If you don’t know, ask people who do.

There is a critical mass in the early talent industry as most employers have made a positive commitment to improving diversity in their recruitment efforts. However, now the commitment has been made to access and be accessible to a new audience of under-represented groups, there is a pervasive sense of ‘how do we reach them?’. Employers need to meet this audience where they are and tap into their existing social media habits to develop a presence and relationship.

The route through social media requires a nuanced and empathetic approach from employers. When it works it really works, but it requires real investment of time and energy to avoid some common missteps.

 

So, how do we begin to bridge the gap?

At the Voxburner YMS conference last week, we were delighted to welcome three Gen Z digital natives and creatives, Ife, Praise and Blessing, to lead our panel discussion and give us the inside scoop on how brands and employers can leverage social media to reach under-represented audiences. I also want to preface this discussion by saying, on the panel there was not consensus on everything, and we can only speak from experience. ‘Under-represented’ as a term encapsulates a hugely diverse and intersectional group of people with vastly different opinions and beliefs. These top-level themes are guiding principles presented by our panellists that remain true in different contexts, but your campaign must engage and understand specific audiences you’re trying to reach.

Authenticity and consistency

We’ve heard it before, but some brands just don’t get it – authenticity is everything. People can be disparaging of influencers, but the highly successful ones make it because they speak with an authentic voice and are consistent in their content and values. In response to an audience question about celebrating diversity on products and messaging, Praise raised the brilliant point that influencers know their audience best. If you give them a script, their audience will know it’s not their voice and distrust the message. You brought in that influencer for a reason, so trust them to do their thing.

“That’s what brands need to do. Be open, be vulnerable, and work with the people you’re trying to target.” – Ife

Partnering with a group or influencers already engaged with the audience you’re trying to reach is brilliant, but it’s not a get-out-of-jail free card. You need to invest time in building relationships with those people, demonstrate an alignment of values and why this partnership makes sense. Leveraging organic communities requires you to be consistent; maintain a presence there rather than just tapping in for that one campaign, demonstrate the value you bring to that space – partnership goes two ways. Blessing rightly posed that you can’t expect results over night, you have to be willing to learn, take a risk and experiment and try again.

Speaking out

The role of organisations in public discourse around social issues has never been more important. The Edelman Trust Barometer shows that businesses are the only trusted institution, with trust in the government low and media falling. This is a big responsibility, so when is it time to join the conversation? And is silence too loud?

Consultation

This is where it all starts. Focus groups are a brilliant way to help you understand the opinions of your employees affected by the issue, and enables you to speak publicly with confidence understanding the nuance and different perspectives. Ife believes that you shouldn’t just be polling Gen Z either, focus groups need to be multi-generational to really grasp how an issue effects people differently.

“Collaboration is key. What that looks like might be hiring diverse thinkers or working with them in focus groups, working on long-term programmes. The key thing is having that sensitivity. Depending on who you are, depending on your lived experiences, what you’re sensitive to or what stands out to you will be different for someone else. Take Black Lives Matter for example, even among Black people, people responded to it differently.” – Blessing

Another benefit of running these groups is demonstrating institutional investment and care about these social issues, but you need senior leadership role-modelling support. A question came from the audience about wanting to celebrate and demonstrate diversity at a college, but the diverse students don’t want to get involved when trying to represent them. Praise raised the fact that she was one of four Black Heritage students at her school, and they were reluctant to get involved in initiatives as it seemed disingenuous and not something the whole organisation was invested in. Her advice is partner with existing societies or clubs, as people are far more likely to engage with their peers than a corporate or institutional representative.

The fear

Praise encourages brands and employers to not let fear get in the way of good work. We all experience fear and can be reluctant to get involved. There will never be a situation where absolutely everyone agrees on a particular stance, but active listening and engagement with the issue means you can speak with confidence.

“People have a perception that if you don’t say anything, everyone will perceive you as not supporting a cause. But honestly, I think it’s better to wait and make sure you understand and give out the right message when it’s time to talk.” – Praise

That being said, Blessing was quick to point out that “on social media, everyone is expecting you to weigh in in some way, especially if you have a presence.” If your organisation has invested in collaboration and partnerships, then you have the existing infrastructure to consult and respond in good time.

And a final word from Ife, don’t be disingenuous with how you represent yourself online.

“It’s the tick-box diversity and inclusion for me. There was a law firm I was applying for… I went onto their social media to have a look and there was just a staple photo of a Black individual and I thought ‘mm I don’t know, that doesn’t appeal to me.’” – Ife

Takeaways

• When looking to partner with or reach organic and pre-existing groups, Blessing encourages you to ask the question: “Does it make sense for you?”
• Be authentic, be vulnerable, actively listen and then be proactive.
• Within any given group there is going to be diversity of opinion, so bring in intersectional groups to the table when looking to understand a social issue.
• Interrogate your values and be clear on what impression you want people to walk away with.

 

Written by Millie Watson, Content Specialist and Researcher