Staff shortages in nursing: Employer branding as key to success

Understand your target audience and reach them where they are

Nurses are a professional group with clear expectations – and increasingly, with choices. To reach them effectively, employers need to understand who exactly they are talking to, where this audience spends time, and what motivates them. This applies especially to younger generations: they are looking for orientation, inspiration, and an employer they can identify with. Meaningfulness is key.

That means platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube are no longer side channels – they are essential touchpoints for employer-branding campaigns.

Our focus: Paid recruiting campaigns with measurable impact

We support healthcare organizations with targeted paid campaigns on platforms such as Google Ads, Meta (Instagram and Facebook), TikTok, and LinkedIn.
After a detailed audience analysis, we develop tailored ad formats and messaging that speak directly to the needs and motivations of nursing professionals. We pay special attention to:

• the right tone of voice
• relevant benefits and employer value propositions (EVP)
• visual clarity and recognizability

This ensures that employer brands are not only seen – but understood.

Authenticity beats polish – real stories matter

The nursing profession is often surrounded by stereotypes and misconceptions – which makes it even more important to portray reality honestly and accessibly. Testimonial videos featuring real employees sharing their day-to-day experiences have proven particularly effective. They create trust, offer a genuine glimpse into the work environment, and foster emotional connection.

That’s why in our clients’ employer-branding campaigns, we deliberately make these authentic stories the heart of communication.

Monitoring, optimization & conversion tracking – for measurable results

Our work doesn’t stop when the campaign goes live. We continuously monitor ad performance, analyze results, and adjust budgets, creatives, and targeting.
A key goal is conversions – completed applications. Wherever technically possible, we track these directly through the recruitment tool in use (e.g., GA4, Matomo, or other tracking systems). This way, employer branding becomes not a black box, but a transparent and controllable instrument.

The right candidate journey requires smart technology

Many recruitment processes in healthcare are still fragmented – spread across multiple systems, forms, and platforms. We therefore advise on optimizing the candidate journey, ensuring applicants move smoothly from the ad to the completed application.
To achieve this, we build tracking funnels, landing pages, and dashboards that integrate both campaign and HR data for a seamless overview.

Be aware of advertising guidelines: Healthcare campaigns require sensitivity

Marketing in the healthcare sector comes with its own challenges: it is subject to strict advertising regulations, particularly on social platforms like Meta and TikTok.
What works easily in other industries can be rejected or even lead to account suspensions if compliance is breached. Sensitive topics such as nursing, mental health, or medical services must be handled carefully – to avoid privacy violations or ethical missteps.

We stay up to date on current platform policies, follow all legal requirements (such as data protection or tracking restrictions in health apps), and design campaigns that are not only effective but fully compliant.

Looking ahead: Employer branding trends for 2026

Competition for talent will intensify – not just in healthcare. The following trends are shaping the landscape for 2026:

• Hyper-personalization: Content and campaigns will be increasingly tailored to specific target groups – for example, by career level or motivation. Video remains the most powerful format. Short clips for Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube offer emotional insights into nursing life. Live formats such as Q&A sessions or virtual hospital tours lower the barrier to apply.
• Always-on branding: Employer branding is no longer campaign-based but continuous. To remain attractive long term, organizations need consistent messaging, a strong content strategy, and close collaboration between HR and marketing. Testing, analyzing, and optimizing are as essential as the courage to try new approaches.
• Employees as influencers: Staff members continue to be the most credible brand ambassadors – on social media, in videos, and at events. When employees themselves share why they love their workplace, it’s far more convincing than any polished campaign.
• AI in recruiting and targeting: Artificial intelligence is becoming a standard tool for segmentation, ad optimization, and CV screening. Social recruiting is becoming ever more data-driven and personalized.
• Seamless mobile application processes: Mobile-first recruitment is no longer optional – it’s mandatory. Direct applications via messaging apps or social media, as well as in-platform lead forms, reduce friction and increase conversions.

Conclusion: Your employer brand is not a project – it’s a promise

Especially in healthcare, employer branding is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s not just about quick hires, but about trust, recognition, and identification.

To be seen as an attractive employer, you need a clear strategic position, authentic communication, and technically robust campaign execution.

Successful employer branding in healthcare happens where authenticity, and digital excellence come together – and that’s exactly where we support our clients. 

• _{Agency experience from various campaigns for clients in the healthcare sector}
• _{Recruiting Trends / Global Talent Trends (LinkedIn)}
• _{How AI Will Redefine Recruiting (LinkedIn)}
• _{Meta's New Data Restrictions for Healthcare: What We Know So Far — Overview of data sharing restrictions for healthcare advertising from 2025 onwards.}
• _{Randstad Employer Branding Trends}