You might be losing strong marketing candidates before they even hit ‘Apply.’
If your employer brand isn’t clear or compelling, the right people won’t stick around long enough to learn more. And in a market where skilled marketers are in demand, that’s a problem.
Employer branding isn’t about perks or slogans. It’s about how your company is seen as a place to work, and whether that perception is helping or hurting your ability to attract the right talent.
For founders and HR leaders, employer branding is one of the most strategic tools available in recruitment.
Here’s how to build a brand that makes strong marketers take notice.
What is Employer Branding?
Employer branding is how your company is perceived as a place to work.
It’s the overall impression candidates get from your reputation, team, leadership style, values, and even your product.
For founders and HR leaders, this means every interaction – whether it’s a LinkedIn post, a Glassdoor review, or a recruiter email – either strengthens or weakens your credibility as an employer.
This is especially true for younger professionals: according to Universum, 75% of them consider a company’s reputation before applying. If that reputation isn’t clear or appealing, many won’t even make it to the application stage.
This isn’t just about brand polish. There’s real business impact.
Companies with strong employer brands tend to grow faster (some seeing up to 2.5 times higher revenue growth) thanks to lower employee turnover, quicker hiring cycles, and a workforce that’s more engaged from day one.
When you’re hiring marketers, these effects are magnified.
Marketing professionals often pay close attention to how companies present themselves. If your messaging feels vague or misaligned, they’ll notice and move on.
A clear employer brand helps attract people who not only bring the right skills, but also fit the way your team thinks, builds, and grows.
Why Employer Branding Matters in 2025
Recruiting is no longer just about filling roles – it’s about attracting the right people before your competitors do.
And in marketing, where the best candidates are often already employed or in high demand, this gets even harder.
A strong employer brand gives you an edge. It builds familiarity and trust long before a job is posted.
When marketing professionals already have a clear sense of what your company stands for, what the team is like, and how decisions get made, they’re more likely to engage and apply.
Take HubSpot, for example. Its reputation as a people-first, flexible, and feedback-driven workplace is well known in the tech and marketing space.
They openly share employee reviews, remote work policies, leadership principles, and DEI goals – without relying on buzzwords.
As a result, they attract marketers who value transparency and modern ways of working.
For founders, this kind of reputation means shorter hiring cycles, stronger applicants, and less dependence on expensive recruiting campaigns.
For HR teams, it means fewer mismatches and better retention. A well-defined employer brand acts like a filter. It attracts people who fit, and quietly filters out those who don’t.
Without a credible employer brand, you’re invisible – or worse, forgettable – to the kind of marketers who could actually move your business forward.
The Stakes Are High
Getting your employer brand wrong can hurt you more than you think. According to Fit Small Business:
- Strong employer brands reduce employee turnover by 28%.
- 69% of candidates would decline a job from a poorly perceived brand.
- 86% of candidates review company ratings before applying.
In marketing, perception is everything – and that applies to how marketers perceive your company, too.
The cost of a misaligned hire can be staggering, especially in high-skill roles like marketing. When the company culture doesn’t match the brand image, new hires may feel duped, leading to early exits, bad reviews, and a bruised reputation. Each misstep can ripple outward, creating long-term damage that affects future hiring efforts.
Reputation also plays a pivotal role in talent referrals. A weak employer brand means current employees are less likely to refer their peers, missing out on one of the most cost-effective hiring channels. With employee referrals shown to yield better performance and retention, failing to nurture a strong employer brand could shut the door on this valuable pipeline.
What Top Marketers Look For
Top marketing professionals aren’t just looking for a paycheck. They’re looking for a brand that reflects their values, encourages creativity, and supports their career growth. In fact, alignment between personal values and company culture is often a deciding factor in accepting a job offer.
They want to work for companies that innovate. That showcases creativity. And that value their input. Brands that tell compelling stories not only to their customers but also internally to their teams? That’s where top marketers want to be.
