TID
min read
What do your potential candidates actually think of when they hear your company name? Perhaps they think of a product or service. A LinkedIn post. A fun TikTok video. Or maybe a former employee who shared what it’s really like to work for you. And this is exactly where the difference (and the interplay) between your brand and your employer brand becomes crucial.
A brand is about the feeling people associate with your company as a whole. How you are perceived as a company by customers, partners, and the outside world. An employer brand, on the other hand, is about how you are perceived as an employer by your employees and potential candidates.
The brand and the employer brand share the same foundation—purpose, promise, and values—but they offer two different perspectives that influence each other more than many realize. If, for example, you communicate innovation, care, and quality as a company, but the reality inside says otherwise, it becomes apparent very quickly.
Today, people are more curious and transparent than ever. Candidates read reviews, follow companies on social media, and want to understand the culture before they even submit an application. That is why a strong employer brand is not just about sponsored campaigns with good results. It starts with building credibility, seeing and showcasing the people behind your logo. The everyday life. The culture.
At the same time, the visual expression your brand signals plays a key role in its own right. Design, tone of voice, imagery, and content immediately signal the feeling you want to convey as a company. Is the communication modern, human, and consistent? Is it clear that HR and marketing are working toward the same goals? NOTE: super important. When communication is inconsistent, it shows quickly. And this applies just as much to the customer buying your product as it does to the potential employee or the colleague who wants to keep working for you.
And here’s the thing. We scroll past hundreds of messages every day; it’s no longer enough to just be there. To attract the right people (whether customers or candidates), you as a company need to dare to create content that resonates. Content that stands out, sparks curiosity, and shows something authentic behind the often-polished surface. Content that, in the best of worlds, sparks a conversation in the breakroom.
Watch our latest webinar on Brand vs. Employer Brand—what sets them apart and why they must work together.
AI has become an integral part of how ads are displayed, and platforms like Meta are handling an increasing amount of audience targeting on their own. This means the algorithm learns from how candidates actually behave—what they click on, engage with, and ignore. The shift is therefore moving from "who do we want to reach?" to "what makes the algorithm understand what works?".
LinkedIn P4P – part of a smarter recruitment strategy. At SMW Group, we have previously worked with LinkedIn's Premium Jobs solution. It is now being replaced by LinkedIn P4P, a model with an even stronger focus on performance and precision. This shift aligns well with how we already work. Successful recruitment is about reaching the right candidates, in the right place, at the right time. LinkedIn P4P is a powerful tool in that effort.
SMW Group is joining as a Community Partner to the Sweden Employer Branding Summit (SEBS). Together, the parties aim to strengthen the Swedish employer branding industry and increase knowledge exchange between HR, communications, and leadership.
