1-Page Checklist: Make Your Recruitment Website Win in the AI Search Era (2026)

If you can tick most of it, you’re ahead of 90% of agencies.

1) Foundations: Your site must be findable and fast

  • Job pages are built for Google Jobs (correct structure/markup so roles can be indexed properly)
  • Core pages load fast (home, jobs, job detail, contact)
  • You’ve run Google PageSpeed checks on mobile + desktop
  • Images are compressed and not slowing pages down
  • Your site is secure (HTTPS) and technically healthy (no broken pages/redirect chains)

2) Website ≠ brochure: define what it must deliver

  • You can clearly state your website’s top 3 outcomes, e.g.:
    • Candidate applications
    • Client enquiries
    • Lead capture (downloads / event signups)
  • Each outcome has a clear CTA and route (no “nice but pointless” pages)

3) Conversion engine: capture leads properly

  • Every key page has a clear CTA (not vague buttons)
  • You have at least one lead magnet live (salary report, playbook, market report, hiring guide)
  • Lead magnet form asks why they’re downloading:
    • Hiring now
    • Benchmarking salary
    • Jobseeking
  • You have a simple follow-up process for each reason (even if manual)

4) ATS/CRM: stop leaks and start tracking

  • Website forms/applications flow into ATS/CRM automatically
  • Applications, spec requests, and contact forms are tagged by source
  • You can see candidate source (Google, LinkedIn, job boards, referral, etc.)
  • You can see client lead source (campaign/page/form)
  • You have one place you trust for reporting (single source of truth)

5) AI + SEO: build credibility, not generic content

  • You have a content strategy (not “we’ll post more”)
  • Content is based on real insight (AI can help structure, but humans add expertise)
  • You publish content that answers real prompts buyers ask (FAQs + niche pages + guides)
  • You use clear headings and direct answers (make it easy for crawlers and humans)
  • Your content focuses on one niche / one audience per page (relevance wins)

6) “Spokespeople” plan: stop hiding behind the brand page

  • You’ve picked 3–5 spokespeople (founder + senior consultants)
  • Website blogs/articles are published under their names (real authors)
  • Their LinkedIn activity supports the same niche themes (consistent authority signals)
  • You can mine them for insights monthly (30 mins each = enough)

7) Campaign capability: can you deploy ideas quickly?

  • You can spin up a landing page in under 60 minutes (no dev dependency)
  • You can duplicate pages and reuse components (hero, form, proof, jobs list)
  • You can run at least one campaign per quarter through the site:
    • report launch
    • niche hiring guide
    • event / webinar signup
    • client attraction page

8) Accessibility: commercial advantage + better crawling

  • Buttons are clear and descriptive (e.g., “Click to request a call”)
  • Site contrast / fonts are readable (especially on mobile)
  • You’ve reviewed accessibility tooling (e.g., Recite Me-style solutions)
  • You’ve tested key journeys with someone outside your business (fresh eyes)

9) ROI: prove what’s working, cut what isn’t

  • You can answer: “What produced placements in the last 90 days?”
  • You know your top 3 performing channels by outcome (candidates + clients)
  • You review spend monthly (LinkedIn licences, job boards, ads, website) against outcomes
  • You have the confidence to say: “We don’t need this tool anymore.”

The 30-Day Minimum Plan (if you do nothing else)

  • Fix speed issues + technical SEO basics
  • Launch 1 authority asset (salary report/playbook) + promote for 6 weeks
  • Set up source tracking end-to-end into ATS/CRM
  • Publish 4 expert pieces (1 per week) under real consultant names

 

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