The Internet provides so many ways to promote your recruiting firm and its contract staffing services. Are you getting the most out of it?  Here are some tricks on how to best utilize the most common common Internet mediums:

Your Firm's website

Can visitors easily tell that you offer contract staffing without digging too far into your site? Make sure you at least have a paragraph on your website devoted to contract staffing. 

If possible, add a whole contract staffing page for clients and ANOTHER one for candidates. These pages should specify the benefits of contract staffing for both groups and why they should utilize YOUR services. Keyword-rich contract staffing pages will allow you to get found by companies and candidates who are searching the Internet for recruiters who provide contracting services. Better yet, create and REGULARLY contribute to a blog dedicated to contract staffing. With a blog, you can share your expertise and set yourself apart as an expert in your niche.

LinkedIn

Chances are, you are no stranger to this site, but are you using it to its full advantage? The first place to check is your personal and company profiles. Like your website, you want to make sure these profiles clearly show that you offer contract staffing. Specifically, you have 120 characters in the headline of your personal profile for your title, so make sure some of those characters mention contract staffing, contractors, contracting, or something similar so potential clients and candidates can find you.  Also, consider joining and participating in in LinkedIn Groups in your niche. Participating in discussions and posting RELEVANT content in Groups is a good way to differentiate yourself. You may want to start by reading others’ conversations and commenting on them before you start posting your own discussions. Another option is to start your own Group to further expand your name recognition. Regardless of whether you are posting in other groups or your own, always provide USEFUL information. Avoid being self-promotional.

Twitter

Many recruiters simply post their job openings, so it's easy to stand out by doing something different. Try retweeting others’ posts, commenting, and starting your own discussions by tweeting relevant and useful information.  You will want to use hashtags, which are created by putting a # in front of phrases for which you think people will search. Check out trending hashtags at hashtagify.me

Facebook

Marketing on this network continues to get more challenging especially since Facebook changed its algorithm, making it nearly impossible for businesses to get seen by simply creating good posts, according to Social Media Examiner. This means you may have to pay for advertising to get any traction on Facebook. However, there is a silver lining. Facebook's “Open Graph” search allows you to easily search its massive database (over a billion active users are on the site). Because the search is built around natural language rather than keywords, you can locate contract candidates with very specific criteria.  Read more about it here: www.topecheloncontracting.com/blog/sourcing-contract-candidates-fac...

Google+

Google says its social networking site isn't going anywhere, despite the recent departure of its creator. And considering that it has more ACTIVE users than LinkedIn (according to Social-Hire.com) you should not ignore this site. You may find that you like some of its unique features. Perhaps the most useful is the fact that it allows you to segment connections into customizable Circles. You can tailor different posts to candidates and clients and even segment contacts into different industries if you have multiple niches. The sites video chats called Hangouts may be an affordable way for you to explore video interviews. This is great for contract placements that need to be made quickly and/or remotely. The site's “Communities" are similar to LinkedIn’s Groups, so that might be another feature to check out. Remember, Google+ is very visual, so be sure to use eye-catching images on your posts.

Pinterest

You may consider Pinterest to just be a hobby site, but some recruiters are actually finding success there, particularly when reaching out to candidates. Creative contractors, like Graphic Artists and Web Designers, often share work on Pinterest. You can find them by searching for terms such as “resume,” “cv,” and “portfolio.” You can also try branding on Pinterest by providing tools and information that can help candidates do their job better. For instance, if you recruit Web Designers, they may enjoy posts with uniquely designed pages. People in education may appreciate classroom tips. To learn about how one recruiting firm has successfully used Pinterest, check out our article about PediaStaff’s Pinterest Profile.

These are just some of the more common Internet vehicles you can use to spread your contract staffing message, but there are countless others that are just waiting to be discovered. Don't be afraid to experiment and learn about other sites. You never know what could give your firm that extra boost you are looking for.