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I tell my clients two things to frame organic search discussions around content and user experience:

1. Search engines want to provide answers to their users in one click or less.
2. If you design your website with the idea of getting answers to visitors’ questions as efficiently as possible, your site should earn more attention in organic search

Search engines must keep their users happy to retain and/or grow their market share. Therefore, it’s in their best interest to send people to websites that they calculate will give users a good experience. 

Bounce rates increase 32% when download times went from 1 to 3 seconds, according to Google. Also, bounce rates increase dramatically at 3 seconds, while page views also drop off, according to Pingdom.

Both of these stats are a bit old, but there’s no evidence to suggest people are any more patient today.

The challenge I most often run into with brands is that they design their websites in a way that hampers the “one click or less” goal. They incorporate things into their designs like:

• Large autoplay videos (sometimes with sound).
• Large hero images that push informational content far below the fold (add heroes that rotate through a slideshow and the experience is even worse).
• Custom fonts that are not likely to have been installed on the local machines of their visitors.

All of these design elements (and others) detract from user experience, conversion optimization and accessibility standards. 

Examples of bad design and UX

Both of these examples show the filmstrip view of the page load over time on WebPageTest.org, a popular site for testing download times that has been recommended by some Googlers. I simulate a Galaxy S7 smartphone over an LTE connection in both examples.

Charity website

This website has a large autoplay video on its home page that pushes much of the main content below the fold. 

In the tests I ran, nothing appeared in the viewport until 3 seconds into the load. The CTA at the top of the page is visible, but only the logo’s alt text shows. Some text is hard to read because it is light gray; it is intended to display as an overlay on the darker video. 

Visitors may even miss that they are on the right website because the logo does not display until 4.5 seconds into the load and the alt text is difficult to read.

If we are to believe the data from Google and Pingdom, it’s quite likely that unless someone taps on the CTA at the top of the page, they are quite likely to bounce before getting the main message of this organization. 

Well-known brand website

This website has a large hero image pushing content below the fold and a custom font that must be downloaded before anything displays. 

You can see from the example that nothing other than the hamburger menu displays until 4 seconds into the load. 

Here’s a hint: If you have to include some sort of download timer to let people know something is on the way, it’s too big. 

Part of the reason the content takes a long time to display is that the custom font alone takes around 4 seconds to download. No text appears until 6 seconds into the load, and that’s only the cookie notice. 

All told, it takes longer than 10 seconds for this page to completely download. When the page finishes loading, the only thing you can see other than the hero image is the cookie notice.

To be fair, there is a lot more going on in these examples than large videos, huge heroes, and custom fonts. There are also JavaScript and CSS files, third-party tracking, and more also jamming up the download streams. Those are likely a subject for another time.

Why bad UX happens

When I talk with designers and developers about challenges like this, I’m often given the same justifications:

• “Everyone else is designing their websites like this.” This kind of excuse didn’t work when we were kids. Why do some adults think it’s still acceptable?
• “The search engines are unfair in how they judge download times. Our tools tell us everything is OK.” There are many reasons to believe that the search engines are being unfair about evaluating download times. In the end, it really doesn’t matter. If we want to compete, we need to be faster!
• “But … branding!” Yes, branding is important. But is it so important to risk losing potential customers because the website is too slow?

Avoid these pitfalls

It’s our job to help our clients, partners, and colleagues create engaging sites that download quickly and meet the expectations of website visitors while still looking good. 

Doing so will help earn more attention from organic search results and increase business.

The post Bad website design: Bad for SEO, UX and business appeared first on Search Engine Land.

Reblogged 52 minutes ago from searchengineland.com

Ranking high on SERPs requires much effort. To succeed, make sure your page offers supreme value and a unique experience to your target audience. In this article, we will discuss how on-page SEO can improve the quality of your page so that it has a leg to stand on against top competitors.

What is on-page SEO, and why is it important?

On-page, or on-site SEO, is the process of optimizing page elements for specific keywords to improve page rankings and user experience. Under page elements, we observe:

• Content quality
• Keyword density
• Title and description
• URL structure
• Page experience
• Media optimization
• Internal and external links, etc.

These page elements are the main communication points between the page, user and search engines. SEO-wise, each page element can be improved to enhance user experience and to tell search engines more about your pages. This increases the chance that your pages will rank higher in search and get more traffic.

