đŸ€— How visible is your brand?

The Hug 111

EMBRACING THE WORLD OF EMPLOYER BRAND
#111

THE MAIN SQUEEZE

We’ve pulled out a few choice highlights for you from Search Engine Journal’s SEO 2025 report. Be sure to read 6 SEO Trends Every Employer Brander Should Know by Ph.Creative’s in-house SEO expert, Ruben Rocas.

We get it— the mention of SEO (search engine optimisation) has some of you slowly backing into the hedge Homer-Simpson-style saying, “nope, not today.”

But think about it: what good is your painstakingly beautiful careers site if it won’t load? Or your employee blog content if the right people can’t find it?

As intimidating as SEO might feel, there are simple things you can do to improve it. And it will make a huge difference to your recruitment marketing efforts.

Let’s break down what trends employer branders and TA professionals need to know based on the SEJ’s 2025 State of SEO report


QUICK POLL

Access our recent webinar recording to find out what our experts think.

EVENT

Going to this year’s World Employer Branding Day in Amsterdam?

Noice. You can catch our talk: “Enjoy the ride: How to develop, launch and embed company values with impact”

Our own Dave Hazlehurst and Julie Randall will be telling stories about working with Merlin Entertainments, offering a mix of practical advice, inspiration and a ‘how to’ guide to riding the roller-coaster of changing company values to drive up eNPS. It will be delivered in three sections: 

  1. Navigating the start of the journey 

  2. Making mistakes to get to the answer: Challenges & pitfalls

  3. Deep work: pushing each other to produce high quality work

⏰ When? 10 October, 2:35–2:55 PM

Looking forward to seeing many of you there!

HUG HACK

 
This week’s hack comes from Simon Booth-Lucking, Senior Brand Strategist at Ph.Creative.

Don't work here

Attracting too many unsuitable candidates? An employer brand needs to repel as much as it attracts.

To get an insight into what it really takes to work at your organisation ask current employees to complete this sentence: “Don’t come to work here if...”

It’s counter-intuitive but will reveal the “harsh truths” candidates need to know before they apply.

LINKS ‘N’ THINKS

📚READ: Brat, demure, a degree in Yapology?
Gen Z slang is taking over the workplace

💡LEARN: How boards can champion a resilient talent strategy
In four clear steps

📍TRY: Passionate perks
Why Hinge gives employees a stipend to get romantic

👀 WATCH: Bolt’s clever EB video is repelling talent
“If you enjoy this, we’re not a match”

ICYMI

Hug 110 - Where should you be spending your budget?

EVENTS TO EMBRACE

HR Tech Conference
24-26 September, Las Vegas

World Employer Branding Day
9-11 October, Amsterdam

Gartner Reimagine HR Conference
28-30 October, Orlando