How to Use Online Digital Marketing to Help Hire Your Next Employee

Businesses across all industries are struggling to fill open positions. More than ever, hiring managers from small companies rely on online resources to find quality candidates in their recruiting efforts. This means your small business's digital marketing strategy considerably establishes awareness among potential hires. Here's how you can use social media and digital marketing to hire talented people more efficiently.

Job Seekers Hit the Internet First

Digital marketing channels are of the most significant importance when actively hiring.

According to Pew Research's report, Searching for Jobs in the Digital Era (2015), "A majority of US adults (54%) have gone online to look for job information, 45% have applied for a job online, and job-seeking Americans are just as likely to have turned to the internet during their most recent employment search as to their personal or professional networks."

If you are struggling to fill roles at your company, your first step should be to make sure your online branding is strong and established – starting with an excellent website. Your website will be the first, or possibly second, stop after a candidate learns of an open position. Make sure job seekers can use your website to learn about your company, culture, and open positions.

Not only do job seekers use the Internet to find and apply for jobs, but over a third of them say online resources were most important in their job search. According to the same report, "The internet is a top resource for many of today's job-hunters: Among Americans who have looked for work in the last two years, 79% utilized online resources in their most recent job search, and 34% say these online resources were the most important tool available to them."

Key Takeaway: Your digital marketing is essential, and it starts with your website.

How Social Media Marketing Can Help You Hire Your Next Employee

LinkedIn

Social media platforms have quickly become one of the most effective ways to advertise and even hire for positions. Professional network LinkedIn boasts over 810 million members (185 million in the US) in over 200 countries and 57 million registered companies.

That is a staggering number of people focused on professional networking. How many of those are seeking employment? According to LinkedIn, 49 million people use LinkedIn to look for jobs every week, with 77 job applications listed every second.

How can you use LinkedIn to Find Quality Job Applicants?

• Make sure your company has a robust, optimized page and established presence.

• Build your content strategy to include your current hiring strategy. This can be position-specific, or it could be general. Your goal is awareness, so help people become aware.

• Create a job listing. You have free and promoted options. Determine which is best for you and use it to find your next hire. Find out more about LinkedIn job post options here.

Key Takeaway: LinkedIn is a powerful tool for creating awareness of your company and your open positions, and it should not be overlooked.

Facebook & Twitter

While LinkedIn is typically the first social media platform people think of when seeking a job or filling a position, other social media platforms also play a role.

If your Facebook business page uses the Business Template, you can activate a jobs tab, post your job, and then manage the applications, including contacting applicants and scheduling interviews. The best part? It's free and convenient. Visit here for more information on how to post a job on Facebook.

Not to be overlooked in your company's hiring efforts is Twitter. With over 68 million users in the United States, Twitter should be considered for use in your recruiting efforts. While the actual hiring percentage is lower than other platforms, it can still be used to your advantage when seeking new hires and building your company's brand awareness and following.

Fortune 500 companies use Twitter as a tool to reach potential hires at a higher rate than you might think. According to Softwareadvice.com, "Fortune 500 companies tweet out many job openings. A whopping 88 percent of the tweets we analyzed were for job openings. But that's not all that gets tweeted. Some tweets promote company events (4 percent), market the company's work environment and job perks (4 percent), or highlight a specific employee (2 percent)." Twitter gives several excellent examples of how businesses use Twitter for recruiting and tips on how you might adapt and implement it for your small business here.

Key Takeaway: Build a robust digital marketing strategy that includes platforms where your applicants are most active.

Hiring Now: Tips for Using Social Media Marketing to Post About Open Positions

• Keep it Clear – Make sure your listings provide comprehensive information about the position, requirements, and company.

• Keep it Concise – Include the essential details in your job posts but keep it brief.

• Keep it Thorough – Candidates want to know about salary, benefits, and other perks. Including this information up front will help you reach the most interested candidates.

• Use Hashtags – Make use of hashtags to help your content be more findable. Include location, job type, industry, company name, or any other hashtag a jobseeker may use in their search. Ex. #alabamamanufacturingjobs #mechanicalengineeringjobs

Making social media an integral part of your larger recruitment strategy is necessary. Building a digital system focusing on hiring can help you establish awareness, provide a reliable resource for candidates to learn more about you, and likely help you find a vast pool of quality candidates for your next hire.

Read Next: Quick & Easy Marketing Steps to Reach Your Manufacturing Customers

For more digital marketing tips for small businesses, follow us on Instagram & Facebook.