What Are the Vital SEO Trends for 2021 Recruiters Must Know?

As a recruiter, there’s a simple truth about SEO that you should always keep in mind: it is ever-changing. With Google known for updating its search algorithms several times a year, you should always stay on top of your game to achieve online success. 

Because the rules are always changing, it certainly helps to pay attention to SEO trends for 2021. Knowing what you can expect this year enables you to create more effective strategies that will provide you with better results. 

To help you out, here are some key SEO insights you should know about in 2021: 

1. Search intent and demand are flexible

Understanding search intent is an integral part of SEO. By knowing what motivates candidates and employers to perform specific search queries, you can create more relevant content and provide them with a better web experience. 

A recent report revealed that search intent and demand are more flexible or fluid than initially thought. Due to the on-going pandemic, search volume and interest regarding a specific query could rise or fall almost overnight. What’s more, Google has learned to adjust its search results to match user intent quickly. 

So what does this mean? With search intent and demand more “volatile” than expected, you need to make a few changes to get better results from your SEO strategy. These include: 

• Diversifying your online marketing strategies instead of focusing on only one marketing channel.
• Being flexible by knowing how to take advantage of opportunities and finding one when there is none.
• Keeping track of search behaviour and modifying your strategies accordingly.
• Paying close attention to search interests through Google Trends, which can help you identify topics that are popular and relevant to your clientele. 

2. Bigger role of local SEO to your success

The global pandemic affected many small and medium-sized businesses in different parts of the UK. Due to lockdowns and social restrictions, many business owners learned how to be creative to ensure their survival. 

If you want to stay in touch with your clients despite the various social restrictions in place, you should optimise your recruitment site for local SEO, which is one of the biggest SEO trends for 2021. To get started, make sure to claim your Google My Business (GMB) page if you haven’t yet. In case you already have a GMB page, ensure that it is highly optimised. Also, don’t forget to list all the essential details about your recruitment business, particularly your contact details and operating hours. 

Additionally, there are new GMB features that you can take advantage of to make your listing more attractive. They include: 

• Call buttons in the local knowledge panels
• A field for online operating hours
• A field for online appointments

3. AI has more impact on SEO

It seems that artificial intelligence (AI) will have a more prominent role to play in SEO. A few years ago, Google introduced RankBrain, a component of the search giant’s core algorithm that utilises machine learning to provide users with more accurate search results. Senior Google scientists Greg Corrado, who was also one of the people who developed RankBrain, revealed in a previous interview that the AI algorithm has a unique ability to determine people’s search habits. What’s more impressive is that this ability could only get better over time. 

With AI playing a more significant role in how Google determines a website’s search ranking, it makes perfect sense that your recruitment site is optimised for RankBrain. You can do this by: 

• Improving overall user experience.
• Offering engaging, valuable, and well-organised content.
• Enhancing your click-through rate. 

4. Increased usage of voice search

Voice-based innovations, including Amazon’s Alexa, Apple’s Siri, and Google Assistant, have grown in popularity over the last few years. Because of this, many tech experts believe that voice search is likely to become more widespread, affecting more search queries in 2021 and beyond. 

A report released in 2017 showed that by 2022, the percentage of households that own a smart speaker would climb to 55%. For this reason, you must ensure that your recruitment site is prepared for one of the biggest SEO trends for 2021 by: 

a. Using ‘question’ and natural-sounding keywords

Make sure to consider the keywords you want your site to rank for. You can start by using longer and more natural-sounding keywords since people tend to use longer phrases in their day-to-day conversations. You can also consider search terms that are phrased similarly to a question. 

For instance, suppose you’re targeting the keyword “engineering jobs.” In traditional search, you can target the search term “engineering jobs in Northampton.” But if you’re trying to optimise your site for voice search, you can phrase your target keyword like this: “Where can I find engineering jobs in Northampton?” 

b. Re-arrange your web content

Make the necessary changes to your web content to make your recruitment site more voice search-friendly. A good strategy is to add question-and-answer type content to your website. For example, you can include FAQs or frequently asked questions in your service or career pages since they utilise question keywords. 

Strengthen Your SEO Strategy in 2021

Because SEO is ever-changing, it’s vital to be aware of the adjustments you need to make to ensure your recruitment site’s competitiveness. Therefore, you should keep track of the latest SEO trends so you can stay updated and always be ready for any challenges that might come your way. 

Do you need help with generating quality traffic and leads to your recruitment site? At Recruitment Traffic, we can provide you with the SEO and Google Ads services you need to help ensure the growth and success of your recruitment business. Contact us today and let us create a bespoke online marketing plan just for you.