QUESTION: Mike, what are your thoughts on recruiting websites? Do I really even need a website?
ANSWER: Great question! The short answer to your question is YES! The reality is your website is your digital business card. It is what gives your recruiting practice credibility and elevates your status as a trusted advisor. It is also an effective sales tool by acting as a continuation of your sales process beyond the initial connection.
Over the years we have heard from clients that maintaining their website is extremely low on the list of priorities. We have also spoken to many clients and prospective clients who admit that they do not even have a website. I have personally seen numerous recruitment websites that have not been updated in years or even decades!
A decision to use your services could be solely based upon your website. Besides lending credibility to your recruitment practice, a website can also provide answers to questions about your services to cold or warm leads and allows you to be found in a Google search.
Recently Tinamarie Berger, our Director of Content Marketing, sat down with Zack Gallinger of Talent Hero, one of The RecruiterU’s trusted partners, to discuss best practices for recruitment websites. What makes Talent Hero is that they only work with recruiting firms and staffing agencies, which means they understand the unique challenges recruiters face when creating a website that attracts clients and candidates. Therefore they are a reliable resource for best practices.
According to Zack, these are some of the most common pitfalls he sees on recruitment firm websites:
- Staleness – meaning the website has not been updated in months or even years.
- Poor design – the website was either designed 5-10 years ago or looks amateurish.
- Lack of engaging copy – recruiters are not copywriters and tend to focus on the features of their process rather than the benefits of using them.
- Lack of a focused area of practice or niche – marketing yourself to a specific industry is more effective than marketing yourself to everyone.
- Anonymity – not having a trace of who actually works at the firm on your website.
- Lack of call to action – no clear next step to engage with you and your services.
Best practices for a website that builds credibility markets your services for you, and elevates your status as a trusted advisor:
- Show yourself and your team! Recruiting is people-oriented and built upon relationships. Include the names and headshots of everyone in your firm. This is especially true if you are a solo recruiter. There is no need to create the illusion of a large firm. Some clients prefer working with smaller firms.
- If you are a larger firm with several desks, create specific areas on your website dedicated to each desk.
- Create a clear call to action for both clients and candidates. Including free resources, a play to submit your resume, and a calendar booking link are a great start.
- Invest in a copywriter to help bring your thoughts and words to life.
- Include social proof in the form of testimonials from previous clients and candidates. Including the logos of previous clients is also a powerful means of social proof.
Finally, for those of you thinking that you can save some money by creating your own website, both I and Zack tend to disagree. Yes, it is possible to create a simple website on your own. However, it can also be a fantastic distraction.
Remember, your website is the equivalent to your business card. You would not hand out scraps of paper with your contact information to prospects and expect great results. Making the investment in outsourcing your website will help build credibility and attract more of the right clients and candidates to your recruitment firm.
Click here for more information on Talent Hero.
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