Evaluate Job Post Performance with Indeed Analytics

1. How many candidates saw your jobs in search results

Posting your job on Indeed is the first step to kicking off your online recruitment strategy. The next step is ensuring the right candidates see your job postings. Your performance reports on Indeed Analytics include impressions data about how often job seekers saw your jobs when searching. “Impressions” refer to the number of times people viewed a job search results page that included your job.

This data can tell you if your job postings have regular visibility to job seekers on Indeed. A low number suggests that your job description doesn’t include the keywords that relevant candidates are using as search terms.

2. How many people clicked to see your full job descriptions

Your performance reports also show the number of clicks to open your job posts as well as the clickthrough rate (CTR). Your CTR is the number of clicks on your job divided by the number of impressions your job received.

A high CTR suggests your job title is strong enough to inspire a job seeker to click on it from search results to view your entire job description.

A low CTR could mean that your job title isn’t clear or compelling, or that your role is harder to fill. To improve your clickthrough rate, consider adjusting your sponsorship budget or editing your job title.

For example:

• Keep the job title concise and avoid all caps and special characters.
• Avoid internal titles that don’t accurately describe the job. “Senior Web Designer,” for instance, is much clearer to applicants than “Web Designer II.”
• Use the job title to describe the main aspects of the job. For example, “Events and Sponsorships Manager” is much more effective than just “Marketing.”

3. How many people apply to your jobs

After people see your job posting in search results and click to open the full job post, the next step is applying. Your performance report shows the complete picture of your job posting performance, from impressions to clicks to applies. Higher apply rates occur for jobs with compelling job descriptions that give relevant candidates enough information about the job and inspire them to apply.

Here are some tips for writing effective job descriptions:

• Open with a strong paragraph to grab their attention. Describe what makes your company a great place to work and why they should apply to your opportunity.
• Be specific about day-to-day responsibilities. If the position requires 20% travel or 50% writing, tell them that. This will ensure you’re interviewing and hiring candidates who enjoy their day-to-day responsibilities.
• Be specific about requirements. If some skills are required and others are just nice to have, say that. Ask that candidates only apply if they meet your requirements. This can help deter unqualified candidates from applying.

4. How much you’re spending

If you’ve ever promoted your job posting as a Sponsored Job, you have access to many sources of data to inform your spending decisions and evaluate the success of your recruitment efforts. Your performance reports on Indeed Analytics include:

• Amount you have spent on your sponsored job post for a specific period
• Average cost per click (CPC), calculated as the amount you spent to sponsor the job divided by the number of clicks the job received
• Average cost per apply (CPA), calculated as the amount spent to sponsor the job divided by the number of applications you received

Understanding your Indeed Analytics performance report and the data provided is a critical part of managing a successful recruitment campaign on Indeed.

5. Which jobs or strategies perform best over time

Indeed Analytics lets you compare performance across jobs and time periods so you can see what is working and where to adjust. You can look at impressions, clicks, applies and spend by job, location or date range to spot patterns, such as which titles, descriptions, pay ranges or sponsorship strategies tend to drive higher quality applies. These insights can guide how you write and promote future postings so each new job starts from a stronger baseline.

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FAQs 

What is Indeed Analytics and who can use it?
Indeed Analytics is a reporting tool that shows how your jobs are performing on Indeed, including impressions, clicks, applies and spend. You need Admin or Analytics permissions on your employer account to view these performance reports.

What are “impressions” in my performance report?
Impressions tell you how many times job seekers saw a search results page that included your job. This helps you understand how visible your postings are on Indeed and whether your titles and keywords are helping the right candidates find your roles.

How do I know if my job title is working?
Look at clicks and clickthrough rate (CTR). CTR is the number of clicks on your job divided by the number of impressions. A higher CTR suggests your job title is clear and compelling enough to make people open your posting. A low CTR can be a sign that your title is confusing, too internal or not aligned with how candidates search.

What can I do if my CTR is low?
Try making your title more specific and candidate-friendly. Keep it concise, avoid all caps and special characters, and swap internal titles for terms job seekers recognize. For example, “Senior Web Designer” is clearer than “Web Designer II,” and “Events and Sponsorships Manager” is more descriptive than simply “Marketing.”

How can I tell if my job description is effective?
Check how many people move from viewing your full job post to actually applying. Strong descriptions usually open with a clear summary, describe day-to-day responsibilities and spell out which qualifications are required versus nice to have. If applies are low, consider tightening your copy, adding detail about the work and clarifying your requirements.

What apply metrics should I watch in Indeed Analytics?
Watch total applies and your apply rate across the funnel from impressions to clicks to applies. Higher apply rates tend to show that your title, description, pay information and expectations are resonating with the candidates who see your job.

How do I understand what I am spending on my jobs?
If you sponsor your jobs, your performance reports show how much you have spent in a given period, your average cost per click (CPC) and your average cost per apply (CPA). CPC is your spend divided by clicks, and CPA is your spend divided by the number of applications received.

How can I use CPC and CPA to make better decisions?
CPC and CPA help you see how efficiently your budget is turning into candidate interest and completed applications. If costs are high, you may experiment with your title, description, targeting or budget to reach more relevant candidates and improve the return on your recruiting spend.

Do I need to sponsor my jobs to use Indeed Analytics?
You can see performance data for your jobs in Indeed Analytics whether or not they are sponsored, but sponsoring a job can increase visibility and generate more impressions and clicks. Analytics then helps you see how that additional visibility translates into applies and spend so you can adjust your strategy over time.

Putting it all together

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