Social Recruiting Strategy & Channel Launch for Local Authority

Back in September, we were delighted to support Bolton Council to design, develop and launch a dedicated Social Recruiting Strategy. Delivering a 2-day training session and coaching workshop to their HR and Marketing teams (covering everything from setting KPIs and metrics to channel selection and artwork design), we’ve been hands-on since then to help the team prepare their schedule calendar and launch campaigns. We’re pleased to say their new dedicated, recruitment-only Bolton Council Careers accounts on Facebook and Instagram went live this week to boost awareness, build engagement and increase conversions from interested applicants and prospective recruits.

Read on for more info on what we delivered and why…

Having recently implemented a new Applicant Tracking System (ATS) that offered advanced features, including metrics tracking and social media integration, Bolton Council had ambitious plans to modernise their recruitment process and support their aim to increase diversity and inclusivity across all applications. Recognising the potential impact of a dedicated social media presence for recruitment, the council wanted to launch a targeted Careers/Recruitment channel to attract and engage target candidates more effectively, particularly appealing to a younger demographic and groups of candidates with niche skills for harder-to-fill vacancies.

Grassroots Consulting was brought on board to support Bolton Council’s social recruiting ambitions, building on our successful training and consulting projects with other local authorities in Greater Manchester, such as Trafford MBC and Stockport MBC. This project was especially timely, aligning with the Local Government Association’s (LGA) “Make a Difference” campaign aimed at driving awareness and interest in local government roles.

The Challenge

The primary objectives for Bolton Council included:

• Leveraging the new ATS features to streamline and enhance the recruitment process.
• Expanding their social media reach through a dedicated recruitment-focused channel.
• Attracting a diverse range of candidates and ensuring an inclusive and accessible application process.

While the council already had experience using social media for corporate communications, the HR team needed tailored guidance on creating a focused social media strategy and launching dedicated recruitment-only channels. Grassroots Consulting’s task was to equip the team with practical skills, resources, and a strategic plan for effectively utilising social media to drive recruitment goals.

Our Solution

Grassroots Consulting designed a two-day workshop, blending training and coaching, specifically for Bolton Council’s recruitment, HR, and marketing teams. The sessions covered key aspects of building and launching a social recruiting strategy and included hands-on exercises to enable a swift implementation post-training. Our approach included the following:

1. Introduction to Social Recruiting
We began by familiarising the teams with the essentials of social media recruiting, covering:

• Current trends, key statistics, and benefits.
• Considerations for different social media channels and how to choose the best fit for target audiences.

2. Creating a Social Recruiting Strategy
With a clear focus on Bolton Council’s goals, we led the team through:

• Conducting a recruitment audit to identify strengths and opportunities.
• Setting SMART goals aligned with council priorities, leveraging the ATS metrics capabilities.
• Mapping out target audiences and aligning internal resources.

3. Preparation for Execution
To ensure a seamless rollout, we guided the team in:

• Reviewing the recruitment landscape, including competitors’ and collaborators’ channels.
• Establishing the design, tone, and brand messaging to create cohesive and attractive content.
• Planning content types, from evergreen posts to campaign teasers.

We then conducted training on Canva to empower the team to create visually engaging recruiting content. By the end of the session, the team had built a library of media and campaign-ready assets.

With content in hand, we helped the team identify and set up scheduling tools to streamline post timing and tracking. Together, we developed a content calendar and a structured launch plan, with set KPIs and key metrics to monitor performance

In the weeks leading up to launch day, Grassroots Consulting provided remote support to troubleshoot any issues and ensure that the team felt fully prepared for a successful go-live.

The Outcome

Feedback from the Bolton Council team was overwhelmingly positive. The workshop gave them confidence in designing and implementing a targeted social recruiting strategy that resonated with their recruitment needs and council values. Bolton Council has since launched their dedicated Careers/Recruitment channels, successfully reaching a wider pool of potential candidates and bolstering their recruitment efforts with a stronger social media presence.

By combining expert guidance with practical, actionable tools, Grassroots Consulting helped Bolton Council move towards a more streamlined, inclusive, and impactful recruitment process—positioning them well to attract talent for the council and build on the momentum of the LGA “Make a Difference” campaign.