Evidence of Impact

Local authorities continue to confront acute workforce shortages, particularly in specialist areas such as social care, planning and finance. A sector-wide survey published in December 2024 found that 94 per cent of councils were facing recruitment and retention difficulties, while 90 per cent reported capability gaps in their management teams and 83 per cent cited capacity gaps in at least one service area. Against this backdrop, data-driven use of rich media on social platforms is emerging as one of the most cost-effective ways to reach new labour markets.

Evidence of impact

The national Make a Difference – Work for Your Local Council campaign illustrates the scale that targeted video can deliver. Launched on 4 November 2024, the initiative attracted 62,651 unique website users and generated almost two million social-media impressions within its first month, supported by 32,399 organic post impressions and 3,290 engagements. (inlogov.com.) Early evaluation indicates that participating councils spent on average £1,518 less on paid job-advertising during the November 2024–January 2025 period than in the equivalent months of the previous year, while application volumes rose. (local.gov.uk) These results confirm that well-segmented content can simultaneously widen reach and reduce expenditure.

Case studies in innovation

Dorset Council provides a practical blueprint for campaign execution. Its 2024 recruitment overhaul combined precision audience targeting with near-real-time analytics, enabling iterative adjustments to message, creative and channel mix. The council reports measurable gains in engagement and candidate quality after embedding video shorts across LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube, all underpinned by an upgraded applicant-tracking system and internal skills coaching for hiring managers. (workforce.lgcplus.com)

Similarly, the North East Regional Employers Organisation’s regional roll-out of the Make a Difference assets demonstrated that a flexible video toolkit can be localised quickly, enhancing employer-brand recognition without duplicating production costs. The approach was recognised with the 2024 LGC Best Innovation in Recruitment award.

Sector collaboration and knowledge-sharing

Professional bodies are reinforcing this progress. The Public Services People Managers Association (PPMA) – the foremost HR network for public-service employers – continues to disseminate good practice in digital attraction through its conferences, podcasts and resource hub, offering step-by-step guidance on media-led hiring to authority HR teams. (ppma.org.uk) Such forums provide an essential feedback loop, allowing councils to benchmark conversion metrics and refine creative formats collectively.

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