A mobile recruiting app is a marketing tool. From a marketing perspective, an app is a “thing”, a thing people can sink their teeth into, a thing your recruiting team can mention at career fairs, a thing that is easily spread through word of mouth, a thing that can be promoted through your existing media channels. You need to take advantage of this opportunity.

A mobile recruiting app will serve you well in the long run as a marketing channel, but you need to tell the world you have one. “If you build it, they will come” does not apply. Submitting your app to the iTunes and Android stores will not do it. A company’s recruiting app is relevant to a very narrow audience, and as much as you hope and pray, your recruiting app will never “trend” or “go viral” in iTunes.

Simply put, people will download your mobile app when they are introduced to it through YOUR marketing efforts. The marketing responsibility is on you, but it is not difficult, or expensive. All you need to do is piggyback on your existing marketing initiatives. Whether you realize it or not, as a recruiting department, you have a marketing machine already in place.

The following are eight simple, free, and somewhat obvious venues where our clients have seen the greatest success regarding the promotion of their mobile apps.

8 Simple Ways to Advertise your Mobile recruiting app

Job Listings/Postings Insertion

Incorporate your app download link into the footer of your job posting templates below the “Apply Now” button. Since only a percentage of people who view your job postings actually apply (for various reasons), take advantage of those eyeballs and promote your app, similar to promoting your “job alert” emails or your social networks.

Email

Incorporate your app icon and download link into your email-alert templates. Your recruiting team should also incorporate the app icon and download link into their personal email signatures.

Website

Prominently list your app icon on every “career page” of your website. Consider including your QR code for those who visit your career page on a desktop computer, and want to quickly download your app by scanning the QR code with their mobile device. Notice how CareerStaffRx is promoting it’s app in line with it’s social media icons.

Tradeshows & Career Fairs

Here is a great 60 second video of people downloading recruiting apps at a tradeshow.  Set up an easel with an image of a smartphone or tablet that incorporates your mobile app. You can also print a 12×12 inch icon and 12×12 inch QR code, magnetize the backs, then to secure them to your booth backdrop. Be sure your recruiters are asking every passerby to “download your new app”.

Social Mentions

If your company has invested in building a social network, you need to take advantage of it. Frequently mention your mobile recruiting app throughout all of your social channels. Pinterest lends itself exceptionally well the the promotion of a mobile recruiting app.

Print Material

Include a QR code and an image of your mobile app icon in every print publication display ad, as well as any marketing collateral, such as pamphlets and handouts.

Direct Mail

Incorporate a QR code and an image of your mobile app icon on the front (or back) of your postal mailers.

Word of Mouth

Apps are cool. People talk about them. People suggest them to friends and colleagues. People mention them through their social media. Nobody will Tweet about the newly re-designed “career opportunities page” on your website, no matter how slick it may be. They will however Tweet out your new mobile jobs app.