10 Reasons You Should Lead with a Video-First Social Strategy to Attract Top Talent
Even amidst warnings of a looming recession, a banking crisis, and the Federal Reserve's aggressive interest rate hikes, the job market remains red hot. In fact, experts believe the higher number of jobs, along with increased wages, may be what’s preventing the U.S. from sliding into a recession.
All this is good news, but it also means there’s likely steep competition in scooping up top talent. So, how can you succeed in attracting the superior talent in your industry?
Social media video marketing is one creative way to ensure you attract the best and the brightest, as well as those who will fit with your organization's values and culture.
Video content has multiple recruitment advantages when compared to other mediums. We spoke with Chris Morris, Founder of Shoo Social Media, and other business leaders to determine the 10 reasons you should be leading with a video-first social strategy to attract top talent.
1. Build Stronger Relationships with Candidates
Effective recruitment is all about making a connection with the top candidates in your field, letting them know that you’re hiring and that your company and what you have to offer is exactly what they’re looking for. According to Morris, “A video-first social strategy can help companies build stronger relationships with potential candidates.”
He emphasizes the importance of bringing your current workforce into your social media video marketing plan. “By using video content to share authentic stories from current employees, employers can create a more personal connection with job seekers and increase the likelihood of a successful recruitment process.”
Remember, current employees who already have a strong connection with your company and a healthy work/life balance are an invaluable recruitment tool for attracting top talent.
2. Post and Repost Video Content
One of the top advantages of video marketing is creating content that can be posted multiple times across different social media outlets. It’s highly recommended that you work with a professional for your employer branded video campaign, and reusing content ensures you’ll get the most bang for your marketing buck.
Aima Irfan, Editor in Chief and Marketing Manager at InsideTechWorld adds that “videos are not going anywhere. This content is easily digestible by viewers as compared to text-based posts, easier to make, and can conveniently highlight different areas of expertise.”
In other words, videos aren’t going out of style for social media marketing. The content you make today is an evergreen tool to attract the future business leaders of tomorrow.
3. Connect Emotionally
In addition to being here to stay, video content is an excellent way to connect emotionally with potential candidates.
“Brands should focus on storytelling and creating a narrative that connects with viewers emotionally,” says Morris. “By telling authentic stories and creating an emotional connection, brands can make a stronger impression and increase the effectiveness of their video content.”
But if you want to make a connection, you need to make sure viewers stick around for the whole video. To accomplish this, Jessica Kats, an e-commerce and retail expert at Soxy, recommends “making the first eight seconds the most powerful. The first eight seconds of a video can make or break its success. This is the point where viewers decide whether they want to watch the video or not.”
This doesn’t seem like a lot of time, but when you follow this eight-second rule, you might be surprised by the results.
4. Stand Out From the Crowd
We’ve established that video content is popular with viewers, but many businesses haven’t gotten the memo yet. As you consider your social media marketing strategy, keep in mind that video is a great way to set yourself apart from competing companies.
“A social media strategy that prioritizes video content can help businesses stand out in today's competitive job market,” says Alice Hall, Co-Founder and Creative Director at Rowen Homes. “Companies may differentiate themselves from their competitors and attract top personnel by producing interesting video content that demonstrates the company's brand and culture.”
As an example, Hall suggests producing a movie to demonstrate your dedication to environmental causes to attract job seekers who are enthusiastic about environmental protection. These workers are more likely to apply if they see the organization shares their values.
5. Appeal to Young Talent
In today’s job market, Gen Z has officially entered the chat. Jessica Shee, Marketing Manager of iBoysoft, says,“Companies should lead with a video-first marketing strategy because this type of content is a hit with the Gen Z workforce.”
The oldest members of Gen Z are now about 25 years old, and in less than 10 years, the youngest members of this generation will be entering college and the workforce. Now is the time to appeal to young talent with social media video marketing.
And don’t forget about Millennials, the youngest of which are still under 30. “It is well known that younger generations like the Millennials and Gen Z are known to be more open to video material than they are to other types of media,” says Kaloyan Dimitrov, Resume and Career Expert at Enhancv. “This is in part because of their familiarity and comfort with social media platforms, as well as the rise of video-sharing websites like YouTube and TikTok.”
Though YouTube and TikTok are the most popular sites for sharing videos, once you create a video for your social media marketing, it can be shared across all platforms.
