In the mid 2000's over £1 billion was spent by employers on recruitment marketing. I know that was when there was still a reasonable amount of print advertising but they key point is that through this marketing employer brands were more visible and candidates could "see" the messages and activity of the various organisations. Today many companies are invisible other than to the few people that they contact directly as part of their candidate sourcing.
If one of the goals of many employers to encourage a more diverse and inclusive talent mix then is sourcing likely to do this? If jobseekers are being approached by multiple recruiters then how will your brand stand out as interesting and gain the response you want?
There is a really powerful argument for more investment in recruitment marketing not necessarily to build huge attraction pipelines but to engage your target audiences with your brand to make them aware and interested so that at the right time you can activate them into applying.
All too often the money sticks to specific vacancies and is spent very tactically (with agencies) whereas there would be far more value gained by branding investment. This is how consumer marketing typically works, created a desired brand and then consumers spend/purchase. Make an employer brand stand our and be "desired" and people will follow and at the right time purchase/apply!
Some of the world’s biggest recruiters rely on their brand identity to attract top talent. Walmart, McDonald’s, and others work hard to maintain their unique brand identity. No matter the size, your business should follow suit. People tend to be loyal to brands that make an effort to cater to their users’ needs. Do not expect your potential candidates to keep returning to your social media page or website unless you invested a portion of your time on their maintenance. Recruitment marketing is about creating a strong online presence and combining it with good brand identity. Through constant exposure, you will attract candidates and stay ahead of your competitors . The best way to do this is by developing a content marketing strategy. Having fresh, well- designed and SEO-friendly content will keep your business in the public’s eye.
http://recruitmentjuice.com/blog/leveraging-recruitment-marketing-to-attract-top-candidates/
