How to Get the Best Return on Investment (ROI) from Your Job Adverts

For many organisations, 2024 has been a year of reduced budgets and increased workload. Getting the most from your job adverts is an important part of recruiting for the first time and also saving a valuable budget.

 To achieve this, it’s crucial to optimise your advertising strategies and ensure you're reaching the right audience efficiently. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you get the best ROI from your job adverts.

1. Craft Clear and Targeted Job Descriptions

A well-written, clear, and concise job description is the foundation of any successful job advert. A good job description should include:

• Job title: Ensure the job title is straightforward and relevant to the industry. Avoid jargon or overly creative titles that may confuse candidates.
• Key responsibilities: Highlight the primary duties of the role, making sure they align with what your ideal candidate is looking for.
• Qualifications and skills: List the must-have qualifications and skills to attract candidates who meet your requirements.
• Salary range: Including a salary range can help filter out candidates who are not aligned with the compensation you're offering.
• Location and benefits: Be transparent about the work location, remote work options, and any benefits which can help attract top talent.

By tailoring your job ad to your target audience, you ensure that only the most qualified candidates apply, which can save time and money in the long run.

2. Choose the Right Job Boards

To maximise ROI, it’s important to post your job advert on platforms where your target candidates are actively searching. Instead of posting on generic job boards alone, consider:

• Niche job boards: Industry-specific job boards can help you reach highly specialised candidates depending on the role.
• Social media platforms: Leverage platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and even Facebook, where potential candidates might seek job opportunities.
• Internal referrals: Encourage employees to share job openings within their network, as referred candidates are often higher quality and more likely to stay longer.

By being selective about where you post, you can significantly reduce the number of irrelevant applications and increase the chances of reaching top talent.

3. Leverage Paid Advertising Smartly

Paid advertising can be a game-changer for job adverts, but it can also become costly if not managed properly. Here's how to make the most of your investment:

• Sponsored job posts: Boost your job ad’s visibility by sponsoring it on top job boards or LinkedIn. Sponsored posts appear higher in search results, increasing exposure to potential candidates.
• Pay-per-click (PPC) ads: Use PPC ads on platforms like Google Ads or social media to target candidates based on specific keywords. By bidding on relevant keywords, your job advert can appear when candidates search for specific job roles or skills.
• Targeted audiences: Platforms like LinkedIn offer targeting based on industry, job title, and even location, ensuring your advert reaches the right audience without wasting ad spend on irrelevant users.

To ensure your paid campaigns yield the highest ROI, constantly monitor and tweak your targeting, copy, and budget allocations based on performance.

4. Optimise for Mobile and SEO

With more candidates searching for jobs on their mobile devices, ensuring your job advert is mobile-friendly is critical. Additionally, optimising your job advert for search engines will help you reach a broader audience organically.

• Mobile-friendly format: Ensure the job ad is easy to read and apply to from a mobile device. Many job seekers will leave if the application process is cumbersome on mobile.
• Search engine optimisation (SEO): Include relevant keywords that candidates would likely use when searching for your position. This will improve the organic visibility of your job ad on search engines.

By optimising for both mobile and search, you make it easier for candidates to find and apply for your jobs, increasing the quality and quantity of applications.

5. Use Compelling Visuals and Branding

Your job advert should also reflect your company’s brand and culture. Candidates are more likely to apply to companies that clearly understand who they are and what they stand for. To enhance your job adverts:

• Visual branding: Include your company’s logo and use a colour scheme that aligns with your brand.
• Company culture: Use language and imagery that reflect your company’s values, work environment, and mission. Videos or testimonials from current employees can also provide insights into the company culture.
• Strong call to action (CTA): End your job advert with a strong CTA encouraging candidates to apply. Phrases like “Join our team today!” or “Apply now for an exciting opportunity” can create a sense of urgency and excitement.

A strong brand presence not only attracts candidates but also helps you stand out from competitors, improving the ROI on your job advert spend.

6. Track and Measure Performance

To ensure you’re getting the best ROI from your job adverts, tracking performance metrics is crucial. Some key metrics to monitor include:

• Cost per application: Calculate how much you're spending to get each application. The lower the cost, the better your ROI.
• Application conversion rate: Track the number of views your job advert receives versus the number of candidates who apply. A low conversion rate could indicate that the job description needs to be more compelling or clearer.
• Quality of hires: Analyse the quality of candidates who apply and get hired from each platform. This will help you determine which channels provide the best return regarding employee retention and performance.
• Time to hire: The faster you can fill a position with a qualified candidate, the higher your ROI. Long hiring processes often result in increased costs and reduced productivity.

Regularly reviewing these metrics will help you refine your job advert strategies and increase your ROI over time.

7. Utilise Retargeting Strategies

Sometimes, candidates might view your job ad but not apply immediately. Retargeting can help bring them back to complete the application process:

• Retargeting adverts: Use retargeting ads on platforms like Facebook and Google to show job ads to candidates who have previously visited your site or interacted with your job postings. This keeps your job at the forefront of your mind and encourages potential candidates to apply.
• Email campaigns: Capture the email addresses of job seekers who may have expressed interest but didn’t complete an application. Sending a follow-up email can encourage them to reconsider applying.

Retargeting can significantly boost your application rate and reduce the number of missed opportunities, increasing your overall ROI.

It might not cost money to maximise your ROI, but it does take time.

Maximising the ROI of your job adverts doesn’t require a huge budget, but it does require strategy and precision. By crafting clear, targeted job descriptions, using the right platforms, leveraging paid advertising wisely, and tracking key performance metrics, you can improve the efficiency of your recruitment process.

Incorporate these approaches into your next recruitment campaign to attract top talent while minimising costs, ultimately increasing the ROI of your job adverts.

By following these steps, you can ensure that your job ads attract the right candidates and deliver the best return on your recruitment investment.