Recruitment PR and Marketing Blog

AI in recruitment marketing - is it the solution we are looking for?

AI in recruitment marketing - is it the solution we are looking for?

You can't escape the AI chatter these days. It's being pitched as the miracle cure for every conceivable problem. In our work as PR and marketing experts in the recruitment, HR, and talent management arena, we've noticed more and more firms experimenting with Generative AI tools like ChatGPT for their content needs. But does this approach actually work? What's at stake? And what should agencies understand before they hand over their content creation to algorithms?
Why should you enter a recruitment award?

Why should you enter a recruitment award?

To blow some cash To give you a reason to lose weight and get into that little black dress To waste some time To increase your already busy workload To create stress for yourself To demoralise your team Or, perhaps some hard figures as to why you should enter a recruitment award? To increase sales (37%-77%) To improve your stock price (44%) To influence your buyers (80%) To improve confidence in your supplier status (49%) To outperform award “losers” (17% for sales and 36% for share value) Things to do before entering a recruitment award Agree the goal of winning Ask the awarding body what their marketing process is Speak to previous entrants Have a battle plan (and a resource) Agree your ROI model – what are you measuring? 10 things to do as a finalist, before the “big night” Tell your company Tell your clients Tell your competitors (ideal recruits?) Adjust email signatures Adjust mailers / eshots Adjust social media banners Get a quote from your leader Create content (blog / images / video) Have a marketing plan for the night of event Assume a hangover and get everything ready for the day after Things to do during the awards Try and stay (relatively) sober Live post on socials – use the hashtag Lots of pictures (that look good without beer goggles) Video of winning the award Video quote from the organiser of the award Get a “feelings” list from the team Engage with the organisers online Things to do after the awards Measure the ROI Survey your staff, clients, and candidates (to market your win) Create content Adjust all online channel branding Email signatures Video quote from your leader/winner Adjust job adverts Create a podcast Capitalise on your win Measuring and communicating the ROI What should you measure?
Winning at SEO in the age of AI-powered search

Winning at SEO in the age of AI-powered search

As a recruitment agency marketing manager, you already know the importance of search engine optimisation (SEO). After all, strong organic search visibility is critical for attracting top talent and connecting with potential clients. In fact, according to Search Engine Journal, 49% of marketers say organic search offers higher ROI than any other marketing channels.
Why PR?

Why PR?

One question we get asked a lot is ‘why PR?’ It’s a good question – for a typical buyer, usually a marketing or business leader – there are an abundance of ways that you could spend your, possibly fairly limited, marcomms budget, and there is a lot to do.
Why authenticity is key in communication

Why authenticity is key in communication

Authenticity is a key trait for any hiring expert, and it’s becoming increasingly important as a cornerstone of wider external communications strategies. Here’s why it’s become critical for agencies to be more honest with their audiences, and how they can develop their authentic voice.
Recruitment marketing: make the most of the downturn while it lasts

Recruitment marketing: make the most of the downturn while it lasts

It’s been a tough few years for recruiters in the UK. Following the post-pandemic boom period and since the beginning of last year, the fortunes of many have taken a downturn, with the market locked in stagnation. However, light looms on the horizon; with the election approaching, there have already been signs that hiring is on the up and, as the now infamous song goes, ‘things can only get better’.
Why Elon Musk shouldn’t have dropped his PR team

Why Elon Musk shouldn’t have dropped his PR team

Elon Musk is never far from the news, and not always for the most positive reasons. This is why it was a surprise to see the Tesla and PayPal founder letting his only public relations employee at X depart earlier this month. But what impact could that have, and why is PR a must-have in the modern day?
The importance of communicating effectively with your audience

The importance of communicating effectively with your audience

We live in a significantly more interconnected world than at any other point in history and sectors like recruitment are becoming increasingly crowded. This makes communicating with your audience and standing out, key. It may have been possible to rely solely on word-of-mouth and your network in the past, but it’s certainly not now. So, with that in mind, how do you communicate effectively with your target audiences?
Why trade associations need to ramp up their communications in a General Election year

Why trade associations need to ramp up their communications in a General Election year

It’s hard to think that this year’s ‘will they /won’t they’ question has been dominated by the General Election. However, following months of speculation around when Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will call an election, the announcement was finally made, albeit on a wet and dreary May afternoon.
How NOT to launch an election campaign – PR own goals to avoid

How NOT to launch an election campaign – PR own goals to avoid

As a communications professional, you quickly learn that there are some major PR ‘own goals’ to avoid when launching any campaign. To put it mildly, if you mess up your key interactions with your audience – no matter who that is – it will likely have a detrimental impact on your reputation and your ability to convert or win over that potential customer further down the line.
Why prioritising PR is crucial for recruitment firms in 2024

