Creating a Strong Social Media Presence: A Definitive Guide for Recruiters

Social media has significantly changed the way we interact with one another online. Before the advent of social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, a majority of businesses and employers used classified ads on newspapers and other traditional methods to advertise job placements. Similarly, job seekers rely on newspapers and word of mouth to find companies who might require their expertise.

Today, candidates and employers alike utilise social media to find what they need. In particular, you’ll find photographers and artists posting their work on Instagram in hopes of being scouted by design, animation, or advertising companies. On the same token, companies and organisations are announcing their job openings on their social media pages to find talented individuals who want to be a part of their team.

Because social media is where many job seekers and employers are, recruiters must strategically position themselves in these online spaces. By creating a strong social media presence, recruitment experts can attract more traffic and generate leads for their business.

Targeting Audiences at These Social Media Channels

There are different social networking sites that you can use to deliver your message. Here’s how you can make the most of each one to give your recruitment business a boost.

1. Twitter

Twitter is where you’ll see people mix work with personal matters. While some users use the platform to promote their business, others utilise it to express their opinions on a wide range of topics.

Despite the 280-character limit, Twitter provides an excellent avenue for recruitment firms to create brand awareness and reach their audience, thanks to its 145 million daily active users. Also, with enough know-how, you can engage job seekers of specific demographics.

You can use relevant hashtags on your posts to create a substantial presence on Twitter. If there’s a trending topic, you can join the conversation by using the hashtag associated with it. You can also start a conversation by using hashtags that are trending on particular days of the week, such as #MotivationalMonday or #ThrowbackThursday.

Additionally, you can connect job postings to trending hashtags so more people can see them. Another strategy is to use geotags as your hashtags (such as #Northampton and #Liverpool) if you’re targeting prospects from specific cities or regions.

2. Facebook

Creating a strong social media presence on Facebook can help recruiters spread the word about their services. With over 1.4 billion active users daily, Mark Zuckerberg’s brainchild is considered the most popular social networking site today. Also, more than a quarter of the world’s online population is on the social media site. These figures continue to grow as Facebook continues to attract 500,000 new users every day. 

However, despite Facebook’s sizable user base, attracting an audience can be very challenging for recruiters since most of its users tend to like and pay attention to things they already have an active interest in. Fortunately, there is an alternative to organically asking people to like your business page. You can consider putting up ads on Facebook to reach your audience. You can also use the platform to drive traffic to your main website by promoting your blog posts or job listings.

3. Instagram

While most people think that Instagram is more suited for brands and businesses that sell products, recruitment agencies can leverage this social media channel to generate more traffic and attract more leads. A study by LinkedIn showed that 50% of professionals follow companies on Instagram to know about the latter’s job openings. Using this social networking site can also be an advantage if you’re targeting younger job seekers since 61% of Instagram users are 18 to 34 years old. 

Starting with a strong Instagram bio to pique your audience’s interest can help showcase who you are and what you can offer as a recruiter. Despite its limited word-count, your bio enables you to create your voice and set yourself apart from the competition.

Similar to Twitter, Instagram also encourages the use of hashtags to engage your existing followers and find a new audience. Be sure to conduct research on relevant hashtags, have a specific niche, and target candidates from specific industries so you can connect better with your prospects.

4. LinkedIn

LinkedIn is considered the ultimate social networking site for professionals. Unlike Facebook, it is an excellent fit for recruitment agencies because its goal is to help professionals network with each other. Since users are actively looking for recruitment opportunities, creating a strong social media presence on LinkedIn allows you to target and engage both job seekers and employers.

Similar to when recruiting on other social networking sites, doing prior research is crucial. Join groups in industries you’re hiring to reach specific individuals and make your message more relevant to your target audience. Also, you should create an excellent LinkedIn company page to build trust and create a reliable employer brand.

Conclusion

With billions of people using social media, creating a strong presence on different social networking sites should be a part of your marketing strategy. Because the recruitment industry can be very competitive, tapping into the sizable user base of social media sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram can give your business a boost. Just make sure to use the best marketing practices and the right strategies to get positive results.