1. Top 10
Social Media Myths
and Your Online Reputation
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2. All the 1
information 2
candidates 3
need to know 4
is found on our 5
careers page. 6
7
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} Your website is top-notch; you’ve added videos,
pages of content and employee testimonials.
Not enough. Job seekers want more.
clear, comprehensive policy on employees
using social media. While developing theirs,
IBM used an interim policy: “Don’t do anything
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stupid.” Kind of says it all.
Through online user-generated content in
social media, job seekers can read about what } Increasingly, this information may carry more
it is like to work at your company from the weight than the scripted copy you’ve placed
perspective of your actual employees. This on your website. It’s more important than ever
is authentic information. Just what they are to encourage your employees to share their
craving. positive experiences on cyberspace.
} Like it or not, candidates, current and former } Candidates are increasingly relying on
employees can say almost anything they want authentic user-generated content to get an
about your company on forums, social networks inside and unvarnished look at the company.
and blogs. It is imperative for you to have a
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3. 1
HR doesn’t 2
need to be 3
involved in our 4
social media 5
strategy. 6
7
8
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} Social Media is often viewed as just another
marketing channel, but it is so much more.
it is a completely different approach to
interacting with candidates and employees.
} Sure, you can advertise in a social media
environment, but the true return on investment
comes from developing communities, creating
content to be shared, and talking and listening
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directly with candidates.
} Partnering HR with Marketing can keep your
social media messages clear, making sure } HR professionals should take the initiative
the employer brand benefits along with your in becoming involved and making sure
consumer brand. that the employer brand is conveyed within
this strategy.
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4. 1
Every employer 2
should have 3
a blog and 4
a Facebook page. 5
6
7
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} Not every social media channel or tactic is
right for every employer or company culture.
examples of great Facebook pages that have
been developed by recruitment teams for
their companies. The key to both of these is
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} Depending on your reputation, a blog might
that there is a strategy—who will manage
be just another forum for your job seekers,
the effort? What is the goal? What are you
employees, and former employees to vent.
trying to accomplish?
It’s important to understand what is currently
being said before potentially opening the flood } A good Facebook page isn’t just a huge
gates to criticism. ad. It should be a platform for developing
relationships, sharing content, and more.
} There are many great sites out there in
the blogosphere that have been created by } Before you jump in to any new platform, make
recruiters in an effort to have their employer sure you understand how, and if, it will fit into
participate in Web 2.0. There are also your overall strategy.
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5. 1
2
When candidates 3
Google our 4
company name 5
they easily find 6
our career site. 7
8
9
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} Unless your site is search engine optimized } While doing a Google search for “get a job at”
and you have relevant content that can be and the name of one of the country’s largest
easily indexed, there’s a good chance your job retailers, you’d think their career website would
seekers are going to see a forum review or news show up first, right? Wrong; not even in the
article before they even get to your site. top 30 search results!
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6. 1
Social media is a 2
magic bullet 3
that will let us 4
cut out 5
other means 6
of marketing. 7
8
} Participating in social media needs a long
term strategy that starts with listening and
} While many of the tools that can be employed
in social media marketing are free to use,
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understanding the current state of your integrating these tools into an overall candidate
online reputation. communication and community building
program requires skill, time, and money.
} To build a community, distribute content,
and get people actively discussing you as an } Success with social media takes an integrated
employer can take time. approach, strategy, experience, and know-how.
} Social media is not an advertising campaign, } Building a career site, company page, and/or
it’s a permanent approach to communicating community site that incorporates interactivity
with candidates. and allows user-generated content takes
immense skill and is not inexpensive.
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7. 1
Social media 2
is only used 3
by kids 4
looking to 5
socialize with 6
their friends. 7
8
9
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} More than half of Facebook users are outside } The average age of a LinkedIn user is 45, and
of college1. the average age of a Twitter user is 31.
} The fastest growing demographic is that of 1
http://www.facebook.com/press/info.php?statistics
those 30 years old and older1.
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8. There is no 1
business case 2
for social media; 3
it’s impossible 4
to track or 5
determine ROI. 6
7
} ROI isn’t as elusive as people think.
Measurement tools are there, you just need a
trusted partner that knows how to use them
} Social media efforts are not only trackable
with web analytics, but, more importantly, in
newer numbers such as direct interactions,
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and analyze the results correctly. whether in the form of number of page fans,
number of views, comments, or number of
} In fact, performing an initial audit to assess
community members.
the state of your online employer reputation
gives you a detailed report showing what is } However, there are no guaranteed results.
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being said, where the conversations are taking It requires effort and care on the side of the
place, and the sentiment about you. employer and interaction is dependent on the
candidate choosing to do so. If the information
} Online reputation should be monitored
shared is not interesting or relevant to them,
monthly, and the initial audit serves as your
then it will not work. Period.
reputation baseline.
} The impact of your social media strategy can
be seen through the effects to your online
reputation monthly reports as compared to your
initial audit.
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9. 1
Relationship 2
marketing 3
is done 4
through 5
6
email. 7
8
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} There are many ways to connect and build } Text messaging, RSS feeds and sites such
relationships with your candidates beyond just as Facebook, LinkedIn, Ning, and Twitter
e-mail newsletters. enable you and your employees to share rich
information about what it is like to work for
} Build a candidate community directly within
your company.
your career site.
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10. 1
2
We need to
3
control the 4
conversations 5
about our 6
employer brand. 7
8
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} The truth is that you cannot control the photos, and videos within social networks, the
conversation, you can at best steer it. Because conversations are already going on and they are
it is a “conversation,” it is liable to go in completely outside of your control.
different directions than you might have
} Leverage this trend; user-generated content
planned or anticipated. By having a clear,
keeps the information fresh and authentic.
coherent strategy for social media, you can use
that strategy as a “guiding star” to point the } Candidates today expect to be able to get a
discussion in the direction you want it to go. first person view point of what it is like to work
for your company.
} Because people today are comfortable sharing
information, perspectives, experiences,
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11. 1
If we just 2
3
ignore all of 4
this it will 5
6
go away. 7
8
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} Conversations are already taking place at a
record pace whether you are involved in them
} Social media is the ultimate expression of your
employer brand because brands are all about
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or not. relationships. The stronger the bond you forge
in the relationship the more valuable your
} Search Engines have become the TOP way for
brand becomes. Online employer reputation
candidates to find career information, and the
management is a business imperative.
content produced within social networks and
forums is very search engine friendly.
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12. Get started by putting an ear to the ground
and assessing your brand from the bottom up.
Now that you know the fact from the fiction,
continue the conversation with an
Online Reputation Audit by contacting us at
888-438-9911 or info@hodes.com.
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