Twitter’s launch of keyword targeting for advertisers is “very, very clever” but it won’t be used much by recruiters, according to a social media expert. 

Twitter’s new feature launched today enables advertisers to reach users based on the key words used in their recent tweets, and tweets with which users recently engaged.

In a statement, Twitter explains how the new feature works:

• enter the keywords you want to target

• choose the type of match

• specify your other targeting options, such as geographic location

Social media and marketing consultant Peter Gold tells Recruiter that the new feature will allow recruiters to target ads at potential candidates based on their Twitter conversations. By way of example, he says they could run a candidate attraction campaign using the key words ‘stock shrinkage’. 

This would allow them to target job ads not only at people in retail, but also at those sufficiently interested in retail to discuss this topic with others on Twitter. Such people are likely to be of interest to companies or agencies looking for retail staff, he says.  

Gold concedes Twitter’s new feature is “very, very clever”, however, he adds: “I don’t think recruiters will use it much.”

He says that while “recruiters will get it and understand it, they won’t use it because they don’t have time”. Gold points to the example of Google AdWords, which he says is not used by many recruiters, and poses the question whether Twitter’s new feature is “yet another nice to have”.

Gold adds that he doesn’t think Twitter will be interested in promoting it for recruitment “because it is not a big enough spend”.

Gemma Christie, head of social media and web at online recruitment solutions provider Enhance Media, tells Recruiter that historically Twitter advertising has been expensive and ineffective, and so has never successfully competed with more popular Google, Facebook and LinkedIn advertising for recruitment campaigns.

However, she adds: “The new targeted adverts that take into account the content candidates tweet, their location, their gender and the device they use could allow companies to create more innovative and results-driven ad campaigns.” 

She says the new feature could be particularly useful for location-specific campaigns or when looking for tech savvy candidates.

Phil Roebuck, founder of online recruiter Webrecruit, tells Recruiter that while Twitter “is a social media platform that encourages engagement, if you flood your account with too many job adverts, people will quickly become frustrated and you’ll risk alienating your followers”.

He advises recruiters to list some job vacancies, but to do so “as part of a wider conversation, such as sharing industry news, blogs or other articles of relevant interest”.

Click to read how recruiters are sourcing the next generation of talent using social media, in the ‘Finding the next generation’ feature from the new April edition of Recruiter.