Editor’s note: Part I of this column, “Your Website May Be Hurting Your Hiring,” ran in the December issue of HomeCare.
The inability to fill positions poses risks that ripple throughout the health care ecosystem. Staffing shortages trigger negative consequences, from compromised patient care and increased hospital readmissions to strain on the health care system.
Boosting recruitment requires digital marketing that integrates human resources, marketing and web development into a cohesive force.
Don’t Ignore Digital Marketing
Human resources should work closely with digital marketing and communication teams to integrate brand messaging and value proposition across channels.
By leveraging digital marketing tactics, businesses can transform their online presence into a platform for engaging with potential employees, reducing turnover and staying competitive in the job market.
This marketing alignment ensures your job postings reflect your company’s brand narrative and are effectively promoted through social media, email marketing and job boards. Synchronizing your recruiting efforts and maintaining consistent messaging attracts more qualified candidates to your site, enhancing chances for recruitment success.
Here are key components you need to make your recruitment efforts work:
1. On-Page SEO
Once your messaging is clear and compelling, improve your job postings by using search engine optimization (SEO) keywords, such as job-related terms, etc.
Keyword optimization increases the likelihood that your job postings will appear in search results when candidates look for relevant roles. These efforts drive more targeted traffic to your site and enhance the visibility of your opportunities.
2. Technical SEO
To be sure your site is technically sound, it’s necessary to improve site speed, ensure mobile friendliness and fix any broken links. Then you can implement schema markup—structured search engine data used to read and understand your page’s content—to help search engines show your job postings more effectively.
Technical SEO enhances user experience by meeting search engine standards, improving ranking and making your job postings more likely to appear in search results. Schema markup benefits your job postings by providing context to search engines and enabling rich snippets that attract more clicks and enhance visibility.
3. Content Marketing
Content marketing, storytelling and messaging can attract top talent encourage it to apply.
It’s important to understand that content marketing extends beyond showcasing your products and services—it also positions your company as a desirable “product” with which job applicants want to engage.
Effectively marketing your company as a compelling workplace highlights what makes your organization unique and appealing to potential candidates. Here are some ways you can highlight your organization’s appeal:
- Storytelling: Produce compelling narratives about your company culture that help candidates envision themselves in your organization. By sharing stories and videos about your work environment, values and team dynamics, it’s possible to connect with applicants and highlight what makes your company a unique and appealing workplace.
- Testimonials: Showcasing testimonials from current employees and success stories of their career growth can influence job seekers. These provide credibility and demonstrate the impact of working for your organization.
- Education: Offering valuable content that educates candidates about career development opportunities within your company can be a draw for candidates. By positioning your organization as a place that invests in employee growth, you appeal to ambitious candidates looking for long-term career advancement.
Content marketing positions your company not just as a workplace, but as a premier opportunity for career development and growth.
4. Using AI Chatbots
An artificial intelligence (AI)-driven chatbot designed as a personal assistant can improve the job search by offering real-time support, personalized job recommendations and a simplified, 24/7 application process. A chatbot can improve the homecare job search by offering:
- Instant, real-time support
- Tailored suggestions and recommendations
- A seamless application process
- An efficient and engaging search process
- Personalized and customized job matches
Optimization Drives Growth
From reducing hiring costs to enhancing your company brand, a strategically designed career site is a powerful tool to attract top talent and streamline recruitment. An enhanced website also helps in the following ways:
- Reduced costs: A well-optimized website and SEO attracts more qualified candidates and reduces advertising costs and recruitment expenses. The efficient functionality of an optimized site can reduce turnover and training costs by improving the quality of hires.
- Top talent: A well-designed career site enhances your ability to attract top talent. By presenting a compelling brand narrative and streamlined application process, your company makes it easier for skilled professionals to discover and engage with your opportunities.
- Reach: A responsive, mobile-optimized design ensures your website adapts to smartphones and tablets, which broadens your reach to job seekers who use mobile devices and captures a larger pool of candidates.
- Branding: A compelling career site showcases what makes your company a great place to work which can attract more applicants and reinforce your position as an employer of choice. Consistent, high-quality content and messaging build your reputation and differentiate your company in a competitive job market.
- Engagement: Simplified navigation and easy access to key areas like job search, application forms and company information helps keep candidates engaged. A streamlined and user-friendly experience maintains interest and encourages further exploration.
- Application completion: A mobile-optimized application process with short forms, mobile-friendly resume uploads and an integrated applicant tracking system reduces friction for applicants and HR staff. This results in higher application completion rates and a greater number of qualified applicants.
- Inclusivity: Accessibility features that comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)—including adjustable text sizing, contrast controls and screen reader compatibility—ensure your site is usable by candidates with diverse needs. Site inclusivity enhances a user’s overall experience, and reflects your commitment to accessibility.
- Enhanced integration: An optimized career site serves as the hub that connects your social media platforms and integrates with your company’s email marketing campaigns. This cross-platform connectivity boosts your recruitment efforts by extending your reach, driving traffic to your job postings and increasing visibility. As a result, your company can attract a broader audience and generate more high-quality applications.
These efforts pay dividends for your audiences, even beyond potential employees. The enhancements made for optimization and accessibility can elevate your site for clients, too.