Optimizing pages with an on-page SEO checker

On-page SEO includes a variety of tasks for every page element, but some are easy to miss. To stay on track, use an automated tool with a step-by-step checklist and actionable tips. You can still complete most tasks manually, but on-page SEO checkers help you perform on-page optimization more efficiently.

Most SEO checkers analyze pages from the search engines’ point of view. They evaluate technical parameters and present a list of issues that might influence rankings. 

Some tools offer in-depth analytics. They compare target pages with direct competitors and estimate the range of recommended metrics. Recommendations are more accurate because they are based on relevant metrics and competitive aspects instead of general benchmarks.

One of SE Ranking’s advanced tools is the On-Page SEO Checker. This AI-powered tool helps check and optimize pages for the best SEO results.

Let’s move on to dissecting the on-page optimization process.

Step 1. Identify pages for optimization

Before performing on-site SEO, you must identify pages that require optimization.

Signals that indicate the page needs improvement include:

• Traffic is decreasing. As you investigate this issue, carefully study Google Analytics reports.
• Page potential is decreasing. If search visibility or the number of clicks continues to fall over time, your ranking position has dropped. Monitor these metrics by checking Google Data Studio or Google Search Console.
• The page dropped from the SERP Completely. This is often related to keyword usage, so you’ll need to track keyword rankings and analyze your competitors.
• Business performance is deteriorating. When performance metrics like conversion rates or profits drop, some page elements could be underperforming or the pages themselves may not be optimized for SEO.

Important tip: Only optimize pages displaying negative dynamics or stagnation. Don’t try to improve pages that are already showing growth.

Step 2. Run an audit and assess the page quality

The next step is the page audit. SEO audit is the process of checking page elements for general standards and identifying issues preventing the page from ranking high in search results. Users can manually audit pages or use simple plugins that measure important SEO metrics, such as length and keyword density. Consider using automated tools that allow more accurate audits. 

After using your auditing tool to analyze a page’s elements and identify errors, you can assess the page’s quality. The more errors your page has, the lower its quality. Optimizing each page element for your target keywords will improve your page’s quality. 

How to run page audit with SE Ranking

Parameters that impact the audit results include: Enter page URL, select target location and keywords, and set the depth of analysis. SE Ranking’s location range is worldwide. You can also compare your page to up to 50 SERP rivals.

The dashboard with results features your overall page quality score. SE Ranking checks 94 parameters and calculates an overall quality score (on a scale from 0 to 100) depending on their SEO impact. 

You will also find backlink-related parameters on the dashboard. These parameters don’t impact the quality score but help you make informed decisions by giving you a bigger picture perspective.

You will also find a brief benchmark comparison of your closest rivals on the dashboard. Review this section to discover who your competitors are, how they got to the SERP, and what insights you can apply on your own page. 

Step 3. Compare results with competitors

Performing competitive research can help you figure out how pages similar to yours reached the top of the SERP and how to overcome them.

Check your competitors’ overall page quality, examine page elements, pay attention to their backlinks and referring domains, and assess technical metrics. Review how they use keywords in titles, descriptions and across the page. Also, review the type of content they offer and look out for any content strategy-related weaknesses.

As you analyze your competitors’ strengths and weaknesses, you’ll discover best practices that can be applied to your page, including errors to be avoided.

Competitive analysis with SE Ranking

SE Ranking features a separate tab specifically for competitive analysis. Here you can easily compare on-page SEO parameters against your competitors:

• Check keywords and related metrics: volume potential, count, and density — review primary and secondary content on the page. 
• Examine page structure, review titles, descriptions, headings and essential page elements. Analyze element length and keywords used.
• Assess their technical metrics, including Core Web Vitals.

Use the insights you gathered from your rivals’ page structure, content and technical parameters to find new keyword opportunities to further optimize your page and improve rankings. 

Step 4. Assign SEO issues with priority and set tasks to fix them 

By now, you have analyzed the page, identified the issues and examined competitors. The next step is to organize your workflow.

The on-page SEO includes fixing issues with page elements, content quality, keyword density, page experience and usability and internal and external links. Pay extra attention to critical errors and tackle them first. These issues have more impact on page quality and rankings.

Once you are done with critical issues, implement new ideas borrowed from competitors. 

Identifying errors with SE Ranking

Automated tools do the work for you so you can focus on what’s important. For example, SE Ranking divides all found issues into several groups:

• Errors—critical issues that must be fixed first because they have the most negative influence on page rankings.
• Warnings—issues that have an average effect on rankings and should be considered.
• Notices—issues with minimal impact.

