5 Ways Recruiters Can Help Build a Positive Digital Footprint

As a recruiter, you wouldn’t want to represent someone if their online presence is shaky, would you? This logic applies both ways.

Building a website doesn’t cut it anymore. To have a positive digital footprint, recruiters need a social media strategy. Proactive engagement is key to gaining the trust of both clients and job seekers.

Here are five ways recruiters can build their footprint and build their client base.

1. Determine What Image You Want To Give Off

Think of your footprint as a marketing campaign. What do you want the message to be?

Building a positive digital footprint involves telling a story. You control the narrative based on what you put online. To tell a good story, you have to know what the desired ending is.

Do you want clients to see you as a specialist in a certain niche? Subscribe to newsletters and follow relevant blogs. Do your homework so that you understand the latest issues in your desired field. Talk about those issues online and present your services as a solution.

Actively engage important leaders in that niche online. Ensure that you are always fresh in their mind. Don’t allow yourself to sit on the sideline; put yourself in the middle of the action.

It might go against your nature to draw attention to yourself, but that’s the goal. It’s impossible to represent clients if you can’t represent yourself first. As a recruiter, you are your most valuable client. Follow the advice that you would give job-seekers.

Dictate the terms of your story.

2. Content Is King

Having a professional blog is the best way to develop a positive digital footprint.

There are many ways blogs help recruiters. For starters, they improve a recruiter’s SEO score, making it easier for companies to find them. By placing keywords into blog posts, you can target an audience and lead them to you.

Second, they establish expertise in the industry. Companies want to hire a recruiter that understands the ins and outs of the business. Blogs are a great way to showcase your knowledge.

Third, you can improve your brand and personalize your content. Give potential clients a glimpse of your personality. Good content builds trust and gives you a leg up over other recruiters. People are more willing to work with someone if they feel like they know them.

3. Answer Questions On Message Boards

Sign up for sites that allow users to ask experts questions, and begin giving advice as much as possible.

It might seem strange to offer your services for free, but think of this as an investment. By giving advice online, you are showing off more than your knowledge of recruiting.

You’re showing companies that you can communicate effectively. You find opportunities to reach out to potential recruits.

You’re showing recruits that they can trust you with their job search. Engagement might not pay off now, but it opens up connections that could pay off later.

Always think of online communication as a way to sell yourself. Use the same advice you would give a job candidate. Treat every interaction like a potential interview.

4. Know What To Track

In general, recruiters focus on their number of followers on social media. This approach gives an estimation of branding power, but doesn’t tell the full story.

Someone following you isn’t the same as engagement in what you are saying. The average Twitter account has 126 followers. Does that mean that 126 people see every tweet someone makes though?

The answer is no. Depending on when the tweet goes out and what the content is, most tweets fall into a purgatory state. They are there, but they aren’t noticed.

A better measurement of a digital footprint is how many likes and shares a tweet gets. The same thing is true on Facebook and other social media accounts.

If someone likes what you say, it means they found value. If they share it, they believe the post will give others value as well.

Comments are the best gauge of a positive digital footprint. Comments require time and thought. Instead of clicking a button, someone chooses to engage the author.

Comments allow you to enter into conversations, increasing trust in your brand. A social media account is like a garden. The more you tend to your accounts, the more they will grow.

5. Use The Media To Build A Positive Digital Footprint

This step is a bit tricky but well worth the effort.

If your online presence is small or negative, one positive interview or story can turn it around. The hard part is getting a journalist to take notice.

Getting on a reporter’s radar is easier using social media. Follow journalists that operate in the same field you do. Whenever a piece by the journalist comes out, re-tweet it with your point-of-view.

Do some research. Look at previous posts to find out when they are most likely to be online, and re-tweet their stories at that time. This strategy ensures that they see your support.

When it comes time for them to write a story, you want to be fresh in their mind if they need a quote or interview. Presentation matters. Present yourself as an expert in the industry.

Following this strategy gets you noticed by clients. You’re placing yourself at the forefront of the industry. It’s a low risk, high reward plan for any recruiter.

Let Us Help You Build Your Footprint

Building a positive digital footprint takes more than a thousand words to cover. There are many factors that influence how people perceive you online.

The services we offer provide a holistic approach to improving a recruiter’s online image. From web design to SEO, we have the expertise you need for more clients and a strong digital presence.

If you would like more information, contact us today! You’ll be glad you did.