Hiring is getting more and more competitive. It is not enough to put out an ad and wait for the flood of resumes if you're looking for talented and high-performing people to join your team. Building and nurturing your employer brand is essential to attracting the best fit for your organization and gaining a competitive edge. There are several ways to showcase your company and its culture and benefits, and social media is a solid avenue to explore.
According to this study by Pew Research, over 70% of Americans are actively using social media. By engaging current and potential employees on social media, you are meeting them where they already are, not hoping for them to find you. 50% of job applicants are following companies they potentially want to work for so they can stay in the loop about job openings. And many more are researching employers on social media even if they don't necessarily follow a brand's page.
So how can you take advantage of these statistics and establish an image that top candidates are attracted to? We're happy you asked! Here are ten tips for building your social media presence to reflect your employer brand.
- Choose the right platform(s) - Where do your current employees spend time on social media? If you're looking for more people similar to the team you've got, make sure you create an online presence there too. Not only will you attract more of the same people, but your current team will have more opportunities to engage with your brand. A few specific recommendations include:
LinkedIn - probably the most popular site for professional networking, LinkedIn connects employers with candidates in a unique way than other platforms.
Facebook: boasting the most users of any social media platform, Facebook could help you reach the most people.
Instagram: More recent generations have embraced the 'Gram for its clean and simplistic photo posting and viewing. - Employee spotlights - Give future employees a glimpse at who they're working with by providing employee spotlights! Learning about others who work at the company can offer candidates a chance to connect with the team and encourage them to apply. How do you get this info? Create a fun employee survey that asks questions like favorite foods, vacation spots, current pets, and surprising facts.
Bonus tip: if you need time to gather this info, don't let that stop you! Share employee birthdays and anniversaries to gain an immediate presence on social! - Employee achievements - Another great way to showcase your culture is through promoting the accomplishments of your team! Show support when employees earn a certification or brag about how they live your core values. By taking the time to recognize your team, you are sending the message that you're invested in your people and that you care.
- A day in the life - Create a short video or picture story of what it's like to work at your company. From that first morning coffee to the department meeting followed by lunch with friends, give an insight into what someone can expect if they worked for you.
- Office setup - What does it look like where you work? Maybe you're in the office and want to show the bullpen or the breakroom. Maybe your team is remote and everyone has a sweet setup you helped them build. Either way, give future employees a glimpse at the comfortable environment you provide for your team.
- Perks & benefits - While employee engagement isn't all about foosball tables and kegerators, those things can add value to your posts. Do you host monthly catered lunch 'n learns? Share it! Do you provide ongoing professional trainings to advance careers? Do you bring in a financial advisor annually to help your team with their personal budgets? Do you give out Fitbits and host fitness challenges? These fantastic perks add value to the lives of your team members! Show them off!
- Awards - Do you have an award-winning organization? Maybe you won Small Business of the Year from your local chamber or maybe, like us, you have won Inc.'s Best Places to Work! Employees are attracted to successful companies so apply for awards and shout it from the rooftops when you win!
Bonus tip: share client reviews. Just as people want to work for companies that are good to their employees, they also want to work for companies that make their client base happy. So share testimonials, Yelp reviews, Google reviews, or any other place where customers talk you up! - Company events - From staff meetings to volunteer days to happy hours, be sure to share when your company gathers and connects. Take photos of these events and let the good times roll! Sharing ways you interact as a team provides insight into what your organization prioritizes, and how supportive you are of team-building.
Bonus tip: create quick and easy frames and graphics for your images using tools like Canva! - Tag employees and create hashtags - When posting to social media, make sure you find opportunities to tag (with the @ symbol) your employees. If it's someone's birthday or they just passed an exam, make sure to give them full credit and visibility by tagging them across the platforms you've shared the news on! Additionally, create hashtags specific to your company. It could be #YourCompanyName or #YourCompanySlogan or #InsideJokeYourEmployeesLove. And don't forget to use hashtags relevant to your industry and content to gain even more reach!
- Content created by your employees - When using social media, it doesn't have to all fall on one person to come up with great ideas. Do you have an employee who likes to write or draw? Showcase their work and give them the glory! Have someone who is well-versed in a subject? Interview them and have them post to their LinkedIn and then share from there. Record a video of what they love about working at your company and post it to Facebook, so they are front and center of the feed. Find ways to include your team and the likes, comments, follows and candidate pool will grow naturally!
All in all, be consistent, be authentic, and just get started! The people you want working for you need to see what you have to offer. Go where they are and show off what an incredible work environment you can provide. And if you have questions or need help, contact our marketing team. We'd be glad to share more of what we've learned in our own journey.
