3 Reasons Recruiters Should Start Blogging for Business

3 Reasons Recruiters Should Start Blogging for Business Agency recruitment is competitive  and its becoming increasingly difficult to stand out from the crowd. How can you make yourself the go to in your market, when there are 20 other Toms, Dicks and Harries getting up close and personal with  all  your  clients and candidates? Blogging. I mean, its not the be-all and end-all, but its a sure-fire way to get you noticed in your network for the right reasons. Its a practice that not only brings you  relevant leads, but also assists in  your efforts to  carve  out your recruitment niche in a public  arena.  Ive even created a jingle to gently encourage you to give it a go:  If you feel your pipeline bogging, its time to start blogging. Enter the blogosphere We know social media  is an extremely powerful tool for recruiters. LinkedIn has been  a  headhunting  enabler since 2002, and the likes of Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram (to name a few) have also crept on the scene, making  business development easier and more efficient  than ever.  Plugging into these  networking  platforms  allows  us to research and source new candidates, clients, employees and employers, from the comfort of our office. A persons varied online presence  allows us to build a  detailed profile of them, before even meeting.  Writing blog posts  is just another way you can add to your own online profile, building your own brand to win you  the interest of the people who will eventually make you money. Break it down for me Blogging doesnt have to apply huge pressure to your day-to-day business. You can blog as little or as often as you like, but the key is to produce quality content that represents your values and skills. Publishing an article youve authored is a great way to showcase your expertise in a particular field, or demonstrate your interests / beliefs / approach to your work. LinkedIn Pulse (LinkedIns self-publishing blogging platform) has seen over a million posts. Posts about career development and professional growth  tend to be popular topics, so incorporating these themes into your efforts is a good place to start. Each article you produce becomes  marketing material  for your own brand. The more specific the topics you write about are,  the more specific the audience will be. If you want to reach a  cohort  of Insurance Brokers, write about matters concerning or of interest to these people. If you generate valuable content, you will find relevant people engaging with your posts. As soon as they fly into your Venus Fly Trap (aka like,  share or follow  your work), you can snap it shut and chomp  on the fresh leads. 1. Blogging keeps you engaged At a minimum, blogging keeps you engaged with your own industry and service. Composing your thoughts into professional commentary on business-related topics will keep  you continually thinking about best practice. Reading other blogs for inspiration will also keep you in tune with the latest recruiting trends, and youll likely stumble across information from others that helps you in your own  recruiting style. Blogging encourages information sharing, and if you want to be ahead of the pack, throw yourself into  this online community of recruitment thought leaders, dont cut yourself off. 2. Blogging builds your profile The articles you create are extremely valuable additions to your professional portfolio. We know that blogging isnt a compulsory commitment for recruiters, but those who get involved demonstrate they are willing to go the extra mile and do whatever it takes to be the best they can be. On LinkedIn, your recent blog posts will also feature under your picture on your profile, so people who view your page can easily follow the links to your written work. As mentioned before, your blog is a platform to let people in on your expertise and values. 3. Blogging exposes you to the right people By generating relevant, compelling content aimed at your network and specific people within your recruitment industry, you will reap the the benefits of higher  exposure online.  If you produce content about market / industry trends and hiring best practice, youre likely to  capture the interest of potential clients. Likewise, you can also publish candidate-targeted articles to help them with their job search.  Eligible candidates can engage and find value in this content. This kind of exposure also builds you up as  an obvious choice for candidates / clients to contact, when they need support in their  search for a job or new talent. While its difficult to measure the immediate ROI, leads will come in over time. Finally, lets not discount the message your blogging activity sends to potential employers.  If you decide to move jobs yourself, what a great way to  impress  hiring managers  showing them your  own written, published content demonstrating your expertise and beliefs. Happy blogging ?? Keen to learn more about blogging for business?   Follow #smlondon  on  Tuesday 9th Aug at 11am BST to join the live tweetchat.