Restart your recruitment marketing strategy post Covid-19 | BlueSky PR

2020 has been testing for all of us, however we are starting to see shoots of optimism when it comes to the recruitment sector, which, as we all know, is often viewed as a barometer for the wider economy. 

Recruitment marketing: press the reset button

I’ve spoken to many marketing professionals over the past few months – both in industry round tables and via the free consultation service we have been running since the first lockdown was imposed - about the rapidly changing recruitment marketing landscape. And while we have all faced challenges – most of us had to effectively rip up our entire yearly plans in March, after all – it’s been really great to see that marcomms activities didn’t just cease altogether. We’ve seen some great campaigns aimed at supporting clients and candidates during these testing times. And it’s refreshing to see that we’ve not witnessed swathes of recruiters cutting their entire marketing budgets all together – which, as we all know, is often the first thing to go in times of crisis.

However most consultancies have had to contend with budget cuts of some sort, coupled with a lack of resources due to staff members being on furlough. And this has meant that many marketers have simply had to put on hold some of their planned activity to ensure that they are still visible in the market – albeit at a lesser degree than before. The good news, however, is that the tide is turning, and as more people return to work, offices start to open once again, and recruitment activity starts to pick up, marketing initiatives are firmly back on the agenda.

But as we enter the ‘new normal’, strategies are once again having to be altered to take into account not only the themes that are pertinent to stakeholders – a far cry from those that were just a few short months ago - but also the channels that are being used by clients and candidates, many of which have changed.

Restart your recruitment marketing strategy

And this new market we are operating in requires a completely new strategy. Now really is the time to develop a strategy which ensures your business has the right content that not only resonates with your clients and candidates but which also encourages engagement and delivers leads. In response to this, BlueSky is offering a three month trial package for each of these key elements of the marcomms mix:

1. Content restart: How will your strategy change to focus on a client led market while still adding value to a potential sea of candidates? There’s no denying that recruiters now face an incredibly crowded market. Much like the 2008 downturn, there will be a sea of start-ups – so competition will be rife. Our content restart package offers agencies four long form fully optimised blogs each month which will enable you to demonstrate your expertise to clients, while also offering candidates much needed advice even if you can’t help all of them find jobs in the current climate. And because our digital team keeps constantly updated with Google’s algorithm updates, they can ensure your blogs not only add value, but also rank highly. And it’s this depth of expertise that means our client blogs consistently achieve top five Google rankings.
   
   
2. PR restart: How will you focus your press coverage on thought leadership to build into a BD strategy to win new clients? With competition fierce between agencies, effective business development is going to be more crucial than ever. And a sustained media relations campaign – which positions your brand as an expert in its field – can be instrumental in helping you win that new business. The third party credibility that appearing in the press affords, will provide a wealth of thought leadership content that can be used in your BD activities. But only if you know how. Our PR restart package will not only secure your business fantastic media coverage -in the publications your target clients read and engage with – but it also provides a roadmap of how to use that coverage in your BD strategy. And our team’s strong track record of managing media relations campaigns for recruiters means we get results time and time again.
   
   
3. Social restart: How will you extend the reach of all your great content to ensure maximum ROI? The use of social media has risen exponentially in recent times and these channels provide an excellent way to expand the reach of your content and press coverage to a much wider audience. However, not all platforms will be relevant for your company, depending on your niche and where your target audience is active. Our social restart package will analyse clients and candidates, establish which platforms are most appropriate, develop a strategy that ensures your content gets in front of the right people, encourages engagement with your brand and crucially delivers you leads.

If you want to reset your recruitment marketing strategy, book a call with me or email me to ensure you are getting maximum results from your recruitment marketing activities. We’d love to help. And for more tools to help you through this time of uncertainty, take a look at our free resources here.

Author: Stephanie King