Why prioritising PR is crucial for recruitment firms in 2024

In uncertain economic times, investing in your brand's PR and visibility should be a top priority, not an afterthought. Gaining a consistent media presence and standing out from the immensely crowded recruitment landscape are key competitive advantages as we head into the challenges of 2024.
Why you can’t afford to cut recruitment marketing in a recession

Why you can’t afford to cut recruitment marketing in a recession

We all want to save money, and cutting back on marketing can seem like a good way to do it. But if you're considering reducing your marketing spend, take a moment to think first. Marketing is an investment in your company's future. Without the right marketing strategy, the results from other investments such as an ATS, LinkedIn, or sales training may not occur. What you need to do is measure the results of your efforts, so that you know what works and what doesn't work for your business. If you are thinking about cutting your marketing spend, here are some reasons why you should reconsider:
What the new Gmail and Yahoo email rules mean for recruitment

What the new Gmail and Yahoo email rules mean for recruitment

Have you heard about the latest email rules from Google and Yahoo?
What are firms’ recruitment PR and marketing priorities in 2024?

What are firms’ recruitment PR and marketing priorities in 2024?

As we head into the new year, hiring firms across the UK are adjusting to potential economic pressures, new priorities and a changing talent arena. To drive better results in what could be a challenging environment, many are readjusting their communications strategies for the coming months. This evolving environment is why we launched a poll recently across our social media channels that looked to identify what firms were prioritising when it came to marketing and PR in 2024.
Debunking the top 5 PR myths: Separating fact from fiction

Debunking the top 5 PR myths: Separating fact from fiction

Get ready to challenge what you thought you knew about PR and equip yourself with the truth.
How to create a podcast for your recruitment niche: A low-cost, high-impact strategy - guest blog

How to create a podcast for your recruitment niche: A low-cost, high-impact strategy - guest blog

Podcasting has exploded in popularity over the past decade, with 42% of Americans aged 12 and older having listened to a podcast in the past month (Edison Research). It's a medium that provides a unique opportunity for businesses to demonstrate thought leadership, deliver value, and generate substantial profits. Yet, many staffing agencies and direct hire firms are late to the game.
B2B PR: How to effectively raise your business profile

B2B PR: How to effectively raise your business profile

If you're new to the world of PR and looking to raise your business profile in the B2B (business to business) space, you might be wondering just how effective B2B PR can be for your firm. The truth is, when done well and done properly, B2B PR strategies can deliver fantastic results and be hugely effective for any recruitment firm. However, the challenge lies in getting it right from the start. In this blog post, I'll explore some actionable tips to help you make B2B PR work effectively for your recruitment agency.
Here’s why you can’t always trust generative AI…

Here’s why you can’t always trust generative AI…

I asked: Can you summarise this report and pull out the key quotes relevant to the recruitment industry? https://business.linkedin.com/content/dam/me/business/en-us/amp/marketing-solutions/images/lms-state-of-b2b-marketing/pdf/the-b2b-benchmark-report-2023-final.pdf
This is how to use AI for recruitment marketing

This is how to use AI for recruitment marketing

Are you ready to take your recruitment marketing to the next level? Let's talk about how AI can help you out!
6 big differences between PR and recruitment marketing

6 big differences between PR and recruitment marketing

Are you a recruitment agency looking to build and promote your brand? Public relations and marketing are two important tactics that can help you achieve your goals. But what are the differences between the two, and how can you combine them to create an effective strategy?
Why people read blogs

Why people read blogs

Blogging has been around for over two decades now, and it's safe to say that it's not going anywhere anytime soon. In fact, according to WordPress, there are currently over 600 million blogs on the internet. That's a lot of blogs! And around 77% of internet users read blog content regularly (Social Media Today).
7 types of content marketing recruitment firms should be using

7 types of content marketing recruitment firms should be using

Content needs to be at the heart of every recruitment firm’s marketing strategy. When produced and utilised correctly it enables your business to generate brand awareness, build relationships with candidates and clients and bring your marketing costs down.
How to ensure your face-to-face meetings are worth the time - guest blog

How to ensure your face-to-face meetings are worth the time - guest blog

If you’ve found yourself at work thinking, “This meeting could’ve been an email,” you’re not alone. One of the big things the pandemic revealed was how much time some companies waste on pointless meetings, along with how this can have a knock-on effect—damaging productivity, preventing employees from focusing their energy on more important things, and giving your company a bad reputation among employees and potential recruits.
Even ChatGPT doesn’t think it can replace PR agencies

Even ChatGPT doesn’t think it can replace PR agencies

ChatGPT is all the rage right now, with many marketers excited (76% according to my LinkedIn poll) about the prospect of AI but a few feel threatened by it.
The biggest recruitment marketing challenges of 2023

