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Explore SolutionsLinkedIn has long been the go-to platform for professionals looking to connect, network and discover opportunities. This also makes it one of the top go-to platforms for recruiting. With its latest product rollout—the LinkedIn Sponsored Newsletter feature—they are once again attempting to get back to the zone of pushing the boundaries of “what’s possible?” for digital (recruitment) marketing.
This new feature invites brands and individuals alike to sponsor newsletters, including user-generated content, providing the potential to be a powerful tool for building talent pools, enhancing employer branding and amplifying the voices of team members.
What is the New LinkedIn Sponsored Newsletter Feature?
The LinkedIn Sponsored Newsletter feature allows companies and users to monetize their newsletters by attracting sponsorships. These newsletters can range from company-branded content to user-generated thought leadership pieces, offering a versatile platform for engaging with audiences in a more personalized manner.
According to LinkedIn, newsletters have seen increased engagement, with open rates consistently outperforming traditional email newsletters, making them a highly effective medium for reaching a targeted audience.
The introduction of Sponsored Newsletters is part of LinkedIn’s broader strategy to meet the growing demand for personalized content delivery on the platform. According to LinkedIn, newsletters are among the most effective ways to engage with professional audiences, with users increasingly turning to them for regular updates, insights and industry-specific content.
By offering sponsorship opportunities, LinkedIn enables brands to weave their messages into what they expect to be a very engaging content marketing format.
Building Talent Pools Through Sponsored Content
One of the most significant advantages of LinkedIn’s Sponsored Newsletter feature is the ability to target specific audiences with tailored content. Recruitment marketers can leverage this by creating or sponsoring newsletter articles that speak directly to potential candidates in their industry—either from their own company newsletter or from any other member on LinkedIn.
For instance, a tech company looking to attract developers can sponsor newsletters focused on coding trends, emerging technologies or developer success stories.
By sponsoring relevant newsletter articles, companies can position themselves as thought leaders while building a robust talent pool. This approach allows recruiters to engage with passive candidates who may not be actively looking for a job but are still interested in industry insights and updates. Over time, these candidates can be nurtured and converted into applicants when the right opportunity arises.
Enhancing Employer Branding Through Recognition and Elevation of Team Members
Employer branding is about more than just showcasing job openings and repeatedly telling people you’re cool to work for. It’s about reinforcing your reputation and the value you bring to your people. The LinkedIn Sponsored Newsletter feature offers a unique opportunity to do just that by highlighting the achievements and thought leadership of your team members.
Imagine sponsoring a newsletter where your top-performing employees share their insights on industry trends or their experiences working at your company in long-form content on LinkedIn, which you in turn sponsor in your Company Newsletter. This not only elevates the profile of your employees but also reinforces your company’s commitment to professional development and thought leadership.
According to LinkedIn, sponsored newsletters help brands integrate seamlessly into the content their audience already values, making them an effective tool for strengthening employer branding. Looking at Zoom as a proof point for efficacy, this makes sense. Kevin Vik, Brand Activation & Social Lead shared with LinkedIn, recently that “making LinkedIn newsletters as part of our social strategy has been an invaluable tool for us to reach our Zoom audience, especially during our Zoom Workplace and Zoom AI Companion launches. Just in the past year, our subscriber count has grown 36% and article views are up 45% with a 550%+ increase of impressions and engagements.”
By consistently showcasing your team’s expertise and contributions, you can build your company’s reputation while also creating a sense of pride and loyalty among current employees. This, in turn, can improve retention and attract like-minded professionals who align with your company’s values and culture.
Considerations for Using the LinkedIn Sponsored Newsletter Feature
While LinkedIn’s Sponsored Newsletter feature offers numerous benefits, it’s important for companies to approach this tool with thoughtful consideration, especially when it comes to employee recognition and the potential impact on your employer brand.
