On April 21st 2015 Google is updating it's algorithm- again. This time it is going to start penalising sites that are not optimised for mobile devices. With 30% of all traffic now originating from mobile devices across the industry, this change could mark a significant shift in your recruitment process from e-recruitment to m-recruitment.
What does mobile optimisation even mean?
Your recruitment website knows the type of device that is accessing it -be it mobile, tablet or desktop- and it serves the correct version of the site to the device. Essentially it is all about improving the candidate experience and reducing barriers to application. Everyone knows how frustrating it can be when trying to access a poorly designed website, so by creating a site that is built specifically for clicking and typing on a mobile can significantly increase application rates.
One of the best yardsticks for this is CV upload capabilities. On a mobile device a candidate typically needs one of two options:
1. For the tech-savy: to be able to access their cloud storage (One drive, Google drive etc) in order to upload a CV.
2. For the less techy: to be given an option to upload a CV once they get to desktop.
What are the consequences for my recruitment site?
If your recruitment site is not already mobile optimised then you're already suffering from a candidate perspective. As mentioned above, approximately 30% of the traffic to your site is from a mobile device. This is creating a major barrier to candidates applying for jobs with you. The bottom line is you could be doing everything right online - good SEO, quality job board ads, targeted remarketing- but your site is effectively inaccessible to 30% of your candidates, which is a major issue.
From an SEO perspective you're likely to start feeling the pinch (pun intended) on or around April 21st. This is the date set for Google's algorithm update and your site is going to slip down the rankings resulting in hefty a drop-off in traffic.
Ok my recruitment site is not responsive, or only partially responsive- What can I do about it?
Unfortunately the truth is that you're probably too late to meet the April 21st deadline. But the sooner you start the process to mobile nirvana then the better it will be for your site in the long run. Mobile optimisation is here to stay. If you're still not sure about mobile optimisation or want to overhaul your candidate experience as a whole, then get in
contact with us. We will take a look at your site and tell you where you're going right and where you can improve.