During a workforce shortage, gaining customers and their loyalty isn’t your only problem. Hiring and keeping employees is paramount, especially when the job market is hot.
Fortunately, digital marketing can help you do that. In fact, many of the same tools and strategies marketers use to reach customers can be applied to recruitment marketing. And even though you may have dedicated recruiters, your marketing team can help carry some of this load by projecting your brand, its mission and its openings out into the world.
According to LinkedIn, 70% of the global workforce is passively looking at work opportunities, with the remaining 30% actively seeking jobs. So while that 70% may not be actively searching job boards on LinkedIn or Indeed, but they might be open to a job listing promoted on Instagram from a brand they already follow. Good brand marketing attracts good candidates – plain and simple.
In your quest for the best employees, your marketing strategy is more important than you might think. Here’s how digital marketing can play a role in your recruitment strategy during a workforce shortage.
Using Digital Marketing to Reach Potential Candidates
Make Sure Your Brand Reputation is Up to Snuff
Candidates are more likely to want to work for you if your brand is recognizable and has a positive image. Your marketing is key to developing those traits. Plus, potential candidates will do their research by checking out your brand online. 62% of job seekers use social media channels to evaluate the brand of a company. Many will also evaluate your website, Google reviews and other third-party reviews. If you’re struggling with poor brand image that’s keeping candidates from wanting to work with you, there’s likely some marketing work that needs to be done.
Dial-In Your Value Proposition as an Employer
Just like you’d pitch your product or service to a customer, you’ll need to perfect your employer pitch to candidates. This is where a marketing copywriter can work wonders. A copywriter has the skills to dial in on what sets you apart from other organizations as an employer. Make sure you take some time to reflect on our company’s culture, your stand-out benefits, and any other pain points you can help solve for a potential employee. This might require some good old fashioned branding work, but it’s well worth it to find the right employees that connect with your brand.
Use Social Media to Your Advantage
Using social media to market jobs is an emerging trend to pay attention to. A recent study by Clutch found that 14% of recent hires found their jobs through social media. Facebook, for example, now offers special features for companies who are looking to hire local candidates. It’s also becoming more and more common to see job opportunities promoted on Instagram.
It makes sense. People form bonds with their favorite brands through social media, so if a job in their field is posted by a brand they love, they’ll be more likely to apply.
You can also use social media to showcase the benefits of your business as an employer. Share photos that emphasize work-life balance or paid volunteer hours. Share video interviews of your staff, talking about why they love working for your organization. Get creative.
Engage Employees in Your Recruitment Marketing Efforts
Your employees can be your best recruiters. Peer-to-peer influence is huge when it comes to choosing where to work. It also increases your chance of hiring based on employee referral, which generally results in higher quality, long-term employees. You can use this to your advantage with interal marketing to your employees.
There are lots of ways to do this. Here are just a few:
- After a set period of employment, set an automated email that invites employees to leave an honest review of your organization on Glassdoor.
- Encourage employees to tag your organization or use a set hashtag at company-wide events or other initiatives.
- Send out news internally to your employees about increased benefits, sustainability initiatives, or other positive improvements you’re making in your company, and make it easy for them to share the information with their networks.
- Recognize employees through social media platforms when they hit certain milestones, like 5 years of employment. They’ll be likely to share on their channels, raising brand awareness.
- Share your open positions with employees across the company, and encourage them to share the opportunities on social media.
A Marketing Agency Can Help You Reach Potential Candidates
During a worker shortage, organizations need all the help they can get to hire staff and keep them. Hiring the right agency partner can be the edge you need, bringing marketing expertise to your recruitment strategy. Not to mention, bringing on a marketing agency can keep you from overloading your already busy recruiters. If you’re struggling with staffing issues, it’s worth seeing how a marketing agency like PRIME can help. Reach out to us to discuss the challenges you’re facing, and we’ll find a way to reach your goals together.
If you enjoyed this edition of PRIME Pulse, take a look at some of our other related articles:
- Tips for a Successful Partnership With a Marketing Agency
- The Ultimate Digital Marketing Dictionary
- 3 Questions to Ask When Courting a Marketing Agency
