Decoding Demand Generation vs. Demand Creation in Recruitment Marketing

Ensuring a seamless alignment between recruitment objectives and overall business goals stands as a cornerstone for any organisation’s success, and recruitment marketing is no exception. Too often, recruitment marketing efforts are misaligned with the overall goals and objectives of the business, leading to wasted resources, missed opportunities, and ineffective recruitment outcomes.  

Crafting a successful marketing strategy begins by establishing clear objectives that seamlessly intertwine with your organisation’s overarching goals. By doing so, recruitment marketers can ensure that their efforts are focused on the right priorities and are more likely to achieve strategic outcomes.  

But, before you get started on strategy design, it’s important to understand the difference between demand generation vs demand creation in recruitment marketing. Especially when you consider that 44% of respondents said they wanted to increase spending on demand creation and 50% consider lead generation a top priority in their marketing campaigns. Both strategies have their merits so let us dive in to discover which strategy needs to be in the mix for your business. 

What is Demand Creation Marketing?

While demand generation is crucial in many marketing campaigns, its main drawback is capturing just 5% of the market—those already aware of their needs. Essentially, to access the remaining 95%, a shift towards demand creation becomes imperative. However, in a recent survey, an alarming 43% said their lead nurturing initiatives needed improvement, up from 30% last year. 

Demand creation serves as a strategic cornerstone in recruitment marketing, aimed at igniting interest and fostering awareness among potential candidates. This multifaceted approach comprises an array of targeted activities designed to captivate and engage prospective talent. Here’s an in-depth exploration of the tactics integral to a demand creation programme: 

The implementation of a demand creation strategy yields many benefits, including the establishment of a robust talent pipeline, reduction in time-to-hire, enhancement of candidate quality, and upliftment in the employer’s brand and reputation. This approach not only attracts but also retains top-tier talent, contributing significantly to the organisation’s growth and success. 

• Targeted Advertising Campaigns: Leveraging social media, job boards, and various digital platforms to launch precise and impactful advertising initiatives. These campaigns drive traffic towards dedicated recruitment landing pages, serving as gateways to enticing career opportunities. 
• Compelling Visuals and Persuasive Ad Copy: Crafting visually appealing content and persuasive ad copy to seize the candidate’s attention. These elements not only attract but also entice individuals to explore and discover the offered job roles in detail. 
• Content Marketing: An indispensable tactic in demand creation, content marketing goes beyond mere promotion. It involves sharing valuable insights on career development, industry trends, and workplace culture. This approach fosters trust and credibility among candidates, positioning the organisation as an authority in the field. 
• SEO-Optimised Content and Distribution: Ensuring that content is not only informative but also strategically optimiszed for search engines. This facilitates better visibility and reach. Coupled with effective distribution through social media and email campaigns, it maximizes the impact and engagement potential of the content. 

The implementation of a demand creation strategy yields many benefits, including the establishment of a robust talent pipeline, reduction in time-to-hire, enhancement of candidate quality, and upliftment in the employer’s brand and reputation. This approach not only attracts but also retains top-tier talent, contributing significantly to the organisation’s growth and success. 

What is Demand Generation Marketing? 

More than 9 in 10 (91%) of marketers believe that lead generation is their most important goal. The goal is to spark interest and demand for your products or services, leading to increased sales and a broader customer base. This strategy cultivates a consistent flow of leads, amplifying conversion rates, and significantly boosting sales revenue. To execute this approach effectively, consider the following tactics integral to a demand generation programme: 

• Content Marketing: Craft valuable and tailored content that directly addresses the needs and interests of your target audience. This encompasses a diverse range of mediums such as blog posts, whitepapers, videos, webinars, and other engaging formats. 
• Search Engine Optimisation (SEO): Optimise your website and content to enhance visibility and ranking on search engines. A higher search engine ranking directly correlates to increased organic traffic and enhanced visibility among potential candidates. 
• Social Media Marketing: Engage actively with your audience on various social media platforms, fostering brand awareness and directing traffic to your website. Consistent sharing of high-quality content on social channels amplifies audience engagement and interaction. 
• Email Marketing: Nurture leads and maintain engagement through targeted email campaigns that offer genuine value to your audience. Building trust and credibility through personalised communication often results in increased sales conversions.   
• Paid Advertising: Deploy paid advertising strategies such as Google Display Ads, PPC, or social media ads to effectively drive traffic and generate leads. Tailor these campaigns to target specific keywords or audience segments for precise reach and impact. 

Demand generation marketing is a potent strategy to create interest and demand for your offerings. Employ a mix of tactics, including content marketing, SEO, social media marketing, email marketing, and paid advertising, to generate a steady stream of quality leads that can be converted into sales. 

What’s the Difference Between Demand Creation vs. Demand Generation Marketing in Recruitment Marketing 

While Demand Creation and Demand Generation are often used interchangeably, they stand as distinct pillars in recruitment marketing. Each strategy offers unique approaches that cater to specific recruitment objectives. 

Demand Generation aims to generate interest among potential talent pools and build a broad talent pipeline through a mix of inbound and outbound marketing tactics. Demand Creation is a more focused strategy that uses personalised messaging and campaigns to create interest and awareness among high-value candidates, encouraging them to consider open positions and apply. Both strategies have their merits. Demand Generation casts a wide net, targeting a broad candidate pool, while Demand Creation takes a personalised approach to engage specific high-value candidates. The choice between them depends on your recruitment goals and target audience. 

The choice between these strategies hinges on your recruitment objectives and the distinctive traits of your target audience. While Demand Generation covers wider ground, targeting a broader candidate spectrum, Demand Creation tailors its approach to engage specific high-value candidates. Understanding the essence of each strategy empowers businesses to make informed decisions, selecting the approach that best aligns you’re your organisational goals and target audience. 

 

Despite the emphasis on demand and lead generation, marketers acknowledge the significance of brand building. In fact, 41% highlighted the collaboration between brand and demand marketing in joint campaigns and objectives. However, merely 16% indicated having a completely unified strategy encompassing both brand and demand marketing. 

How Thrive Can Help

Thrive Recruitment Marketing is the leading employer branding and recruitment marketing agency for scaling and fast-growing businesses. We empower our partners to achieve their growth goals, attract new business and hire the right talent by aligning and activating employer and commercial brand strategies. The result – thriving businesses enjoying sustainable revenue and recruitment success. 

Let us help your business thrive. Simply complete the form, share your business goals, and together, let’s craft a tailored marketing solution designed to propel your organisation. https://www.thrivemarcoms.co.uk/contact