Amplifying Employee Voices: A Double-Edged Sword
One of the significant advantages of sponsoring newsletters that highlight employee achievements is the recognition and elevation of their voices within the industry. However, this increased visibility can also raise concerns among company executives about the potential for their top talent to be poached by competitors. When employees are showcased as thought leaders, it naturally draws attention to their expertise, making them more attractive to other organizations.
Despite this concern, if your company has cultivated a strong person-environment fit, where employees feel aligned with your values and supported in doing meaningful work, this should not be seen as a deterrent. Recognizing and elevating your employees’ thoughts and contributions can demonstrate confidence in your ability as an employer to attract and retain top talent. It sends a message to potential recruits that your organization values and invests in its people, which can be a powerful draw for those who are considering joining your team.
Avoiding Pitfalls in Messaging and Engagement
While the potential benefits are clear, there are some considerations to keep in mind to ensure the effective use of LinkedIn’s Sponsored Newsletter feature:
1. Clarity of Purpose and Consistency in Messaging
When sponsoring newsletters, it’s fairly important to maintain consistency in your messaging. While it doesn’t have to be spot-on same, if the content of the sponsored newsletter doesn’t align with your company’s employer brand values or the interests of your target audience, it could create confusion, disengagement, or attract people who may not have true person-environment fit with your organization. To avoid this, carefully select newsletter articles that resonate with your employer brand’s EVP pillars, company mission, active culture and the specific needs of your audience. Misalignment can dilute your message and weaken your employer brand’s position in the market.
2. Audience Fatigue and Overexposure
Another potential pitfall is the risk of audience fatigue. If your company overuses sponsored newsletters or fails to provide new and valuable insights, your audience may begin to tune out. The key to maintaining engagement is to ensure that each sponsored newsletter delivers fresh, relevant, and meaningful content. Overexposure or repetitive messaging can lead to diminished returns and may cause your audience to unsubscribe or disengage entirely. With any new feature that the masses can get their hands on, the reality is we’re likely to see over saturation in the beginning. So it’s best to keep in mind the old saying “leave them wanting more” has stayed relevant for a reason: people can’t miss you if you never go away. Ensure you leave enough space for your messages to ruminate and differentiate them enough for them to stand out amongst what may be a noisy background for the next several months.
By keeping these considerations in mind, employer brand and recruitment marketing teams should be able to leverage LinkedIn’s Sponsored Newsletter feature effectively, amplifying their reach while maintaining the integrity and clarity of their brand messaging. Thoughtful execution will help in building talent pools and enhancing employer branding and will also ensure that this new feature supports your broader recruitment and retention strategies.
Conclusion: The Future of Recruitment Marketing on LinkedIn
LinkedIn’s Sponsored Newsletter feature represents a significant step forward for digital recruitment marketing. By sponsoring both company and personal newsletter articles, companies can reach highly targeted audiences with personalized content that reinforces loyalty within their employee population and resonates with potential candidates. Whether you’re looking to build a talent pool, enhance your employer brand or elevate your team members, this new feature offers significant possibilities for creative and effective recruitment marketing strategies.
As LinkedIn continues to innovate, recruitment marketers have a real opportunity to stay ahead of the curve by adopting these new tools early. The key is to think strategically about how to use sponsored newsletters to tell your company’s story, showcase your people to reinforce your EVP, and ultimately, attract the right candidates to your organization.
The inclusion of sponsorship in company and user-generated newsletters not only amplifies an employer brand’s reach, it also fosters a more authentic and engaging relationship with the audience. Employer branding and recruitment marketing is, at its core, about making meaningful connections. LinkedIn’s Sponsored Newsletter feature may just provide a perfect platform to do just that. Happy connecting!
Are you using LinkedIn’s new Sponsored Newsletter feature for Employer Brand or Recruitment Marketing? If so, let us know or better yet, contribute to our publication! For more tools to help your employer brand and recruitment marketing efforts, visit our marketplace now. Happy hiring!
