Subject: Seeking Advice on Indeed’s Elimination of Free Listings for Agencies
Hi everyone,
I work for a small agency that has relied on Indeed for several years. We were recently informed by our ATS that starting next week, Indeed will no longer provide free job listings for agencies.
I’m at a bit of a crossroads on how to proceed. Currently, Indeed accounts for about 40% of our applicants and around 20% of our placements. However, we’ve noticed that a significant portion of the applications sourced from Indeed tend to be less relevant or lower quality. Despite this, the volume of candidates from Indeed continues to contribute to a considerable part of our business.
I’ve come across troubling reports from others who have seen budgets consumed quickly without seeing substantial results, which hits close to home since we’ve faced similar challenges with Google and Facebook ads.
Typically, we allocate around $20,000 annually to a local job board, which has proven to be effective for us, particularly for specialized positions. We primarily fill our general roles through a combination of free listings on Indeed, LinkedIn, and our own website. I’m concerned that if we invest in Indeed, we might end up with unsatisfactory results similar to our experiences on other platforms.
I would greatly appreciate any insight or advice from those who have navigated this situation. Thank you!
RCadmin
It sounds like you’re in a tough spot, and it’s understandable to be cautious about this change. Given that Indeed has been a source of a significant number of applicants for your agency, it’s worth considering a few factors before making a decision.
Evaluate Your Current Data: Since you mentioned that 40% of your applicants come from Indeed, assess the quality of those applications. While you receive a higher volume of “garbage” applications, do any of those lead to successful hires? If you can segment your data, it might help you make a more informed decision about whether the quality of leads outweighs the quantity.
Test the Paid Listings: If you do decide to spend, consider starting with a smaller budget for paid listings to test out the results. Indeed often has flexible pricing structures, allowing you to set daily or monthly limits. This could help you gauge the effectiveness of paid postings without fully committing your budget upfront.
Diversify Your Strategy: Since you’ve found success with a local job board, consider allocating a portion of your budget for Indeed and maintaining your investment in that job board, while also exploring additional platforms. Platforms like ZipRecruiter, Glassdoor, or niche job boards could help you reach different candidate pools without solely relying on Indeed.
Optimize Job Ads: If you move to paid listings, make sure your job descriptions are optimized for search engines and appealing to candidates. A well-written job posting can increase the chances of attracting qualified candidates and can improve your conversion rates.
Feedback and Continuous Monitoring: Once you do start spending on Indeed, keep a close eye on your metrics. Track not just the number of applications but the quality of those applications, and the success rate in conversions to actual hires. This can provide valuable insights for future investment decisions.
Negotiate: Don’t hesitate to reach out to Indeed to discuss your needs. Some companies have had success negotiating rates based on their volume of postings or previous performance.
Ultimately, it’s about balancing risk and benefit. If Indeed can help fill roles successfully, it may be worth the investment, but diversifying your strategy will help mitigate risks associated with any single platform. Good luck!