The biggest recruitment marketing challenges of 2023

We’ve heard the phrase ‘content is king’ on repeat for many years now. And we've all listened and churned out blog post after blog post.
Top 5 tips to boost your recruitment marketing strategy in 2024

Top 5 tips to boost your recruitment marketing strategy in 2024

Over the past few years the one constant has been change. Recruitment marketers have had to learn how to plan (and often re-plan) in times of uncertainty. Here are five tips to ensure your 2024 recruitment marketing strategy is fit for purpose:
Why PR is essential for attracting top talent: 3 winning strategies

Why PR is essential for attracting top talent: 3 winning strategies

In today's job market, one of the biggest hurdles recruitment firms and internal recruiters both face is attracting talent.
Why should you invest in recruitment agency PR?

Why should you invest in recruitment agency PR?

When it comes to helping your company achieve its goals, great communication can be what makes the difference. So, here are some of the reasons why you should invest in recruitment agency PR.
Recruitment marketing: update your strategies for 2024 and beyond

Recruitment marketing: update your strategies for 2024 and beyond

It's hard to believe 2023 is behind us. And what a year it was. Full of twists and turns, and perhaps most critically when it comes to recruitment, a year of change.
9 things you should know about personal branding

9 things you should know about personal branding

Personal branding is something that recruiters are often asked about, but many don't know what it is or how to get started. Personal branding for recruiters is about becoming a known entity within your industry. And it’s about creating a consistent persona across all your different platforms, so your audience knows what to expect from you. One of the key ways you can improve your personal brand is by creating content that builds trust with people who are interested in what you have to say.
Ensure your marketing plans for 2023 are top-notch with a content calendar

Ensure your marketing plans for 2023 are top-notch with a content calendar

Whether you are working alone or as part of a team, a content calendar is a quick and efficient way to streamline your marketing process. In this article, I’ll cover how a content calendar can help your strategy – and keep you in check – during the next 12 months.
7 most common content marketing mistakes (and how to avoid them)

7 most common content marketing mistakes (and how to avoid them)

A successful content marketing plan can become your strongest ally in attracting clients and candidates and retaining your current audience’s attention. A successful strategy will need to be not only well focused on the needs of a target audience, but also avoid being too salesy or not informative enough.
The importance of SEO in recruitment to attract candidates in a skills short market

The importance of SEO in recruitment to attract candidates in a skills short market

To understand why SEO blog content is so valuable for recruitment agencies in attracting candidates, it is first vital to understand why blogging is needed for SEO.
5 Creative strategies to make sourcing candidates easier

5 Creative strategies to make sourcing candidates easier

For recruiters the biggest problem right now is most likely finding candidates right? You've got how many open roles? And zero (or it feels that way) candidates.
Tips for responding to negative reviews about your recruitment agency

Tips for responding to negative reviews about your recruitment agency

The concept of ‘word of mouth’ reviews has changed dramatically now that the internet is an integral part of our lives. Years ago, disgruntled clients and candidates would express their dissatisfaction by telling their friends and colleagues. Now, they tell the world via a frustrated tweet, withering LinkedIn comment or damning Google review. The speed at which these comments can be shared means that your business can suffer widespread reputational damage, which is why it is important to manage them with care. Just Google 'viral negative reviews' and you'll be amazed by how many results you get. So, if an unhappy client or candidate has left your agency less-than-glowing feedback, what can you do?
5 things recruiters need to do before starting a business blog

5 things recruiters need to do before starting a business blog

You’re an excellent recruiter and you know it - but when it comes to writing... perhaps not.
Keywords for recruitment blogs (and why you should care)

Keywords for recruitment blogs (and why you should care)

You already know the importance of having a business blog for your recruitment firm. But what's the next step once you get started? For a successful content marketing strategy, you need to use the right keywords for recruitment agencies, and then apply them effectively. This can be difficult to get to grips with at first, however it is a crucial step to master in content writing, as without the correct keywords, your carefully crafted blog post risks being lost in the depths of Google! There are a number of free keyword research tools online such as ‘Google Trends’ or ‘Answer The Public ’ to help you find out what is trending around your topic and the relevant keywords you should be using.
How to view your competitors’ social media ads

How to view your competitors’ social media ads

Did you know that you can find paid social ads your competitors in the recruitment industry are running?
Content marketing: Tips for recruiters on writing a blog

Content marketing: Tips for recruiters on writing a blog

As most people operating in and around the recruitment industry will have heard, recent ONS figures reported that, for the first time since records began, there are fewer unemployed people than job vacancies in the UK. While this shows that the efforts of recruitment are certainly paying off, businesses still have vacancies that need to be filled, and with talent pools drying up, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to attract top talent.
What does LinkedIn's algorithm update mean for recruitment marketers?

