What are Google job ads?

Google job ads allow you to search for jobs directly in the search engine - quickly and easily using a search query. Job seekers are no longer redirected to career sites and job portals - Google takes over this work. Google for Jobs is therefore not a classic job portal, but rather a display of job advertisements from various job portals. The algorithm examines job portals, company pages and career pages for job titles and positions these directly in front of the normal search results as enriched search results. In addition to the title, link and description, search results optimized in this way are enriched with other elements such as images, reviews or videos.

For example, if a searcher enters the search query "Marketing Jobs Münster", the search results are positioned in a blue job box above the regular search results. The jobseeker's search query can be narrowed down using various filter options. For example, the search function/filter option can be used to set the desired working time model, the distance from the location or the employer.

What advantages do Google job ads offer?

Market leader in Germany

The search engine has a market-leading position in Germany and therefore a wide reach. It is very likely that a job seeker with suitable qualifications will become aware of your job advertisement.

Free indexing of your career page

Indexing your career pages involves adding information to an index. Indexing ensures that the content can be found quickly. When a user starts a search query, Google searches this index. Indexing for Google job ads is free of charge. Company pages benefit from the reach of Google job ads with minimal financial outlay.

Intelligent algorithm

The Google algorithm ensures that jobseekers are presented with the most relevant job ads right at the top of the search engine. To do this, Google uses the searcher's search history to identify suitable job advertisements based on previous search queries.

Avoidance of duplicates

The search engine shows on which platforms the job is already advertised and recognizes identical job advertisements. This avoids duplicates and duplicate applications and provides searchers with an optimized overview. Job seekers can also select a job portal where they may already have an account. This makes the job search and application process easier.

How can you place Google job ads?

There are two ways to position your job advertisement in the search engine:

You go the route via third-party providers by publishing your job posting on a job board that cooperates with Google Jobs. The job posting is crawled and placed in the Google job ads
You create the conditions for a listing in the Google job ads yourself and optimize your career page accordingly

The second option is safer and more cost-effective, as you are not dependent on a third-party provider. This route does involve some effort. However, as an experienced employer branding agency, we are happy to support you in creating Google job ads.

To the packages

Structured data - definition and benefits

Structured data, also known as schema markup, is a prerequisite for enriched search results. Structured data is a standardized format that provides the search engine with additional information. This allows Google to capture relevant information more quickly and index the corresponding pages. As this speed is particularly important for job advertisements, structured data is essential in Google for Jobs. In addition, structured data offers the following advantages:

Better visibility in search engines

By using structured data, job offers appear as "rich snippets" in the search engine. This optimizes the visibility of job titles.

Increased click rate

Structured data provides relevant information such as location (jobLocation) or salary (baseSalary) at a glance. This can boost the click rate enormously.

More filter options for the job search

Structured data allows jobseekers to filter their search queries for specific elements. With this search function/filter option, users can, for example, filter by job title, job location, date of publication or type of employment.

Employer ratings

In the job box (results list) of Google job ads, not only the job description can be found, but also the employer ratings via Kununu, Indeed and Glassdoor. Every third job seeker informs themselves about the hiring organization in advance with the help of employer reviews - Kununu and co. are more important than ever. The Google algorithm rewards the inclusion of Kununu, Indeed or Glassdoor reviews and gives the job description a better position within the job box.

Structured data in Google for Jobs

Structured data in Google for Jobs allows the crawler to better categorize the content and actually identify the job advertisement as such.

With Structured Data, you define the individual elements of your job ad. This allows the crawler to directly recognize the individual pieces of information such as job title, salary information, end of the application period (validthrough) or required qualifications. Some data, such as the salary information, has a huge influence on the algorithm and therefore the ranking in the search engine. The market leader Google differentiates between required and recommended information.

Required information:

Publication date: (datePosted)
Position title (title)
Location (jobLocation)
Full job advertisement in HTML (description)
Employer (hiringOrganization)

Recommended information:

End of the application period, if available (validThrough)
Locations from which employees can work from home (applicantLocationRequirements)
Salary information (baseSalary)
Work start date: (jobStartDay)
Possibility for direct application via the linked URL (directApply)
Type of activity (employmentType)
Identification of the hiring organization (identifier)
Option for HomeOffice/exclusively HomeOffice (jobLocationType)

Tools and tricks for structured data in Google job ads

To be placed in Google's job box, the job advertisement must comply with Google's Structured Data Schema or Schema.org. The Google algorithm prefers the JSON-based syntax JSON-LD (JavaScript Object Notation for Linked Data). You can write down the information you want to provide as structured data in JSON-LD format and embed it in a website. Structured data in JSON-LD format can be inserted anywhere in the HTML code of a website, Google recommends the <head> tag.

