HIREez had a good webinar on SEO for employers. Give it a watch.
As we approach the end of the year, many organizations are winding down their recruitment efforts, but the algorithms and search engines that shape candidate experiences are more active than ever. In today’s talent acquisition landscape, visibility is paramount—if candidates can’t find your employer brand online, they simply can’t choose you. This makes a strong online presence, backed by smart, data-driven strategies, the cornerstone of modern recruitment marketing.
Why Traditional Job Boards Are Losing Candidate Trust
Job boards have historically been the go-to channels for job seekers. However, recent research and community feedback—such as comments on Reddit forums like r/resumes and r/recruitinghell—highlight a growing dissatisfaction among candidates. Issues like ghost jobs (positions listed but never truly available), scam postings, and repetitive reposting of stale vacancies have eroded trust in major job boards like LinkedIn and Indeed.
One survey by Ré Builder revealed that approximately 40% of companies admit to posting ghost jobs, leading to an estimated one in five job listings being unreliable. Candidates, frustrated by wasted efforts applying to these dubious postings, are increasingly avoiding job boards altogether.
The Rise of Google and Large Language Models (LLMs) in Job Search
As candidates move away from traditional job boards, they are turning to more intuitive and efficient tools—primarily Google search and large language models like ChatGPT. These platforms offer summarized, conversational insights about companies, including culture, benefits, and job openings, enabling candidates to make informed decisions well before interacting with recruiters.
This shift has made SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and GEO (Generative Engine Optimization or Answer Engine Optimization) vital for recruitment marketers. While SEO focuses on optimizing content for traditional search engines like Google and Bing, GEO targets the way LLMs crawl, interpret, and present information. Though these areas have different nuances, they largely overlap, and optimizing for one will often benefit the other.
Practical Steps to Optimize Your Employer Brand for SEO and GEO
- Optimize Your Career Site:
The most critical elements for SEO and GEO are your site’s H1 tags (main headings), page titles, and URLs. These function like book titles—if they are vague or generic (e.g., “Find your next career here”), search engines and LLMs will struggle to understand what your page offers. Instead, use clear, keyword-rich phrases such as “Sales Jobs in Chicago at Company Co” or “Remote Healthcare Positions at Company Co.” Keep H1 tags under 75 characters and page titles around 66 characters for best results. - Incorporate Key Employer Value Proposition (EVP) Elements in a Q&A Format:
Candidates want transparency about company culture, benefits, remote work policies, and more. Present this information on your career site in a question-and-answer format. For example, a heading might be “Does Company Co offer remote work?” directly followed by a concise, clear answer. LLMs scan for these exact matches and will often pull this content to directly answer candidate queries, effectively controlling your brand narrative. - Claim and Optimize Employer Review Sites:
Bots don’t just pull data from your website; they also crawl employer review platforms like Glassdoor, CareerBliss, and Jobic. It’s essential to claim your profiles on these sites, update them regularly, and respond to reviews where appropriate. This helps ensure that the data reflecting your company culture and employee satisfaction is accurate and positive. - Coordinate Across Teams:
Ownership of career pages often spans recruiting, marketing, and branding teams. Collaboration is key to audit and optimize your online presence effectively. Marketing teams usually understand SEO best practices, but recruitment marketers bring valuable insights about candidate preferences and EVP messaging. Together, they can ensure your content aligns with both search algorithms and candidate expectations.
Why This Matters for 2026 and Beyond
With candidates increasingly relying on AI-powered tools and search engines, traditional recruitment strategies centered solely on job boards are no longer sufficient. By investing in SEO and GEO optimization now, companies set themselves up for sustained visibility and attractiveness in a crowded job market. This proactive approach helps control the narrative around your employer brand, making your company a top choice for talent even before candidates hit the “apply” button.
Final Thoughts
As you plan your recruitment marketing strategy for the coming year, consider conducting an SEO audit of your career site, updating your employer value proposition content, and managing your presence on employer review sites. Educating your team about these digital tools and trends will empower you to meet candidates where they are—on Google and in their favorite AI assistants.
For those interested in delving deeper, resources such as ebooks and free academy courses on GEO and SEO optimization are available to support your efforts. The future of talent acquisition is not on the horizon; it’s already here, and adapting to it is essential for your organization’s success.