Using LinkedIn Ads for Recruiting

Social media ads should no longer be surprising for any marketer. Whether it's for sales, exposure, or brand building, you see these ads everywhere on your favorite social media platforms. One thing ads aren't as used for is for job recruiting. Social media isn't always the best place to look for new employees. Luckily, Linkedin is THE platform for anything professional and job-related. If you're posting ads on Linkedin, you should take advantage of the opportunity Linkedin gives you and post recruiting ads. There's no better place to do it. Here's how to start recruiting and what you should do to build the right ad.

Why You Should Use Linkedin Ads:

When it comes to recruiting, Linkedin is the best platform out there. It's the largest social media platform that also has a professional focus. If someone has a job, and especially if they're looking for one, everyone will recommend setting up a Linkedin profile. Linkedin ads are the easiest and fastest way to reach these people.

More concretely, here are some of the advantages of Linkedin ads for recruiting:

• More people apply. The number of people Linkedin helps you reach will inevitably result in an increased number of applicants for whatever job you advertise. Linkedin ads also allow for detailed targeting through a number of filters, which can help you narrow down the kind of professionals who will see your ads. The increase of applicants won't just be irrelevant or unqualified applicants; it'll be the right kind of people for the job.
• You can reach passive candidates. The great thing about Linkedin is that people use it even if they aren't looking for a job. You can still advertise to those people if they fit the profile you're looking for. The best way to turn a passive candidate into an active job-hunter is to expose them to the right job opportunity. Linkedin ads are the perfect way for you to show passive candidates that other great opportunities they should go for.
• Boosting brand awareness. Just like any other type of ad, recruiting ads will help you increase your brand recognition. The more recognizable your brand is, the more people will feel comfortable gravitating toward your company in general - whether as a customer or an applicant.
• Streamlining the hiring process. Hiring can be a long and arduous process, but Linkedin ads help you cut down on hiring time. Because of Linkedin's great targeting process, you avoid attracting candidates that are not qualified and that you would waste your time vetting. Since Linkedin ads almost guarantee you have reliable candidates applying, you can feel confident that the right candidate saw your ads, and fast-forward into interviews.

How to make the right recruiting ad on Linkedin:

You want to start by connecting with your candidates. If you want your ad to be successful, you need to make sure that they don't just ignore it immediately when people see it. Four big things will help you connect with potential candidates:

• Culture. Showing off your company's culture is an excellent way of attracting candidates. It does more than just showing a job title and a potential salary. There are several intangibles that fall under your company's culture. What kind of workplace are you striving to create? How do your employees interact socially, both among themselves and with management? How do you want employees to think about coming to work? Showing that you have an attractive culture that treats employees as people rather than workhorses is the first step in building a great ad.
• Mission. Your mission is all about showing your ambitions and your values. It's linked to your culture, but it's not the same thing. Having a strong mission and communicating it to potential employees should not be overlooked. Your company can have the best culture ever, but if they lack the ambition a particular candidate is looking for in a company, then ultimately they won't choose you over another, more ambitious company. This is also where you can display your ethical values, whether it's about labor, the environment, or politics in general. Showing people that you're doing the right thing is not only a great way to get customers, it's also great for attracting new employees.
• Bonuses, Perks, etc. All the extra things that come with joining your company. Insurance, pensions, vacation days, maternity/paternity leave policies, etc. If you're going out of your way to make your employees feel welcome and comfortable, make sure you're displaying how in your ad! Often, companies are very similar when it comes to the work they offer, location, salary, and even in terms of their culture. The deciding factor can come down to things as simple as these little bonuses that are tacked onto the job description. Don't treat them lightly, since applicants don't either!
• Personalization. Think of your ad like any other SEO-related piece of marketing. You want to have the right keywords and the correct power words to draw in the readers. You want to make sure your ad addresses the reader directly, similarly to how you would write a website title tag. Be informative, concise, but don't forget to personalize communication. Direct communication is always more effective than being indirect, impersonal, and dry.

These aren't the only things you should include in your ad. They're just the main points you should absolutely not exclude. Another possibility, if you're comfortable with it, is to include salary in your ad. A lot of companies don't include it for various reasons. Some want to avoid cash-grabbers; others want to keep that information more confidential. However, suppose you can afford to display the salary of a job opening. In that case, it will be very beneficial to your ad. Candidates always respond well to having as much information as possible about a job. It removes uncertainties as much as possible. Salary is one of the first things people think about when it comes to new jobs, so displaying it definitely won't hurt your prospects.

Extra steps to take

Once you've figured out the previous steps, there are a few more things you can do. One way to make your ads more powerful is to build and improve your Linkedin company profile. Having a strong company profile is already essential, so you want to aim to have that anyway. The fact that it helps with hiring is just a bonus.

The easiest thing to do to attract employee prospects is to spotlight your current employees on your page. Show how your employees are a part of your company and that they deserve to show up on your company's Linkedin page. Help prospective employees check out current employees you have to see whether they think they'll fit in with the team or whether they want what the rest of your employees are already working with. Something as easy as an employee spotlight can prove to be extremely valuable for job posting and candidates. It's the perfect complement to your Linkedin ad.