Most SEO platforms suggest a step-by-step plan based on the issues. With SE Ranking, you can easily manage workflow and add new tasks: 

• Ignore tasks irrelevant to your project’s goals.
• Create new tasks and add them to the project.
• Change task status to Done and see how it affects page quality.
• Export report in .xls or .csv format.

Step 5. Getting tangible results from on-page SEO

Recheck the page quality score once all issues are fixed. If it is close to 100, your page is ready to reach the top of the SERP.

SE Ranking gives you full control of your on-page optimization project, letting you see the results on one dashboard in real-time. Track changes to see your page climb up the rankings.

Bonus: How to apply a data-driven approach to creating new pages 

Fixing page issues can be fast and easy, but wouldn’t it be better to have this data before the page is created? 

Before creating a page from scratch, consider analyzing the SERP to better understand: 

• Who the competitors are, and what parameters allow them to rank high?
• What keywords should be used, and where they should be placed on the page?
• What kind of content needs to be produced?
• How many backlinks you should get to keep up with the competition? 

With professional SEO tools, like SE Ranking’s SERP Analyzer, you can analyze the content, backlinks, and technical metrics of SERP leaders and get an in-depth report on each page, including practical recommendations. 

With this data-driven approach, you can determine if you can reach the top of the SERP, how to do it, and how much effort it will take. 

Let’s recap. 

On-page optimization is a continuous step-by-step SEO process:

• Identify pages that need improvement.
• Run a page audit and assess the overall page quality.
• Compare your target page with direct competitors and similar pages to find new opportunities.
• Discover, prioritize and fix issues on the page.
• Create additional SEO tasks and improve your page.
• Monitor changes in page quality and rankings. 

On-page SEO is the most straightforward way to improve your rankings. If you do everything right, you can see quick and tangible results.

The post The complete guide to on-page optimization appeared first on Search Engine Land.

Reblogged 52 minutes ago from searchengineland.com

SEO often exists on an island of its own. 

Still. 

In 2022.

Getting buy-in for an SEO investment is already difficult enough. But we also face the challenge that many companies still question where it fits in with their overall marketing budget.

You’d think we’d have this figured out by now.

• Are there technical aspects to SEO? Absolutely. But is technical all SEO is? Absolutely not. Not even close.
• SEO isn’t advertising. Most companies have PPC budgets in their overall marketing budget. One client I’ve worked with for several years gets about 60% of their traffic from organic search, yet they spend approximately 7x-10x more on paid search efforts which is driving 20% of their traffic. I don’t think this is an unusual case. I think this is more likely the norm. 
• Website “stuff” is still typically an IT expense, not marketing. But, creating content for the website might fit into the IT, PR or social (marketing) departments. 

While SEO has come a long way and developed legitimacy, I think until company leaders see SEO as “marketing,” we will not have earned the due respect that the field plays in a digital marketing effort.

Until SEO is solidly considered a “marketing” function, we won’t realize the requisite budgets to do this stuff right and have an appropriate amount of time/budget invested, considering the potential value/ROI of a solid SEO effort.

What is marketing?

Do a Google search and you’ll find the following definition of marketing, or something similar:

• “The action or business of promoting and selling products or services, including market research and advertising.” 

I could stop the argument here. That’s exactly what SEO is here for: to promote a company and to assist in the sales of products and services, including market (keyword/competitive) research.

What encompasses an SEO effort in 2022?

Everyone has their own approach to SEO. Some might say SEO involves meta data. Some might say “technical,” including things like addressing page speed. 

While those things are certainly true, they’re small pieces of an all-encompassing approach to SEO.

Put simply, SEO is the process of building your business’s web presence to connect with consumers.

This process may begin with keyword research, but even that small task/deliverable is an involved process. 

• How do we want to position the business, its products and/or its services? 
• Which competitors seem most aligned to our aspirations and appear to be performing best against those keywords which we’ve identified? 
• Have we identified keywords – from all of our analysis – which we deem “very important”, yet we have no pages/content relevant enough to Google/searchers to fulfill the intent of the search? 
  • If so, how do we intuitively build new pages/content into our website to provide for a better user experience and gain organic search presence? 
• How do we cross-promote (link) content, so that it might perform (rank) better?

Do you notice what hasn’t been mentioned?

Anything technical.

