Reaching your target market of candidates is currently harder than ever. A single approach to recruitment can no longer be relied on the deliver the results it used to, even 1 or 2 years ago.
At Webrecruit, we help organisations connect with both active jobseekers and passive candidates by using a blended advertising approach, one that combines targeted job board campaigns with smart, proactive outreach across social media and other digital channels.
English Heritage challenged us to fill 17 vacancies for their Historic and Botanic Garden Training Programme. This unique, year-long horticulture initiative is based in some of the UK’s most treasured gardens and offers a lucky few incredible training and a route into the horticulture sector.
This requires a competitive, high-standards recruitment campaign that delivers both on the quality of candidates and the quantity of applicants.
To succeed, they needed:
- Around 400 applications to meet their hiring targets
- A diverse and engaged candidate pool
- People who valued heritage, sustainability, and practical experience
- Both active jobseekers and passive individuals with the right interests and potential
This wasn’t about just filling roles, we needed to attract passionate, purpose-driven people who may not have been actively browsing job boards.
Our Solution: A Multi-Channel, Audience-Led Strategy
We designed a blended advertising campaign to reach the full talent spectrum, aligning job board visibility with proactive targeting across social media.
Here’s how we approached it:
Job Board Advertising
We launched adverts on both broad-reach job boards like Indeed and sector-specific sites like Countryside Jobs Service. These channels helped capture the attention of active candidates already looking for their next opportunity.
Targeted Social Media Campaigns
To access passive talent, we built a paid media strategy across Facebook & Instagram for visual storytelling and targeting based on interests and location, TikTok for engaging short-form video content aimed at younger audiences, and Google Display Network to reach niche audiences through interest-based targeting.
Each individual campaign was carefully tailored with visuals and messaging aligned to the Historic and Botanic Garden Training programme’s mission and values.
Influencer Partnership
We partnered with a well-known garden-focused influencer, whose audience aligns closely with the campaign’s values.
This creator helped us build trust quickly through a well-known subject matter expert, generate authentic engagement with an horticulture-focused audience, and reach thousands of passive followers who may never have seen our job ad.
The Results: 100% Hires and Unmatched ROI
The campaign outperformed expectations:
- 455 total applications (15% more than previous year)
- All 17 roles filled
- 28,582 average reach per influencer post
- 4,000+ link clicks from social media
- 5.53% Facebook CTR (industry average: 0.9–1.2%)
- 4.98% Google Ads CTR (industry average: 0.6–1.2%)
- £372 cost-per-hire
These weren’t just numbers – they were proof that combining channels can improve both quality and volume, and do it more efficiently than using any one method in isolation.
Key Takeaways for Your Hiring Strategy
- Job boards still matter – but only reach part of the market
- Passive candidates won’t apply unless you go where they are
- Social media and influencer content can elevate your brand and connect with new audiences
- A multi-channel strategy isn’t more expensive – it’s more effective
In a competitive hiring landscape, standing out means being present across the full talent spectrum and that’s exactly what we help you do. We can create a tailored recruitment strategy for you that reaches both active job seekers and passive talent who may not be searching but are open to the right opportunity.
We have teams of experts ready to deliver great results for your blended advertising campaigns. Get in touch with us to discuss your recruitment campaign needs.