What do Google office parties, Adidas’s split with Ye, and a mathematical formula for predicting World Cup winners have in common? They’re all examples of how you can boost your employer brand with high-engagement posts on your Company Page.
Amid intensely competitive battles to attract and retain the right people, companies should send a strong message: This is a great place to work. One way to do that is through employer branding — developing an external narrative about who you are, what you value, and how you operate.
So how can you make your mark? We analyzed the 250 company posts with the highest engagement on LinkedIn from September 1 to December 1, 2022, to find out what tactics work. Companies with the most successful posts crafted content that was authentic to their brand, while seizing upon trending moments, showcasing company culture, and spotlighting what they do best.
In the end, the posts sent a message, whether it was inspiring, educational, or just plain fun, that resonated with readers — lots and lots of readers — and compelled them to engage. So, are you ready to find out how to boost your the likes, shares, comments, and mentions on your posts? Here’s a look at six ways to create posts that connect with your audience and help build your employer brand.
1. Posts with compelling visuals generate the most engagement — by far
The principal tactic of posts that generated top engagement was simple: Use eye-catching imagery.
Luxury brand Louis Vuitton, for example, used an image by renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz that featured superstar soccer players Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi playing a game of chess to add glamour and star power to their post. The old adage says a picture is worth a thousand words, and this one is sending a clear message that Louis Vuitton is the kind of company that works with world-renowned photographers and athletes (and making us wonder: Who won?).
High-end isn’t the only path to high engagement, of course: Casual phone snapshots and carousels of all sorts of compelling images can draw people in. And you’re not limited to photography: The Woke Salaryman uses original illustrations to make their financial (and life) advice more accessible and fun. The comics are visually appealing — and give readers a good reason to keep clicking through.
“Sneak peek” photos — such as Lufthansa’s preview of new airplane cabins — garnered reader interest as well. They’re not just nice to look at: They also position your company as active and forward-thinking, and get job seekers excited about the possibility of working on state-of-the-art products or services. (Plus, who doesn’t want to be the first to know?)
2. Professionals want to learn what companies value and how they put that into action
Employees are increasingly looking to companies to reflect their values and have a positive impact on the world at large. To attract top talent, brands need to show what they believe in — and how their values align with their business practices.
Fitness brand Gymshark got readers’ attention with a post about its team’s 100-mile run to raise awareness about suicide rates among men. By focusing on a subject that is often stigmatized, the post shows the company’s commitment to mental health, as well as the camaraderie among its employees and its fitness-oriented mission.
Taking a public stand on social issues matters: In fact, a CNBC/Momentive survey found 40% of workers said they would quit their job if they didn’t agree with their employer’s stance on key issues. Adidas spoke out about its decision to end its partnership with Ye (formerly known as Kanye West) over the rapper’s “unacceptable, hateful, and dangerous” comments last year.
Employers can also signal their values by using the new “Commitments” feature on LinkedIn Company Pages. Organizations can use the feature to showcase their dedication to DEI, environmental sustainability, work-life balance, career growth and learning, and social impact.
The importance of social impact can be seen clearly in Patagonia’s post about its founder, Yvon Chouinard, giving away the company as part of its dedication to protecting the planet: It garnered more than 15,000 reposts and nearly 2,200 comments. Chouinard’s reputation as an iconoclast and Patagonia’s outdoors-oriented, pro-environment brand identity are both on full display.
3. Glimpses into the life and people at your org resonate with job seekers
To convince people you’re a great place to work, you need to, well, show people what it’s actually like to work for you. Highlighting what employees are doing and giving an inside look at your operations can help.
Google’s posts highlighting holiday activities in their offices resonated with readers. While its photos from Diwali celebrations were one of the highest-engagement posts of the months we studied, it’s pictures of the tech giant’s pet-friendly Halloween festivities that make us wish we’d been there. (Pro tip: The more dogs — even hot dogs — the better.)
Business consultancy Deloitte is also a model for how to give an inside look at a work environment: The company engaged readers through posts about its office baking competition and employees’ volunteer efforts. Each post also gave a nod to the company’s expertise — finding solutions — and working toward their sustainability goals.
4. Buzzy news — from global sporting events to international holidays — is catnip for readers
When news or cultural events captivate the public, companies can harness that interest to build brand awareness. Content that tells a story about a company’s sincere, unique connection to major news, holidays, and other unifying events helps show it cares about the world at large and how it has an impact on employees.
Many employers saw high engagement on posts related to the World Cup, including the University of Oxford, which showed off its smarts with a mathematical model to predict the tournament’s outcome. OK, so maybe its predictions didn’t end up being entirely accurate (sorry, Brazil!), but it got thousands of people talking, debating, and maybe even thinking math can be fun.
5. Helpful tips and advice forge connections with job seekers
People need help navigating work and life. And content that offers them tips and tactics to connect with a new job or the right company really resonates. Bonus points if that right company is yours.
We mentioned The Woke Salaryman once already, but given that many of its posts appeared on the list, it’s worth calling out again. The illustrated guide to whether you should stay with your current employer was our No. 1 engagement post for the fall.
Giving helpful advice positions you as a valuable resource and helps forge a positive connection between readers and your company. Boston Consulting Group’s guide to questions you should ask during your job interview offers support to job seekers. Added bonus for building their employer brand: It connects readers to their own career site.
6. Posts that highlight your organization’s singular expertise catch the eye of talent
Don’t be afraid to humblebrag: If you’re good at what you do, you want people to know it. A reputation for being the best in the business, with superior knowledge and a leading position in your field, catches the eye of top talent. Take Swiss railroad equipment manufacturer Stadler, whose post celebrating its world record achievement for the longest passenger train, drew clicks and cheers.
Final thoughts
While the steps listed above arose specifically from posts on LinkedIn, the tactics can be leveraged to create engaging employer branding content for any channel. Content that utilizes smart visuals, draws attention to social issues and world events, offers an inside look at the workplace, or provides helpful tips or valuable expertise is going to resonate with readers. These content tactics can help businesses attract top talent and improve employee satisfaction.
Methodology
Analysis examined all company posts on LinkedIn in English and other languages. Engagement is measured as a combination of likes, comments, clicks, and shares. The posts highlighted here were all among the top 250 posts receiving the most engagement from September 1 to November 30, 2022. Posts from LinkedIn and posts promoting other external assets were filtered out.
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Topics: Employer brand
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