Subscriptions build job board profits

June 18, 2024
JobBoardDoctor
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subscriptions build job board profits Pop quiz: which of the following will increase job board profitability the most?

A) Individual job postings
B) Regular ‘special deals’ events
C) Annual or semi-annual job posting/resume access subscriptions

I’m betting that most of you answered (C). Because it’s true: subscriptions build job board profits

So why do the vast majority of job sites I visit promote individual job postings so heavily? When I ask the question, these are the typical responses:

‘Employers want to try before they buy’
‘Selling a subscription is too hard (via ecommerce)’
‘Employer needs are intermittent’
‘I don’t know’

This sells your employer short – they’re not getting the best value from your job board with just a single posting; and it sells your site short – you’re cutting profitability and increasing your sales effort. In fact, I’ll go one step further – you owe it to your employers to offer a subscription package first. Here’s why:

Subscriptions offer a lower overall cost per candidate than individual single purchases – in other words, more ‘bang for the buck’
They increase the likelihood for employer success by allowing postings and access when they are needed – without the delays that come with purchase approval, etc.
They fit better with most employers’ HR budget planning, allowing for annual or semi-annual purchases
They allow employers to annualize intermittent and unpredictable hiring costs over a 6- or 12-month period

Subscriptions are not just an altruistic move for job boards, though – they help you in several ways:

Subscriptions reduce your selling efforts to an annual or semi-annual basis for your employers
Subscriptions drive up your average revenue per employer
Per #1 and 2, subscriptions drive up your overall profitability
Revenue is more predictable

Most importantly, though: subscriptions move your employers away from viewing your job board as a ‘transactional’ site (i.e., post a job), and instead toward thinking about your job board as a candidate sourcing and hiring service. You’ve taken that first step away from being ‘just a job board’, and toward being your employers’ core hiring tool. Isn’t that a better place to be? Remember – subscriptions build job board profits!

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