SEO is not just technical

Certainly, there have been many instances of stepping into a new SEO engagement and addressing a technical glitch and having this be “the thing” that has been preventing success. Those instances are few and far between. The commonly found “you have a disallow: / in your robots.txt” comes to mind.

The technical elements of a new SEO engagement will certainly involve a technical audit (or should). And this isn’t just using one tool to tell you everything that’s broken. 

But the technical elements that should exist in an SEO effort might include items such as:

• Technical crawls via any number of tools (Semrush, DeepCrawl, Screaming Frog, etc.).
• Mobile-friendly checks, to ensure that your pages are displaying correctly across multiple devices, loading correctly, content recognized, etc.
• URL reviews, making sure that, when possible, your URL structures are aligned with the keywords that you’re targeting for any given page and don’t have oddities that may impact a page’s ability to rank.
• Canonical reviews.
• Page speed.
• Schema.
• JavaScript usage/reviews.

Technical SEO is still important, but it’s certainly different than 20 years ago when there were many hand-coded websites.

Nowadays, many off-the-shelf content management systems do a decent job of delivering a “search engine friendly” platform. And, aside from that, there are many plug-ins that can help you to keep things in check.

More often, an SEO effort is truly ‘marketing’

You are working to align pages/content of your website to address known searches performed (and the intent of those searches) based upon a lot of marketing research.

Do we want our “money pages” to rank? Of course, 100% of the time, if we can manage it. 

But is that the content we often identify as being “what Google/searchers like/want”? Not always. 

Google often groups keywords with intent and groups them as follows:

• Informational results (We may need to create some resourceful content and/or a blog post to address a question that searchers may be asking)
• Transactional results (These folks are looking to buy something/convert; are our pages informative enough, content-rich, etc.?)
• Commercial results (These folks are researching brands and services; do we have strong category pages?)

A larger share of time is being spent on those things “non-technical” in an SEO engagement. 

More often, we are seeking ways to optimize:

• Information architecture.
• Taxonomy.
• Content.
• User experience.
• Conversion rate optimization.
• Video content/YouTube.
• Local organic presence.
• Items related to online reputation management.
• And more. 

Using Google Analytics, other tools and measurements, we then optimize our efforts toward specific goals that we’re trying to reach.

Ideally, at the start of an SEO engagement, we’re able to address many of the large technical roadblocks. Often, new “things” will pop up that will require a technical review.

But what will drive the SEO engagement more than anything is a strategic approach to content and helping clients better position their website (and other assets related to their organic presence) and “drive the action of promoting a business’s products or services, including performing market research.”

Which is…. marketing. 

The post SEO is marketing appeared first on Search Engine Land.

Reblogged 5 hours ago from searchengineland.com

Google has rolled out a new image preview pane window that overlays on top of the main search results after you click on an image in those search results. This is instead of Google jumping you to the image tab in the Google Search interface, thus keeping you directly in the main search results.

What it looks like. Here is a screenshot of this in action, you can click on the image to enlarge it:

Not confirmed. Google has not announced this change yet but this now seems to be fully live for all searchers. I personally tested this in numerous browsers and everyone I asked also is able to see this new image interface.

We have reached out to Google for more details on this launch.

Why we care. This may impact how many people come to your site from image search results on Google Search. This change in how the user experience works is substantial and it might increase or decrease your click-through rate from Google Search related to your images.

The post Google launches new image preview interface in web search appeared first on Search Engine Land.

Reblogged 5 hours ago from searchengineland.com

Google has updated what it considers to be spam when it comes to Google Business Profile posts in the Business Profile posts content policies. The new line added under the avoid section says “examples of such content that is not allowed includes “duplicate photos, posts, videos, and logos.”

Duplicate. Yes, the new line says that “duplicate photos, posts, videos, and logos” was added as an example of Google posts that would be rejected or removed because it is considered spam. That line was not on the Google document prior and was just recently added.

Screenshot. Here is a screenshot of the addition:

Consequence. What happens if you are caught posting duplicate photos, posts, videos, or logos in your Google Business Profile posts? Well, those posts may be rejected or removed from Google Search and Google Maps.

Joy Hawkins and Colan Nielsen posted this on Friday:

We have been hearing a ton of complaints about rejected posts recently. If you're using logos in your images or stock photos ("duplicate photos"), that could be why. https://t.co/ajVe9VfkZj

— Joy Hawkins (@JoyanneHawkins) August 5, 2022

Why we care. If you do a lot of Google Business Profile posts, make sure not to duplicate photos, posts, videos, or logos in your Google Business Profile posts. If you see some of your posts being rejected recently, it might be related to the revised guidelines Google has added the other day.

