SEO Template for Job Descriptions and Job Details pages

A client’s just asked me for a template to use to write their job descriptions in order to maximise the benefits of SEO.

Not a ‘template’ as such, but some ‘new-starter’ guidelines for SEO copywriting and page architecture for recruitment websites:

Links to the job:

Make sure the job title is the anchor text of the link (not ‘click here‘ or ‘more info‘)

Jobs pages

Just make sure there is one page per job!

In-page factors

Your Keyword Rich areas should be:

• Meta Title Tag
• Meta Description
• Job Title

… then other important keywords – especially job / sector or geographical ones should feature prominantly on the page.

Job description copywriting

1. Try to make the job title a term people would search for in Google / Yahoo etc
2. Avoid ‘non-search’ terminology like “Opportunity” or “Seeking a “, … “My Client is “ etc.  You can use these terms, but they’re wasting valuable space up in the Title and the early part of a job description
3. Familiarise yourself with the different levels of headings (or <h> tags as developers call them).  Headings and sub-headings on a page should flow properly, so if you want to break your job description down, don’t use bold headings, use h3 or h4 (Heading 3 or Heading 4) tags – like ‘Job Description copywriting’ is, above.
4. Avoid, at all costs, pasting anything into a web site’s text editor using Microsoft Word or another similar program.  These are designed for print and can put all sorts of unnecessary code into your text that could – in some cases – mean that Google can’t properly index the content.
5. Repeat those search keywords  coming wherever possible and relevant (think of candidates searching and what they might type into Google – then keep thinking it – what candidates call their job may differ to what recruiters call it)
6. Use lists if needs be to increase keyword density.
7. Think about synonyms — e.g. “team leader” as well as “project manager” or “sales manager” as well as “business development manager”

For developers:

• Make the Title Tags work dynamically in the following format
  • Meta Title: Job: [Job Title] – [Location] – [Category-or-sector]
    
  • Make the Meta Description dynamically take the Job Title then first characters of the Job Description up to a max of 160 characters
• Place the Job Title in <h1> tags
• Place the Location and Category in <h2> tags
• Ensure that the job editor allows site admins to add <h3> headings within a job description and train them to use them.