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Why is the Net Neutrality Decision Important for the Staffing and Recruiting Industry?

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In 2015, I wrote a blog post giving my opinion on the significance of Net Neutrality. Here we are again in 2017, looking at this decision again, and I’d like to elaborate in greater detail about how this matter might directly affect the staffing and recruiting industry.

  • ISP’s (internet service providers) will be able to charge content suppliers for “fast lanes.”  Jobs are a form of content, and the job board on your company website would most likely be considered content supply. This means that larger companies (i.e., the major job boards and aggregators) that are able to pay the up-charge fees will see blazingly fast results, while most smaller jobs boards, staffing and recruiting firms are likely to see significant wait times for their potential candidates.To make matters worse, the big boys will have to recoup the fees they are paying for faster content delivery, so you can expect continued price increases to get your jobs on the big job boards and aggregators.
  • ISPs will also be able to charge customers for premium access to different forms of content. Because jobs are such an important source of content (and Internet revenue), ISPs may decide to offer “curated job content” — content from companies that are paying more to get their content delivered.Today, when a candidate searches jobs, Google and other search engines try to provide the most relevant results based on the search criteria, the candidate’s location, and other factors. In an era of priority curated content, a candidate who is right by your offices, searching for the kinds of jobs you offer, might never find your site. They will be redirected to the highest bidders.

Note that job boards are only one potential impact, and these scenarios are an example of what could happen, not what definitely will happen. But without net neutrality, your bigger competitors (within the staffing industry and outside of it) will gain a significant advantage in gaining access to employers and job seekers.

On the Internet speed wins, it is unlikely that creating different classes of content delivery based on who has the biggest checkbook will be good for most of the staffing industry.

At this point, we won’t know how the regulations will change or the full scope of impact in the industry, but why wait to find out? Right now, you need to think about new and innovative ways to keep your company top-of-mind with both employers and job seekers.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

  • Use social media to build your employment brand.
  • Become relentless about building your opt-in email lists so you can directly reach people.
  • Ask candidates for permission to communicate by text.
  • Create remarketing campaigns to bring people back to your website.
  • Implement talent reengagement campaigns on Google and Facebook to reconnect with people in your ATS.
  • Go old school! Direct mail is still an awesome way to marketing to employers.

Need more ideas?

Haley Marketing has a full team of SEO, social, PPC and direct marketing experts who specialize in staffing and recruiting. Our knowledge and experience has weathered every storm in the industry over the past 21 years, and we are here and ready to help you make the most of your sales and recruiting efforts…regardless of how the tides turn.

Want to know more about Net Neutrality?


Here also is my blog post from 2015:

Why is the Net Neutrality decision important for your business?

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