Search advertising by sector
Google Ads management for recruitment agencies
Recruitment agencies have two audiences on Google: employers who might hire them and candidates looking for jobs. The searches overlap heavily, since 'warehouse recruitment' could be a manager seeking staff or a person seeking work, so the first decision is which audience each campaign serves. Client campaigns aim for vacancy enquiries from employers and are judged on placements and fees; candidate campaigns aim for applications for hard-to-fill roles. Mixing them in one campaign makes ads vague and results impossible to read. Strong negatives, clear ad wording and separate landing pages keep each campaign on its audience.
This page covers the two audiences, search patterns, negatives, forms, measurement and policy checks. LetGetGrow sets up and manages Google Ads and LinkedIn Ads, including B2B campaigns, with the scope, management fee and reporting set out in a custom quotation.
Illustrative diagram
Recruitment Google Ads
- Client campaign
- Sector ad groups
- Vacancy enquiries
- Candidate campaign
- Hard-to-fill roles
- Applications
- Negatives
- Job terms in client campaign
- Employer terms in candidate campaign
- Measurement
- Placements
- Fees by campaign
Two audiences
| Audience | Example search | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| Employer | temporary warehouse staff agency | Vacancy enquiry |
| Employer | recruitment agency for accountants | Vacancy enquiry |
| Candidate | forklift driver jobs near me | Application |
| Candidate | accountancy jobs agency | Registration |
Separate campaigns
Run client acquisition and candidate attraction as separate campaigns with their own budgets, keywords, negatives, ads and pages. In the client campaign, add 'jobs', 'vacancies', 'salary' and 'apply' as negatives; in the candidate campaign, add terms employers use such as 'hire', 'staffing solutions' and 'agency fees'. Ad text should address one audience clearly: 'Need temporary staff this week?' versus 'Warehouse jobs, start Monday'.
Client campaigns
Employers searching for help often need staff quickly or for a specialist role. Target the sectors and roles you place, and send them to a page explaining how you work, your sectors, typical timescales you can genuinely meet and a short vacancy form or a number to call.
Candidate campaigns
Candidate ads are most useful for roles that are hard to fill through job boards. Send people to the specific vacancy or a registration page for that role type. Check Google's advertising policies for employment-related ads in the markets you target, as rules may apply.
From employer search to fee
Search
Employer needs staff.
Output: Click
Page
Sectors, process, form.
Output: Vacancy enquiry
Brief
Role taken.
Output: Live vacancy
Placement
Candidate starts.
Output: Fee
Record
Source and fee.
Output: Cost per placement
Example: an industrial staffing agency
Illustrative example — not a client case study
Situation: An agency supplies temporary warehouse and driving staff.
- A client campaign targets 'temporary warehouse staff' and 'agency drivers', with job seeker terms as negatives.
- A separate candidate campaign advertises hard-to-fill forklift roles, linking to the vacancy pages.
- Vacancy enquiries and placements are recorded by campaign in the agency's CRM.
What this shows: Each campaign was judged on its own goal. This example is illustrative.
Recruitment Google Ads checks
Structure
- Client and candidate separate
- Sectors as ad groups
Filtering
- Job seeker negatives in client campaigns
- Wording for one audience
Measurement
- Vacancy enquiries tracked
- Placements recorded
Measuring placements
For client campaigns, cost per vacancy enquiry is a leading measure; placements and fees are the real one. Record which enquiries became live roles and which were filled, so campaigns are judged on fees earned.
Tracking and consent
Test each form and call conversion, and handle consent on UK sites under ICO guidance on cookies.
Campaigns by sector
Agencies covering several sectors, such as industrial, office and healthcare staffing, benefit from separate ad groups or campaigns for each, with ads naming the roles and a page explaining how you recruit for that sector. Budgets can then follow the sectors where fees are highest or where you have most capacity to fill roles.
Urgent and permanent needs
Employers needing temporary staff tomorrow search differently from those planning a permanent hire. Words like 'temp', 'cover', 'urgent' and 'today' suggest immediate need; 'permanent', 'headhunter' and 'executive search' suggest a longer process. Match ads and pages to each, and make sure the phone is answered quickly for urgent requests.
Client landing pages
Show the sectors and roles you fill, how your process works, realistic timescales, how fees are structured and examples you have permission to share. A short vacancy form and a direct phone number give employers two easy ways to start.
Budget from fees
Work out the average fee per placement and how many vacancy enquiries usually become placements. That gives the most you can pay per enquiry in the client campaign. Candidate campaigns are judged differently, on applications for roles that would otherwise stay unfilled.
Agency name searches
Searches for your agency's name come from both clients and candidates. Keep them separate and send them to a page that routes each audience quickly.
Questions about Google ads management for recruitment agencies
Who should recruitment ads target?
Employers or candidates, in separate campaigns.
How are job seekers kept out of client campaigns?
Negatives such as jobs, vacancies and salary.
Are candidate ads worthwhile?
Often for hard-to-fill roles.
Are there policy rules for job ads?
Check Google's policies for your markets.
How are client campaigns judged?
On placements and fees.
What should client landing pages show?
Sectors, process, realistic timescales and a form.
Sources referenced
Platform features, guidance and rules change. We check the current versions before committing to an approach. This page is general information, not legal advice.
- Google Ads Help: About negative keywords (opens in a new tab) — reviewed 2026-10-30
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