3 Brand Reputation Strategies for Organic Recruitment
The hiring game has drastically changed over the past decade. A Glassdoor user survey showed that 86% of HR professionals indicated recruitment is becoming more like marketing. As a result, virtual recruiters, personalized candidate journeys, and a bigger emphasis on benefits packages can take up a lot of space in your budget.
So, if recruitment is becoming more like marketing, how can you market your brand without tapping into all of your advertising dollars?
Our answer is plain and straightforward: reputation management. It has been shown that positive word of mouth can stretch further than your advertising dollars. That is huge. People tend to trust what other people say about your brand rather than what you say about your brand.
So, what then? Develop a brand voice, listen to your customers, and be attentive. Letting your brand be your most significant selling point is a great way to stretch those talent acquisition dollars.
With the state of the economy in flux and the threat of a recession looming, more and more companies are having to take a closer look at their marketing spend allocations. Consider any tactic that saves money.
What Are the Benefits of Online Reputation Management?
Your online reputation — and how you handle brand reputation management — can speak volumes to your potential talent about who you are as an organization. Therefore, it’s vital to utilize influential online channels for recruiting and retention if you’re going to succeed in your online reputation management strategy.
Rankings and search results — that elusive Google algorithm — communicate your brand’s importance to potential job candidates. If you have a robust online presence as an employer, enjoy positive reviews and referrals, or show up first in a Google search, browsers are more likely to see your company as reputable and worth considering.
In addition, according to the 2022 Edelman Trust Barometer , people are more likely to trust their coworkers and people in their local community over CEOs of a company, further emphasizing the importance of a good reputation when building trust with your employees.
How Do You Begin Establishing a Credible Online Reputation?
Building a solid brand reputation can organically attract candidates without expensive recruiting tactics. Here are some tips on how to make your brand speak for itself.
1. Ask for Reviews
People often leave reviews when they have had a bad experience with a brand. These testimonials can be devastating and set back your brand’s reputation management plan. Not all hope is lost, though.
You can offset the detractors by asking for reviews during critical interactions with your candidates and associates. For example, consider asking right after you’ve placed them on an assignment, after their first week on the job, or during their annual performance review. Asking for reviews after good interactions is a great way to boost your reputation with positive messages.
Pro tip: Have QR codes and links handy to make it easy for people to share their feedback quickly.
2. Respond Quickly
Once those reviews start rolling in, quick responses demonstrate that you’re actively engaged with your talent community and invested in their experience.
A standardized set of HR-approved responses that you can customize makes the process fast and easy. And don’t just reply to negative reviews. A simple: “Woo-hoo! We love that you’re a part of the team!” in response to a positive review can go a long way.
Pro tip: Take sensitive topics offline. When someone has an especially poor experience, provide them with a way to reach out to share more details in private. Taking time to address their comment in detail shows that you care about their experience and want to improve.
3. Monitor Trends Close the Gap
Monitoring your review content to identify trends in your hiring market and areas of opportunity is essential. See a topic that’s coming up repeatedly? (“My paycheck was wrong!” or, “No one ever calls me back.”) Dig in to see if you can solve a common underlying issue. Send repetitive feedback to the appropriate team and follow up to ensure they close the service level gap.
Pro tip: If you’ve solved someone’s issue, don’t hesitate to reach out to the reviewer and ask them to leave a new review. Most people will happily leave a positive review once they feel heard and supported.
Every contact with a job seeker is an opportunity to show how you roll as an employer and as a brand. The times may be turbulent, but if you can nurture your online reputation management strategy, you can regain some control and have top-tier talent reaching out to you !
Jennifer Zecha is the Director of Brand Management at Integrity Staffing Solutions.