Why use User Generated Content to recruit?

The exploitation of User Generated Content has multiple advantages for a company's HR marketing strategy and its recruitment processes. By encouraging employees and candidates to generate authentic content, a business can increase its visibility, strengthen its brand reputation, boost engagement with candidates, and attract highly qualified talent.

User Generated Content (UGC) and its importance for recruitment

Definition

User Generated Content (UGC), also called content created by users in French, refers to any type of content that is created and posted by users, rather than by a business or organization. In the context of HR marketing, this includes candidate testimonials, employee videos about their work experience, reviews on employer review platforms, blog posts written by employees, and more.

In this context, when this content is created directly by employers, we will sometimes talk about EGC: Employee Generated Content, or in French content generated by employees.

Recruiting interests

User generated content is a powerful tool to strengthen a company's employer brand, allowing them to present their corporate culture and reputation through the eyes of employees and candidates. It can also help improve the company's visibility on social networks and to attract qualified candidates. By jointly using the technology of HR programmatic by Seeqle and UGCs, these interests are multiplied because their distribution is optimized.

The advantages of UGC for recruiting

1. Improving the visibility of the company.
2. Reinforcement of the brand image.
3. Increased engagement and interaction with candidates.
4. Acquisition of new talent.
   

1. Improving business visibility

The benefits of User Generated Content for HR marketing are numerous. One of the main benefits is the improvement of business visibility. Here are two ways this can happen:

• Influence on natural referencing : When candidates search for job opportunities online, search engines like Google take into account signals from different channels to determine the relevance and ranking of the results. Businesses that use UGC in their HR marketing strategy benefit from better SEO by generating quality content that strengthens their online reputation.
• Broadening the audience : by encouraging employees and candidates to post content on social media or to share their work experience on employer review sites, businesses reach a wider and more diverse audience than those who simply post job offers or promotional content. This extended audience contributes to better exposure for the company and reinforces the reach of its employer brand.
  

2. Reinforcing the brand image

In addition to improving business visibility, User Generated Content will also result in strengthening brand image by creating authentic content and increasing brand awareness.

• Creating authentic content : When employees and candidates share their work experience, it creates authentic content that reflects the company culture and the values of the organization. Employee testimonials and reviews on employer review sites help strengthen the credibility of the employer brand and attract qualified candidates who share the same values.
• Increase in brand awareness : by encouraging employees and candidates to share positive content on social networks, businesses increase their brand awareness and visibility online. Shares, mentions, and comments strengthen the company's reputation and create a strong and positive brand image. However, it's important to note that negative reviews can also spread quickly, so it's important to listen and respond quickly to negative comments or reviews.

3. Increased engagement and interaction with candidates

In a recruitment market composed of 80% of passive candidates who need to be convinced, one of the most important benefits of using User Generated Content for recruiting is the increase in engagement and interaction with candidates. By involving current employees and potential candidates in content creation, the company can create a community of candidates who are engaged and interested in employer branding.

• Creating a community of candidates : by creating a community of candidates, the company interacts with them, answering their questions and concerns, and informing them about career opportunities. This often leads to a better understanding of potential candidates and an increase in their engagement with the company.
• Positive interactions with potential candidates : interaction with potential candidates can also be strengthened through the use of User Generated Content. Candidates are more likely to respond to a post or message from another candidate or employee than from a company. Additionally, candidates are more likely to apply for a job if the company seems to be authentic and transparent in its communication. The use of User Generated Content thus helps to create such an impression among candidates.
  

4. Acquisition of new talent

Another important benefit of using User Generated Content for employer branding and recruiting is the acquisition of new talent.

• Increased business attractiveness : by using User Generated Content, the company highlights its current employees and their work experience. This shows potential candidates the working atmosphere and company culture. The effect will be to attract candidates who share the same values as the company.
• Recruiting more qualified candidates : User Generated Content can also help recruit more qualified candidates. By allowing current employees to share their work experience and expertise, the company will attract candidates with specific skills or expertise in a particular field. In addition, potential candidates will have a better understanding of what the company is looking for and its skill requirements, making it possible to recruit more qualified candidates effectively.

Identify the most appropriate platforms for your business

Businesses need to use multiple platforms to collect and distribute UGC. However, it is crucial to determine the most appropriate platforms for your business and for your target audience. The two main platforms for user-generated content in HR marketing are social networks and online recruitment platforms. There are also HR marketing platforms that make this research work easier for you.

Social networks

Social networks are ideal platforms for collecting and disseminating UGC. Potential candidates are more likely to interact with this type of content on social media, which helps to increase the company's visibility and improve its employer brand. Although TikTok is considered the king in this field thanks to its content adapted to the public, it is also important to use other networks such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram to broadcast UGC, adapting the tone and format according to each network.

Recruiting platforms

Online recruitment platforms are also important platforms for collecting and disseminating UGC in the context of HR marketing. Job boards like Indeed, Monster, and Glassdoor are essential platforms for spreading UGC and allowing candidates to post comments and reviews about the company. However, it should be noted that businesses have no control over these comments since they are not responsible for posting them. That is why it is all the more important to constantly refine the employer brand of the company.

Share content through appropriate communication channels

Once user-generated content has been created, it is important to share it on the appropriate communication channels to reach the target audience effectively.

Effective use of communication channels

Businesses need to use communication channels effectively to deliver user-generated content. Social networks, recruitment platforms, and corporate blogs are used to deliver content effectively, but with different methods (comments, ads, videos, articles, etc.).

Optimizing content for each communication channel

It is important to optimize content for each communication channel. Businesses must adapt their content according to the specificities of each platform to maximize their impact. For example, images and videos are very effective on social media, while more detailed job descriptions are better suited for recruiting platforms.

In addition, businesses must take into account the different formats of each platform, such as stories or reels on Instagram, and adapt their content accordingly to maximize their visibility. By customizing their content according to the specificities of each platform, businesses can improve their engagement rate and effectively reach their target audience.

Finally, it is important to analyze the results of each platform to determine what works best. Businesses should carefully monitor statistics and performance indicators to adjust their recruitment strategy accordingly and maximize their return on investment. This will allow them to understand the behaviors of their target audience and adapt their strategy accordingly.

To help businesses optimize their recruitment strategy, technologies such as HR Programmatics by Seeqle can be used to monitor the performance of each platform and adjust the strategy in real time. By taking advantage of these tools, businesses can maximize their impact and reach their target audience more effectively.

Discover more by downloading The guide to recruiting on social networks.

Practical tips for implementing an effective HR marketing strategy based on UGC

To implement a effective HR marketing strategy based on UGC, here are some practical tips:

1. Identify the most appropriate platforms for your business and your target audience, such as social networks or recruitment platforms.
2. Encourage collaborators and candidates to create content by offering rewards and recognition, as well as by providing training and support for creating content.
3. Share content on appropriate communication channels by using each channel effectively and optimizing content based on the specifics of each channel.

By following these tips, businesses can take full advantage of UGC for their HR marketing and improve recruitment while strengthening their brand image.

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