How to build content that moves talent from interest to action?

One thing I’ve learnt in employer branding is this:

Content that 'entertains' is not the same as content that 'influences decisions'.

Photo by Ben Klewais on Unsplash

A lot of brands create posts that look great, get engagement, and perhaps even go viral. But don’t move candidates any closer to consideration or application. That’s because “engagement content” and “conversion content” do completely different jobs.

Here’s how I think about the difference:

1️⃣ Entertainment builds reach. Clarity builds action.

High-intent talent cares less about culture vibes and more about:

What they’ll work on, who they’ll work with, how growth works, and what impact they can make. This is the content that reduces uncertainty... and uncertainty is the biggest blocker to applying.

2️⃣ Map content to the talent funnel.

• Top-of-funnel: stories, moments, people, and culture that... build memory.

• Mid-funnel: team missions, projects, and tech deep dives that build interest.

• Bottom-funnel: clear JDs, manager videos, and role explainers that build confidence.

Most companies never produce the bottom two layers.

3️⃣ Proof outperforms claims.

• “We have a great culture” may produce likes.

• “This is the problem our team solved and how they did it” is more likely to lead to conversion.

Proof creates trust, trust reduces risk, and reduced risk drives action.

4️⃣ Specificity beats generic messaging.

General posts attract general attention.

Role-specific content attracts relevant talent:

“What backend engineers ship in 90 days.”

“What a cybersecurity analyst handles in a typical week.”

Specificity with relevance will lead to conversion.

5️⃣ Build for what candidates actually need.

• Day-in-the-role breakdowns

• Team mission explainers

• Project stories

• Skill growth pathways

• Manager's expectations

These formats consistently outperform polished, aesthetic content.

6️⃣ And measure what truly matters.

Not just 'likes'. 

• But site behaviour, JD scroll depth, apply clicks, recruiter response rates, and quality of hire. 'Likes' is vanity noise.

• Movement in the funnel is impact.

The reality is content converts when candidates can see themselves in the story. That’s the difference between attention… and action.

I've seen relatable stories or content that offers value free of charge outperform and gain momentum. Love to hear what kind of content has worked wonders for your organisation