Case Study: Baden-Württemberg International

Konstanz University, Baden-Württemberg

Using content to build your employer brand

Challenge

Situated in the heart of Europe, economic powerhouse Baden-Württemberg is the most successful state in the German Excellence Strategy.

Investing 5.8% of GDP in R&D, the state’s high levels of research funding far outstrip those of Germany as a whole and its academic institutions produce world-class research.

Home to global players including Daimler, Bosch, and Porsche, Baden-Württemberg is also a highly attractive destination for start-ups and small businesses. 

However, for all academic employers, standing out in the competitive jobs market is no easy feat. And while the name Baden-Württemberg and what it stands for is well known in Germany, that is less true abroad. 

 

Solution

The task in hand for Baden-Württemberg International (BW_i) was to increase visibility abroad, communicating to the international research community the exceptional opportunities the state has to offer.

One way that organizations can communicate their offering is by working with a content marketing partner. It is, however, very important to find the right partner who shares your values and can help you reach your chosen audience. 

Nature Careers (part of Springer Nature), with its established reputation and connection with the scientific community, is a well-placed content partner for science organizations. And for BW_i, partnering with Nature Careers was the obvious solution for many reasons:

  • The trusted Nature brand is the first choice for research. 
  • Nature’s creative expertise and professional journalism standards are next to none.
  • Nature’s audience comprises influential scientists and opinion leaders around the world, with over 10 million monthly visitors to Nature.com.
  • Nature’s award-winning custom media team of writers and editors is well-placed to convey internationally that Baden-Württemberg is a highly desirable career destination.
  • Behavioral targeting allows for a tailored campaign, ensuring BW_i would engage its key audiences.
  • Nature project manages branded content campaigns from start to finish.
  • Nature's reporting shows the extent of user engagement with branded content campaigns.

 

Results

Branded Content with Nature CareersTo reflect Baden-Württemberg’s strengths and leadership in different fields, the Nature custom media team created a series of three branded content articles, which were published on Nature.com, running consecutively from June 2021 to March 2022:

  1. Cyber Valley researchers link AI and society
  2. The high-tech German region reshaping the quantum technology race
  3. Germany’s hotspot for international research excellence

Nature’s team of marketers promoted the branded content via native and banner advertising on Nature.com, as well as social media advertising. 

Extending the campaign with 3 articles over the course of 9 months enabled BW_i to keep in touch with their audience and consolidate their message. 

Once the campaign was complete, BW_i received a detailed report of how their audience had engaged with their story, and they were pleased with the high level of reader engagement:

  • Article completion rates showed that readers were staying on the page – dwell time rose to nearly 11 minutes for the last article.
  • Nearly 60% of readers viewed between 50% and 100% of each article. 
  • The increased number of clicks on BW_i’s own website (https://career-start-bw.com/) was further proof of the interest generated by the campaign. 

What BW_i particularly liked about their branded content was the way that Nature's custom media team took complex research topics and made them easy to understand, whilst also showcasing Baden-Württemberg as a highly desirable career destination. 
 

To request your own employer branded content on Nature.com, please contact your local sales rep!