When it comes to employer branding, many focus on either physical or mental availability. And for good reason as you may have read in our recent blogs. But the true power lies in combining both.

We must remember that employer branding is ultimately about asking humans to make life-changing decisions—and it’s our role to help guide them through that process. To do that effectively, we need to be both present in their daily lives and memorable in their minds.

First, a quick recap...

Physical Availability: Being Where Talent Is

To capture attention, your employer brand needs to be visible where potential candidates spend their time—whether that’s on social platforms, at industry events, or even on job boards. Tonic’s employer brand work leverages data-driven insights and targeted media campaigns to ensure the brands we work with are always in the right places.

According to recent data, improving physical availability, such as expanding your message distribution across channels, can double brand engagement . This speaks to the power of simply showing up where your target candidates are—making sure your opportunities are accessible to them when they are ready to engage. However, being present is only half the battle.

Mental Availability: Staying Top of Mind

Mental availability ensures that when candidates are ready to make a move, your brand is the one they think of. This is where our creative strategy and content development teams focus on building strong, memorable messaging that creates long-lasting associations in candidates’ minds. By doing so, you become their first choice when they’re ready for a change.

Research shows that brands excelling in both physical and mental availability see significant increases in engagement and loyalty . It’s not just about candidates noticing your brand—it’s about them recalling your values and opportunities when they’re actively considering their next career step. Remember that according to Glassdoor, 75% of job seekers are more likely to apply to an employer that actively manages its employer brand across multiple platforms .

Building Bonds Through Loyalty

At the core of employer branding is the need to build loyalty—and loyalty is about creating connections. It’s about emotional, social, environmental, and economic bonds that encourage candidates to see your organisation as more than just a workplace. People want to feel involved, rewarded, and part of something bigger than themselves. This is where we move beyond availability into something deeper: trust.

We can help you to craft an employer brand that not only attracts candidates but also keeps them engaged for the long term. By focusing on these four pillars, your brand becomes one that candidates not only want to join but stay with and advocate for.

Insight: Understanding Your Audience

To build these bonds effectively, you need to understand the people you’re trying to reach. So think about the tools you use. We've built a suite of insight tools—including audience listening, segmentation, and online behaviour analysis—to ensure our clients are speaking to the right audience with the right message. You might want to do the same. From platforms like Pulsar and Google Analytics to LinkedIn Groups and Reddit forums, we can help you gain a deep understanding of your audience’s values, motivations, and concerns.

Having a clear grasp of these insights allows you to tailor your approach, creating an employer brand that speaks directly to the needs of your target candidates. This combination of insight and strategy helps you craft messages that resonate, creating lasting mental associations.

Data-Driven Synergy: The Power of Combining Both

The data is clear: combining physical and mental availability creates a powerful synergy that leads to increased engagement, loyalty, and hiring success. Studies show that brands excelling in both areas not only outperform their competitors but also see higher brand recall and candidate loyalty. When candidates see your brand in their everyday lives and remember what you stand for, they are far more likely to make the leap when the time is right.

Bringing It All Together = Win

Combining physical and mental availability ensures you’re not only visible but memorable. We think that’s important, and we work with our clients everyday to ensure that their employer brands are positioned to capture attention at the right moments and stay top of mind for when candidates are ready to act.

The real power lies in creating a seamless candidate experience that takes them from awareness to decision, building loyalty and trust along the way.

By aligning where you’re seen, how you’re remembered, and who you’re talking to, your employer brand can thrive. This is about crafting a complete journey—from initial engagement to loyalty—and Tonic is here to help you make that happen.