Recruitment Marketing Trends 2012 – An Update
We’re now half way through 2012, so I thought it would be a good time to look back at the 'recruitment marketing trends for 2012' I predicted in my blog in December last year, and see how we’re getting on with them. So here goes:
1) Mobile
Undoubtedly this has been the year Mobile has really taken off and the growth in usage of and creation of mobile websites and apps has been significant. At 4MAT we’ve launched 10 mobile optimised recruitment websites. This includes five for Aspire Global Network: PFJ, GRC, Periscope, ICUR and RPCushing. We’ve also launched Fircroft, Redline, TPP, RWE npower and Rethink’s optimised mobile websites, with many more being developed as we speak. The proof is in the pudding and we’re seeing some seriously impressive and improving results already. For instance RWE npower's mobile traffic has increased from 10% at the end of last year to 16% last month!
2) Content
I predicted that we’d see a steady increase in the use of content as a way of more intelligent employer branding. On the whole it’s certainly been a steady rather than rapid increase, with the exception of a few impressive efforts. One thing I’m often asked is about increasing credibility. “How can we be portrayed as thought leaders?”
Ultimately this often comes down the quality of content, ideally through a variety of mediums. This naturally involves work and it’s therefore understandable that it hasn’t been everyone’s top priority. However I’d argue that now is the time, more than ever, to really differentiate through your online presence. We developed a thought leadership blog on marketing for Tarsh Lazare: Get Ahead in Marketing (above). It's a brilliant step in the right direction, showcasing their indepth knowledge, and one that others should be looking to follow.
3) Professional Profile Applications.
Applying via your social network such as LinkedIn and Xing has been on the up rise. We’ve developed both a ‘sign up via LinkedIn' for Hybridge (below) as well as apply with LinkedIn for Rethink (above). Again results have, unsurprisingly, been impressive.
4) Video
Specifically I predicted its growth as a promotional recruitment tool. That is its use for interviewing and for filtering. We’ve seen some of our clients allowing candidates to answer pre-recorded questions, and then being able to send them to the agency or employer.
In terms of video on your recruitment websites I can highly recommend the team at Cast Recruitment Videos
