“If you have a reasonable, frictionless candidate experience, then social media becomes a viable way to reach people,” says Ira S. Wolfe, president and chief googlization officer at Success Performance Solutions, a national HR-consulting firm. “Social media is an extraordinary [recruitment] opportunity. It’s word of mouth on steroids.”
But not all HR professionals experience good results. According to a national survey of more than 500 HR professionals by Clutch–a B2B ratings and reviews platform–nearly one out of four (24%) ranked social media as their least favorite recruiting strategy, ahead of passive recruiting (17%) and university career fairs (13%).
See also: How HR can rethink workforce planning, hiring
Besides, not all platforms are alike, adds Wolfe, the author of Recruiting in the Age of Googlization, which addresses recruitment strategies in a fast-changing world; he’s giving away the first 500 copies for free (excluding postage). Google it for more information.
Recruiters need to identify which ones attract their target audiences and then figure out the purpose, tone and feel of their messaging. Where you post information–even job ads–should never be arbitrary, Wolfe says. As an example, he says, Instagram or Pinterest can be helpful when recruiting retail or hospitality workers but not necessarily highly skilled professionals.
Likewise, pay attention to language. If you want to attract more women to a male-dominated field, write the job ad and promotional materials using a female voice.
“If you’re going after a more diverse demographic, the language needs to express the needs of that gender, ethnicity or race,” Wolfe adds. “Tell a story that fits into their life, not yours.”