6. Brag About Your Benefits
It’s true that workers care about things like values, mission, culture, and diversity. But they also care about benefits and perks that come with the job.
“The usage of video content makes it possible to bring attention to distinctive advantages provided by the organization, such as adaptable working conditions and chances for professional advancement,” says Keith Eneix, President of FANNIT. “Companies may make the benefits of working for them more tangible and appealing to potential applicants by showcasing them in a film and sharing it with them.”
For example, Eneix suggests a video that highlights flexible work arrangements, like remote and hybrid work models. This helps attract the top candidates who care about workplace flexibility and a healthy work/life balance.
7. Get Creative
With creativity in social media video marketing, the possibilities are quite literally endless.
“Creativity and experimentation can be key to success,” says Morris. “By trying out different types of video content and seeing what resonates with your target audience, you can better engage and connect with potential candidates.”
To attract top talent, Morris suggests videos featuring current employees, behind-the-scenes footage of the workplace, and interviews with company leaders.
Marc Hardgrove, CEO at TheHoth, also emphasizes the importance of variety in video marketing. “Create various recruitment videos that speak to different areas of interest, rather than using a model that works for everyone.”
Looking back on the eight-second rule, Hardgrove adds that “it's crucial to keep the videos brief and interesting.”
8. Maximize Impact
Speaking of rules, Dillon Morrison, Founder and Editor at Outlighter, has another one to follow – the 5-3-2 rule.
When planning social media video marketing, this rule states that for every 10 social media posts, five should be outside media that your target audience will find valuable, and the remaining five should be content that the business created – three posts curated for your target audience (job seekers and customers) and two posts that speak to your values and culture as an organization.
This formula establishes your business as an authority in your industry, while leaving plenty of room for talent acquisition through social media video marketing.
If you’re not sure what video content to start with to maximize impact, create a few different types of videos, highlighting various aspects of your organization and brand. Morrison suggests “conducting your own experiments to determine what works best.” He adds, “Post at different times of the day and week and keep track of how your engagement and visibility evolve over time.”
9. Showcase Your Commitment to DEI Goals
No matter your industry or targeted audience, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) should be top of mind. DEI is key to attracting top talent, and a focus on these efforts has many benefits for your company, your workforce, and even your bottom line.
Social media video marketing is a great way to showcase your commitment to DEI goals and improve your talent acquisition process.
“Companies may demonstrate their dedication to diversity and inclusion by using their video material to highlight a wide range of people from their workforce,” says Jesol Umeria, CEO at Wide Fit Shoes. “This can attract job seekers who are searching for an employer that appreciates diversity, and it can also contribute to the diversification of the staff at the organization.”
According to Catalyst research, a more diversified staff has less turnover, increased productivity, and higher levels of innovation. Wins all around!
With a commitment to inclusivity and accessibility, Rahul Vij, CEO, WebSpero Solutions, has a reminder for video content: “It's important for companies to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and best practices in social media video marketing. This includes using subtitles and closed captions to ensure accessibility.”
10. Make It Shareable
Content that’s widely shared has more engagement and higher reach, which translates to more eyes on your posts, your business, and your job openings. So how do you get more shares? The easiest way might be to make a video.
“Social platforms often prioritize video content in their algorithms, meaning that your videos are more likely to be seen by a larger audience,” says Michail Solakis, Founder of Engage Digital. “This increased reach can help you tap into a broader pool of potential talent.”
Solakis cites a key statistic to drive this point home: “When compared to combined share rates on text and image content, videos on social media receive 1,200% more shares.”
More shares means higher engagement and reach. “Businesses should be leading with a video-first strategy as it helps boost engagement,” says Elisa Bender, the Co-founder of RevenueGeeks. “The visual aspect of videos makes them highly interactive, making people prefer watching them as they convey information in a visual form rather than through text.”
When in doubt about your social media strategy, make it shareable, make it video.
Final Thoughts
Now that you know why you should be leading with a video-first social strategy to attract top talent, it’s time to get to work.
Chris Morris has a final piece of advice for using social media video marketing for recruitment: “It's important to track and analyze the performance of video content. By using metrics such as engagement rates and view counts, brands can gain insights into what's working and what isn't, and use that information to improve future content.”
Jennifer Johnson is a writer and researcher who works primarily in career services, recruiting, content development, and PR. But she's been known to take on any project that piques her interest.
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