How to write a job description with SEO in mind

Written by: Sasha Kum, Recruitment Account Manager

Published on: 20 Sep 2023

Category:

SEO job description

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a marketing method that makes your page and its content findable and trackable by search engines, including Google. Therefore, writing job descriptions that utilise SEO will result in more targeted, searchable jobs to attract the most qualified and relevant candidates.

Here are 8 ways to make your descriptions rank higher in search results:

1: Use relevant keywords and phrases

Utilising commonly-searched job keywords and phrases – including role titles and responsibilities – will boost the likelihood of appearing at the top of searches. Make sure you emphasise the most important job description keywords related to the duties of the role.

Consider how someone in the legal industry would search for this position on a job board, and whether there are alternative job titles similar to this role. Take this into account when putting together your job description and you may find yourself appealing to a wider audience of potential candidates.

2: Be specific but brief in your job title

Choose a job title that best describes the role without overcomplicating what it entails. Your job title should:

Be specific – “Sales Manager” rather than “Salesperson,”
Be unabbreviated – “Chief legal officer instead of “CLO,”
Include hours, if relevant, like “Corporate Lawyer (full-time)”.

SEO experts suggest that the highest click-throughs of job descriptions were for ones with a job title length of 12 to 20 characters. Only go beyond that threshold if you are adding some specific value to a role. If you venture over the 60-character range, your click-through will drop in half (compared to the 10 to 20 range) according to studies.

3: Use Keyword Density for the position name and requirements

Keyword density is an SEO term that represents how often words are used on a Web page. Mention the job title or synonyms for it many times in your job description without it sounding repetitive. Keyword density also applies to requirements of the position you are hiring. For example, if you are hiring for a position that requires expertise in a certain area, like Excel or Google Analytics, it is essential you include those as keywords multiple times.

4: HTML tagging

Writing a job description is not just about writing text, it’s about writing HTML (HyperText Markup Language). This is the code used to structure a web page and its content. There are basic rules to about tagging your HTML on any page, including your job descriptions. Tag your job title in HTML (e.g. <title>Civil Litigation Solicitor – London</title>).

5: Avoid walls of texts

We are all familiar with the types of job descriptions consisting of long paragraphs which over-explain job responsibilities and qualifications. To avoid this, utilise clear and concise headings (or H1s, H2s, and H3s in SEO terms) or bullet lists when possible. Below is an example which depicts the job title as the H1 and ‘Description’ as the H2:

Job title: Civil Litigation Solicitor

Job Description:

An award winning, top tier Legal 500 firm headquartered in London is looking for a civil litigation solicitor to strengthen their new department.

6: Use Local SEO

When job hunting, candidates will most likely narrow their results by localising the search. Strong local SEO is vital for finding job seekers for this reason. Highlight your location in your job description to attract local candidates and rank higher in search results.

7: The breadcrumb trail method

In SEO, it is important to leave a trail of links to your job description so that search engines can interpret you as a legitimate employer. Provide links via your own careers page and other career pages that may gain more traction.

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