How to Avoid Having an Ugly Recruitment Website
wow • September 17, 2020
Websites are important for every business. In today’s digital age, having accessible online information is crucial for success. Just having
a website isn’t enough, though. What matters is what’s on your website.
Website content needs to be geared toward making the consumer want to interact and engage with it. So, let’s take a look at what not to do when creating an appealing website, and I’ll show you what you should do instead along the way.
You’ve read this far for one of three reasons:
No matter the reason, you’re here for a solution, so let’s dive right in. Before we discuss any more, take a look at this website: http://thebiguglywebsite.com/. Don’t worry, it’s safe for work!
Are your eyes bleeding yet? I wouldn’t blame you.
We know your website can’t possibly look this bad, and we also know that this website is TRYING to look bad. Now, what are the chances you scrolled down to see what was listed on this site? If they gave out a million dollars at the bottom for clicking a link, chances are that you wouldn’t have walked away with a penny.
Why is this? Consumers don’t want to engage with unattractive content. Think of your own website content for a moment. If somebody looked at it and felt the same way you just felt, do you think they would stay and interact with it? Probably not.
Start by thinking of all the things you’ve hated on websites you’ve visited in the past. Chances are, one or more of these was on your list. If they weren’t, they will be now.
1. Ugly domain
Do you find it easier to go back to a website with a simple domain like website.com (an example), or do you prefer to type in randomwebsite123.org/data0=184/net%/ (another example)? You may be saying, “But hey, I just Google the name and click on the link!” Sure that might work for you usually, but would you be happy having to find your favorite and most visited websites by Googling them every single day? You’re better off having a website that people can remember if they choose to. A consumer’s first impression of a website is largely design-related, so don’t you think some of the people in that category want to see a neat and tidy domain? Of course they do!
2. Long loading times
I considered leaving a bunch of blank space here so you would have to scroll down and waste your time to prove my point, but I decided to make you read this sentence instead.
Consumers hate
waiting. This is the digital age of instant
information. It takes consumers only a split second to form an opinion about your website. That tiny amount of time shouldn’t be spent on a blank loading screen! Even worse than that, if there is a long loading time every time a consumer tries to interact with your website or navigate the different pages, they are going to get increasingly annoyed.
Here is the worst case scenario: You have a consumer who is ready to buy from your online shop, they start gathering up products into their cart, then they get fed up with waiting and instead buy from your competitor. Want to avoid the tragedy? Keep it fast!
3. Complicated or overwhelming interface
Does your website have too many buttons on it? Are people being bombarded with information? People are being trained to ignore huge amounts of website content due to websites crawling with ads. Keep it simple and focus on important topics or focal points that they can engage with. With plenty of consumers abandoning a site due to poor design, you can’t afford to hide your crucial information in text-garbage. Don’t lose consumers because they can’t find where you hid the crucial information on your jumbled page.
4. Automatic music or videos
Many people listen to music while they work or surf in their free time. If you’ve ever noticed a little speaker icon on the right side of your internet tabs, it means that sound is coming from that page. Many people’s first instinct is to kill that tab because it’s forcing disruptive sound onto their experience, and autoplaying audio or visual content can cause valuable consumers to leave your site.
If you have videos on your main page, great! Just make sure you let people click the play button on their own. At the very least, it will give consumers a chance to silence their other music and video sources before they listen.
5. Website doesn’t scale
Do you always look at a website on your computer, or do you sometimes use your phone or tablet? Don’t you hate it when you’re interacting with website content on your phone and you have to scroll all the way to the right to read the full line and then scroll all the way back for the next line? It’s terrible! Make sure your website bends and twists to fit every screen—this is called responsive web design, and it’s very important. If people don’t realize your website actually operates differently on their smaller screen, you’ve done something right.
Your website content is one of your most important marketing tools. Whether or not people engage can mean the difference between one dollar and one million dollars in revenue. It’s worth it to take the time to make your website beautiful.

