In today’s social media-driven world, one of the greatest challenges for employers is connecting with job candidates on a truly authentic level. Companies can address this issue by turning to the powerful brand ambassadors they already have under their roofs – their current employees.
Good employees tend to build networks of other highly capable professionals who share their interests and cultural preferences. And people want to know what goes on behind the scenes at companies where they may be considering applying. When candidates see that employees would personally endorse their workplace, they take positive notice and give a natural thumbs up to those employer brands.
Here are some ideas to turn your top employees into brand ambassadors via social networking:
Choose the right ambassadors.
Being a brand ambassador doesn’t have to be a formal job responsibility. Identify your superstars by scouting which employees seem eager to showcase your employer brand message in a sincere, relevant way. Identifying team members who already use and enjoy social media and are adept at it is half the battle.
- Encourage your employees to create profiles on major social channels such as Facebook, LinkedIn, X, Instagram and Pinterest. The buzz begins when they take messages from your platforms and personalize and spread them. This includes authentic images and videos, allowing them to tell your story in their own words.
Provide training.
Arm your brand ambassadors with clear social media guidelines and training. Not only will this help ensure that the content they post is aligned with your overall goals, but it will also help them feel more confident about the messages they share.
Organize content sharing.
Asking your employees to implement your social media goals should not require adding many hours or extra work to their plates. Make it easy and efficient for them to share content.
- It’s worth repeating: Authenticity is a must. Social media users know when it’s there – and when it’s lacking. It’s not enough for employees to simply copy and paste posts created by your marketing team. Be sure they bring their own voices to the table when sharing company news, happenings and updates.
Incentivize employee ambassadors.
They may not be spending countless hours, but being a brand ambassador does take some time, as well as research, effort, and commitment. Consider a rewards program to help employees get – and stay – involved.
Options include monetary rewards, gift certificates, free meal vouchers, and/or recognition in your company newsletter.
Track and monitor your progress.
Develop a system to measure the performance of your program so you can make necessary adjustments and improvements. Use key performance indicators (KPIs) including growth in social following, number of impressions, total reach, number of video views, brand mentions, and hashtag mentions.
For additional insight on social recruiting and building employer brand advocacy, contact Haley Marketing. Our recruitment marketing experts can help you save time, reduce wasted spend, improve your ROI, and get the right people applying for your jobs, starting today.
