Part 3. Inbound – what is it?
Remember this one?
At first glance, it looks kind of messy. But it’s comprehensible if you’ve read our previous blog post. You can read the first one here and the second one here.)
So. Let’s have a look at how we best can use inbound as a process for the way we work, staying within the frames of this model.
The inbound process
Inbound is a digital process that entirely concerns deserved attention – that you have an offer that provides meaningful, relevant and true knowledge to the reader. And something that also catches the visitor’s attention. All based on the fact that you set clear goals that you can measure, analyze and follow up.
In connection to customers, the inbound process is usually depicted like this:
As you can see, it consist of four steps and five categories. And this is fairly simple to apply on Emploer Branding. We only need to swap a few terms:
So. You have job seekers that you want to attract. They become visitors that you want to convert. Once you’ve succeeded in converting them to candidates, you want to reach a closure to turn them into employees that you can nurture. And if you nurture them in the right way, you will get ambassadors that speak highly of you and you can use as references when it comes to what it’s like to work with you.
Attracting is creating traffic
To be able to attract the right target groups you need to be visible where they are, when they are online. And all research shows that your own career page is the place you want to lead the traffic. Not only because it is the place where it’s easiest for you to measure and analyze what’s going on, but because it’s the place everybody eventually will turn to in order to find more information about you as an employer.
But creating traffic is not enough. You remember, right? It’s all about deserved attention – that you can offer meaningful, relevant and truthful knowledge to the visitor. Things that also catches the visitor’s attention.
Another thing you need to remember is to help the visitor to straighten out a question mark each time they are in touch with you online. This means that you have to have relevant information available for the visitor, regardless of which phase she or he is in. In other words, regardless of how much she or he knows about you.
If we were to add the inbound model to our combined model, it would look like this:
Now you can see how inbound and the other models we’ve used connect to each other – and perhaps also on which level you need to plant the information you offer.
Let’s dig deeper into the inbound process
If we back up a bit, and stick strictly to the inbound model, now that we’ve had a glance at how it all connects. Then we’re able to get a slightly deeper knowledge regarding how to use inbound as effectively as possible. And we still keep in mind that itäs the visitor’s experience that’s in focus.
Naturally, your organization needs to have goals and be aware of what it is you want to create with the inbound process. You need to think hard and decide what this is – and here’s an example of what an inbound process for customers can look like:
What WE want
Ok. So you and your colleagues have sat yourselves down and found you clear, measurable goals. You have concluded where you need to be present, which necessary touchpoints or meeting places you need to have online, to reach the right target group.
This is not all, however. You do remember that it’s all on the visitor’s terms? That means that you need to translate your goals into what the visitor wants, if you want them to move in the desired direction, and make sure that they get what they need. All to enable you to reach the goals you’ve set up for your inbound process.
What THEY want
Think ahead
Your presence will never ever be solely online. Therefore it’s important for you to consider any and all pof the places where you meet existing and future employees. It can be on fairs, job markets for students, in commercials or in ads. On your intranet, in the reception at work or in a brochure for internal courses. Make sure your physical and digital channels work together. And drive traffic to the same place. For future employees, it should be your career pages (and for existing it could be the intranet).
Last but not least
Measure, analyze and follow up. Revise, measure, analyze and follow up. Keep working, refine, measure, analyze and follow up. Because if you don’t… Well, all your work is basically down the drain. IF you do, then it will create the results you desire – over time.
This was the final post on Inbound Recruiting for now. We’re quite certain we’ll have reason to revisit Inbound Recruiting, so keep an eye out for our blog posts.
