How to Use Digital Marketing to Enhance Your People Strategy

Your people strategy isn't meant to stay on paper, with its success being relegated to a hope, a prayer, and good vibes. It's meant to be a living, breathing organism that enhances your organization's culture.

We know recruitment, development, and retention of talented employees, as well as cultivating a positive and dynamic work environment, all play a role in your organization's culture. Traditionally, companies have relied on internal policies, HR practices, and employee engagement programs to shape this culture.

However, HR pros can extend their culture-building efforts far beyond these traditional methods. Attracting top talent, engaging employees, and promoting a unified company ethos can all be enhanced by the use of digital marketing.

Digital marketing, while often associated with promoting products and services to external customers, has become a powerful tool for enhancing a company's people and culture strategy. When used effectively, it can amplify an organization’s brand, improve recruitment efforts, foster a sense of community, and reinforce core values.

Let's consider concrete ways digital marketing efforts can transform your people strategy, making it more dynamic, engaging, and aligned with the needs of your modern workforce.

Employer Branding: Attracting the Right Talent

In today’s competitive job market, companies are no longer just competing on salaries and benefits; they're also competing on culture, values, and environment. Digital marketing offers a suite of tools to build a strong employer brand that resonates with potential candidates.

Social Media Presence

An active social media presence can provide a window into a company's culture. Sharing employee testimonials, behind-the-scenes content, and stories that highlight workplace values can give job seekers a clear sense of what it’s like to work at your company. Platforms such as LinkedIn, Instagram, and even TikTok have become go-to spaces for companies to showcase their culture and engage with talent in creative ways.

Content Marketing

Through blog posts, videos, and podcasts, companies can showcase their leadership in industry conversations while simultaneously sharing insights into their company culture. For example, thought leadership articles authored by executives can emphasize the company's commitment to innovation, inclusion, or sustainability. Case studies featuring employee growth or community impact projects can demonstrate the company's values in action.

Careers Page and Job Listings

Digital marketing also plays a key role in creating a compelling careers page that goes beyond simple job postings. High-quality content that highlights employee success stories, clear pathways for growth, and vibrant environments can differentiate your company in a crowded marketplace. Video testimonials, virtual office tours, and interactive Q&A sections with current employees can enhance the candidate experience and improve conversion rates from page views to applications.

Engaging Employees Through Internal Digital Platforms

Once your new team members are in the door, it's all about engagement. Digital marketing strategies can be employed internally to foster engagement, build a strong culture, and maintain employee satisfaction.

Intranet and Employee Portals

A well-designed intranet or employee portal can serve as the heart of internal communication. Consider digital marketing principles, such as user experience (UX) design, to enhance the functionality of these platforms. These portals should not just be repositories of information but also interactive spaces where employees can collaborate, access learning resources, and stay informed about company news and initiatives.

Regularly updating the intranet with employee stories, rewards and recognition, upcoming events, and leadership messages keeps the culture alive and reinforces company values. Incorporating video content, podcasts, and newsletters on these platforms can keep employees engaged and foster a sense of connection.

Employee Engagement Apps

As remote and hybrid work arrangements become the norm, mobile employee engagement apps are gaining traction. These apps enable companies to stay connected with their workforce no matter where they are. Digital marketing strategies such as push notifications, mobile-optimized content, and gamification can be applied to create a seamless and engaging experience.

Companies can use these apps to share updates, host virtual events, and even run contests and challenges that encourage employees to participate in culture-building activities. For example, creating a "wellness challenge" where employees log their healthy activities through the app not only encourages well-being but also brings people together around a shared goal.

Reinforcing Company Values and Mission

Culture is defined by the shared values and behaviors of an organization, and digital marketing can play a crucial role in reinforcing these values. By integrating core company messages into external and internal marketing efforts, you can ensure your mission is consistently communicated and upheld.

Storytelling and Advocacy

Digital storytelling is a powerful way to bring a company's mission and values to life. Sharing real-life stories of how employees embody company values or contribute to meaningful projects can help strengthen the connection between employees and the broader mission.

