In 2025, effective recruitment marketing is all about being integrated, data-driven, and tailored to your target audience. It’s not enough to simply generate applications—you need to understand why someone applies and what content drives them to take action.

– Personalizing the candidate journey needs to be a central focus throughout the entire recruitment funnel. What works for which audiences in what contexts? Respect your candidates—the more you adapt to them, the better the results, says Julia Fernlöf, Chief Business Development Officer at Keeparo and Jobbland.

How to Build an Effective Funnel – Step by Step:

• Awareness – Communicate your purpose, values, and social impact. Format: Video
• Interest – Spark curiosity and relevance. Show authentic stories through your employees. Format: Videos and articles
• Conversion – Be clear about the role, offer, and CTA. Format: Job ad‍
• Analysis & Optimization – Measure your KPIs closely and adjust based on insights.

Measure the Entire Funnel – Not Just Clicks — for Maximum Impact

The focus in job advertising is often “we need a new hire quickly.” But in 2025, reactive strategies aren’t enough. Don’t miss the opportunity to work strategically, even at the lower end of the recruitment funnel.

– If you’re marketing a job ad for 30 days, that doesn’t exclude strategic work. Quite the opposite – it’s a golden opportunity to learn what actually works, says Robin Ström, Performance and Product Lead at Keeparo and Jobbland.

You need to be able to track what actually happens—not just impressions or clicks. Effective recruitment requires traceability at every step of the candidate journey.

– Work data-driven from the awareness stage all the way to the application. Connect messaging—for example, in a video—to actual behavior further down the funnel, and optimize based on that,” says Julia Fernlöf.

You should be able to track:

• How many saw your ad?
• How many showed active interest?
• How many clicked through?
• How many read the ad?
• How many started an application?
• How many completed an application?

The more detailed the data, the greater the opportunity to adjust for better outcomes.

This is your chance to identify bottlenecks and take action—whether it’s refining your job profile, streamlining the application process, or clarifying your employer offer.

Sound complicated? Get help from your provider—they're the experts.

Respect Your Audience and Analyze Their Response

Assume your audience is already overwhelmed by ads. You’re not just competing with other employers, but with the entire digital noise. That’s why your messaging needs to be relevant, emotional, and data-informed.

– We need to understand that candidates don’t apply the moment they see a job ad. They need to experience your employer brand multiple times to build trust. This is where measurement becomes crucial. What messages build brand awareness? Which ones drive action? says Robin Ström.

More Layers of Insight: Content Drives Results

The content of your job ads is what determines outcomes, but only data reveals what actually works.

– By communicating messages based on your EVP (Employer Value Proposition) and tracking what resonates with your audience, you can gradually refine your strategy. Is it the leadership style, development opportunities, or sense of pride that converts? explains Robin Ström.

Remember: You don’t need a large campaign to test messaging—you can start right within your job ads. That’s how you create a measurable link between employer branding and actual recruitment.

Conclusion: Make It Easy to Be Chosen — and Understand Why

Attracting the right candidates in 2025 is no longer about shouting the loudest or being the most visible, it’s about smart communication, data-driven decisions, and building trust over time.

By combining strategic employer branding with operational measurement at every stage of the funnel, you’ll improve the quality of your applications. That’s where true efficiency lies.

Start where you are:

• Are you visible where your audience actually is—with content that matters to them?
• Do you know where in the funnel you’re losing candidates?
• Are you testing different messages and tracking what converts?

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Want to talk recruitment strategies? Get in touch with us!
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This article is based on a webinar from Keeparo and Jobbland. Watch the full session here.