Recruitment businesses spend money on job boards, advertising, websites, content and events. Very few can say with confidence which of those activities produce placements and new clients.
Without that answer, budgets are set by habit rather than evidence.
Why it is hard
The journey from first click to placement can take weeks and cross many systems: a social ad, a website visit, a job board application, a phone call, an interview and an offer. If those systems are not connected, the link between spend and revenue is lost.
Step 1: track every source
Use consistent tracking on every link you control, including campaigns, emails and social posts. Make sure your website records where each visitor came from and passes that information with every application and enquiry.
Step 2: pass it into the ATS
The source of each application should be stored on the candidate record in your ATS, automatically. The same applies to client enquiries in your CRM. This is the single most important step, and it depends on a proper website integration.
Step 3: connect to outcomes
With source data in the ATS, you can report on which channels produced interviews, offers and placements, and the fee value they generated. For clients, track which channels led to new accounts and repeat business.
Step 4: compare cost to value
Combine outcome data with what you spend on each channel. Cost per placement and revenue per channel are far more useful measures than cost per click.
What to watch
- Channels that produce many applications but few placements.
- Channels that look expensive but produce high-value placements.
- Content and SEO that bring in enquiries over time.
- Repeat clients and candidates, who often return directly.
Start simple
You do not need perfect attribution to make better decisions. Even basic source tracking from website to ATS will reveal where your budget is working and where it is not.