In today's digital world, much of a job seeker's journey takes place online. So to make sure you remain an employer of choice and are on top of your employer branding strategy, we believe you need to be in control of your Corporate Footprint.
It's so important for companies in search of talent to have the right virtual presence. Yet, according to Deloitte, many businesses maintain inefficient "footprints" which fail to attract candidates and may even harm retention rates, which in today's competitive market can have significant impact on a business.
I hear you saying ok, but what exactly is our Corporate Footprint? Well, your Corporate Footprint is the trail of information you leave behind online. When people search for roles at your company today, they won't just look at your website; they'll research for information about you all over the web.
Taking control of your digital footprint means asking yourself:
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What impact does your employer brand have online?
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Where are people talking about you?
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How can you adjust your image to make candidates want to work for you rather than your competitor?
Understanding the Corporate Footprint
Your corporate footprint consists of an "active" and a "passive" trail. Both trails shape your reputation and affect your employer brand.
Your active footprint is the impression you make through social media posts, job descriptions on recruitment company pages, and website content.
Your passive footprint is the stamp your employees and clients create for you. Often, a passive trail comes from candidate reviews, staff comments on social media, and mentions on sites like "Glassdoor" or LinkedIn.
Managing your footprint means adjusting both your active and passive presence.
Step 1: Analyse your Corporate Footprint
Just as you need to understand your existing employer brand before you can change it, managing your digital footprint starts with analysis.
Ask your recruitment company how candidates usually look for you online. Do they search for you on LinkedIn? Check out your information on forums? Alternatively, do they spend most of their time on your website?
Once you know the paths that job seekers take to find you, explore those avenues yourself and see what you find. Ask yourself:
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Does the content available accurately reflect your business identity?
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Which elements of your business do positive and negative reviews address? What can you change about your employer brand, and what do you need to draw more attention to?
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Does your digital footprint make it easy for people to find the information they need about your company?
Step 2: Use Content to Take Ownership of your Footprint
Once you know what the path to your positions looks like online, start implementing strategies to adjust your digital identity.
Look for gaps between the employer brand you want to build, and the perception candidates will get of your business online.
Your active footprint is much easier to manage, so start by consolidating the content you already have online. Remove any blogs, social media posts or old information that makes the wrong impression.
Replace any content you remove with helpful information that answers the questions candidates are asking about your business. For instance:
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Use case studies to demonstrate your company culture.
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Add an "about" page to your website that introduces members of your team.
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Ask employees to advocate on your behalf with quotes about their experiences in your company.
Step 3: Adjust your Passive Reputation
Changing your passive footprint takes time and focus.
One of the best things to do is start building a presence on social media and forum sites that your candidates already use. While you can't stop people from talking about your company online, you can be part of the conversation. This means:
- Addressing criticism appropriately: Take the time to react carefully to critiques about your business online. Tell candidates or previous employees that you're sorry they had a bad experience, and that you're working on improving. Make sure to note any specific problems the reviews address, such as slow hiring speeds, poor interview processes or a lack of onboarding.
- Boosting positive reviews: Respond to any comment a candidate or employee makes about your business - including the positive ones. Say "thank you" for the testimonial, and if appropriate, share the review on your social media sites.
- Inspire more positive content: Use negative and positive comments to learn and improve your recruitment process, then ask candidates to leave reviews on your site.
Step 4: Monitor your Corporate Footprint
Finally, auditing, creating and sharing content are all essential activities for a modern business. However, preserving a strong footprint online also means regularly reviewing and monitoring your reputation and adjusting your strategy where needed.
Keep track of what people are saying about you, and don't allow your presence online to go stagnant. A Corporate Footprint needs constant attention, to make sure that problems aren't slipping through the digital cracks.
Free tools like Google alerts track when someone talks about you online, so you can always respond to issues quickly. The more aware you are, the easier it will be to handle both your digital footprint and your employer brand.
Can We Help?
Lucy Walker Recruitment have over 30 years’ experience recruiting in the commercial sector across Leeds and have the capability to recruit for every level in your organisation. To find out more call us on Leeds 0113 367 2880. Alternatively email us here.
