Sourcing and attracting candidates through social media

Following on from a previous blog that looked at Instagram, Twitter and Facebook and how to best use these social media platforms to attract and engage candidates, we now turn to LinkedIn, Google+ and Snapchat to look at the platform demographics that connects and engages with candidates – sort of knowing your circles from geofilters.

The Ipsos Connect Tech Tracker research reported that 7 in 10 GB adults access social networking sites, with half using their smartphones. Understanding the social media platform demographics should go some way to achieving more desirable results for recruiters. We’ve also included links to additional resources and tips for how to get the most out of each platform.

LinkedIn

A professional social network that is particularly effective at connecting with and finding candidates. It’s a more specific social network used to engage through sharing of ideas, forming networks and connecting to others. Here you can showcase your brand, embed knowledge and develop thought leadership to spark a conversation and reach a wide audience.

The 2017 Candidate Attraction Report revealed professional social networks as a successful channel in delivering quantity and quality candidates. It’s no surprise really as LinkedIn prides itself on being a professional network that lends itself to jobseekers and employers.

In terms of what the research reveals as the demographic of users, LinkedIn usage is highest among those aged 35+years and more than 3 in 4 are social grade AB. 2 in 3 users are male, higher than other social media platforms.

The age demographic is:

• 15-24 – 14%
• 25-34 – 18%
• 24-44 – 23%
• 45-54 – 22%
• 55+ – 24%

LinkedIn has detailed analytics within the platform so you can see the level of engagement from each post. It’s a good way to validate your content and what is working to gain new followers and clicks so you can experiment with what works. Encourage co-workers, colleagues, partners and relevant industry professionals to follow your company page and interact with posts by sharing and commenting.

Google+

Google+ has had many facelifts over the years and while it is probably one of the less popular platforms and is used in a different way to other social networking channels, it is still worth having a Google+ page to make your business profile accessible and searchable. For those who don’t know, Google+ features a way to organise your ‘circles’ which then controls the stream feed based on posts shared by that user. You can find collections to follow or groups to join based on specific topics or even follow individuals, the idea being your network grows with like-minded others sharing relevant content. 

The research from Ipsos MORI reveals that a quarter of Google+ users are aged 55+, which is higher than other social media sites.

The age demographics are:

• 15-24 - 19%
• 25-34 – 16%
• 24-44 – 22%
• 45-54 – 18%
• 55+ – 25%

Usage of Google+ is most prevalent among those aged 15-24, but it is questionable if it’s still a significant player. Hangouts are the video and chat messaging features that you can use to make a public broadcast and might be a way to reach your target demographic.

If Google+ is for you then make your presence known, set up your circles and then personalise the sharing of content to those smaller circles – and remember to select if you want to make posts just to your circle (exclusive) or as a public feed visible to all.

Snapchat

This photo messaging app is still a platform that is relatively unknown for businesses. Snapchat is built for storytelling and showcasing a company brand and believe it or not has 150 million users worldwide. Brands use Snapchat to send photos and videos to their followers using ‘snaps’ with filters and face swapping effects imagery to create some wild and wonderful images that last for just a brief moment in time for up to 24 hours.

Some major B2C brands allowing employees to get involved use the platform to share behind the scenes stories of what it is like to work with you. Snapchat definitely brings more of the fun element to connecting with candidates than other channels but it’s not for everyone.

There are paid options whereby companies can create 10 second Snap Ad video that snapchatters can then swipe if they want more detailed content. There are also age, location and even device specific ads companies can invest in. If you’re not ready to take the plunge with investing in unknown waters try using it to build brand loyalty and get Snapchatters to followers. It’s worked for B2C companies such as Starbucks, Misguided, BooHoo and many fast food outlets/restaurants are already using custom Geofilters to share real-time pics of their experiences.

It should come as no surprise to learn that almost half of Snapchat users are aged 15-24, a coveted age range for brands and marketers. It also has the highest proportion of female users of all social media sites, with half of users being ABC1. However, there is still a spreads of users across the age demographics so don’t dismiss it just yet:

• 15-24 – 46%
• 25-34 – 28%
• 24-44 – 14%
• 45-54 – 7%
• 55+ – 5%

If snapchat could work for you then use it for the fun elements and don’t be too serious, after all posts disappear in 24 hours! It’s standard practice to promote your snapchat on other platforms such as Twitter and Facebook, especially if you are at an event, live show or trade fair.

Think about the candidate audience you are trying to engage and consider if Snapchat could reach them – then the world of photos and filters are your oyster.