Marketing professionals also want to see that their future employers embrace data-driven decision-making and digital transformation. Companies that invest in marketing tech stacks, analytics, and cross-departmental collaboration show that they’re serious about empowering their marketing team. This infrastructure tells marketers they won’t have to fight internal battles to justify their strategies.
Lastly, mentorship and visibility matter. High-performing marketers want exposure to senior leadership and the ability to influence strategy. They seek environments where their ideas can shape brand direction, not just execute pre-approved plans. Companies that provide upward mobility and strategic collaboration opportunities often win out in the talent war.
Key Drivers for Marketing Talent
The top drivers attracting marketing talent today aren’t radically different from other industries – but they are magnified:
- Creative Freedom: Marketers want autonomy in shaping narratives and executing campaigns.
- Professional Development: Access to training, workshops, and conferences matters.
- Work-Life Balance: Especially post-2020, flexibility and hybrid opportunities are a must.
- Values-Driven Culture: Diversity, inclusion, and sustainability aren’t optional; they’re expected.
- Strong Leadership: Teams follow leaders with vision and transparency.
According to Purpose Jobs, transparency and authenticity are two of the biggest trends influencing talent decisions in 2025.
Remote-friendly policies and asynchronous collaboration are becoming important factors, too. Marketing talent often spans across disciplines, requiring flexibility in work styles. Offering customized work environments and accommodating time zones or personal needs can significantly increase appeal to high-performing professionals.
Benefits that go beyond the basics also signal care for employee well-being.
Health stipends, creative sabbaticals, mental health resources, and generous parental leave are perks that resonate.
When employers treat marketers as whole people and not just creatives on demand, they gain loyalty, advocacy, and long-term team strength.
Strategies for Building a Standout Employer Brand
1. Culture Showcases
Don’t just say you have a great culture – show it. Use behind-the-scenes videos, employee-led content, and team spotlights across your owned media.
Leverage platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, and your careers page to highlight real moments.
Consider this: Companies that invest in employer branding grow 20% faster, according to DSMN8.
Highlighting culture also builds excitement among your current team. It reinforces internal pride and prompts organic sharing on personal social channels, expanding your brand reach at zero cost.
A lively culture feed filled with celebrations, candid moments, and learning opportunities paints a full picture of your employee experience.
Don’t be afraid to showcase vulnerability. Talk openly about how you’re improving or adapting your culture. Marketers, especially, value honesty over polish.
Real stories resonate more than corporate stock photos and empty slogans.
2. Employee Testimonials
Your current employees are your best recruiters. Encourage them to share their experiences through testimonials, blog posts, or even casual video diaries.
Peer validation goes a long way, especially for marketing professionals who thrive on storytelling and authenticity.
Make testimonials searchable and categorized by team or role on your website. Prospective candidates should be able to hear directly from someone with a similar background. This enhances relatability and accelerates trust.
Also, incentivize participation: host mini testimonial challenges or campaigns where employees highlight what excites them about the company. Over time, these stories can become a goldmine of recruitment content.
3. Value Alignment Messaging
Infuse your mission and values throughout your content. Don’t relegate them to the About page. Make sure job ads, social posts, and recruitment campaigns all reflect what your company stands for.
A Symphony Talent study of 450 HR leaders found that value-based branding was among the top tactics to engage and retain talent.
Bring your values to life with examples. If you value creativity, spotlight experimental projects.
If you champion diversity, share how your hiring panels and interview processes reflect that. Aligning your messaging with real actions builds credibility with discerning marketing candidates.
Your values should also be part of onboarding and performance reviews, not just hiring. Continuity of messaging reinforces your brand promise and ensures candidates experience the company they were promised.
4. Smart Recruiting Content
You can’t rely on job boards alone. Optimize your job listings to reflect your brand voice, showcase perks and culture, and use clear, inclusive language.
Writing effective job ads can help you stand out immediately.
Bonus tip: Don’t forget the video. Short intro videos about teams or roles can increase application rates significantly.
Use A/B testing to refine content strategies. Try different formats – infographics, quizzes, live Q&A sessions – to see what resonates with your target candidates.
