Google for Jobs is live in the Netherlands

Just the basics: What is Google for Jobs?

Google for Jobs is Google's job platform, where jobs come together from various sources, both from job sites and company websites. Think of something like Indeed, but from Google itself.

We start almost every search in Google. It's not for nothing a verb: google. This includes looking for a job. According to Google, a large number of job seekers start their search directly in the search engine. Reason enough for Google to show vacancies more prominently. Now, when you search for a job title, a separate block appears at the top of the job search results.

How does it work?

When you click on a vacancy, you'll get more information about the position and the company. From there, you can click through to the original jobs page, whether it's on a job site or a company's own jobs page.

An additional advantage: Google automatically sends UTM (Urchin Tracking Module) codes. This makes it easy to see in Google Analytics what part of the traffic to a vacancy comes in via Google for Jobs.

How do you ensure that your vacancies are included?

Do you want your jobs to be visible in Google for Jobs? Then you need to make some technical adjustments to your website. This mainly means adding extra structured data so that Google can easily recognize the vacancy.

In addition, Google sets some requirements for the information you must include in the vacancy. Without these mandatory elements, your vacancy will not be displayed as well. These include:

• Date of posting: since when the vacancy is live.
• Description: the full vacancy text.
• Organization: information about the company.
• Location: where the function is located (as specific as possible).
• Title: the job title (Google requires clarity, so no vague titles like “All-round controller” — it must be “Office Manager”, for example).

Also important: Google attaches great importance to transparency. This means that the salary and type of employment (full-time, part-time, freelance) must be mentioned. Vacancies without this data score less well.

How do you optimize your job listings for Google for Jobs?

Do you want to make your vacancies perform better? Here are some concrete tips:

1. Create separate job pages

A buff, but still a common mistake: posting multiple jobs on one page. Google needs a clear structure for indexing and ranking. Each vacancy must have a unique URL.

2. Use keyword research

If you know what your target group is looking for, you can incorporate this into your job title and vacancy text. This helps not only for Google for Jobs, but also for SEO in general. Google now understands synonyms and context better than ever, but relevant search terms remain essential.

3. Create attractive job texts

Although certain components need to be standardized, there is still room for creativity. Make sure the introduction is catchy and tempts the reader to continue reading and applying.

4. Follow the structured data guidelines

Google for Jobs works with filters, so that job seekers only see relevant jobs. This means that your vacancy must be well structured. If Google can't read your data correctly, your vacancy may not be displayed as well or even at all.

What is structured data?

Structured data helps search engines better understand your content. You do this by marking specific pieces of content with a piece of code so that Google knows what it is. For example:

• A movie in a movie theater → Google shows the playing times directly in the search results.
• A recipe → Google shows the ingredients and preparation step-by-step.
• A vacancy → Google for Jobs retrieves all essential information and shows it in an overview.

By applying structured data correctly, you ensure that your vacancies are optimally visible within Google for Jobs.

Why is structured data important?

Well-structured content has several advantages:

• More visibility: Your jobs appear more prominent in Google for Jobs and other search results.
• Higher click-through rates: Rich content (such as extra information in search results) draws more attention and generates more traffic.
• Better preparation for voice search: AI assistants like Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa use structured data to better understand search queries.
• SEO boost: Google values well-structured content and rewards it with a higher ranking.

Google for Jobs: Opportunities and Challenges

Google for Jobs offers huge opportunities for companies and recruiters, but requires an active approach. It's not enough to simply post a vacancy online and wait for results. By delving into structured data, search behavior and content optimization, you can take maximum advantage of the possibilities.

Google for Jobs is here to stay. Make sure your vacancies are ready and take advantage of the benefits.

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