The Top 5 Social Media Sites for Employer Branding
Think your recruiting strategy can get by without being active on social media? Think again! While sites like Monster and Indeed are great for sharing job openings, social media provides an incredible platform to tell your brand’s story, get the word out about open positions, and network with tech-savvy talent. Chances are, your prospective employees are spending time researching your company on social media channels like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, so creating content that inspires them to join your team is crucial.
But, not all social media platforms are created equal. Read on to discover the five best social media sites for employer branding, and learn how to use them to strategically attract new employees.
#1. Facebook
With over 2.45 billion users, Facebook by far has the largest reach of any social media platform. Collaborate with your marketing team to support a streamlined company Facebook page, or set up a new page strictly devoted to employer branding. However you choose to manage your page, use it to share interactive content, including industry-related news, new job openings, and behind-the-scenes look at what it’s like to be apart of your company.
Facebook supports a variety of ways to help you engage with your audience. The live video feature provides recruiters with opportunities to network with prospective clients in real time, so consider hosting live office tours or Q&A sessions to increase engagement.
#2. Instagram
High-resolution photos with eye-catching composition is the name of the game when it comes to building your Instagram feed. Use event or project photos to highlight company culture, or encourage employees to share their own photos using a company hashtag.
While your Instagram feed may require a more curated feel, Instagram stories give you a chance to showcase a more candid, fun look at your company. Including polls and questions in your stories will give your audience a chance to directly interact with your recruitment team and in turn share valuable information with interested candidates.
#3. LinkedIn
LinkedIn is the social media designed for professionals and a key platform for employer branding. Create your employer page and include as much information as possible, including business address, email, phone number, and logo. From there, take advantage of the “careers” tab to post new positions.
As for what kind of content to share, the sky’s the limit. From office photos to blog posts, LinkedIn allows a place for both existing and prospective employees to engage with your team.
#4. Twitter
Unlike other social media platforms, no one has to follow your Twitter account to see your content. That makes Twitter a powerful — and often intimidating — employer branding tool. Similar to LinkedIn, focus on optimizing your profile page by fine-tuning your header image, bio, and pinned tweet. Find your target audience and determine what kind of content would drive engagement, and use hashtags to help identify potential candidates.
#5. YouTube
It’s been said that if content is king, then video is its crown. Google prefers video content over text alone, and content uploaded to a company YouTube page can be shared across multiple social media channels.
That being said, creating quality videos can be pricey and out of reach for small business with limited budgets. Get the most bang for your buck by simply using a smartphone to record employee interviews and highlight corporate values.
Honorable Mention: SnapChat
Just a few years ago, SnapChat would have topped the list of best social media sites for attracting Millennial and Gen Z job candidates, but the recent decline in users keeps us from including it in our top five. If your team has the bandwidth and resources to keep a regular flow of content streaming on SnapChat, it’s a great tool to reach young professionals with creative content. On the other hand, if your HR team is already stretched thin, time would be better spent developing employer branding through other social media channels.
What’s your favorite social media site for employer branding?