Consider using landing pages tailored to marketing roles that showcase portfolio expectations and team goals.
Finally, make it ridiculously easy to apply. If your application process is clunky or outdated, even the best branding won’t save you. Seamless UX shows marketers you understand modern digital expectations.
Data-Driven Reasons to Invest in Employer Branding
Still not convinced? Let the numbers speak:
- A strong employer brand can reduce cost-per-hire by up to 50% (DSMN8).
- Companies with strong employer brands see 28% less turnover (Fit Small Business).
- 86% of job seekers research company reviews before applying (Fit Small Business).
- Branding strategies that emphasize DEI, transparency, and purpose are becoming essential (Purpose Jobs).
As the Symphony Talent report shows, leaders are prioritizing employer branding alongside technology to drive recruitment results.
In addition, 69% of candidates would turn down an offer from a company with a bad employer reputation – even if unemployed.
This stat underscores how critical your brand perception is during the decision-making process. No flashy benefits package can override a negative first impression.
On the flip side, employer branding done right contributes to revenue.
Happier, aligned employees become stronger brand ambassadors, boost customer satisfaction, and ultimately drive performance. It’s not just an HR metric; it’s a business growth lever.
Mistakes to Avoid
1. Inauthentic Messaging
Don’t claim values you can’t back up. Marketers, especially, can spot inauthenticity from a mile away. If your workplace culture doesn’t reflect your branding, it’ll show up in reviews, retention data, and failed hires.
Instead, start small. Identify real stories, behaviors, or team wins that reflect your values. Build your brand from there.
Generic branding is just as dangerous. Statements like “We’re like a family” or “We work hard and play hard” have become empty tropes. Specificity earns trust. Instead of vague cultural statements, show real-world examples and tangible outcomes.
Employee-generated content is one of the most powerful tools against inauthenticity. Encourage your team to share their day-to-day experiences. What they post will resonate more than any professionally crafted campaign.
2. Ignoring Feedback
Too many companies focus on outward branding while ignoring internal signals. Are your employees satisfied? Are exit interviews showing consistent issues? Is your Glassdoor profile outdated?
Use tools and surveys to capture Feedback and act on it. Your current team’s perception is the foundation of your brand.
Also, don’t shy away from public criticism. Responding to negative reviews with transparency shows that you’re listening. Candidates appreciate companies that own up to past mistakes and commit to progress.
Treat feedback loops as dynamic tools for continuous improvement. Periodically assess internal sentiment, conduct pulse surveys, and revisit your messaging strategy to ensure it still reflects reality.
Actionable Tips for Hiring Managers
- Audit your employer brand: Search your company online and review what a candidate sees.
- Talk to your team: What do they love? What would they improve? Capture their voices.
- Prioritize inclusive hiring practices: Representation matters. Inclusive brands attract inclusive talent.
- Use storytelling in job posts: Move beyond the bullet points. Tell a compelling story.
- Collaborate with marketing: Your marketing team can help elevate recruitment materials and ensure brand alignment.
- Make it easy to connect: Use platforms like Kelly Services to help job seekers connect with top employers.
Treat recruitment like a marketing funnel. Nurture candidates through awareness, consideration, and conversion.
Provide downloadable culture guides, behind-the-scenes newsletters, and FAQ videos.
Personalization at every stage of the candidate journey can dramatically boost engagement and applications.
Finally, measure and iterate. Track application sources, drop-off rates, and Feedback during interviews. Use this data to refine your branding approach over time.
Employer branding isn’t static – it evolves with your company and market.
Final Thoughts
Marketing professionals are some of the most strategic hires a company can make – but they’re also the most selective.
If your brand doesn’t stand out, they won’t apply. If your messaging doesn’t feel genuine, they’ll move on.
And if your values don’t align, they’ll say no.
In 2025 and beyond, employer branding will be one of the most effective tools in your hiring arsenal.
Tell your story. Highlight your people. And show top marketing talent that your company is the right place to grow their career.
Because the best brands don’t just market to customers, they market to future teammates too.
