We’ve all heard the term “content is king,” and for a while that blanket statement rang true. Now, it might be a bit dated. As the internet has evolved, so, too, has the way we deliver digital content.

Search engine optimized (SEO) content is king now—at least if you want it to be seen.

Despite this, SEO is not a simple, one-step process. We’ve talked about SEO strategies for LinkedIn and how SEO can grow your recruiting firm, but today we’re talking about SEO keywords for recruiters.

So, how do you choose the right SEO keywords for your site?

It’s not your name

Let’s get this one out of the way quickly. We know you chose your firm’s name for a reason, and it’s a central part of your brand. It’s a good name, but it’s not usually a good SEO keyword for recruiters.

This is because if people search for your firm’s name, your firm will most likely come up in results. Consider our name, Recruiters Websites, for instance.

If you were to type “Recruiters Websites” into Google, you’ll find that our name normally appears first in results after paid ads. Considering we’re an established business with a vast digital presence and the term “Recruiters Websites” is our name, Google knows that you’re most likely searching for our organization and puts us at the top of results.

However, if you search terms such as “recruitment websites” or “websites for recruiters,” the results are most likely more varied, featuring a number of different organizations, articles and results.

The same is true for your firm. You will appear in search results for your firm's name, but you’ll need to do more to stand out among related search terms.

Do some research

How do we find the related search terms that we want to rank for? Well, start with what you do and think about how you want to be found. 

You may think the logical starting point is to include “recruiter” or “recruiting firm” in your SEO keywords, but those general terms are very tough to rank for, especially because every single recruiter ideally wants to rank for those terms.

Consider your clients and prospective candidates—how might they search for or organically discover your firm? 

If you’re an insurance recruiter, they might search “insurance recruiters,” “insurance recruitment” or “insurance recruiting.” Going even deeper, they could add locations to their search or try searching for specific titles, such as “underwriter recruiters.”

Ultimately, a bit of thought and some research will help you determine which SEO keywords are best for your website. Keyword planners are a great tool for exploring and researching your key term options, and although there are a number of paid options, you don’t have to go that route.

Google has a free keyword planner that allows you to research potential keywords with filters for location and results that feature related keywords. This, in conjunction with an understanding of your audience, will help you establish your initial SEO keywords.

Give it time

Okay, you’ve found the right terms, you’ve implemented the keywords, now it’s time for results. Not so fast. SEO is a marathon, not a sprint. You can’t expect to see immediate results, which admittedly is kind of a bummer.

The process never stops either, as Google consistently updates, tweaking its algorithm and how it processes search results. Continued tweaking, and a good deal of patience, will help over time.

Rest assured that the work you’re putting in now will pay dividends down the line. Although it takes some time, with the right keywords and additional on-page optimization, you should start to rank higher in search engine results. 

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SEO certainly is a process, and it’s not always the easiest one. If you’re in need of some SEO help, reach out to our team. From research to implementation to analytics, we have a team of experts who are highly skilled in all areas of SEO.

Interested in learning more about SEO? Visit our blog, or check out our podcast where we have a three-part series on SEO keywords for recruiters.