Aug 6, 2023

How to create top-notch employer branding content

How to start with your employer's content creation?

First of all, forget about that blockbuster recruiting campaign for one of the major brands that you saw recently. Yes, the photography, editing and artistic directions were sensational. So, why should I forget about it then? First, you would spend your lifetime marketing budget to produce such a movie. Second, investing a lot of resources on one piece of content has never been a guarantee for good results. But for what matters to us, don't all these videos look like commercials rather than genuine workplace presentations?

Applicants feel that these high-budget productions are sanitised marketing campaigns. Therefore, they only meet their target for tech companies such as Airbnb, Apple or Google. Otherwise, candidates pass as they are looking for authenticity. They want to get what they see, not discovering the actual company culture after finishing their probation period.

However, the good news is that you have all the resources to create content that sounds authentic: the people, knowledge, culture, clients portfolio, uniqueness, supply chain, values and so on. If I had only one advice to give you, it would be to bet on your employees. Your staff is the critical resource to convey your company culture and, therefore, your employer's brand. Who can better talk about their role and your company after all? Your team can create a solid and trustworthy link with aspirational applicants. It might sound counter-intuitive, but your employees are three times more credible than your CEO.

However, studies show that employees' engagement rate is abysmal. Only 2% of employees share their employer's social media content. More importantly, that 2% account for 20% of any company's total engagement rate online, proving how valuable your employees' recommendations can be.

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How to increase your employees' engagement?

Start small is the most obvious answer. Indeed, it won't be easy to involve your employees in your communication strategy from the beginning. Approach this strategically, step by step.

First, identify your first advocates. Start by listing your top recruiting priorities. You certainly have teams that have a (desperate) need to grow. It is from one of those teams that you may find your first advocates. Over time, you will observe a snowball effect. Some other employees will want to participate, either because they will want more exposure or start understanding the shared benefits.

Second, explain a handful of times why it matters. As soon as you have identified your advocates, you should find some incentives to pick up their interest. Human is an interested animal. Therefore, it is barely possible to get someone's enthusiasm if they don't get any reward. That's why my recommendation is to emphasise how much their commitment will reinforce their credibility on the market. By gaining more exposure, they will be seen as voices in their field, expand their network and broaden their expertise. You can also emphasise that creating content for the business will increase the likelihood of attracting applicants baring the same culture and values.

Finally, get your employees' involvement throughout the project. If your content is a video, I recommend you don't treat them as "simple" actors. Involve them from the discovery phase to the shooting, including the scriptwriting, tone choosing, and artistic direction. After all, they know better than you what looks like their life at your company. By having an employee-first approach, you will increase their loyalty, which is the main driving force for better social engagement and excellent results.