Leveraging Social Media to Build Online Social Capital and Employer Brand

Abstract

Organisations increasingly use virtual means to connect with stakeholders to project an employer image among job seekers. Social media-based networking and employer branding strategies to attract and retain talent are effective strategies in the post-COVID scenario. A proper context exists to explore networking activities’ role in building solid social media capital and how this contributes to employer branding efforts. The present study explains how social media activities affect social media capital generation and employer branding. Second, the research examines how social media activities by organisations may help them leverage online social capital resources to create a strong employer brand. Extant literature illustrates how social media has increased the reach and scope for meaningful networking and greater possibilities of reaching out to potential employees through employer branding initiatives. Innovative social media tools for messaging and communicating, such as hashtags, tweeting, pinning, posting, likes and sharing, have made the outcomes more tangible, measurable and reliable. This facilitates effective social capital management to generate an employer’s reputation and a superior employer brand.