Have you seen the #10yearchallenge on social media? Basically, people post a picture of themselves from 2009 and put it next to a current photo. It’s harmless fun that mostly features attractive people from 10 years ago that are still attractive.
In the spirit of everyone looking back 10 years, we have an announcement from Ladders, declaring the launch of a pay-per-click feature to its job posting service, which specializes in $100,000 opportunities. Really? Just now launching this? If you’re keeping score, Google unveiled its PPC solution in 2000. Job search sites SimplyHired and Indeed launched their PPC offerings in the mid-2000s.
Talk about back to the future.
I know HR is historically slow to adopt new technologies, but come on, PPC isn’t exactly cutting-edge stuff. In a time when vendors are developing solutions highlighting automation, instant messaging and programmatic ad buying, touting a “new” PPC offering seems almost comedic.
I had to check the calendar to make sure it wasn’t April 1. Nope, it’s not.
“By integrating this feature, Ladders is aiming to widen the appeal to a broader section of our recruiter base, and by driving more promoted jobs on the site, Ladders’ new feature will also be a better experience for job seekers,” said Ladders CEO Marc Cenedella. “We’re thrilled to announce this addition, which not only brings us in line with competitors, but allows for a more targeted and refined job search approach on both ends.”
New York City-based Ladders says targeted control also improves the cost-effectiveness of promoted posts for those seeking employees in smaller markets or in highly specific roles by attracting the most relevant and qualified candidates.
PPC postings appear first in job search results and advertisers are billed at a flat rate per click, up to a specified budget amount. Clicks currently cost 97 cents per click, and advertisers can set daily budgets, allowing them to pause ads as soon as they’ve received enough candidates, or if a position is filled. There are no up-front costs, and the company says such listings enjoy 15 times more post clicks and eight times more applicants than standard job ads.
The announcement ends saying, “With cost-per-click, Ladders continues to innovate to provide high-level talent acquisition and recruiting professionals with the right tools that attract the best and most active job candidates, while simultaneously enabling job seekers to conduct focused searches for the most desirable, high-paying roles in their fields.”
In addition to its new PPC advertising options and job postings, Ladders, founded in 2003 and claiming 10 million users, also offers traditional banner ads, sponsored blog posts, and custom emails. Established? Sure. Effective? I suppose. Innovative? Not exactly. What’s next, it announces its site is mobile-friendly?