SEO? GEO?
To win, you need a new strategy.
Search used to be simple. Type a question. Click a link. Read the answer. Done.
But today, your clients and candidates are skipping the click. Whether they start their search in Google or go straight to a platform like ChatGPT, one thing is clear: They want answers. Now.
That’s a seismic shift for any company that depends on search to drive business. And if you’re in staffing—that’s you.
Whether you’re attracting candidates to your open jobs or courting new clients, the people you want to reach are looking for information in a whole new way.
They Ask, You Answer
This week, I had a chance see (live and in person) one of my favorite marketers, Marcus Sheridan. He’s the author of They Ask, You Answer and Endless Customers.
As Marcus put it: “The days of people clicking blue links in Google results are done."
Let that sink in.
How will you win in this new AI-first world?
Marcus’s advice: "Obsess about the questions your clients are asking…and the fears they have.”
He told us that we all have to think and act like media companies—providing exceptional content that answers those questions and addresses those fears.
The goal is not just to win GEO (Generative Engine Optimization); it’s to make yourself into the most trusted staffing brand in your market.
Four Pillars of Trust In the presentation, Marcus outlined four pillars for building a brand that people will trust…and LLMs will reference.
PILLAR 1: Say what others will not say Transparency isn’t optional. It’s the currency of trust. People are sick of corporate fluff and stories with “spin.” They want real answers—even when the questions are uncomfortable.
In the book They Ask, You Answer, Marcus outlined the top five topics people will search for:
Price (e.g., what do staffing companies charge?) Best (e.g., best staffing agencies in Boston) Reviews (e.g., your company name followed by “reviews”) Versus comparisons (e.g., company A vs Company B) Problems (e.g., Is it true that…)
To build trust, you need to be willing to answer these kinds of questions —openly and honestly. Even when your company may not come out on top. Here are a few specific tactics a staffing company might consider:
Write a plain-English guide to your pricing model. Include markups, hidden costs, and real-world examples. Compare yourself to the alternatives: internal hiring, RPO, offshore recruiting. Answer the awkward candidate questions: “Why do staffing agencies take a cut?” “What happens when an assignment ends suddenly?” Publish posts like “When staffing isn’t the right solution” or “How to tell if you need a recruiter at all.
PILLAR 2: Show what others will not show (video) Video builds trust at the speed of sight. Most staffing firms barely use video.
Your opportunity? Be the exception. Get on camera and provide answers to those same questions listed above. Start a video podcast. Go live on LinkedIn.
YouTube has become the university of everything. Use that to your advantage.
Here are a few specific ideas for staffing videos:
A short explainer video: “What Happens After You Apply with Us?” (embed it on your job pages). Recruiters talking through what they actually do (spoiler: it’s more than just reading resumes). Behind-the-scenes onboarding (help job seekers see what to expect). Client explainer videos: “How We Vet Talent” or “The Hidden Costs of a Bad Hire.” A library of video FAQs (use them in follow-ups and sales outreach).
PILLAR 3: Sell in a way others are not willing to sell Modern sales isn’t about pressure. It’s about power—the power of teaching. Your clients want to feel smart, not sold to.
This is something we have always believed in at Haley Marketing: use content to educate, inform, and build trust over time.
Marcus took this a step further with recommendations that companies create more tools for “self service” buyers. While staffing is not a self-service industry, the people who buy staffing (and apply to jobs) want to do their own evaluation before they every speak with you.
So what could self-service look like in staffing:
Self-assessment tools (e.g., job post grader) Self-selection tools (e.g., cost comparison OT vs temp vs hiring) Self-pricing tools (e.g., cost range for various services) Self-scheduling tools (e.g., you’re probably already using Calendly!)
Here are a few more specific tactics for staffing agencies to sell differently:
Equip your sales team with high-value content they can send or drop off before the first meeting. Think: videos, guides, and calculators. Create an interactive tool: “Build Your Workforce Plan” or “Cost of Vacancy Calculator.” In your proposals, spell out what you do well—and what you don’t. Record short, personalized recap videos after meetings. No one else is doing this. It will set you apart.
PILLAR 4: Be more human than others are willing to be Your people are your brand. Show them. Trust is built through empathy. Through shared stories. Through actual human connection.
Are your people visible to your clients and prospects?
You’ve probably heard a lot of talk about personal brands in recent years. While we often think of personal brands as being something for “influencers,” they are just as important for companies—like yours—that want to humanize themselves.
Personal branding should include senior leaders, salespeople, recruiters, and just about anyone who could interact with clients and candidates.
A few ideas for making your staffing brand more human:
Publish employee profiles on your websites with personal stories, hobbies, and favorite placements Let your team post on LinkedIn—authentically. Celebrate wins. Share challenges. Reflect. LinkedIn is also an ideal platform to convey thought leadership content. Write content like: “Why We Struggled to Find Skilled Forklift Drivers This Year.” Ditch the jargon. Emails, blogs, proposals—everything should sound like a real person wrote it.
SEO isn’t dead. It’s just evolving.
Generative engines like ChatGPT aren’t killing search. They’re changing the rules.
And that’s good news. Because most staffing firms are still playing by the old ones. Want to win in GEO?
Obsess over your clients’ and candidates’ questions. Publish content that AI wants to surface. Build trust by being bold, transparent, visual, and human.
You don’t need to out-spend your competitors.
You just need to out-answer them. If you want to rethink your SEO, sales, and content strategy to thrive in an AI-first world, let’s talk. |