The post Google updates Business Profile posts spam policies appeared first on Search Engine Land.

Reblogged 10 hours ago from searchengineland.com

SMX Next returns online November 15-16, 2022, focusing on what’s working in search now and how to prepare for 2023.

Search marketing is ever-changing. And we’ve seen a lot of big changes so far in 2022. Algorithm updates and SERP feature changes are making organic search harder. Automation is proving frustrating in paid search and social. Plus, the death of third-party cookies has been delayed. Again. Oh, and Google Analytics 4. It’s a lot. 

SMX Next will help marketers regain control.

If you’re an enthusiastic search marketer who has a passion for sharing knowledge and wants to give back to the industry, please consider submitting a session pitch for SMX Next. We’re looking for subject matter experts to share insights, strategies and tactics that are working now and will help SEO and PPC marketers prepare to be successful in 2023 and beyond.

Whether you’ve been speaking for years or are just dipping your toes into speaking, please consider submitting a session pitch. We are always looking for new speakers with diverse points of view.

The deadline for SMX Next pitches is September 15.

Here are a few tips for submitting a compelling session proposal:

• Present an original idea and/or topic not commonly covered at other search events. The focus of Remember: SMX Next focuses on what’s new (and working well) and what’s next (trends and opportunities).
• Include details about what attendees will be able to do better or different as a result of viewing your session.
• Include a case study or specific examples and explain how they can be applied in different types of organizations.
• Be realistic about what you can present in the time allotted. You can’t cover everything about your topic. Going more in-depth on a narrow topic is often more valuable to the attendee.
• Provide tangible takeaways and a plan of action.

Jump over to this page for more details on how to submit a session idea, or directly to this page to create your profile and submit a session pitch.

If you have questions, feel free to reach out to me directly at [email protected]. I’m looking forward to reading your proposals!

The post Want to speak at SMX? Now’s the time to submit a pitch! appeared first on Search Engine Land.

Reblogged 10 hours ago from searchengineland.com

While nothing is guaranteed in the business world, the current economic uncertainty has companies scrutinizing their bottom line, and pressuring marketing teams to produce outsized results with scaled-down resources.

So, how do you navigate the changing economic landscape and protect your lead pipeline? First, let us talk about why marketing matters in a turbulent economic environment. Then, we will focus on the strategies and tactics you can count on to survive and thrive when times are tough.

Why market during a recession

For evidence that supports the importance of smart marketing during financial uncertainty, look no further than the Great Recession of the early 80s.

According to a literature review of existing research, seven studies found that preserving campaign budgets could increase sales during and after an economic downturn. Most notably, one study concludes companies that refused to reduce ad spending increased sales by almost 340% within four years of the economic recovery.

Other studies strike a similar chord — if you fail to feed your sales pipeline, your revenue generation will lag during the economic recovery.

There are two overarching reasons that continued marketing activities will help your business stay the course during economic turbulence.

You cannot seize the lion’s share

If your competitors have abandoned their marketing campaigns to garner short-term savings, now is your time to shine. By maintaining (or increasing) your marketing spend, you position your business to leverage the white space competitors leave unclaimed when they recede into the background during an economic downturn.

Ready for recovery

Marketing during a recession builds resilience, allowing for a quicker bounce-back post-recession. While your competitors are still resuscitating dormant marketing plans, you will have increased your momentum and be heading to market dominance.

How to market during a recession

Whether you are seeing economic indicators of a recession or an industry-wide lull, prepare to justify your marketing budget and share your proactive marketing plans with key stakeholders.

Focus on high-ROI activities

While cost-cutting may be front-of-mind for decision-makers, present a case for saving your budget by offering a plan that doubles down on high-ROI activities. Focus your strategy on leveraging the opportunities rather than mitigating the liabilities in a challenging market.

For example, a search-optimized website can increase traffic and conversions, which are instrumental for revenue growth. We have seen SEO campaigns exponentially increase organic search traffic to a customer’s website, pulling companies back from the brink of disaster.

Make data-driven decisions

Creating more revenue with a smaller budget is tougher but not impossible. If you are tasked with producing outsized results with a downsized budget, center your plans around high-ROI activities.

When it comes to digital marketing, for example, you may find that SEO has a better click-through rate and higher ROI than PPC campaigns. Scaling back advertising spending to re-allocate funds to SEO could yield better long-term and short-term results.

