As we’re wrapping up 2016 and you’re getting your recruiting game plan together for 2017, what are some questions all driver recruiters should be asking themselves? Here are our top 5 …

1. How’s freight lookin’? Slow freight in 2016 impacted recruiting for many motor carriers, so a great question to ask is what is the forecast for freight in 2017? Economists believe that freight will be stronger (even if just a little) in 2017, with improvement in retail sales, housing starts, and factory outputs picking up. In addition, there has been significant progress in clearing out excess stocks of inventory throughout the supply chain. When freight improves, driver recruiting budgets will most likely beef up, and driver needs will increase. If you cut your recruitment advertising budget in 2016, keep in mind, catching up to where you were before the cut will take some time.
2. How will the ELD Mandate affect you? The Electronic Log mandate will no doubt have a significant impact on trucking. With the deadline of December, 2017 looming, many small carriers will be scrambling to comply with the new regulations. This presents a recruiting opportunity for the carriers who are already compliant, and could also impact capacity once the industry is streamlined and all trucks are equipped with ELDs.
3. Is my Recruiting Department set up for all driver generations? In today’s social and digital world, recruiting departments must be set up to recruit to all generations. This means maximizing driver touchpoints with a diverse media mix, considering assigning some of your recruiters to work social media leads only, or looking at sourcing your leads in a different way. We recommend conducting an audit of how you communicate with all driver generations to identify gaps and fill those with strategy to communicate effectively.
4. Insta-What? Instagram is used by 48.8% of brands. This is expected to rise to 70.7% in 2017. Instagram will continue to edge out Twitter when it comes to marketing. Instagram Stories will also allow brands to further break down the barrier and connect with their audience. According to Instagram Advertiser statistics, 50% of Instagram users follow at least one business, 60% say that they learn about a company on the platform, and 75% of Instagram users take action, such as visiting a landing page, after looking at an Instagram advertising post. If Instagram isn’t in your media mix for 2017, consider adding it to your strategy.
5. Is mobile-friendly enough? The short answer is no. Just having a web site that is mobile-friendly isn’t enough. In fact, it’s imperative that all landing pages and websites are built with a mobile-first architecture to ensure quick indexing by Google and other search engines. It is no longer enough just to be mobile-friendly. Mobile traffic to driver recruiting landing pages and web sites will be over 90% in 2017. That is a combination of smart phone users and tablet users.

Did these questions give you a good start in evaluating your recruiting plans for 2017? Want to hear the last five questions that wrap up our Top 10 Questions for Recruiters in 2017? Drop us a line here, and we’ll send you the remaining five questions so you’re set up for success in 2017.