For example, if sustainability is a core value, you might create a series of videos or social media campaigns that showcase initiatives the company is undertaking to reduce its carbon footprint. Similarly, featuring employee volunteers in community outreach programs can highlight a company's commitment to social responsibility. These stories not only reinforce values internally but also build a positive external reputation.

Consistent Messaging Across Channels

To strengthen culture, companies need to ensure that their values and mission are consistently communicated across all digital platforms—whether through social media, websites, or employee portals. This ensures that both employees and external audiences receive a coherent message about what the company stands for.

For instance, digital newsletters, leadership blogs, or CEO videos can regularly update employees on the company's strategic goals and how these align with its core values. At the same time, external marketing efforts, like brand campaigns, should also reflect these values, helping the company present a unified identity to both employees and customers.

Boosting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Efforts

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are critical aspects of a modern people strategy. Digital marketing can support DEI initiatives by creating platforms for underrepresented voices, showcasing diversity in the workplace, and promoting an inclusive brand.

Amplifying Diverse Voices

Using digital channels to share the perspectives of employees from diverse backgrounds can help demonstrate a company's commitment to DEI. For example, featuring employees from a variety of backgrounds in blogs, podcasts, or social media profiles not only celebrates diversity but also fosters an inclusive culture.

Inclusive Marketing Practices

Inclusivity should also be embedded in a company's external marketing efforts. Ensuring that your website, social media content, and job listings are accessible and free from bias can signal to both current employees and prospective hires that your company values diversity and inclusivity. Using inclusive language, featuring diverse images, and creating content that reflects the experiences of all employees can contribute to a more welcoming and equitable workplace.

Driving Continuous Learning and Development

Digital marketing can also support a company's learning and development (L&D) initiatives, helping employees grow and develop new skills while strengthening your company's commitment to continuous learning.

E-Learning and Microlearning Platforms

Digital marketing techniques can be applied to the design and promotion of internal e-learning platforms. Creating engaging, visually appealing, and user-friendly content—such as microlearning videos, interactive quizzes, and gamified modules—can enhance the learning experience for employees. Promoting these platforms through internal campaigns that highlight new courses or certifications can also drive participation.

Webinars and Virtual Workshops

Webinars and virtual workshops are excellent tools for upskilling employees, and marketing them effectively ensures that employees are aware of these opportunities. Sending targeted email campaigns, creating sign-up landing pages, and using social media platforms to promote learning events can increase employee engagement in continuous development.

Employee Advocacy Programs

Employees are often the best ambassadors for a company’s culture. By creating employee advocacy programs, your company can encourage employees to share their positive experiences, values, and company news on their personal social media platforms.

Amplifying Culture Through Social Sharing

Employee advocacy programs enable employees to share curated content about the company, from blog posts and job listings to social initiatives. This not only amplifies the company’s message but also builds authenticity. Prospective candidates are more likely to trust and resonate with messages that come from current employees rather than official corporate channels.

Recognition and Incentives

Incentivizing employees to participate in advocacy programs can further boost engagement. Digital marketing strategies such as leaderboards, social badges, and recognition programs can be integrated into employee engagement apps to motivate participation. Recognizing employees for their contributions publicly, both on internal and external platforms, reinforces a positive, engaged company culture.

Bring your people strategy touchpoints to life.

Incorporating digital marketing into your people strategy is not just about leveraging technology—it's about creating a holistic approach to culture-building that extends across every touchpoint. After all, the employee experience is nothing if not a series of meaningful touchpoints that are indicative of your culture - bring it to life!

By applying the principles of digital marketing to employer branding, internal communication, employee engagement, and DEI initiatives, companies can create a vibrant, dynamic culture that attracts and retains top talent.

With the right strategy, digital marketing can turn your people and culture approach into a competitive advantage, fostering a sense of belonging, driving innovation, and aligning the workforce with the company’s mission. In a world where both culture and digital engagement matter more than ever, integrating both into your people strategy is a no brainer.