By Nicole Clarke
•
October 28, 2025
How to Track Your LinkedIn Leads (and Finally See What’s Working) Most recruitment agencies post regularly on LinkedIn, but few actually know what’s working. You might get great engagement, but how do you know if those likes and clicks are turning into new clients or candidate enquiries? If you’re not tracking your leads, you’re flying blind. The good news is that it’s incredibly easy to fix. You just need a simple setup using UTM tracking and Google Analytics (GA4) . Here’s how to do it properly so you can see exactly which posts, people, and campaigns are driving real results. Step 1: Add UTM Links to Every LinkedIn Post Whenever you share a link on LinkedIn, whether it’s to a job, a blog, other content or a “book a demo” page etc you should add a little bit of tracking code at the end of your URL. This code is called a UTM , and it tells you exactly where your traffic came from once people land on your website. Example: https://www.xyzrecruitment.com/book-demo?utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=demo_launch&utm_content=post1 Here’s what each tag means: utm_source=linkedin → tells you the traffic came from LinkedIn utm_medium=social → identifies it as an organic social post utm_campaign=demo_launch → labels your specific campaign utm_content=post1 → helps you see which post or person shared it You can use Google’s free Campaign URL Builder to generate these in seconds. Step 2: Use Tagged Links in Every Post and Profile Once you’ve created your UTM-tagged links, use them everywhere you share links from LinkedIn: Company updates Recruiter and consultant posts LinkedIn articles or newsletters Comments and DMs If multiple people in your team are posting, give each person their own UTM content tag (for example: utm_content=sarah_post or utm_content=liam_article ) so you can easily see who’s driving the most traffic or conversions. Step 3: Track the Results in Google Analytics 4 With your UTM links live, it’s time to see what’s working. In Google Analytics (GA4) , go to: Reports → Acquisition → Traffic Acquisition Filter by: Source / Medium = linkedin / social Now you’ll see: How many visitors came from LinkedIn Which pages they viewed Whether they filled out a form, booked a demo, or applied for a role That’s how you finally connect your LinkedIn activity to actual business outcomes. Step 4: If You Run Paid Ads — Connect LinkedIn to GA4 If you’re also running LinkedIn Ads , connect your LinkedIn Campaign Manager to GA4 . This gives you the complete picture, not just clicks and impressions, but which ads and audiences are driving conversions. Step 5: Create a Simple Dashboard Once you’re tracking everything, pull it together in a Google Looker Studio (Data Studio) dashboard. You’ll get a clear visual of: Traffic from LinkedIn (organic + paid) Conversions by campaign Which recruiters generate the most leads Your overall ROI from LinkedIn It’s simple, visual, and finally gives you proof of what’s working. Why This Matters for Recruitment Agencies Without UTM tracking, your LinkedIn traffic shows up in Google Analytics as “direct” or “referral”, which tells you nothing. With proper tracking, you’ll know: Which campaigns or posts bring in new client leads Which recruiters or consultants drive the most engagement What content types actually convert It’s not about guessing, it’s about growing with real data. Quick Recap Step 1: Add UTM links to every LinkedIn post — Tracks traffic accurately Step 2: Use consistent naming — Keeps your data clean Step 3: Check GA4 reports — See conversions clearly Step 4: Connect LinkedIn Ads — Measure full ROI Step 5: Build a dashboard — See what’s working at a glance Final Tip Consistency is key! One untagged link can throw off your data. Once you start tracking properly, you’ll quickly see which content drives leads and where to focus your marketing energy next. If you’d like help setting up UTM links or building a simple LinkedIn-to-GA4 dashboard, contact the team at www.shazamme.com we can show you exactly how to do it right!

September 29, 2025
The trick with AI is not simply using it but using it intelligently. This means understanding AI's limitations and using it to complement, not replace, human expertise. While proper use of AI is essential for everyone, it’s especially critical for agencies that rely on efficiency for survival and prosperity. Falling behind in AI adoption can lead to missed opportunities and reduced market relevance. Therefore, staying informed about AI advancements is crucial for marketing agencies. As AI tools evolve rapidly, agencies must continuously update their knowledge and integrate the latest innovations. This blog post compiles key resources to help agencies stay informed and proficient in AI marketing. Marketing AI Institute Blog The Marketing AI Institute blog is a premier resource that covers all aspects of AI in marketing. It offers insights into AI tools, trends, and practical applications, helping marketers understand how to integrate AI into their strategies effectively. 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