To attract and retain top digital talent, publish the salary, offer flexible hours, show a clear route to progression and give people time and budget to keep their skills current. Then protect the first 90 days with a structured onboarding plan, because that's when new hires decide whether they'll stay.
This guide covers each of those steps for digital roles such as paid media, SEO, affiliate, CRM and analytics. It draws on EngageMore Talent's recruitment work and Mel Smith's over 20 years in affiliate and digital marketing. For the wider hiring process, see the ultimate guide to digital recruitment.
Why attracting and keeping digital talent is harder in 2026
Digital specialists are in demand and willing to move, so employers need a strong offer across pay, flexibility and progression. In Totaljobs' 2026 research, 41% of UK workers were looking for a new job or planning to move, and higher pay was the main reason for 51% of them (Totaljobs, via Workplace Journal, 2026).
Hiring is hard too. In the CIPD's 2026 survey, 53% of organisations that tried to recruit struggled to attract candidates, most of all for senior and skilled roles (CIPD, 2026). Every person who leaves means going back into that market, which is why retention planning should start before the job is advertised.
What digital candidates look for
Digital candidates weigh pay first, then flexibility, progression and the chance to keep learning. Salary was the most important factor in choosing a job for 81% of workers in the Totaljobs research. Flexible working hours were the most wanted benefit, and 35% of workers said they'd accept a pay cut to get them.
Progression matters almost as much: 53% said they wouldn't apply for a job if progression opportunities were unclear. The table sets out what candidates look for and what employers can offer in response.
| Factor | What candidates want to know | What to offer |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | Whether the salary matches the market | A published salary band and a clear bonus structure |
| Flexibility | Where and when they'll work | Flexible hours and a stated hybrid pattern, such as two office days a week |
| Progression | Where the role leads | A written progression framework and regular development reviews |
| Learning | Whether their skills will stay current | Time and budget for training, certifications and industry events |
| Tools | Whether they'll work with current platforms | Access to up-to-date tools and room to test new ones |
| Impact | How their work connects to results | Clear goals linked to business outcomes, and regular feedback |
Writing job adverts that attract the right people
A strong job advert describes the job, the results expected and the package, so a good candidate can see quickly whether it's a step up. In the Totaljobs research, 80% of workers said they avoid applying for jobs without pay details.
Every digital job advert should state:
- What success looks like in the first six to twelve months
- Who the role reports to and works with
- The budget, channels and tools involved
- The working pattern and flexibility
- The salary range and any bonus
Compare two openings. "Looking for a digital marketing manager with 5+ years' experience to join our team. Must be proficient in all channels" says almost nothing about the job. An illustrative stronger version reads: "Lead our paid social and PPC, managing a £250,000 annual budget with a focus on growing direct-to-consumer sales. Hybrid, two days a week in the office, £45,000 to £55,000 plus bonus, reporting to the head of digital."
Our guide to the top 10 digital marketing hiring mistakes covers the advert errors that cost employers good candidates.
Building an employer brand candidates trust
Candidates research employers before they apply, using review sites, LinkedIn and the company's own content. An employer brand is mostly what those sources say about working there.
Four steps make the biggest difference:
- Show the team. Share real project stories and day-to-day work on LinkedIn, featuring the people a candidate would work with.
- Explain how you work. Publish your working pattern, tools and progression framework on your careers page.
- Respond to reviews. Read what current and former employees say on review sites and reply to the fair criticisms.
- Treat every candidate well. Give feedback after interviews, including to people you don't hire. Digital teams are small worlds, and word travels.
Onboarding: the first 90 days
Good onboarding gives a new hire the access, people and goals they need from day one, and it's the first test of whether the job matches the advert. For digital roles, a slow start often comes down to missing logins and data access.
Before day one:
- Set up access to every platform, analytics tool and ad account they'll use
- Share current campaign performance and reporting
- Book introductions with key stakeholders and partners
In the first 90 days:
- Agree a written 30, 60 and 90 day plan with clear objectives
- Assign a buddy or mentor for day-to-day questions
- Hold weekly check-ins in the first month, then fortnightly
- Make the KPIs explicit, along with how they'll be measured
How to keep digital specialists long term
Digital specialists stay where they're learning, progressing and paid fairly against the market. The practices below cover all three.
- Development conversations. Hold monthly one-to-ones that cover growth as well as tasks, with a fuller development review every quarter.
- Learning time and budget. Fund relevant certifications, courses and industry events, and protect time during the working week to use them.
- Internal progression. Publish what it takes to move up, and give people the chance to take on more responsibility before a vacancy opens.
- Pay reviews. Check salaries against the market each year. Higher pay was the main reason people planned to move in 2026, so falling behind is a common cause of departures.
- Recognition. Link bonuses to measurable results and recognise good work in front of the team.
Growing your own talent works too. At Carwow, EngageMore mentored a digital marketing executive to support the move to managing the affiliate programme in-house.
Warning signs someone may leave
People rarely resign without warning, so managers who notice early changes have time to act. Watch for:
- Less involvement in team meetings and discussions
- Less enthusiasm for long-term projects
- A sudden focus on documenting their work
- Withdrawal from the social side of the team
An honest conversation about what has changed, held early, often resolves the issue or at least gives you time to plan.
When to bring in a specialist recruiter
A specialist recruiter helps most when you're hiring several digital roles, filling a niche or senior role, or losing people to competitors and don't know why. A recruiter who works in your discipline can share current salary levels and what candidates say about your offer.
For Genie Ventures, EngageMore ran a fixed-fee, three-month embedded project that hired five roles. Our guide on why to use a recruitment agency to hire digital marketing talent sets out the costs and benefits.
EngageMore's view
Retention is decided mostly before someone joins. If the advert hid the salary, the interview oversold the role or the first month was spent waiting for logins, no learning budget will fix it later. Employers who are honest about the job, the pay and the route to progression from the first contact keep their digital people longer.
Pay is the other half. Digital specialists can see what the market pays, and a salary that drifts below it for a year or two will cost you the person. Review pay every year and act before your best people start looking.
If you're hiring digital specialists, EngageMore Talent starts with a briefing call and gives you a shortlist with notes so you can interview efficiently.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Common questions about attracting and retaining digital talent
What do digital professionals want most from an employer?
Pay comes first: salary was the most important factor in choosing a job for 81% of UK workers in Totaljobs' 2026 research. After that, candidates look for flexible hours, a clear route to progression and the chance to keep their skills current. Employers that make all four visible in the job advert attract more of the right applicants.
Is salary or flexibility more important to digital candidates?
Salary usually matters most, with flexibility close behind. In Totaljobs' 2026 research, flexible working hours were the most wanted benefit, and 35% of workers said they'd accept a pay cut to get them. The strongest offers combine a market-rate salary with a stated flexible working pattern.
What is the most effective way to retain digital specialists?
Combine regular development conversations, protected learning time and annual pay reviews against the market. Higher pay was the main reason UK workers planned to move jobs in 2026, so falling behind on salary is a common cause of departures. A visible route to the next role keeps people looking inside the business.
How quickly should I move when hiring digital talent?
As quickly as your process allows, ideally with only a few days between each stage. Strong digital candidates are usually in work and often in more than one hiring process, so long gaps lose them to faster employers. Agree interview dates and the decision-maker before the role goes live.
How can onboarding improve retention?
Onboarding sets expectations and shows whether the job matches what was promised. Set up platform access before day one, agree a written 30, 60 and 90 day plan, and hold weekly check-ins in the first month. Problems spotted early are much easier to fix than a resignation.
