The HR tech landscape has grown increasingly competitive in recent years, with new innovations and solutions constantly emerging. According to Allied Market Research, the global HR tech market was valued at $32.6 billion in 2021 and is projected to reach $76.5 billion by 2031. With an estimated 20,000+ vendors worldwide, the market is crowded and noisy.
Even before the pandemic, HR tools were essential for managing the entire employee lifecycle, from recruiting to performance management to payroll. Since then, the need for modernized HR functions has only intensified as workplace dynamics have permanently shifted.
For HR tech companies, standing out requires more than just a good product – it calls for a strategic approach to marketing and public relations to enhance brand awareness. By adopting an Outcome-based Marketing (OBM) approach, HR tech companies can differentiate themselves in this crowded market and effectively capture their target audiences’ attention.
What is OBM?
Outcome-based Marketing is a unique marketing philosophy and approach that starts with your desired business outcome in mind and maps a strategic plan to get there, guided by research-backed insights and fueled by compelling messaging and creative. Rather than starting with a predetermined set of channels, OBM begins with your North Star business objective and everything else follows. From brand awareness or lead generation outcomes to broader business outcomes like a new product launch, an OBM approach focuses on four high-level categories of outcomes: Position, Growth, Reputation and Engagement. A custom marketing strategy is then built around three pillars, How, What and Where, to ensure that your strategy, messaging and channel tactics all align with your larger business goals.
Enhance Awareness for Your HR Tech Brand
If you’re an HR tech brand, one of your desired outcomes is likely bolstering your reputation and brand awareness in the crowded marketplace. Below are several strategies and tactics that can be leveraged across marketing channels to help drive that outcome by increasing brand awareness and distinguishing your HR tech company from your competitors.
Unique storytelling
In a market saturated with HR tech vendors, many of them are telling the same story. In fact, most companies are trying to contribute to similar media conversations, ranging from AI innovations to the skills shortage to generational differences in the workforce. To differentiate your HR tech brand, it’s critical to craft compelling storylines that can be shared with key stakeholders, such as prospects, customers and industry reporters, on an ongoing basis. Effective brand storytelling involves understanding what your organization wants to convey, what reporters want to cover, what your target audience is most interested in, and blending these elements into a cohesive narrative. Staying on top of trending topics and offering fresh, innovative perspectives will position your brand at the forefront of industry developments. Engaging in a storytelling discussion with a trusted partner can be a great first step toward developing unique external messaging.
Brand awareness channels
Once your compelling storylines are ready, the next step is to share them across channels. For most B2B brands, media relations is an important channel. Securing interviews and stories in top-tier business and tech media outlets, as well as HR vertical-specific press, ensures that your brand’s story reaches your target audience. Bylines and op-eds are also powerful avenues for conveying your brand’s message. Earned press coverage adds a layer of credibility and trust when potential buyers are researching and evaluating HR solutions.
However, with the media landscape undergoing dramatic changes over the last decade, traditional earned media relations can no longer stand on its own. Engaging with industry influencers and analysts can help your story reach your audience through additional channels such as social media or industry reports. Analysts and influencers can add value by attracting potential buyers through third-party credibility in their industry reports and social media channels.
LinkedIn articles are also an increasingly effective channel for raising brand awareness. LinkedIn offers several benefits: the ability to connect directly with potential buyers and key stakeholders, an extended reach with millions of active profiles, SEO value since search engines index articles, a thought leadership platform and engagement/interactions metrics to measure success. LinkedIn articles complement earned media efforts nicely, and as an added plus, offer your executives and brand the ability to promote your products and services, unlike most news publications.
Incorporating data & proof points
In a previous two-part blog series, we discussed the importance of incorporating data into your HR tech PR campaigns to add credibility and secure more media placements. Sharing new research and strong data points can not only land your organization top-tier coverage but also increase your share of voice and position your company as a go-to resource in the crowded space. Prioritizing data-driven PR campaigns can be what sets your brand apart.
Customer stories
Industry reporters are increasingly looking for real-life success stories to meaningfully cover the HR tech space. Securing customer buy-in for PR participation can go a very long way in securing big press wins. Consider how much more compelling an article or webinar becomes when it includes perspectives from both the customer and the seller — it helps potential buyers gain a clearer, more tangible understanding of how your brand could benefit them. Successful customer case studies can also be used to build credibility and win over prospects during the evaluation phase of their buyer journey.
Amplifying earned press coverage
After securing meaningful press coverage, it’s essential to amplify it across your company’s owned channels. Here are a few effective ways to do so to further bolster your HR tech brand’s reputation:
- Social media channels – sharing your earned press coverage on social media can broaden its reach and increase your engagement on these platforms.
- Website integration – Featuring a “Press” section on your website to showcase notable press coverage can build additional credibility for potential buyers and benefit SEO.
- Additional content – Linking to the coverage in content like blog posts and email newsletters can expand your reach and strengthen thought leadership.
- Internal communications – Encouraging employees to share coverage on their personal social media profiles can extend brand awareness to a whole new set of people. Providing impactful copy and creative assets for employees, especially executives, ensures your branding is consistent.
With the media landscape continually evolving, traditional PR alone isn’t enough to set you apart in the competitive market. Utilizing innovative tactics and combining earned, owned and paid efforts can bolster your brand awareness and ultimately help your HR tech company rise above the competition.
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