Technological advancements and rapid globalization have opened the door to a vast sea of candidates. But while organizations may be tempted to cast a worldwide net in search of quality talent, the benefits of recruiting locally should not be overlooked.
Hiring close to home fosters a stronger sense of community, boosts local economies, and streamlines processes. It also reduces recruitment costs, facilitates the easier integration of new hires, and improves retention due to community ties and proximity.
Businesses that prioritize local hiring demonstrate their commitment to their communities and social responsibility. This, in turn, strengthens employee loyalty and trust.
But how can you find and engage top-shelf local talent before your competitors do?
With geofencing.
Geofencing for recruitment allows you to attract premium professionals with hyper-personalized, laser-targeted messaging.
Here’s how to use geofencing for recruiting local talent.
What Is Geofencing in Recruiting?
Geofencing is a recruitment marketing strategy that utilizes location-based technology to target job seekers in a specific geographic area. Businesses can create a virtual boundary around a particular location and send messages to candidates within that zone via texts, push notifications, or programmatic recruitment ads.
Imagine a fence around your office building. Whenever a person enters this fence, they become a target for your recruitment ads. When they leave the border, they stop being targeted.
Why Geofencing Is Ideal for Local Talent Acquisition
The power of using geofencing for recruitment lies in its precision. By defining geographical boundaries, you can engage candidates who live and work within those areas. This also increases the likelihood of finding prospects who are physically present in locations relevant to your organization, industry, or job openings.
For example, if you’re hiring registered nurses, you can establish a geofence around a local hospital or university with nursing programs.
Geofencing also significantly reduces outreach costs by minimizing ad spend. Employers ensure their messages reach the most relevant audience.
This approach is especially beneficial for small businesses and healthcare organizations. Hospitals and clinics can zero in on qualified candidates in their area. Local retailers and restaurants can boost their outreach efforts without blowing their budgets.
Unlocking the Power of Location: How to Use Geofencing for Local Recruiting
Here’s how to launch your first geotargeting campaign in five simple steps.
Step 1: Define Your Ideal Candidate and Location Zones
Understanding your targeted audience is the fundamental first step to a successful geofencing campaign. Conduct thorough research on your ideal candidates to learn:
- Their areas of interest
- Where they spend their time
- What they’re looking for in an employer or job opportunity
- What types of content resonate best with them
After gathering all the necessary information about your audience, identify the most impactful geographical areas to target them. This could be job fairs, universities, work commutes, or even your competition. If you know a competitor has recently undergone layoffs, you can use geofencing to attract individuals who have lost their jobs.
You should also determine the appropriate campaign radius. Micro geofences with radiuses of 20 to 100 meters are ideal for hyper-local targeting. Macro-geofence radiuses (one to five miles) work best for city-wide campaigns.
Step 2: Set Up Geofences Using Ad Platforms
Next, you’ll need to choose the right ad platforms for your campaign. Pick a platform that aligns with your goals and budget.
Other factors to consider are features, customer support, and ease of use. Platforms with built-in automation and analytics tools can improve your results while making your job easier.
Some popular platforms to use are:
Step 3: Craft Location-Specific Recruitment Messages
The success of your geofencing campaign depends on the quality of your content. Craft relevant, valuable, engaging content tailored to your audience in geotargeted areas.
Be mindful of:
- Local language nuances
- Current events
- The time of year
- Locations you’re targeting, like job fairs, competitors, or colleges
Create a sense of urgency by using call-to-actions (CTAs) that emphasize application deadlines or why your business is the employer of choice.
Step 4: Launch and Monitor Your Campaign
Before implementing your campaign, establish triggers that dictate when candidates receive notifications. You should also determine the optimal times for your ads, such as special events or lunch hours. This increases conversion and engagement rates.
It’s equally important to monitor your campaign. Tracking metrics provides valuable insights into what works and what doesn't. Key metrics to monitor are:
- Engagement rates
- Conversions
- Click-through rates
- Foot traffic
Analyzing these metrics enables you to make informed, data-driven decisions about which locations and content yield the best results.
Step 5: Nurture Relationships
When executed correctly, geofencing campaigns will generate numerous high-quality candidates who are interested in learning more about your company. Now that you’ve reached them give them an easy way to reach you. Two-way conversations nurture stronger relationships and increase the likelihood of a person applying.
Best Practices for Geofencing Campaigns
Compliance and Privacy: Ensure your campaign complies with local privacy and data laws, including the GDPR. Be transparent about data usage and provide clear opt-out options.
Don’t Target 24/7: Determine the optimal times to send ads. Never run ads between 11 PM and 6 PM.
Use Retargeting: Retargeted website visitors are 70% more likely to convert.
Add Compelling CTAs: Encourage candidates to take action with clear and compelling CTAs.
Ensure Mobile Optimization: Since candidates are receiving ads on their phones, your content must be optimized for mobile use. Ensure your display ads, job posts, and career page are fast-loading, easy to navigate, and have responsive designs.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
To effectively use geofencing for recruitment, steer clear of these three common mistakes:
Overbroad Targeting: Geofencing is less effective if it covers a larger area. Focus on specific locations or neighborhoods.
Ignoring Environmental Factors and Device Quality: Trees, weather, and buildings impact GPS accuracy. Additionally, older devices have less precise location capabilities.
Inadequate Testing: Don’t be afraid to experiment with different ads and campaigns. Test different timing, messaging, and geofence sizes to maximize results.
Tap into More Local Talent with Geofencing for Recruiting
Utilizing geofencing for recruiting is a powerful way to identify top-tier talent in your community. For maximum success, ensure you understand your target audience, track key metrics, and create location-specific content.
Contact ProIQ today for more guidance on geofencing recruitment.
