Dos and Don’ts of Employer Branding on Social Media

Editor’s Note: Employer branding firm Universum recently released its Inside Social Media  report, which surveys the “current state of the social media landscape for employer brands and the trends shaping how and where you engage talent today.” This is the fourth and final piece in a series of articles based on the report. Read the first installment here, the second installment here, and the third installment here.

We all know that social media has changed how we communicate with on another. Just look at how widespread use of the acronym “LOL” is!

Millions of people are communicating on social media every day – not only in their personal lives, but also in their professional lives.

According to Universum research, 35 percent of HR/recruitment managers  know that social media is the most important digital tool for communicating with candidates – more important than the company website. And the importance of social media is only going to grow: Our 2020 Outlook report revealed that 38 percent of executives  believe they’ll use social media for employer branding much more in the future.

To successfully use social media as part of your employer branding strategy, you need to know which tactics work best and which pitfalls to avoid. Here are a few dos and don’ts to help you make the most of social media:

Do: Be Specific

One of the most common pieces of advice is to engage your audience through customized content that gives them insight into important and interesting elements of your business. But that advice doesn’t provide tangible direction on what you should actually be doing.

For your social media-based employer branding strategy, you should utilize content that focuses on what day-to-day life is like for the typical employee. Use videos and blog posts to share specific details that are unique to your organization. Avoid generalizations and cliches that don’t convey what your company is all about. Consider holding an interactive Q&A session over one of your social media channels to answer candidates’ questions about what it’s like to work at your company.

Don’t: Forget the Visuals

For many of us, social media is a text-based medium. After all, a tweet is 140 characters – not a series of images. But people engage more fully with content that contains visual components.

Don’t use poor images, stock photos, or clip art. Instead make it personal: Take high-quality photos of key events related to important activities in your office.

Also, be sure to use video wisely and well. You might consider creating a “day in the life” video to showcase what it’s really like to work at your company. If done well, the video can be used to engage potential candidates while supplementing your broader strategy by showing what working for your business entails.

Do: Be Honest

It can be really easy to misrepresent yourself and your business on social media. Even if it’s unintentional, your efforts to sell yourself can present an overly idealized version of your business. Every business faces challenges, and presenting those obstacles honestly can build credibility and deter candidates who would not be a good fit for your organization.

–

Above all else, be purposeful with your social media content. Use the tips above to craft a strategy – and then follow it. If you can capitalize on the strengths of social media and avoid its traps, your employer brand will truly benefit.

A version of this article originally appeared on Universum.

Carly Creighton is the managing director, Latin America, at Universum.