Understandably, there’s an abundance of information in cyberspace about the coronavirus. Much of it is a rehash of existing news being shared by different sources, and it’s getting to a point where people see these posts and think, “Oh no, not more doom and gloom.” I know that’s how I’m feeling.

Yes, we need to stay informed and updated but we also need to remain calm and focused on business. There are a number of different things we can do to minimise long-term impacts.

With events being cancelled in all industries around the globe and no indication when they will recommence, content marketing will be vital for lead generation.

During this time, I’m trying to share as much practical, free advice as I can to help anyone in business.

So let’s talk content – specifically, how much COVID-19 related content you should be sharing.

Let’s start by asking these two questions:

• How relevant is it to your clients and industry?

Certainly, for industries that have been directly impacted (such as travel, hospitality and some retailers) the issue is highly relevant. Using social media and content to communicate will be vital over the coming weeks. 

If you’re in recruitment, consider how it impacts your clients and candidates, and what those impacts might be. How much information do people need from you?

• How does it impact your target audience and candidates?

What issues and challenges are coming up for your target audience and candidates? This is an opportunity for you to address those issues and provide practical solutions that can help them.

Content tips

Now you’ve established how relevant it is, think about what types of content you can share.

• Consider newsjacking (when relevant) – Newsjacking is the process of adding your thoughts and opinions into breaking news stories. It’s piggybacking on trending news topics to get yourself noticed. If you choose to newsjack, be make sure it is relevant, non-offensive and makes sense to your audience. Simply mentioning something about coronavirus as an add-on to an article doesn’t cut it and isn’t newsjacking. 
• What questions do people have that you can answer? – due to the amount of uncertainty in the world, people are looking to experts to answer many questions. There’s an opportunity to educate people on many relevant topics, the most obvious being gig economy and flexible work, HR  and employment policies, law, self-help and online learning, customer service training ….
• Try to share positive messages that educate your target market and candidates – doom and gloom helps no one, least of all the economy. Try to share positive stories of creative ways people around the world are managing the current issues. I have seen stories about book stores delivering books to households, bakeries creating ‘Make your own Sourdough’ kits, overall businesses getting creative with how they deliver their products and services. 
• Practical tips and how-tos offer the most value – share posts and articles that educate your audience and give practical advice, much like I am trying to do with my free blogs and content.
• Opportunities to remain relevant and be the ‘go-to expert’ – Recruiters, now is the time to position yourself as someone who solves problems. Your content should reflect that.
• Produce relevant and compelling strategic insights – before you share existing content, do some research to validate that it is correct. Make sure you add your expert insights with any shared content to give it context
• Share positive news stories from clients who are taking advantage of market conditions to redefine their business offering or find new revenue streams. 

My poor phone and laptop have been running hot and I’ve had to charge again during the day just because I am on it so much. 

We are online, not just getting our news and updates, but shopping online, looking for entertainment, doing Zoom calls to stay connected, enrolling in online learning to upskill, looking for positive stories, looking for jobs, researching suppliers, downloading movies and books, and trying to continue business as usual. So now is the time to take advantage of that and look for ways to spread joy, not fear.

Tanya Williams is the pink-loving, sparkly Chief of Everything at Digital Conversations. She wears many hats; entrepreneur, best-selling author, digital trainer, and she is a Social Amplification Specialist with over 20 years’ marketing experience. She works with recruiters to uncover the hidden gold in their existing assets, find ways to leverage every moment of your digital marketing without increasing your marketing budget and amplify your internal champions to increase your visibility. Her goal is to make the hero in your industry sector.  She has a simple, no-tech-talk approach and thrives working with established recruitment companies to tap into the opportunities they might miss, using practical & relevant tactics to drive business outcomes.

The post How much COVID-19 content do you really need on your digital and social channels? appeared first on Recruitment Marketing.

Traditional employers are now using the gig economy to hire contract workers to fill short-term needs during peak demand cycles.

Brett Owens reporting for Fisher Phillips states, “Service-oriented companies are discovering that long wait times and poor customer service can be diminished by using gig platforms to meet unforeseen staffing needs. Employers in the service, retail, hospitality, and restaurant industries are demonstrating that the gig economy and contract workers can create value for employers suffering from the inability to meet the demands of their customers and business operations.”

Employers from small businesses to large industries can efficiently hire short-term skilled workers to see them through busy seasons. This process increases flexibility and speed, while reducing administration and time expenses.

If you are considering this option, you might also be interested in analysing your internal resources. Before advertising on external platforms, promote opportunities internally, as some of your current employees may be a good fit for short-term project offerings.

“By creating an internal website to notify employees of freelance projects, employers can [utilise] the appeal of the gig economy to maximize their own employees’ talents, promote innovation, and assist their employees with finding work that they find subjectively appealing and significant.”

On a similar note, you might also consider appealing to past members of staff who left on good terms. Creating an alumni network is a great way to stay in touch with former employees, while also building a great talent pool of people who are already familiar with your organisation and processes.

Some organisations are even providing benefits for their gig workers to remain competitive in the tight labor market. However, it is important to note that this can be subject to legal considerations.

Although the gig economy holds great potential, it has a number of advantages and disadvantages for both organisations and individuals. If your organisation is service-oriented and suffers from lack of staff during busy seasons, it is an avenue worth exploring.

Does your organisation hire contract workers to fulfill short-term staffing needs? Let us know in the comments.

Source

Traditional Employers Are Increasingly Relying Upon Gig Platforms To Meet Short-Term Staffing Needs And Customer Demand

Brett Owens

Fisher Phillips

SurveyMonkey’s latest weapon in the war for talent: Benefits for gig workers

Riia O’Donnell

HR Dive

Gig Economy – Advantages, Disadvantages and Suggestions

Abhijeet Pratap

Cheshnotes

The post Can gig platforms help your organisation meet short-term staffing needs? appeared first on Recruitment Marketing.