Does SEO work during a recession?

Yes, SEO is a worthwhile investment during a recession. Since SEO works by funneling organic traffic from relevant search terms to your website, you can benefit from a robust search engine optimization strategy regardless of the economic climate.

Optimizing your website content around particular keywords and following technical SEO best practices increases your chances of ranking well in search results. Data demonstrates a direct correlation between Google page rank and organic traffic, meaning an ascension in search engine results generally leads to more organic traffic to your website.

Seize the opportunity to rank

Not only will SEO work during a recession but focusing on search engine optimization strategies during an economic downturn may help you snap up keywords your competitors have been dominating. If you continue creating SEO content and participating in link-building activities while others cut back, you can usurp their keyword positions.

Competitors who “stop” SEO create a white space that businesses who double down on SEO can take advantage of. Essentially, you can reap the benefits of short-term gains with long-term reach. Then, when economic indicators turn around — which they’ll inevitably do — your competitors will be in the unenviable position of needing to catch up to you.

How a family-run travel business came back strong post-Covid

Before the start of the pandemic, we partnered with a family-owned and operated tourism company to help boost their search visibility. When global lockdowns paralyzed the travel industry, we would have understood if they opted to put their campaign on hold. Instead, they doubled down on their SEO efforts, creating content specifically targeted to address traveller uncertainty during this time. Immanuel Tour’s organic traffic more than doubled during the first year of the pandemic, and they captured valuable keywords that continue to bring high-quality traffic to their site.

This story demonstrates an important point. While SEO activities can yield long-term results, there’s no way to “lock in” rank. If your top-ranking competitors cut their SEO budget, you have a critical opportunity to capture new customers in a less competitive environment.

Learn more about how SEO can amplify your other marketing activities and pinpoint how much to spend on SEO.

Find a partner you can trust

Economic events can have lasting effects on consumer behavior and generate big opportunities for marketers bold enough to recognize and act on them. Step forward into the whitespace created by competitor cutbacks and maximize your SEO potential now to yield compounding results that will pay dividends in the future.

At Victorious, we can help you identify high-impact opportunities to generate the highest ROI on your SEO campaign. Schedule a free site analysis, and we’ll talk about your goals.

 

 

The post Marketing during a recession: Critical choices to preserve your pipeline appeared first on Search Engine Watch.

Reblogged 1 day ago from www.searchenginewatch.com

In the US, there are around 804,398 businesses that have been operating for less than one year.  If you’re still in the early days of running a business, you may be looking for strategies for growth. You’ve probably already launched a website, and you could even have social media pages. But have you thought about…

The post How Email Marketing Can Support Your Growth When Starting a New Business appeared first on Benchmark Email.

Reblogged 1 day ago from www.benchmarkemail.com

SAINT LOUIS, MO, Aug 2, 2022– Benchmark Email, a subsidiary of Polaris Software LLC, today announced the release of Smart Content, the second in their new suite of artificial intelligence features.  Smart Content is Benchmark Email’s AI-fueled copywriting technology that allows users to create professional content from scratch, or rewrite existing content, with a few…

The post Sales and Marketing Software Leader, Benchmark Email, Launches AI-Powered Suite of Tools appeared first on Benchmark Email.

Reblogged 1 day ago from www.benchmarkemail.com

In an increasingly competitive hiring market, 52% of marketers say finding experienced talent is their number one challenge this year.

The solution: Build a strong social media recruitment strategy.

Social media is where people go to level up their career. They turn to social platforms to learn new skills, network, research companies and search for jobs. For brands, social media casts a wide net and helps them create a stronger employer brand that will attract top candidates.

In this article, we’re sharing creative ways to attract the most qualified candidates on social. Let’s dive in.

10 ways to say ‘We’re hiring’ on social media (post examples)

To build a strong social recruitment strategy, determine how your team’s needs and your ideal candidates’ requirements intersect. For example, you might need someone with a keen eye for detail, while job seekers might prioritize companies with a hybrid work model.

In your social posts, emphasize what your company offers and the impact this new hire will make on your team. Use these copy, image and video ideas as building blocks for your social content.

1. Keep it clear and concise

When you’re trying to appeal to prospective candidates, it’s natural to want to tell them everything that makes your company great. However, stuffing your posts full of information might overwhelm them.

Instead, keep it simple. Only feature a few of your top benefits and be clear about what you’re looking for in a candidate.

