8 Online Reputation Management Statistics for Recruiters

Those who say there is no such thing as bad publicity have not considered how today’s world of 24/7 news cycles, online rants, fake news and citizen – or even employee – journalism has forever altered how news is reported and how reputations can be created or destroyed. Today’s news no longer is tomorrow’s fish and chip paper and information posted can make or break a company or individual.

Let’s consider some of the biggest reputational disasters of last year, including Pret-a-Manger, Ryanair, Oxfam and Elon Musk. Some of these are incredibly tragic, most are economically-damaging and all are embarrassing and reputationally harmful. Twenty years ago these situations would have played out in a media cycle lasting a few days or weeks. Stock price would likely have been impacted, companies would execute crisis management plans for both external and internal (employee) audiences, but given time, life would have returned to normal. Today these crises are not only played out in traditional media channels but are enhanced by two-way dialogue and social media commentary – often accompanied by emotional interpretation or even misinformation and ‘fake news’.

Now, these incidents are extreme. They were disastrous, detrimental or even deadly. They were committed by household names and often were not handled well by the offending parties. But the warning that all businesses must heed is the role that the online ‘newsroom’ plays in reputation today. We’re in a user-review generation. Just like customers can rate their experiences, so too can businesses – in an Uber-style review system – rate their customers. We are at the mercy of Google and Glassdoor reviews and as businesses, we must be proactive in protecting – and even enhancing — our online reputation to deliver a positive, if not transparent, view of the company.

If you’re thinking about managing and enhancing your online reputation, the following eight online reputation management statistics may help you make your decision!

1. 64% of B2B buyers noted they give more credence to peer reviews, user-generated feedback and third party publications and analysts over that of brands ( DemandGen )
   Whether B2B or B2C, today’s customers are savvy. They know that companies are putting their best foot forward, developing their brand and advertising to convey the message they want people to believe. While brand activities will always remain pivotal to firms, they need to consider how they can evangelise their customers and employees to help promote their experiences to the wider world. The question is how do you find and develop these raving fans.
2. 51% of recruiters say that employer branding is the number one investment that they will increase in the next year ( Jobvite )
   It’s not only our clients who are hiring. Most recruitment agencies I speak with are all looking to grow and add additional internal headcount to the teams. Your online reputation plays a critical part in your employer brand. Potential employees are searching for you – just as candidates are searching for your clients. Here is an opportunity for you to not only enhance your own employer brand, but also educate your clients on what they can do to manage theirs.
3. 95% of businesses use social media in their recruiting process ( Jobvite )
   This probably doesn’t come as a surprise, but just as businesses are searching on social networks for their next candidate, they’re also searching for their recruiting partners. From their LinkedIn and Glassdoor company pages through to their recruiters’ individual posts, companies should be investing in their online presence and brand.
4. 69% of people are likely to reject an employment offer from a company with a bad reputation ( Allegis Group )
   In today’s talent shortage and war for talent, a bad online reputation can have some significant ramifications and can hinder a company’s growth prospects in more ways than one. It’s challenging enough to identify the right talent without losing them throughout the recruitment process (whether your own or your client’s) due to a poor online reputation.
5. A bad reputation can cost a company at least 10% more per hire ( HBR )
   From advertising a role to lost productivity, the cost to hire is a challenging one to pinpoint, but is often estimated to be between at least 1.5x and 2x an employee’s salary. Adding another 10% to this from a bad online reputation further adds cost and concern for companies that are already challenged in managing their hiring and recruitment practices.
6. 64% of people trust online search engines the most when they’re conducting research on a business ( Edelman )
   This is a compelling stat, further enhanced by the fact that 75% of candidates start their job search by searching online. Your online footprint, from your website, social presence, review sites and news portals forms the basis from which your customers are making decisions.
7. 75% of businesses say online reviews, comments and forum posts are important to the financial and reputational status of their business ( Igniyte )
   Reputation impacts a business a number of ways but perhaps the most critical is its financial impact, both in the short and long term. I’ve seen a lot of recruitment leaders often frustrated with their employee and candidate reviews on Glassdoor, citing the reviews to be false or one-sided and not a true reflection of events. While this may be true, a company must consider both the individual leaving the comments as well as the dozens – perhaps hundreds or thousands – who will be reading these posts.
8. 86% of people would pay more for services from a company with higher ratings and reviews ( Status Labs )
   No one can argue that the recruitment industry is tough – and competitive. Finding opportunities to demonstrate ROI and a premium offering to our clients and candidates will allow us to not only win new business, but to achieve premium pricing for our services. Having a balanced online reputation and recognising that while there will be some negative reviews, that discerning audiences will look for both good and bad, will ultimately lead to online reputational success in the long term.