It happens all of the time. A hiring organization uses tried-and-true methods to announce job opportunities, say posting an open position on a major job board like Indeed or LinkedIn. And that’s it. That’s all they do. There's no recruitment marketing strategy in place.

Maybe they make the hire, but are they getting the best candidate possible? Has the net been cast as far and wide as possible?

Many HR professionals believe they don’t have the time to come up with alternatives. It’s easy to use the same tactics again and again. It’s difficult to keep up with new tools and apps that are constantly emerging.

But, if you aren’t getting the hires you truly want, your advertising plan is non-existent, or recruiters in your organization are acting independently and not coordinating their efforts, then it’s time to devise a recruitment marketing strategy to ensure the best visibility, return on investment (ROI), and brand awareness.

There is a smarter way to attack your organization’s recruiting needs. Here are six steps you need to take to develop your recruitment attack plan.

1. Build a foundation with your employer brand

All of your recruiting efforts rest on your employer brand. You wouldn’t want to walk into a 20-story building that has no foundation. Your employer brand is the foundation for everything you do.
Your employer brand is the market perception of what it’s like to work for your organization. It helps you attract the right people, compete on things other than salary, sets expectations and improves employee retention.

Your brand has to be strong. When you get it right, it works for you by pulling in more interviews. People come to you.

2. Figure out what works by tracking results with your recruitment marketing strategy

A positive ROI is always important, but it hasn’t always been easy to measure. In the past, it was difficult to track how many people saw or were interested in your job. Digital tracking makes it easy to get specific information that can help you decide what’s working for you and it’s worth the investment.

Sites like LinkedIn, Indeed, and keyword campaigns on Google show you exactly what you invested in. To take it to the next level these sites also offer enhanced packages that work hard to grab and track talent.

Two important metrics to review are click-through rates (CTR) and cost-per-lead (CPL). Your CTR will give you an idea about engagement with your posting. If it’s low, you can make adjustments to the copy in your post. You can also make adjustments to tweak the audience to drive more clicks.

Just remember, a high CTR doesn’t always lead to a higher number of conversions, but, your CPL will provide you with your ROI.

3. Use Best Practices at Your Career Website

This is where employer branding and tracking results come together. Your website and job board should be focused and functional. A well-developed career site that reflects your brand will convey your mission. It will also attract candidates who want to participate in the same goal.

Equally important is the experience of applying for a job on your site. It should be a straightforward experience. If there are too many hoops to jump through, candidates give up and go elsewhere. Lastly, your site should be search engine optimized (SEO) so you have the best results on search engines like Google, Yahoo, and Bing.

4. Take a Multimedia Approach

Contrary to popular belief, traditional media isn’t dead. There’s an audience for it, especially niche markets. You’ll want to try many different avenues in your recruitment strategy. Today, most print placements are combined with social media and web boards so you get well-rounded exposure on multiple platforms. E-blasts that go to subscribers that can be specifically targeted by zip code and job opportunities are a bonus with niche media.

5. Establish Your Social Media Presence

Integrating social media is a crucial part of any recruitment marketing campaign. Facebook’s stock recently reached an all-time high. There’s a reason for this. Increased users keep the upward trend going with no end in sight. Facebook’s advertising is ever-increasing. It also owns Instagram, so that advertising business model will cross over as well. A Facebook campaign is easy to put together and you can be sure that you are being seen.

Likewise, Twitter has become an important tool for recruiters. It allows candidates to follow opportunities that are available at a specific company (hopefully they are following you). Integrating into social media is a crucial part of any campaign.

A combination of stronger branding, an updated web site, and a social media presence augmented by niche placements, when necessary, can get you on the right track with your recruitment marketing. With a clearer sense of the recruiting strategy, you will be more confident and energized in your talent search.