For example: “We’re looking for a professional chef with a passion for food, culinary experience and a growth mindset. At our restaurant, we’re proud to offer comprehensive benefits, flexible hours and ongoing development opportunities. Apply today by submitting your resume to [email protected]”

If you include an image or graphic, make sure it’s clear that you’re hiring, which role you’re filling and how people can apply.

2. Highlight your unique strengths

In your posts, let your strongest assets shine. Include awards, recognitions or certifications that will help you stand out and make a lasting first impression.

Pro tip: Complete a competitive analysis when planning your social recruitment strategy to identify which strengths set you apart.

For example: “At Liceria & Co., we’re proud to be recognized as the #1 best place to work in our industry. We’re currently expanding and looking for driven, positive people to join our award-winning culture. Apply today by visiting our Careers page.”

Be sure to include award or credential logos in your post’s image to support your authority.

3. Let your brand’s culture shine

Culture is a top priority for job seekers. In fact, many care about a company’s culture and mission more than high salaries. Create a post or video that captures your culture in action. If your company has a remote work policy, show how your team members work effectively from anywhere.

For example: “We empower our team members to work where they’re at their best. Trust and effective communication are at the heart of our remote culture. If you’re a self-motivated, organized person looking to join a flexible team, visit our Careers page to learn more about our open positions.”

If you want to include visual content, tap into your team for pictures and videos of their home-office setups or take a screenshot of a company video call.

4. Take people behind-the-scenes

Prospects want to know what it’s really like to work at your company. Use social to give them a behind-the-scenes look at your office or facility. Answer questions about dress code, equipment and other logistics. Don’t forget to showcase your company’s perks.

For example: “Green Aero Tours is looking for an experienced Travel Consultant who loves the outdoors as much as we do. In this role, you’ll be surrounded by the beauty of the national forest everyday while helping people plan their outdoor excursions. If adventure is baked into your DNA, apply to join our team today.”

Video is the best way to show people company life. Keep that in mind as you create behind-the-scenes posts.

5. Lean on employee advocacy

Employee advocacy is a supercharged version of the power of word-of-mouth.

An employee advocacy recruitment initiative enlists the help of your current team members to spread the word about open positions at your company. Ask employees to share a link to your Careers page on their personal account or be featured on your company’s profile.

For example: “We asked our Key Account Specialist, Olivia Wilson, what her experience has been like since she joined the team six months ago. If Olivia’s experience sounds like what you’re looking for in your next role, visit our Careers page to apply for an open position today.”

In employee advocacy-driven posts, feature the humans behind your company. Encourage them to not only share links, but their positive experiences and images of them at work.

6. Show your team outside of work

Job seekers want to be seen as people, not just employees. Illustrate how your company allows people to bring their authentic selves to work. Feature current employees doing things off the clock—from parenting to volunteering to exploring a new city.

For example: “Our team members are amazing people—both at work and in their personal lives. Here’s our Marketing Manager, Ryan (he/him), traversing the Swiss mountains by bike. If you’re as committed as we are to living a balanced and adventurous life (on and off the clock), apply today to join our team.”

It’s okay if your employee-generated images and videos are low-fi. What matters most is authenticity.

7. Tailor your post to your ideal candidate

Let the reader know what skills and experiences you’re looking for right away. Cater your message to your ideal candidate.

Note: Don’t narrow down your candidate pool too much. Focus on a prospect’s transferable skills and potential rather than just their credentials. Make space for diverse backgrounds and experiences.

For example: “Are you a lifelong learner passionate about graphic design or content creation? Are you looking to make a career change? DHM Studios is looking for full-time graphic designers and content creators to join our team. No professional experience required. Learn more about the available positions and find the application at the link in our bio.”

8. Go beyond generic

In a sea of same, make your recruitment strategy stand out. Think outside the box by staying up to date on social trends and having fun with your campaign. Whether it’s turning your office into a trending video game, creating your own version of the latest meme or taking inspiration from a binge-worthy show, be open to trying something different.

9. Demonstrate the impact of the role

Today’s job seekers are looking for a sense of purpose. They want to work for companies that align with their own personal values and do mission-driven work.

For example: “At Protect the Earth, our mission is to take actionable steps towards saving our planet everyday. We’re currently looking for a Community Organizer to join our team. In this role, you will design a program that fosters community engagement around new sustainability practices. Learn more by visiting our site’s Career page.”

