How to enhance your employer brand through marketing

Attracting top talent goes beyond offering a competitive salary or cool office perks. It’s about creating a compelling story and shaping a brand experience that resonates with both current employees and potential hires. In episode 3 of the Bespoke Careers Employer Branding playbook, we dive into how the power of marketing—when aligned with the core values of your company—can fuel and sharpen your employer brand.

We sat down with Ayo Abbas, an expert marketing consultant specialising in the built environment. With over two decades of experience, Ayo shared some gold on how architecture and interior design firms can build an employer brand that stands out. If you’re a designer, architect, hiring manager, or anyone in a leadership role, you’ll want to stick around for this.

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A career built on passion (and a little accident)

Ayo didn’t start out planning to be a heavyweight in the built environment sector—she “fell into it.” Early in her career, she worked with a small PR agency that focused on construction-related clients. Although a business degree led her to marketing, working with manufacturers, material suppliers, and architects sparked her passion for the industry.

What’s kept her around for 23 years? It’s the mix of innovation, technology advancements, and the sheer diversity within the sector. Unlike many industries, real estate and construction constantly evolve. And according to Ayo, this has kept her engaged. “There’s always something new to learn,” she says.

What exactly Is employer branding?

Before diving into strategies, let’s define the term that’s been getting more and more buzz. What is employer branding?

“At its core, employer branding is all about attracting and retaining talent,” Ayo says. It’s not just about creating a logo or catchy tagline. It’s about sharing your company’s values, your culture, and—most importantly—walking the talk. She makes a good point: “People think branding is what you say, but it’s actually what others say about you when you’re not in the room.”

In simpler words, your organisation’s brand isn’t just who you claim to be; it's about the experience employees live day in, day out. If your company claims to prioritise equality but employees feel otherwise, that misalignment will easily spread—and damage your reputation.

Build out your values. And don’t make them suck

The first step to building out your employer brand is building out your values that actually resonate. 

Did you know that 38% of HR leaders believe their employees don’t know their company's values? This is largely because these values often amount to nothing more than a collection of overused corporate buzzwords that have lost their meaning. 

The key to changing this lies in reimagining how we present these principles, starting with moving away from the term values itself and toward more relevant names like Building Blocks, Our Blueprint, or Foundations. This is a great way to immediately connect principles to purpose.

This shift in language should be paired with a focus on specific, actionable behaviours rather than abstract ideals - for instance, replacing vague terms like integrity with clear directives such as Do what's right, even when it's hard, or swapping sustainability for the more practical Do more with less. The transformation from generic corporate speak to concrete actions makes these principles more memorable and applicable in daily work life. When principles are expressed as specific behaviours rather than abstract concepts, they become natural guidelines for decision-making rather than forgotten phrases on a wall.

Beyond ping pong tables

Ayo highlighted an interesting shift in how companies showcase and define their employer brand. In the past, firms might boast about fun office perks like pool tables or free snacks, but today it’s more about showing tangible company values. Social media has made it easier, and necessary, to be transparent in defining who you are.

Does your company offer a 4-day work week? Are you prioritising sustainable practices in your projects or playing an active role in the community? Those are stories worth sharing. Ayo stressed that sharing your employees’ experiences—what they value, enjoy, and believe in—is a key strategy to humanise your brand.

People connect with people. If your social media channels aren’t telling personal stories, you might be missing out on authentic engagement from top talent.

Marketing and HR: a powerful partnership

Who owns employer branding in an organisation? Is it marketing, or is it HR?

Ayo argued that ownership doesn't matter nearly as much as collaboration. In larger organisations, we tend to see a divide: HR focuses on internal culture, while marketing works on external promotion. But for employer branding, the two departments should work in tandem.

“Businesses are about people at the end of the day,” said Ayo. HR understands the needs of the workforce, while marketing knows how to send out messages that resonate. When they work together, they can keep both internal teams happy while also telling compelling stories to the outside world.

Hybrid roles and internal communications

If you’re in a smaller firm, you might be wearing many hats. In this case, internal communications may very well fall into the lap of marketing. Ayo mentioned that in small firms, marketers often have to step up and be more involved in internal strategies.

Outlining company values, communicating internally, and ensuring that the messaging is clear across all channels is as critical for small firms as it is for corporate giants. When your resources are limited, however, it's essential to lean into marketing’s expertise in clear communication to promote those values inside the company as well as outside.

Leveraging social media for employer branding

When done right, social media can be an incredibly powerful tool for expressing your company’s culture, values, and personality. But showing off your annual holiday party isn’t enough. As Ayo put it, it’s all about transparency, storytelling, and human connections.

People are no longer interested in cookie-cutter job descriptions or staged office photos. Share what your employees are doing—both professionally and personally. Give people an inside look at your work culture through "day in the life" content, employee stories, and by showcasing your brand’s involvement with the community.

Interestingly, Ayo pointed out that some firms are already pushing messaging that focuses on the people they want to attract rather than just the people they have today. This aligns with your branding goals—position your company as the kind that this type of person would want to join.

Content marketing for employer branding

Content marketing and employer branding actually share a lot in common. The same way B2B brands aim to stay top of mind for clients, you’ll want to stay top of mind with potential employees.

When it comes to attracting talent, especially students or recent graduates, Ayo suggested providing real value through resources. Host webinars on how to build a killer portfolio, or write blog posts about what you look for in interviews. Future candidates will flock to you because you’ve already provided them with something useful, and they’ll associate that positive experience with your brand.

Providing ongoing content helps build trust over time, keeping candidates engaged before they’re actively looking for a job. Think of it as planting seeds that could grow and flourish when the time is right.

Events and awards: elevating your brand's reputation

Don’t underestimate the power of events—even small, intimate gatherings. In an increasingly digital world, in-person events can help build deeper relationships with prospective hires.

Ayo emphasised not only the value of holding events but also the importance of repurposing that content. Video the event or at least grab a transcript, then use it to fuel your blog, social media, and other marketing channels. You’ve done the hard work of pulling together a successful event—don’t let that go to waste.

Similarly, awards aren’t just about showing off to clients. They can be a source of pride and validation for your employees. Winning “Employer of the Year” at industry events boosts morale and brand visibility, making it easier to attract future talent.

Measuring your employer brand efforts

Quantifying the success of your employer branding efforts can be tricky. While social media metrics like impressions and engagement give you a sense of your reach, they don’t provide all the answers.

Instead, Ayo recommended incorporating anecdotal feedback. For example, during interviews, make sure to ask candidates how they heard about your company. “Social media? My friend Sarah tagged you in a job post!” This can provide real insight into what channels are working and whether your messaging is consistent across platforms.

Hard numbers don’t tell the whole story, but neither do individual anecdotes. The trick is to use both to give yourself a fuller picture.

Quick wins for building an employer brand tomorrow

If you’re looking for a tactical step that you can implement right away, Ayo suggested starting a mini-content series. Interview your employees with three to four simple questions like:

• Why did you get into this industry?
• What do you love most about working here?
• What’s something cool you’re working on right now?

These quick interviews can be turned into social media posts, videos, or even a blog series. Sharing real employees’ voices will go a long way in humanising your brand and giving candidates a behind-the-scenes view of your culture.

At the end of the day, employer branding comes down to one fundamental idea: people. When your marketing and HR teams collaborate to communicate the true values and culture of your organisation, you’ll be positioned to attract—and keep—the best talent. Whether through social media, content marketing, or even awards, the key is in authentic storytelling.