With any online endeavor, the topic of SEO always arises. In the past we’ve touched on the importance of organic versus manufactured SEO, making the case that trying to shortcut your way to SEO success is ill advised and, most likely, ineffective. Ranking well on search engines, especially Google, is great, but only if you’re ranking for the right search terms and for the right reasons. What should you try and rank for? How should you do it? And why? These are important questions regarding your recruiting website SEO, and we will offer guidance as to how best achieve SEO success that is more than just a ranking.

What (and what not) to do

There’s a fine line in the world of SEO where you try and rank for terms that offer less competition while also being focused enough that they may actually be searched by your prospective audience. The buzzword is long-tail keywords, which are basically three to four word phrases that are specific to your business. These should be tailored for your unique audience. The problem is sometimes the obsession to rank high for obscure phrases comes at the cost of ranking for something substantial. If you’re a staffing agency whose niche is recruiting IT professionals in the medical industry, your recruiting website SEO should be focused on common terms and phrases used by people within that industry. Think about trying to target specific positions within the field. One final note, trying to rank for the name of your staffing agency (and yes, we’ve been asked for this) is a pointless endeavor. SEO is about attracting people who need your services but are unaware of your organization. If they’re searching for you, they already know you.

How to do it

The aforementioned long-tail keywords are your first step toward recruiting website SEO success. Let’s stick with the sample niche of IT professionals in the medical industry. If you’re shooting for something broad like “medical recruiting,” not only are you most likely going to lose out due to an oversaturated keyword, but even if you’re successful in ranking high, you are most likely going to attract far too many clients and candidates who have no interest in your IT specialization. “Medical IT recruiting” may be a more beneficial term. Once you have a list of keywords you would like to rank for, test them out in some of the most popular search engines. This will provide a glimpse into your competition. Also, remember that especially on the candidate side, users may not be looking for a recruiter but rather a job. You’re not only competing with fellow recruiters, but job boards as well as the internal human resources departments of the very clients you may be working for. Again, our post on organic SEO can offer additional guidance as to the best way to enhance your recruiting website SEO.

Why you should do it 

Many years ago (more than I’d care to share) I worked in a small town grocery store. The principles of marketing incorporated on that very small scale are the same principles at play in today’s world of SEO. Customers are more likely to buy products that are stocked in the proper location and at eye level. Think of the first page of search results as the grocery aisle for your particular service. Maybe your product is a little niche. That’s okay. As long as it is located in a place that makes sense, customers will find their way there. Now think of your ranking as the shelf on which your product is located. Needless to say, customers represents clients and candidates, and you cannot expect your customers to waste their time scouring the store for your product, not matter how good it is. They will simply purchase an inferior product and move on. Recruiting website SEO is not a contest for meaningless rankings. It is focused work with the purpose of reaching clients and candidates so as to provide them with a higher level of service.

Recruiting website SEO is a vital element to your digital presence, but the work doesn’t end when you get them to your site. If you’ve worked hard to attract these potential clients and candidates to your website, it stands to reason they know little about you. Again, despite how stellar your services may be, they have to be presented in a way that connects with your audience. Professional website design services like those offered by Recruiters Websites are the ideal avenue for staffing agencies. Having worked desk themselves, the professionals at Recruiters Websites have the staff and experience to assist in everything from website design to recruiting website SEO. If you are truly invested in growing your business and expanding your digital presence, Recruiters Websites is the most effective way of doing so.