The internet is blowing up with articles about Facebook Graph Search. Such as : Facebook Graph Search is going to revolutionize social recruiting, Facebook Graph Search is bad news for LinkedIn, Facebook Graph Search is not that big a deal (yet), or, actually it is a huge deal but has a terrible name soon to be replaced by simply “Facebook Search”. Phewf. And it’s still just in Beta phase.

Honestly, as of right now, there’s really not much actual Graph Search to speak of and there won’t be for a quite while. That’s not to say we shouldn’t pay attention, stay informed, and tinker with the prospect. But it certainly doesn’t mean adjusting recruitment strategies or creating new job titles (though “Facebook Graph Master” would be an epic addition to any business card!).

So, what does it mean?

It means, let’s focus on the tools that do exist. Tools like Facebook Ads, Sponsored Stories, Career Pages, Video, and Page Branding.

Facebook has over a billion users now — it also dominates every other social network out there when it comes to the amount of time users invest in it — so, whether you are seeking love, a kickball team to join, or kick-ass candidates, it’s the logical place to look! (apparently Graph Search is going to be as big a competitor for dating sites as it will be for LinkedIn!) And those candidates are more reachable than ever with Facebook Ads and Sponsored Stories.

Facebook Ads.

Facebook Ads are important because they are easily-targeted to a specific demographic, and can reach candidates who are not connected to your Page. They increase your Page’s visibility and Likes, and grow your online community.

Here’s a simple tutorial about how to use Facebook Ads for recruiting.

Sponsored Stories

Now that your Ads are kicking butt and taking names (by names, I mean Likes) you can add some Sponsored Story action to your recruiting strategy. Increasing Page Likes is important in and of itself, but has the added bonus of making Sponsored Stories even more effective.

Facebook Sponsored Stories only reach users who are connected to you by having a Facebook friend who Likes your page or by Liking your Page themselves. This means a slightly smaller reach, but it’s worth it, because Sponsored Stories increase “Social Proof” by showing potential talent that their peers are into you. And as much as humans are loathe to admit it, we’re waaaay more likely to Like a Page if our friends do too. True Fact!

This is one of the reasons that Sponsored Stories have an extremely high CTR (click-through-rate). Another reason for their high CTR is that they show up directly in a user’s News Feed and have excellent visibility with mobile. We all know how crazy important mobile is. You can also choose to sponsor a story that shows potential candidates just how much their peers dig you — by promoting positive comments. For example, we got this lovely comment from one of our awesome users:

I have been using a lot of tools for online/social recruiting, Jobcast is by far the BEST. Thanks guys for this great tool! Looking forward to the upcoming features!

Not only did it make our hearts sing, it also made for a perfect Sponsored Story. Thanks Ruben! If you don’t have comments like this to promote, you can also sponsor Likes, but I highly recommend encouraging current employees to leave positive comments about their experience working for your company and promoting these. Current employees can be an amazing asset for improving your Facebook employer brand.

When potential hires click on your ads and stories, they will be directed to a landing page of your choosing. Please, please, please make it a Facebook Page, as we all know how much users dislike being directed off-site! It takes them outside of their comfort zone (Facebook) and makes them confused and grumpy – no bueno!

You want your candidates to click through to a Page that showcases your employer brand and company culture. Having a custom banner, integrating company colors, posting cool articles related to your field, and lots of staff pics (preferably ones that include foosball and cake!) are the best ways to make your Career Page appealing. Oh, and video!

Recruitment Video

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a video is worth a billion.*

Embedding a recruitment video directly onto your Career Page is a must. You don’t need to spend a ton of money or use a lot of gimmicks to create a lovely, hilarious and inspiring recruitment video. So long as it expresses your company culture, values, and awesomeness with gusto, it will woo potential hires. This fantastic article has some great advice on how to make a great recruitment video on the cheap. I also recommend watching this recruitment video by Oakwood. It makes me a little teary… but so does a really great espresso and “The Next Ultimate Fighting Champion”, so take from that what you will.

At Jobcast we strongly believe that Facebook is amazing for finding talent, branding and improving employer social media presence, if handled well. Which is why the Premium version of our app places so much emphasis on branding. We think a fully branded Career Page, with video and great design, is an integral part of Facebook Recruiting.

Your Employer Page is the first impression you’ll make on potential hires, so make it count!