In your posts, make it clear how the person stepping into the role will make an impact on your company, your community and global initiatives. Share how your mission will apply to the person you hire.

10. Make it easy to apply

Design a seamless application experience for your prospective candidates. Include a clear CTA in your post that directs them to click the link, visit your site, email your recruitment representative or just swipe up (depending on the platform).

After posting your message, be prepared to answer questions in your DMs. In many cases, social media professionals are the first people job seekers interact with in their hiring journey. Remember to put your best foot forward.

Get creative: Job post examples for different social platforms

When you launch your social media recruitment campaign, tailor individual posts to each platform’s audience for the best results. Here are ways to design your posts for different candidates on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.

‘We’re hiring’ LinkedIn post example

LinkedIn is the platform people turn to when they want to build and engage their professional network, so it’s a natural fit for job postings.

The best ‘we’re hiring’ LinkedIn posts include:

• Quotes and testimonials from current team members
• Responsibilities of the role
• Professional tone and demeanor
• A link to apply
• Branded and general hashtags

In Spreetail’s recruitment video, they feature a team member who walks the audience through her experience interviewing for a role. She shares details about her day-to-day responsibilities and the benefits of working for Spreetail.

Example of Facebook job posting

On Facebook, people connect with friends and Pages they follow. With 2.93 billion monthly active users, companies can reach a wide array of people—including professionals, tradespeople, students, contract workers and more. The relaxed, informal culture allows you to infuse more fun and personality into your posts.

Facebook gives companies with business accounts the option to promote open positions with a job post or a standard post. Whichever option you choose, the best Facebook job postings:

• Provide examples of exciting and noteworthy experiences people will gain in the role
• Use branded and general hashtags
• Employ a relaxed, personable tone
• Include a link to apply
• Can be geared towards internship positions, part-time work and hourly positions

This Booz Allen Hamilton’s recruitment post features a former intern who raves about the company. In the post’s copy, they emphasize the extraordinary robotics experience and skills interns will gain by the end of the summer.

Stand-out job posting example on Instagram

Instagram is known as a photo and video sharing platform. While brands, influencers and creators have found ways to build successful business strategies on the app, it’s not a hiring hub like LinkedIn or Facebook. Which means it’s ripe for opportunity, as long as you tailor your content to this network.

Successful Instagram job posts include:

• Personality, playfulness and humor
• Bright, beautiful or bold imagery
• A link to apply in your bio or by swiping up (if using Instagram Stories)
• Branded, niche and general hashtags
• Can be geared towards internship positions, part-time work and hourly positions

In Candy Funhouse’s Instagram post, they use bright graphics and punchy humor to grab people’s attention. The position “Chief Candy Officer” is fanciful and ideal for Instagram, and the rest of the description makes you want to learn more about this role.

Finding ‘We’re hiring’ images for your social posts

Once you’re ready to start creating your posts, you’ll need graphics or images to bring the post to life. Start by gathering photos of your employees in their work settings to showcase your culture. If you don’t have photos available or need graphic support, take advantage of affordable online resources.

Here’s a list of tools you can use to take your recruitment social strategy to the next level—without requiring a large budget or leaning on outside teams.

• Pixels: A website with paintings, photos, illustrations, digital art and mixed media from independent artists. The unique pieces are available for a low cost compared to many other image sites.
• Unsplash: A completely free collection of stock imagery which includes 3D renders, textures, patterns and images by category.
• Landscape: A free, go-to tool for social media image resizing, so you can quickly resize images for each platform.
• Canva: A free, easy-to-use design tool that comes with social media image and graphics templates. It includes free photography and graphics options. You can upgrade to the premium version to access bonus templates and upload your fonts, colors and other brand assets.

Building top-notch social hiring ads

To recap, social media plays an essential role in your recruitment process. Now that you know how to develop unique content that will grab the attention of job seekers and give you a competitive edge, start building your social media hiring campaign.

Use this checklist to guide you:

1. Determine your teams’ needs (example: hire a Marketing Content Coordinator with great writing skills, a passion for learning and zeal for creative thinking)
2. Conduct a competitive analysis to learn what makes your company unique (example: recipient of the Great Place to Work® certification)
3. Learn more about your ideal candidate so you can determine which platforms they’ll most likely use (example: An individual with 25+ years of experience is likely to look for roles on Facebook)
4. Craft your social copy and imagery
5. Watch the applications pour in

To develop your recruitment strategy further, learn more about how to build a stronger employer brand to attract—and keep—great talent.

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