish the quality of your content before showing the ads to your target audience. As a result, you should always keep the content relevant if you want people to click on your ads. If not, the search engine can penalize you for misleading users. So, how can you ensure that you do not suffer this fate? Well, on the landing pages, it is important that you include the appropriate keywords that you have obtained from your candidate’s search terms. 

Make your ads relevant to your target audience

Google will check the relevance of your ad to decide on its ranking, and although keywords are essential, the ad’s format can also be influential. So take into consideration the amount of space available for the text. 

For example, in a sponsored post, you have three headlines each with a 30-character limit and two description sections with a 90-character limit. There are also display links. You can make use of the space to quickly inform applicants about your message or employer brand.

Your ads should be consistent in the use of keywords and text on the landing page. This strategy will boost your client’s brand and increase their talent pool for any of their vacant positions.

Review your progress

Naturally, you will want to discover whether your Google AdWords campaign is successful. However, tracking your progress may involve some trial and error. The ads may not look good on the first attempt, but several adjustments can help you get them right.

You can minimize the costly adjustments by enabling Google’s conversion tracker tool. You can even embed a few codes into the web pages so you are notified when a conversion has occurred. 

For example, a ‘thank-you’ page can be activated once a candidate has submitted an application form or signed up to a newsletter subscription. 

In addition, you can use Google’s tools to monitor the ads generating the most clicks. You may also want to know whether the ads are producing the desired amount of traffic and conversions. With an appropriate system in place, you can determine whether your ad’s ROI is justifiable. You can also address any deficiencies in your online marketing strategy.

Many of your competitors will not have this type of tracking system so your recruitment efforts can gain a considerable advantage if you put one in place.

Conclusion

Recruiters who know the ins and outs of Google AdWords will enjoy the benefit of considerable online traffic and conversions. Having the knack of finding the right keywords is good, but keeping the cost-per-click down and still obtaining positive results is even better. Furthermore, you should try to avoid being penalized by Google by ensuring that your content incorporates correct and relevant keywords. Finally, you can improve your recruitment strategy by closely monitoring and reviewing your progress.

By Emma Carter