Let’s face it, social media is the way of the new marketing world. If you’re not already on it, and haven’t invested in a strategy for your social media channels, then you’re already behind.

It’s not enough to be present on social media; you need a strategic plan with measurable goals in order to succeed and stand out from your competitors. Social media can give organizations more organic reach than ever before, and allows potential employees to find you on more channels than the traditional review sites and job search engines. 

In this blog, we’ll review the key components your business requires to successfully utilize social media as a tool to acquire new top tier talent, and retain your existing employees. 

The first thing you need to do is decide  what you want out of social media.

Coming up with, and executing on a social media plan requires you to think about your end-game, first. This plan must be in accordance with your business goals, and in alignment with your Employer Branding strategy. It’s important to remember that social media is an integral part of your Employer Brand, not a separate component. Think of it as an additional channel to reach potential employees and retain existing talent. 

Next, you need to set goals that make sense for your business.

You need to set realistic social media goals. We recommend tackling smaller objectives that allow you to scale your social efforts in a sustainable way. Because there is no “right” answer to what your social media objectives need to be, a bit of trial and error is required before you ultimately optimize and refine your initial goals. That is  why social media is often referred to as both an art and a science. Research also notes that the top priorities of social-savvy companies vary greatly between companies, so what works for one organization may not necessarily work for you, and vice versa.

Make a plan that aligns with your Employer Value Proposition.

By using a variety of content (video, static or user-generated content, for example) you’re able to reach various consumers in a way that speaks most relevantly to them.

84% of people with access to the internet use social media, and within that, the average social media user has 8.3 different social accounts. Finding “funny and entertaining” content is the fastest-growing reason for using social, with video being the top media format on social. Employee voice is 3x more credible than the CEO’s when it comes to talking about working condition in that company (Edelman Trust Barometer).

Once your social media plan is deployed, measure your impact.

96% of companies believe employer brand and reputation can positively impact revenue, yet less than half (44%) monitor that impact (CareerArc). This is a massively missed opportunity to reach potential employees and to captivate and grow your online community. 60% of people say they’ve watched a video on Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat or Instagram in the last month. Social Media Optimization is about strategically creating, building and maximizing your social media plan to connect with your target audience.

If you haven’t considered social media as part of your employer brand and talent acquisition strategy, we’d love to hear from you! There are plenty of new and interesting ways that top employers are engaging with key and in-demand talent to help increase their brand awareness and recruitment efforts. 

For additional information on how to create and maintain your Employer Brand, or to sign up for this exclusive program, please contact Jennifer “Jenni” Lamb at 647.535.5318, or at jlamb@bluivygroup.com.