What does LinkedIn's algorithm update mean for recruitment marketers?

Over the past several months, LinkedIn has been busy tweaking its algorithm to increase the number of valuable conversations taking place on the platform whilst reducing the number of irrelevant posts that appear in users’ feeds.
Recruitment industry trends: Global Recruiter Summit 2022

Recruitment industry trends: Global Recruiter Summit 2022

After receiving an invite to the Global Recruiter Summit 2022, I was delighted to get out of the office and attend. Throughout the day, I listened to some extremely thought-provoking talks, indulged in some delicious complimentary treats and had fun networking with other attendees from the recruitment industry. Here are my highlights from the day:
How to increase your recruitment firm’s organic reach on social media

How to increase your recruitment firm’s organic reach on social media

Have you noticed a decline in your recruitment firm’s organic reach across social media over the last few years? You’re not alone. Algorithm changes at Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter have all negatively impacted the number of people that businesses are able to reach.
Seven simple tactics to increase your Twitter engagement

Seven simple tactics to increase your Twitter engagement

Is your recruitment firm struggling to get noticed on Twitter? Engagement is a major ranking factor in the platform’s algorithm. So if you want your posts to be seen, they need to be engaging.
Why we should all be producing more infographics

Why we should all be producing more infographics

Research suggests that articles that feature relevant pictures receive up to 94% more views than articles that are made up of pure text. So it’s pretty surprising that so much content is still posted without relevant visual aids, especially considering that just over 65% of us are visual learners. Ensuring that your content is accompanied by a relevant photo or graphic is also key for social sharing.
How to create candidate personas for recruitment marketing

How to create candidate personas for recruitment marketing

In an increasingly candidate-led market, it is more important than ever that your recruitment firm’s marketing is as effective as can be. Candidate personas enable you to successfully target jobseekers and produce compelling content that resonates with them so that you can save time, money and resources on finding the perfect candidate for your client.
5 secrets to creating killer video content

5 secrets to creating killer video content

I know, I know. You’re busy. You barely have time to write a blog post, let alone make and edit a video. In the world of recruitment marketing (all marketing actually now that I think about it), there is never enough time.
People over productivity: burnout is real - guest blog

People over productivity: burnout is real - guest blog

Burnout has been an aspect that is usually not paid much heed. Though it is one of the things that employers have had to deal with for the longest time. Employees who are overworked, unappreciated, dissatisfied, frustrated are usually at the brink of burnout. It is one of the significant factors affecting retention.
3 ways recruiters can increase their LinkedIn engagement

3 ways recruiters can increase their LinkedIn engagement

With the shift to working from home as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, social recruiting has become far more competitive as recruiters look to stand out on the LinkedIn feeds of potential clients and candidates.
5 things to stop doing with your recruitment marketing

5 things to stop doing with your recruitment marketing

STOP looking at PR as a vanity project – have objectives and measure outcomes STOP creating content and not marketing it STOP writing crap job adverts and blaming the advert and the talent who applies STOP sending out press releases about what you do… no-one cares STOP using billers to write blogs Tracey Barrett and Lisa Jones’ top recruitment PR and marketing tips Focus on the objectives of your content strategy Content is a tactic There’s a lot of crap content out there Keeping your brand a secret isn’t a great tactic Leverage, stretch and repurpose your press coverage to get maximum ROI Think of job ads as content – not a rehash of the job spec Build your recruitment marketing strategy around your target market Stop telling people what you do – no-one cares – tell them what you know Promote the success of your marketing activities internally and take credit for the sales you contribute to Think about how you can get content from recruiters without asking them to stop billing Use PR as a business development tool Shocking stats: recruitment agency polls 58% of recruitment firms hardy ever appear in the media outside of the recruitment press 42% of recruitment consultancies are generating valuable leads and talent with their content – if you’re not one of them, you’re missing out 75% of recruitment businesses say they have lots to say but they don’t know how to create or send a press release 71% of recruitment marketers say getting recruiters to give them content is like trying to pull teeth Looking to build PR into your business development strategy? For more tips on how to leverage your media coverage read more from the BlueSky PR Blog and check out our free, on-demand webinars.
Recruiters - Marketers are in high demand / short supply!

Recruiters - Marketers are in high demand / short supply!

With the latest research from APSCo finding that jobs for marketeers were up 130% in 2021 on 2020 and recruitment agencies themselves victims of the ‘great resignation’ - if you're struggling to hire a recruitment marketer then perhaps it's time for to consider outsourcing all or part of your marketing function?