Getting Started with Job Board SEO: What Google Wants and How to Get Traffic
When you're running a job board, understanding how Google thinks about your site is crucial. Let's break down what Google looks for and the main ways to attract traffic to your job board.
How Google Views Your Job Board
Think about how job seekers use Google. Someone types in "plumber jobs in California," and Google needs to decide which websites to show them. But how does it make this choice?
Google's Two-Step Evaluation
Google uses two main approaches to judge your site:
- Content Quality Check: First, Google looks at whether your pages have high-quality, relevant jobs that match what users are searching for.
- Trust Assessment: Then, Google determines if your site is trustworthy by looking at:
- How many other websites link to yours
- Your expertise and authority in the job search space
- Whether you have other relevant content about the topics users are searching for
The Three Main Traffic Sources for Job Boards
There are three key ways to attract visitors through search engines:
1. Individual Job Posting Pages
These are pages for single job openings that can appear in Google's job widget. When someone searches for "software engineer jobs," these listings show up in Google's special job search popup, alongside posts from sites like LinkedIn and Indeed. Getting your jobs to appear here can bring in lots of visitors.
2. Job Category Landing Pages
These pages list multiple related jobs (usually 10-30 or more) focused on specific themes, such as:
- Remote data analyst jobs
- Engineering jobs in specific cities
- Entry-level marketing positions
The key is creating dedicated pages for different search terms that job seekers commonly use. These pages show up in regular Google search results, not in the job widget.
3. Helpful Content About Jobs
The third way to attract traffic is through helpful articles about job searching. This includes:
- Interview tips and common questions
- Salary guides and expectations
- Career advice and guidance
- Industry insights and trends
While these articles don't directly list jobs, they help establish your site as a trusted resource and attract people searching for job-related information.
Building Trust with Google
Success comes from showing Google that your site is a reliable source of quality jobs. This means:
- Keeping job listings accurate and up-to-date
- Creating detailed, helpful landing pages
- Publishing useful content about job searching
- Building connections with other trusted websites
- Maintaining consistent quality across your site
Remember, Google's main goal is to help job seekers find great opportunities. By focusing on providing genuine value to job seekers, you're also giving Google what it wants to see.