How to Differentiate Your Staffing Firm Website
Take a minute to perform a Google search for ‘staffing firm,’ or ‘recruiting firm,’ or ‘staffing agency,’ or ‘staffing company.’ 
Did you find page after page of results advertising staffing services? Clients and candidates looking for firms to work with are performing those same searches every day. Given the sheer number of staffing firms, it is essential that your website clearly differentiates your firm from your competitors. Feature your strengths and personalize your site so that first-time visitors get a feel for your company culture and brand promise. Be honest and authentic in your claims and make your staffing firm stand out from the crowd by differentiating your website.
Interactive, Engaging Homepage
Your website’s home landing page is the first chance you get to grab a visitor’s attention. It is imperative that you design an interactive, engaging homepage to ensure that you convey the best possible impression of your staffing firm. Candidates are actively searching for a staffing firm to guide them in their job search, so make sure that your website stands out from the competition by using fresh, professional images and valuable content. Getting away from the “stock” look of most websites gives your firm a leg up on the competition and creates a lasting memory for your visitors. If you are planning on loading down your landing page with lots of images and content, be prepared to see an increase in your drop-off rates. Today’s on-the-go candidates and clients expect everything to be easily accessible, and they are not prepared to waste their time waiting around for your media-heavy site to load. Mobile-friendly websites are a must, as is the ability to easily view current job openings and apply to job opportunities directly from wireless devices.
Appeal to Your Audience
In order to differentiate your staffing firm website and appeal to your target audience, you must first truly understand both the strengths and weaknesses of your business. Although it is tempting to want to offer a wide variety of services, it is wise to establish your firm as a leader within a specific niche. Do your recruiters have extensive experience in the technology field? Is clinical staffing an area where you excel? Specializing in a particular area allows you to confidently represent your services to both clients and candidates and more accurately identify your ideal target audience. Ensure that your website uses terminology, content and graphics that are consistent with the clients and candidates you are hoping to attract. Does your audience share common problems? Make sure that your website opens up a dialogue with your target audience by speaking to their concerns and showing them how you are prepared to serve their needs.
Image Matters
Today’s websites are so much more than the online marketing brochures of years gone by. A staffing firm’s website must feature their strengths and promise a high level of service in order to attract the attention of first-time visitors. High-quality staffing firms need to portray a first-rate online image. Differentiate your staffing firm by integrating high-quality images and brand identity into your website design. Professional photographs of your recruiters and executives at work help to express the company culture of your staffing firm. Allow the personality of your team to shine through and boost your brand credibility by investing in professional images to tell the story of your staffing firm. Feature testimonials and favorable press articles on your website as a way of communicating your level of expertise to new visitors.
Simplify Things
Make it easy for clients and candidates to interact with and navigate through your staffing firm’s website. Ensure that your job postings are updated regularly, and simplify the online application process. Differentiate your staffing firm by integrating your applicant tracking system (ATS) with your website guaranteeing timely follow-up by your recruitment team. Let people know how to contact you. There is nothing more frustrating than wanting to reach out to a company, only to find out that there is no clearly-defined way to contact the staffing firm. Personalize your “Contact Us” page by displaying pictures of your team and including their direct email addresses and phone extensions.
Get Personal
The staffing industry is all about relationships, so it is important to show website visitors that you are an organization worthy of their trust. Instead of trying to compete with corporate staffing companies, feature the individualized service you provide by featuring your team in the “About Us” page on your website. Tell the personal stories of your recruiters and sales managers and highlight their experience within the staffing industry. Differentiate your staffing firm website by infusing your voice into the content, layout and organization of your site. The style of your website is ultimately what is going to encourage visitors to reach out to your team, so be sure to let your voice come through and stop trying to sound like your competitors.
Key Takeaways for How to Differentiate Your Staffing Firm Website:
- Evaluate your website homepage to ensure visitors are prompted with an interactive, engaging experience
- Determine your ideal target audience and design your website to address their needs
- Create an overall image for your website that is reflective of the personality of your staffing firm
- Simplify the navigation and processes on your site in order to encourage visitors to return
- Personalize the design of your website in order to illustrate those things that set you apart from your competitors
About S.J.Hemley Marketing
S.J.Hemley Marketing is a marketing and sales consulting firm focused on driving tangible results for professional services firms. Brand matters, but not without ROI. With over 20 years of sales and marketing experience within staffing and recruiting, we have helped to drive successful branding, sales training, lead generation activities as well as defining marketing strategy for top organizations.