Let’s be honest, it’s easy to forget to promote your own brand when you’re busy managing your business or focused on day-to-day tasks. However, developing an employer brand is crucial if you want prospective clients, customers, future employees, and stakeholders to see your success and understand your company culture. We’ve pooled together some of our top tips on how to build an employer brand strategy to support your business’s scaling efforts.
Audit your existing brand perception
Before diving into employment brand development, it’s always a good idea to review your existing content and brand perception with fresh eyes. Search through your social channels, website, and employee review sites, because that’s exactly what potential clients, customers, and future employees will be doing. Ensuring they find positive information and filling any noticeable gaps is a great place to start.
Social Media
Your social media channels should reflect your company’s values and the people behind the brand. Here are a few examples of themes you can use to help build your employer brand through social media:
- Meet the Team
- Team meetings and events
- Office life
- Milestones – celebrating birthdays, hitting targets, etc.
- New developments – whether it’s new faces, new technology, or new offices
Instagram, for example, has over 1.4 million monthly active users and is highly visual, making it a great tool for building your employer brand. At Refresh, we showcase our team using the hashtag #LifeAtRefresh. We share everything from team member anniversaries to the fun we get up to outside work. You can check out our Instagram for more content ideas.
Website
Your website should clearly outline your company’s values—after all, it’s your digital shopfront. Whether through a blog detailing your brand ethos or a dedicated “meet the team” section, showcasing the people behind your business is essential for developing an employer brand. You could also consider having a section of your website focused on your company’s values and employee wellbeing, as this sends a strong message to future employees.
Check out Refresh’s health and wellbeing page for inspiration.
Press opportunities
When was the last time you Googled your own business? Chances are, potential clients, customers, and future employees are doing the same. You want them to find the best representation of your brand, and nothing boosts credibility like third-party endorsements from the media.
Pursuing PR employer opportunities can help tell your story to a wider audience. At Refresh, we ensure we live by our own advice. Our Managing Director, Laura, recently contributed a feature piece to Prolific North, highlighting our leadership in the PR and marketing industry.
Appearing in trade publications is great, but don’t overlook regional media for promoting new client wins or celebrating award recognitions.
Employee review sites
How often do you check Glassdoor or Indeed when applying for jobs? If you haven’t yet, you may be in the minority. Potential employees use these sites to research companies before even applying. Ensuring your employer brand is positively represented on review sites is essential.
One way to foster positive reviews is by encouraging current employees to leave feedback. This helps paint an authentic, real-time picture of your company culture and values.
Be consistent
Consistency is key to building a strong employer brand. Whether on your website, social media, or in the press, your messaging, tone, and design should all be aligned. Maintaining a cohesive brand helps build trust with your stakeholders and potential employees, making it easier for them to connect with your company.
Spend time establishing what your brand stands for and how you want people to perceive it. A consistent, well-defined employer brand can drive growth, whether you’re attracting clients or new team members.
Most importantly, be authentic
We’ve all seen overly polished “day in the life” posts on social media that don’t reflect reality. Authenticity is crucial when developing an employer brand strategy. It’s hard to connect with a brand that portrays an unrealistic or overly perfect image.
Instead, tell the real story of your business, its people, and its achievements. Ask your employees why they love working for your company and share their responses on social media. Celebrating milestones or recognising hard work also helps showcase your authenticity.
At Refresh, we consistently aim to reflect who we are and what makes us different. Visit our meet the team page or follow us on social media to learn more about our culture. For more insights on how to scale your business, check out our other blogs.