When you are recruiting, it’s critical to use every tool in your toolbox and this includes social media platforms.
“The traditional approach that lawn and landscape companies historically took toward recruiting no longer yields the same results,” says Corey Halstead, co-owner of HALSTEAD Media. “The outdated notion of posting a job opening on a board and waiting for applicants has become ineffective. A more suitable philosophy for the current landscape is something called ‘recruitment marketing.’”
Halstead explains that recruitment marketing involves creating a company that is worth working for and then promoting it comprehensively as an excellent workplace. Rather than posting about a specific position, you can market the company as a whole.
What Resonates and Where to Post
Dylan Harper, owner of Forge Marketing Group, LLC, says that landscape companies that want to create engaging social media posts must prioritize quality photography and videography.
“People are drawn to photos and videos that catch their attention and pique their interest – which is why videos and photos that are aesthetically pleasing, dynamic, punchy, dramatic, funny, or educational perform extremely well on social media platforms,” Harper says.
Photos and videos that showcase happy employees excelling in their work, engaging with other employees, receiving training and attending team appreciation events can all appeal to potential talent.
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“Prospective employees will want to know what it is like to work for the company; what the company culture is like; what roles and responsibilities certain positions entail; how the company cultivates personal and professional development; how the team impacts customers or the community; and ultimately how working for the company will benefit their lives,” Harper says.
Harper adds that potential new hires are also interested in posts that include employee interviews or testimonials, employee benefits descriptions, employee headshots and bios, team photos, as well as hiring and onboarding FAQs.
Halstead notes the type of posts and the platform you choose to post on will vary based on the positions you are seeking to fill.
“For entry-level field labor positions, for instance, posting humorous TikToks is likely to yield a great return on investment (ROI),” Halstead says. “On the other hand, if you are looking to hire commercial sales reps or experienced designers, it would be more effective to share professional content on LinkedIn and Instagram Stories.”
Harper says Facebook and Instagram are viable platforms to post on as Facebook has roughly 2.93 billion active monthly users and Instagram has 2 billion active monthly users. He recommends running paid advertisements on these platforms for open positions.
“We have found a lot of success in running paid Facebook ads for landscaping companies often getting 20-30 applicants over two-week periods,” Harper says. “There are not many companies that do this, so there is typically low competition for applicants. The ads also get shared among family members, peers, and communities – gaining even more bang for the buck.”
Common Mistakes
While social media can help with recruitment marketing, the biggest mistake is assuming random, generic posts will get the job done. Halstead encourages having clearly outlined desired outcomes before posting.
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“Landscaping companies should avoid making social media posts that do not provide value for the audience they are targeting – meaning if it does not address the needs, interests, questions, and expectations of the intended audience, then it should not be posted,” Harper says. Another mistake is not posting consistently on your social media platforms.
“For example, it is a bad look if your page has not had any new posts in the last couple of years,” Harper says. “This can be achieved by publishing a new post at least once a week.”
Halstead says that posting three times a week on relevant platforms can serve as a basic foundation, but the content needs to relevant and high-quality.
“Integrating a well-structured paid campaign into the mix, complete with retargeting, significantly enhances targeting precision, frequency of reach, and consequently, measurable results,” Halstead says.
Because a solid social media strategy demands considerable effort and budget, tools like Hootsuite, Loomly or Buffer.com can help streamline the scheduling and publishing process.
“The most overlooked ‘tool’ in the landscape industry in my opinion is the team itself,” Halstead says. “Landscaping companies aiming to produce dynamic, effective, and up-to-date social content should empower their team to capture and post on business profiles. It’s a game-changer that alleviates the pressure from one person, often not even involved in the process of delivering services.”
Double Duty
With these posts, you may also want to appeal to new customers as well. Halstead says that because every customer desires to hire a successful, stable, and well-managed landscape company for their design, installation, and/or maintenance needs, posts highlighting your company’s team can capture their attention as well.
“I believe it boils down to showcasing a fantastic workplace — team members laughing, interacting, growing, and ultimately delivering an outstanding end product and customer experience,” Halstead says. “While highlighting a design/build project or a pristine maintenance account, we concurrently feature the exceptional team behind the work in action. That’s the magic formula that maximizes budgets and delivers measurable results.”
