Every company wants to hire the best employees who are going to be the perfect fit for their business. To do that, you need to catch the attention of the ideal candidate.
When it comes right down to it, successful recruitment campaigns are all about your message.
“Everyone is looking for the same thing right now: a job,” says Lisa Sikkema, director of new business development at Federated Digital Solutions. “You need to ask yourself: ‘Why would someone want to work for my company?’”
When it’s tough to find people to hire, a digital marketing campaign focused on recruitment makes it easier to get your message in front of the right candidates and then direct them to you.
“Digital is really effective because we can drive applicants directly to the job page of the company, or wherever the job is available,” Sikkema says. “It’s one less barrier of entry that might keep an applicant away.”
Let’s take a look at what makes a successful digital marketing campaign and what you can do to start improving your prospects right away.
MESSAGING MATTERS
Without good messaging, your recruitment campaign is going to struggle. There needs to be a clear reason why someone should work for your company.
“The message is just as important, if not more so than targeting specific jobs toward people,” says Karlie Mandigo, digital marketing consultant at Federated Digital Solutions. “I ran a campaign a few years ago that targeted truck drivers with a message aimed just at truck drivers, and it made a world of difference in the number of quality applications.”
Mandigo and Sikkema agree that companies need to stand out now more than ever to attract employees. That messaging will change from business to business — whether it’s a sign-on bonus, a retention bonus, a 401k match, or the fact that you’re a family-owned company. If you need inspiration, Sikkema suggests looking inward.
“If you’re not sure which direction your message should go, start by talking with your long-term employees,” she says. “Look at someone who has been with you for 20 years or more and ask that person what’s kept them working with you that long. That’s the message you want to send out into the world.”
GEOFENCING
Sikkema says that geofencing can be particularly useful when you’re trying to hire. You want to get your ads in front of people who are already working who may not realize they’re ready for a change yet.
“Sending someone a personalized message at the end of a long, tough day is really compelling,” she says. “They may not have been looking for a new job before, but your ad can make them stop and think.”
She offers a few examples of how to use geofencing to successfully recruit in a few different industries:
- Factory Workers: Competition in the factory industry is incredibly fierce. By combining good messaging and geofencing of other factory buildings you can find potential employees.
- Truck Drivers: Truck stops are a great place to geofence when looking to hire truckers. Drivers will already be visiting truck stops and taking a break — and scrolling through their phone — so it’s an ideal time to advertise a job to them.
- Nurses: If you’re looking to fill roles at a hospice facility or anywhere in the medical field, geofencing a hospital is a no-brainer. A nurse coming off an 18-hour shift and getting burnt out might start looking for a change, and seeing your ad could encourage them to apply.
FACEBOOK TARGETING
Facebook targeting is a way to economically market to prospective employees who are interested in your field of business. Because it’s a social network, it’s all about branding your business and having a conversation with people.
Using Facebook targeting we can utilize video or display messages to tell your story. Testimonials from your long-term employees are especially effective using this technique. We can help prospective employees envision exactly what it would be like to work for you.
“The ads we run for you are like you’re having a one-on-one conversation with prospective employees,” Sikkema says. “Whether it’s via a display ad or a video, it’s a one-on-one conversation that’s visual, emotional, and personal to that person that’s looking for that specific job.”
Mandigo and Sikkema say that’s the advantage of Facebook targeting over tactics like Search Engine Marketing (SEM) when it comes to recruitment campaigns.
“When you’re doing SEM, you’re going against the big guys with a huge, national recruitment agency,” Mandigo says. “With Facebook targeting, you’re going to be more localized, familiar, and emotional with people.”
Facebook targeting is all about branding your company as an ideal place to work using a personal approach.
Sikkema adds that using SEM for recruiting doesn’t make much sense because there’s usually an immediate need for hiring and SEM is geared to run all day every day of the year to be successful.
“Recruitment campaigns are designed to be turned off and on,” Sikkema says. “SEM isn’t designed to be turned off and on. If you’re trying to recruit people you could spend a lot of money on SEM before you see the results you’re really after.”
FEDERATED DIGITAL SOLUTIONS CAN HELP YOU FIND TALENTED PEOPLE
“We cut out the middleman of job boards,” Sikkema says. “We can help companies target specific jobs, so when prospective employees are researching in search engines, our clients' listings will appear.”
Our team of digital experts at FDS can help your company figure out your messaging and get it in front of quality candidates. Contact us today to find out how we can help you get started recruiting the right people for your company.
Written by Federated Digital Solutions
