Top Seven Companies to Follow on Instagram for Employer Branding

September 26, 2017
|In Integrated Marketing
|By Katerina Pena

Let me be perfectly honest. I haven’t always been a user of Instagram (I’m more of a Facebook and LinkedIn kind of gal). However, as I’ve done research and started working more and more with clients who are looking for creative avenues to communicate and express their employer brands, I’m convinced that Instagram is a hidden gem just waiting to be embraced for employer branding.

Instagram’s unique, highly visual and engaging platform is a great way for employers to showcase what it’s like to be a part of the company. Companies can highlight their culture, values, work environment and employees – everything that makes the employer brand unique – all with images that can grab more attention and faster than words alone.

Let’s check out a few examples of companies whose Instagram presence does great things for their employer brands:

StarbucksJobs

The StarbucksJobs Instagram profile says it all: “Connect to something bigger.” It only takes a few posts to hone in on the values that are most important to Starbucks – a sense of neighborhood, creating opportunity for their partners (how they refer to their employees), honoring and supporting military families, celebrating one another and an authentic pride in and ownership of the Starbucks brand.

It’s hard to choose a favorite post, but I’ll go with this one in support of veterans and military spouses, where employees aren’t only supported, they are recognized in a very open way on their aprons:

MailChimp

Our Atlanta neighbor, MailChimp, uses Instagram to promote both the company and its employer brand in one profile, offering a great example of how both brands can complement one another. Here you’ll find creative visuals, lots of (mail)chimps, company events and posts about employees – what they do at MailChimp and their favorite part of the job. It’s a nice commingling of the products that help businesses build their brand to sell more and all the employees helping behind the scenes to make them successful (and loving it).

MailChimp is just plain fun to follow even if just for ideas and inspiration. And if you’re looking for a fun place to work where you can be your own creative self, this post might catch your eye:

Ernst & Young US Careers

Here’s another Instagram profile containing a powerful employer brand message: “We have an ambition to build a #betterworkingworld. And the question is: Will it begin with you?” You’ll find this message rings loud and clear throughout E&Y’s Instagram feed.

Ernst & Young uses a mixture of eye-catching, feeling-invoking photos, graphics, text and quotes. They mix it up with beautifully designed creative as well as everyday photos, likely taken with someone’s phone.

College recruiting is a key talent acquisition initiative at E&Y and this post captures the true essence of speaking to millennials right out of college or early in their careers:

TEK Systems Careers

Work hard, play hard – and celebrate success along the way. That’s what the TEK Systems Instagram says to me, although not explicitly in their profile. TEK Systems’ posts are filled with every day photos of their employees, many of whom are celebrating significant sales goals and achievements. All of whom look like they are having a blast.

I like how TEK Systems uses both photos and video to create authentic posts about real employees doing real things. I particularly like this Boomerang video post of Tyler, who hit his first big recruiter milestone:

Marriott Careers

Their profile reads: “With more than 6,100 properties and 30 brands worldwide, the opportunities in a Marriott career are endless. Experience our story.” This is what Marriott is all about, and their posts tell this story beautifully with images from properties around the world and the people who will make your stay unforgettable.

This post brought a smile to my face. It features, Duffy, a bartender from Aruba who won a top tourism award. If I ever make it to Aruba, I’m seeking out Duffy for that smile and for his passion: “putting people first”:

LinkedIn Life

This LinkedIn Instagram highlights the company’s unique culture and employees, as well as the fact: “We work hard, get sh*t done and have fun.” Indeed, their posts highlight that message, especially the having fun part. You can see LinkedIn teams working together around the world and envision opportunities as an employee abroad.

My favorite post features their Alumni Reunion, a get-together of past employees. It’s a perfect example of how to leverage the power of alumni/former employees, something we strongly encourage here at Relish. People leave a company for many reasons, but if they do so on good terms and feel good about the experiences they’ve had, they can be amazing ambassadors of your employee brand:

HootSuite Life

One of the most widely used platforms for managing social media would have to have its pulse on Instagram for employer branding. From their work environment (dogs in the office!), to employee functions, to extracurricular activities, Hootsuite’s employer brand screams collaboration, diversity with inclusion, work-life balance and a more casual work style.

My favorite recent post? This one, of course (cue the awwwww):

Bottom line: If you’re looking for another way to promote your employer brand, pay attention to your Instagram. And whether you’re an experienced IG user or you’ve only dipped your toe in, take a cue from some of the top employer brands out there to enhance your Instagram presence and get the most engagement to achieve your goals.

Please visit our Employer Branding page if you would like more information on the many ways Relish helps companies develop their employer brand.

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