How to Set up Google for Jobs and Google Analytics

What is Google for Jobs?

Google for Jobs is a job search feature integrated into Google’s search engine that displays job postings directly in search results. When job seekers use Google to find job listings, Google scans the web, gathers information from job postings, and presents these jobs at the top of the search results in a dedicated job box. Integrating Firefish with Google for Jobs boosts your job postings in Google search results, reaching more potential candidates.

For more detailed information, you can download the Google for Jobs eBook.

How Firefish integrates with Google for Jobs

Firefish has optimised your adverts so Google will display your jobs in Google for Jobs searches.

Google recognises and crawls your adverts only when your adverts are structured in a format that's in line with the Google job-posting schema.

Firefish does this automatically so you can be sure that Google will recognise and pull out jobs you post through Firefish and presents them clearly in Google search results:

Firefish also has a Google Indexing API that notifies Google when a job advert has been created, updated or removed from your website.

This ensures Google For Jobs is displaying the most up-to-date version of your jobs. Once you have the API set up, Google will continue to add and remove jobs in line with the content of your jobs pages.

Setting up Google for Jobs

Setting up Google for Jobs in Firefish takes around 10-20 minutes. There are two main elements you need to configure:

1. Google Indexing API: This API lets Google know whenever a job on your website is created, updated, or removed.
2. Job-Posting Properties: These define how Google displays your job adverts, using specific fields from your Firefish settings.

Super Users can edit these by going to Settings > Integrations > Google Analytics.

Setting up Google Indexing API

Follow these 4 steps to enable the Indexing API between Google and Firefish:

Did you remember to take a note of the Service Account Email Address earlier? Don't worry, you can click on the Details tab, and take a note of it - you'll need it in Step 3!

Step 1 (the longest part) is now completed!

Step 2: Enable the Google Indexing API

In Google Developers Console,

• Click APIs & Services
  
• Click Enable APIs and Service
  
  
• In the search box enter "Indexing API", then hit Enter
  
• Click Web Search Indexing API
  
  
• Now click Enable
  
  

Step 2 is now completed!

Step 3: Verify Your Website in Google Analytics

Verify your website by visiting the Google Search Console.

• Choose the URL prefix option and enter your domain
  
• Select the HTML Tag verification option then copy the tag using the Copy button:

• Then you will need to Paste this into the Google Page Tracking Script box within Firefish, then scroll to the bottom of the page and click Save:

• Back on the Google Search Console, click VERIFY on the Google Search Console pop up, then click Done.
• ALMOST DONE!!
• Go to Settings > Users and permissions
  
• Click Add User, then enter the email address saved in Step 1, and grant Full permission, then click Add.
  

Step 3 is now completed!

Step 4: Add the API Key to Firefish

• Open the JSON file from Step 1, copy its contents
• Paste the script in Settings > Integrations > Google Analytics > Google Service Account Key in Firefish.
• Click on Test Google service key
• Finally, go to Website >Web Settings>Tracking Codes in Firefish and ensure the checkbox for Enable search engines is ticked:
  

Step 4 is now completed and your integration is completed! 🎉

Updating your Job-posting Properties

Firefish allows you to choose what information Google picks up from your adverts.

Super Users can select the info by going to Settings >Integrations>Google Analytics and scroll down to the Job Posting Properties section

Firefish displays all of the required fields by default and next to each field you'll see a brief description.

Simply tick or un-tick the fields to choose what you want to display.

Please note: Certain fields are mandatory and/or recommended.

A red warning will appear if a field is mandatory and an orange warning if a field is recommended.

Here is a list of the kind of information you can choose to display to Google:

How to test your adverts

Once you've decided which properties should be included in your adverts on Google, you can use Google's Testing Tool to test that all the fields are getting picked up correctly and preview how it will look on Google for Jobs listings.

Google For Jobs FAQs and Troubleshooting

While we try to provide Google with the most accurate information possible, there are some things we don't have full control over.

These are...

• The order in which your adverts appear on Google for Jobs

• The 'Apply On' button on the Google job page

When selecting your salary range for your advert, make sure that the maximum value isn't set to the very maximum on the salary slider range.

When at the maximum a + symbol will appear after the salary value; Google for Jobs won't always recognise this and your salary range may not appear on the Google for Jobs advert

Closed Adverts

Firefish follows Google’s recommendation (Learn About Job Posting Schema Markup | Google Search Central) on what should happen when an advert expires to avoid Google downgrading the website. When an advert expires or is closed, we update the validThrough job posting property to the closing date of the advert - this is what informs Google that the advert is no longer live.

Candidates may still click through to a closed advert via Google, whilst the advert is being updated. In this scenario, the candidate will be directed to the advert page however the 'Apply' button will be disabled and a Closed Advert message will be displayed to inform the candidate that the advert is closed and to direct them to view other live adverts. By doing this, Firefish attempts to convert the traffic to your jobs page, even when a candidate lands on a closed advert.

You can also edit the Closed Advert message via your Web Messages settings.

Why Google for Jobs Integration is Important

Integrating with Google for Jobs ensures that your job adverts reach the widest possible audience. With job listings appearing prominently in Google search results, your roles will be more accessible to job seekers who may not be actively visiting job boards. This increased visibility translates to a higher number of applicants and more relevant candidate traffic to your website.

Additionally, by using the Google Indexing API, your job listings are kept up to date. This prevents potential applicants from viewing outdated or expired job postings, improving the overall user experience, and enhancing your recruitment efforts.