Here at Point 13 Media, we encounter many clients holding a common misconception: the belief that simply posting job opportunities and other marketing materials on their own social channels is enough to attract qualified candidates and reach their ideal customers. Unfortunately, the reality is that these organic posts may not perform as well as anticipated.
While organic social media has its advantages, including the ability to foster real conversations and maintain an authentic voice, it also has limitations – particularly when it comes to reach. On Facebook, for example, some brands can experience as low as 1% organic reach, meaning that only a small fraction of your followers will actually see, let alone engage with, your posts. Paid-for social media campaigns present a solution to this problem by expanding your reach beyond your current followers, but many companies are wary of investing in this approach.
So, what’s the solution? In this blog post, we’ll explore organic and paid-for social media marketing, the pros and cons of each method, and why a holistic approach combining both is crucial in attracting the candidates and followers you deserve.
Organic Advertising
Organic advertising is the process of posting adverts on your own social media pages to your current followers and leveraging your existing social media presence.
The Advantages
- Free in terms of direct costs
- Establishes your brand’s personality and voice and allows for authenticity
- Allows you to build relationships with your followers
- Provides customer support through direct engagement
The Challenges
A Glassdoor survey showed that a whopping 79% of job applicants use social media in their search for employment, while CareerArc demonstrated that job seekers rank social media platforms and professional networking sites, such as LinkedIn, as the most useful resource when conducting a job search – above and beyond traditional job boards and recruitment agencies. What’s more, an active social media presence on the platforms people use daily will encourage shares, likes, and interaction, allowing you to open up communication channels and nurture a dedicated following.
- Limited reach – because all major platforms use personalised ranking algorithms, only a small percentage of your followers will see your organic posts
- No targeting available – your job opportunities will be seen only by those following you, many of whom won’t be your ideal candidate or demographic
- Offers little control over content distribution
- Requires time and effort to maintain
- Limited means of tracking and measuring a post’s success
Organic posting is important because many people – including job seekers – will research and follow companies online before making a decision: in fact, reports have shown that 69% of job seekers are more likely to apply for a job if the employer actively manages its brand online. However, for tailored, targeted results, paid-for social must be in your marketing mix.
Paid-For Advertising
Paid-for advertising is the process of using paid advertising channels to target your ideal audience online. This involves running paid-for or sponsored ads across social media platforms to directly influence attraction to a campaign rather than just improve online visibility.
The Advantages
- Allows targeting to engage your ideal candidates and followers based on specific criteria (e.g., work experience, location, interests and online behaviour)
- Reaches a broader audience by delivering content beyond your current followers
- Enhances brand awareness and attracts new followers
- Facilitates lead generation and conversions
- Offers clear metrics and statistics to measure a campaign’s success
The Challenges
- If you have a limited budget and minimal expertise, paid social can seem daunting and expensive
- Users may view paid content with scepticism as it can be seen as less authentic
- Social media algorithms can change, affecting the visibility of your adverts
- Benefits can be short-term when compared with organic posts
The Solution
As we’ve seen, both organic and paid-for social media have their pros and cons, so how do we decide which route to take? At Point 13, we believe that a holistic approach is the best method. A blend of both types of marketing allows you to maintain an authentic relationship with your followers while also expanding your reach to potential candidates who are the perfect fit for your vacancies.
With our expertise in both organic and paid-for solutions, we can assist you in creating campaigns that balance awareness and conversion, allowing you to maximise your reach and engagement and attract top talent. We can also work alongside you to develop and sustain your employer brand and tone of voice with our content management service, nurturing the factors that make you unique.
Let’s Work Together
If you want time to focus on what your business does best, outsource your social media recruitment marketing to us, safe in the knowledge that you’re working with an accredited Google and Meta partner.
If you’re ready to take the first step, booking a meeting to discuss your recruitment strategy couldn’t be easier. Simply visit our contact page here.
