The vast expansion of social media has created a tremendous impact on our culture and the way we do business. From social networking to recruiting, social media has changed the manner in which employers market their companies and recruit their best hires.

It only makes sense with millions of people communicating through social media daily to take advantage of such access to unlimited marketing and recruiting opportunities. In fact, according to this social media survey, it is estimated that 92 percent of employers adopted some form of social recruiting in 2012. This number is expected to continue to increase over time.

Common mistakes in social media recruiting and why you should avoid them

Today companies are utilizing LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and other social networks to advertise job openings and communicate with interested candidates. While social media is a worthwhile tool for recruiting potential candidates for your organization, it’s easy to make simple mistakes which may cost you and your company time, money and ultimately, the opportunity to reach your top recruit.

To help you reach your social networking potential, we have compiled a list of 7 key mistakes and why you should avoid them:

#1: Not creating a clear social media recruitment strategy

Social media recruiting can create countless opportunities to connect with a vast number of prospective candidates, but your recruiting plan needs to be strong and well-organized before you jump into the game. With so many social media networking options, it is easy to lose sight of your recruiting goals unless you strategize.

A Twitter account or Facebook page won’t be if helpful, for example, If you don’t have time to update or communicate with people. If you don’t have the manpower to cover all bases at one time, you may instead deter top-notch applicants instead of attract.

 #2: Not defining your targeted audience before posting

It’s important you first define your targeted audience and determine the most appropriate avenue for your organization. Having a well-defined target market is essential to growing your social presence. Just as it is expensive and inefficient to try and target everyone with traditional advertising, you will have more success in social media recruiting if you target your specific niche. To zero in on your targeted channels consider demographics of your targeted candidates, analyze where they spend their time and research the competition.

 #3: Not taking the time to build a relationship

They say most of the online community is not actively looking for a job, so use social media to introduce future contenders to your company. While social networking offers the opportunity to create immediate bonds and social connections, it’s much more rewarding long-term to first build trust. Take the time needed to build your company brand and a rapport so you attract the best employees when the time is right.

#4: Failing to create an attractive social presence for your company

In this social media savvy world, people tend to move on quickly if something doesn’t interest them right away. As a recruiter, it’s important to catch a potential employee’s eye and create an image. Ensure your social media presence has interesting, yet informational pages so visitors don’t just breeze by them. Utilize branding opportunities available on your social pages and give candidates a reason to spend more time with your brand.

#5: Not posting relevant content

Nobody likes spam. Some recruiters make the mistake of sending out generic messages to their entire audience base when in fact this strategy is more likely to frustrate people who otherwise would have been interested in your company. Try to tailor your messages to a group within the same profession and/or job category so potential employees don’t start ignoring your posts or block you. The point is to build lasting networking relationships – not sever them.

#6: Not utilizing social media to reach the next generation

It’s easy as a recruiter to leave out a very important networking base — college students. Young people waiting to enter the job market are probably the most savvy when it comes to social media networking which makes them completely reachable without having to spend money on multiple campus visits.  Social media is a great tool for you to identify, attract, and hire the very best fresh graduates while cutting down on your recruiting cost.

#7: Not taking training and/or guidance

If you don’t feel you know how to recruit effectively using social media, be sure you reach out for help. If formal classes are not available, request sample company messages, profiles and a list of dos and don’ts so you can make the most of social media. In addition, request a list of the organization’s best practices and powerful stories to maintain a good supply of content.

What do you think? What are your thoughts on social media recruiting? Please leave your comments below.