When it comes to "employer brand," most people either don't know the term or completely misunderstand it. Employer brand is not social recruiting or posting jobs online. And it's not slapping the consumer brand on a careers site and calling it a day. It's what the employment experience is known for, it's reputation.

It's actually just like the consumer brand, but instead of the product or service a company is selling, it's the employment experience. In order to really understand employer brand, you have to start with understanding the concept of brand, so this week we bring you some brand basics. Put your consumer brand hat on first!

1) Everything You Know About Branding Is Wrong from the CMO Network

"The simple truth is that a brand isn’t a logo, an advertisement, or a poster hung on the wall in a corporate office. It’s a gut feeling about a company, and smart companies know the power of a brand done right. This happens when everything connects through design—from virtual environments like websites to built environments like office spaces—and it all starts with an understanding of why a company matters. Whether designing a company’s headquarters or field office, their website, or developing a new brand strategy, start by asking two key questions: who are you? And: Why do you matter?"

2) Branding Basics for Social Media from The Huffington Post

"In the online world, your brand is shaped by everything you do and say. With an increasing number of social media channels comes a strong need to present a consistent brand. Your brand should be the same across Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, your company blog and everywhere else you communicate online."

3) The Most Memorable Brand Wins and Fails of 2013 from Mashable

"Oreo kicked off the year with a brilliant, impromptu online ad during the Super Bowl, the success of which inspired countless other real-time marketing campaigns, many of which fell short. Tech companies like Samsung and Google aired clever commercials to introduce new products to consumers, while BlackBerry struggled to reintroduce itself in a make or break marketing campaign.

4) How To Build Brand Love Via Designed Serendipity from Forbes

"Companies that genuinely love their customers and build emotional connections that transcend transactional relationships are a special breed. Yet, what if we could decode the formula that ties together world-class “experience” companies like Target, Starbucks, and Disney–and characterize their common traits so others can follow their playbooks?"

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Susan LaMotte is the founder of exaqueo, a workforce consultancy that helps startups and high-growth companies build their cultures, employer brands and talent strategies. Contact exaqueo to learn more about how we can help you build a workforce that’s aligned with your company culture and develop an employer brand that will allow your business to scale the right way.