The first step when searching for a job on Indeed.com is to identify a listing that suits you best.
After filtering all parameters, including location, salary range, and experience level, you will get two search results; Sponsored and non-sponsored job listings.
You’re free to apply to both sponsored and normal job listings. But have you ever wondered what Sponsored jobs on Indeed mean?
How do sponsored jobs work on Indeed?
Generally, Sponsored jobs on Indeed are jobs promoted by potential employers. They pay Indeed to ensure maximum exposure to job seekers.
Sponsored jobs will always remain high in all search results, regardless of the type of job you search for. Employers can also sponsor jobs if they want more employees to apply for them.
Noteworthy, a Sponsored job ad on Indeed is based on a pay-for-performance model.
In other words, when an employer sponsors a job ad, they set a budget. The employer will only pay Indeed once a potential employee clicks on the ad and views the job.
The employer decides how much money they want to spend sponsoring a job on Indeed.
Indeed, on the other hand, it ensures that only qualifying candidates get the search results and apply for the job.
The advantage of sponsoring a job is that it reaches a wider audience of qualifying job seekers.
Furthermore, it is easier for an employer to track their return on investment because they only pay once a candidate clicks on the ad and decide to employ the individual if they qualify.
You’ll also get to hire urgently and on short notice.
What is the difference between Indeed organic and Indeed sponsored?
Indeed organic is a job listing posted for free by employers. Employers who want to hire can post a job on Indeed without paying a fee.
Indeed will then use its algorithms to aggregate the job listings. When a candidate searches for a job, the search engine will release results based on the individual’s query.
On the other hand, Sponsored listings are based on a pay model. Employers post the jobs on Indeed and pay for them once a candidate clicks on the paid listing.
Indeed organic jobs appear lower in the search results compared to sponsored jobs. This means organic listings have a lower click-through rate than sponsored ones.
Is it worth it to sponsor a job on Indeed?
Sponsoring a job on Indeed is more advantageous than posting it for free. Sponsored jobs appear more frequently on the top pages of an employee’s search results.
With Sponsored jobs, employers can track the progress, including a return on investment.
Employers do not have to pay for a sponsored job if a candidate does not click on the posting. The listing will still appear on the top pages of search results.
Nevertheless, more people click on Sponsored jobs than organic postings. Besides, employers are four times more likely to hire employees who click on their sponsored jobs.
Does Indeed force employers to sponsor a job?
It is not true that a job must be sponsored to be shown on Indeed. You can post a free listing which Indeed will feature in relevant search results of a job seeker.
But the free posting will fall back in the search results as more employees add more free jobs.
However, you may encounter a situation where Indeed forces you to sponsor a job. The company may adopt the measure to verify the legitimacy of the job or the employer.
Furthermore, since employers only pay for Sponsored jobs after employees click on them, this can lead to abuse.
Therefore, Indeed may force you to sponsor a job to prevent the abuse of the free listings.
But Indeed also has sole discretion that may require an employer to sponsor a job.
Even with this discretion, Sponsored jobs always retail their visibility in an employee’s search result pages.
What is the cost of sponsoring a job on Indeed?
Indeed.com uses many parameters to charge employers for Sponsored jobs. When you post a job, you must set your criteria for quality applications.
Indeed will display the price based on your criteria. However, you will only pay for qualifying applications.
But if the application is low quality, you can reject it within 72 hours and Indeed will not charge you.
Indeed has also changed its pricing structures over the years. Today, you can pay $5 per day to sponsor a job on Indeed.com.
Have your say
Have you ever applied for a Sponsored job on Indeed? How was your experience compared to normal listings?
