Job searches online up 6 million on December ’09 levels

London, 28 May, 2010 - 14.2 million online job searches were performed in the UK in March compared to 8.4 million in December. This is according to the latest quarterly report 'Recruitment March 2010', by Greenlight, the UK's leading independent specialist search engine optimization (SEO) and pay per click (PPC) consulting firm. According to the ONS, in Q1 2010 the employment rate was down by 0.3% to 72.1%, the lowest rate since October 1996.

Greenlight used Google data, gathered in March to classify 3,300 of the most popular keywords used to search for jobs. Included are generic terms, job-specific and location-specific terms. Greenlight also used this data to analyse and provide a league table of the 60 most prominent and visible websites in natural* and paid search** and the size of the audience they were reaching as a result of having that keywords specific visibility.

Some key findings reveal:

• Searches for the term 'London jobs' increased from 368,000 in December 2009 to 673,000 in March, indicating the importance of location-specific terms in a consumer's online job seeking process;
• Administrative and HR jobs were most searched for, totalling 747,000. There was also high search volume for retail and sales jobs, which accounted for 724,000 searches;
• In natural search, Gumtree was the most visible website, achieving 40% share of voice through ranking at position one for 18 of the 3,300 keywords analysed, including the term 'Part time jobs', which accounted for 165,000 searchers. Total Jobs and Reed followed with 37% and 34% share of voice, respectively;
• Of the top 10 websites for job-related keywords in natural search, seven were recruitment agencies and job boards, two were multi-channelled websites (Gumtree and the Guardian) and one was a careers advice site: Prospects;
• Fish4 increased its visibility in natural search by 9% since December, which saw it ascend Greenlight's top 60 league table from position 11 to seven;
• In paid search, TotalJobs, Reed and UKMysteryShopperJobs were the three leading advertisers in March enjoying 73%, 44% and 40% share of voice, respectively;
• Interestingly, the MetPolice bid on just five of the to 90 keywords analysed, at an average ad position of three, yet it achieved 11% visibility and ranked at position 10 in Greenlight's paid search league table;
• UKMysteryShopperJobs featured the most visible individual ad creative, which achieved 40% share of voice. The ad displayed a specific salary and stated: 'Get paid to Shop and Dine out' to incentivise the consumer to click;
• TotalJobs and Reed were the only two brands to achieve strong integrated search (natural and paid) visibility as they attained a considerable share of voice across both mediums.

(Table showing Greenlight's top 10 of the 60 most visible recruitment websites in both natural and paid search, shows below. If you are unable to view it please contact the press office)

Top 10 of the 60 most visible recruitment websites in both in natural and paid search, UK

Source: Greenlight

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http://www.greenlightsearch.com/knowledge/sector-reports/