There are various tools that you can use to format your data in the desired way.

Wordpress plugins for Google job ads

If your company website is WordPress-based, you can use various plugins that allow you to format your data directly in the Schema.org structure. Such plugins are, for example:

Jobs for Wordpress (BlueGlass)
Simple Job Board (PressTigers)
Schema and Structured Data for WP and AMP (Magazine3)
WP Job Manager (Automaticc)

Schema Generator

The schema markup can also be created using a schema generator. The schema generator from technicalseo.com has proven particularly useful for job advertisements. The markup can then be embedded into the source code of your company website with little effort.

Markup validation

There are online tests to check whether your code has been formatted correctly. With markup validation tests, you simply insert the URL of the job advertisement and check the formatting and technical quality of the website. One such test is the Markup Validation Test from Schema.org.

Indexing API

Despite error-free code, it can sometimes take some time before your job offer is listed or indexed. To ensure that the job description is listed well before the end of the application period (validthrough), you can speed up the indexing of the career page. With the Indexing API, you can notify Google directly when a job posting has been added or removed from your company page. Google will then start to crawl and index the relevant careers pages again, keeping the results list up to date.

Search engine optimized Google job ads

SEO is also essential for the ranking of Google job ads. Use relevant keywords that match your job offer. Choose a precise and common job title instead of creative and whimsical job title descriptions. Make sure you have a meaningful URL for the job posting website. This should contain the job title and the location. Maintain the metadata (meta title and meta description) and keep it short and concise. This will help searchers find your Google job ads.

The algorithm rewards job titles with salary information (baseSalary) in particular and gives them a good ranking within the job box. In addition, the salary information ensures increased transparency in the job search.

The same SEO rules apply to Google job ads as to regular blog articles and other landing pages - make sure you use search engine-optimized content to push your ad.

Google Search Console

After you have successfully prepared your job offer in structured data, optimized it for search engines and indexed it, you can check the success of your job offer in the Google Search Console. Are there any problems with indexing? How often was the job description displayed, how often was it clicked on, which search queries do job seekers use to find your job description? You can find the answers to these questions in the Google Search Console. You can use the data to define your target group and adapt the job descriptions to the users' search queries.

Job exchanges that use structured data

As a hiring organization, you can of course also use job boards that cooperate with Google for Jobs. The advantage of this is that your own staff do not have to be specially trained and human resources are saved.

Suitable social media platforms or job boards that optimize job offers for Google job ads include the following:

LinkedIn
StepStone
Indeed
Ausbildung.de
Facebook
Aubi-Plus
Xing
Workwise
WayUp
Azubiyo
Studentjob.de
Glassdoor

It was particularly surprising when StepStone and Indeed joined Google for Jobs, as these job boards had long resisted Google job ads. Google job ads often only bring job seekers who are willing to apply to the job boards and no longer those who want to find out more. The job portals Stepstone and Indeed accused Google of exploiting its market-leading position. Now, however, the offers of these job portals can also be found in the job box of Google job ads.

Ultimately, the use of structured data for all these job boards creates a win-win situation: employers (hiring organizations) can push their job titles and target suitable job seekers. Applicants receive suitable job offers and therefore have an optimized job search.

More sources of information on Google job ads

The Google for Jobs developer documentation provides you with information on using and indexing structured data, best practices and guidelines to index your careers site for Google Jobs.

LinkedIn Talent Solutions offers information and resources for dealing with structured data. There you will find instructions on how you can specifically improve your job advertisements.

On the official Schema.org website you will find detailed documentation on the "JobPosting" schema. There you will find all the information you need to transfer your job ads to the correct schema. Schema.org provides tips and tricks to ensure that your job ads are recognized, indexed and displayed by Google in the best possible way.

Google job ads - a conclusion

Google job ads and structured data in job ads have turned the world of job portals and job searches on its head. The facts about job titles prepared in clearly defined elements allow jobseekers a wide range of filter options and a list of results that matches their search query and qualifications. The Google algorithm recognizes duplicates and thus ensures a clearer job search. Whether you as a hiring organization place a job ad on your career page/company page yourself or use one of the above-mentioned job portals as a third-party provider - you will benefit from the enormous reach and search function of Google job ads and optimize the job search for potential applicants.

Google job ads: Increased reach through structured data

Have you recognized the potential of Google job ads for your company's career page and would now also like to prepare your job description for Google for Jobs? As an employer branding agency, we have many years of experience in the field of personnel marketing. Together with you, we create individual, expressive job ads for your career site or social media channels that are guaranteed to please Google.