How well a job board works, and how much revenue a digital publisher can generate from it, is directly tied to the job board system the publisher chooses. Creating and managing an online board job board doesn’t have to be overly complicated or difficult, so long as the system itself is designed to integrate with the publisher’s existing website.
Job boards serve an important function for digital publishers right now. Job boards round out publishers’ digital offerings and make publications more valuable to readers, while also serving businesses by giving them a way to connect with qualified professionals.
Although online job boards are nothing new for publications in the B2B space, they are a fast growing trend among publishers of city and regional magazines, as well as niche publications. Any online magazine that has a built-in audience can find success with an online job board. The key is choosing the right job board system.
People will always be searching for jobs, and employers will always be searching for new employees, which means publishers should feel confident that online job boards are a valuable investment. The tricky part is finding a job board system that integrates well with existing content management systems and offers all the self-serve advertising components that publishers need.
Before we get into the specific features digital publishers should look for in a job board system, let’s briefly cover the most popular ways to monetize a job board:
- Selling display advertising
- Charging businesses for listings
- Promoting a subscription program by placing the job board behind a paywall
- Creating resources to sell to recruiters
What Publishers Should Look for In a Job Board System
The best job board system is one that’s easy to manage, looks professional, and facilitates advertising sales.
Most job board systems fall into one of three categories: plug-in, software, or software as a service (SaaS). Regardless of which option a publisher goes with, it’s important to make sure the job board system integrates with the publisher’s website. On a day-to-day basis, publishers can expect that there will need to be some management of their online job boards. In order to maximize revenue, publishers should make sure their listings are updated and accurate, and that their job boards are displaying content as they should.
Categories and filters play an important role in keeping job boards organized. Most publishers want a job board system that allows them to categorize listings by job type, location, experience level, and salary. Businesses that want to include their openings on the job board should be encouraged to add these categories themselves, but ultimately it’s up to publishers to ensure their job boards are organized in a way that makes sense to readers.
One of the ways that publishers can make their job boards look more professional is by using a job board system with integrated mapping and location targeting features. This makes it possible for job seekers to display listings on a map and see which positions are available closest to home.
Publishers who are interested in charging businesses a fee to post listings will want a job board system that integrates with payment processors like Stripe, Authorize.net, and Paypal. This integration is what makes it possible for publishers to setup self-service advertising portals.
Plug-in, Software, or SaaS
Whether a publisher chooses a job board system that’s a software tool, a hosted SaaS solution, or a WordPress plug-in depends largely on the publisher’s needs and current website setup.
With hosted solutions, publishers don’t have to install or download anything. The technology is hosted by the provider, and the publisher accesses it online. Some hosted solutions already come pre-populated with current job listings.
Publishers who run their websites with WordPress can look into plug-ins, as well. Plug-ins usually integrate with existing website themes and many offer the option to create automated emails and varied job types.
Software tends to be the most robust of this bunch. While software tools are often more expensive, they do offer the most functionality and customization of these three options.
If you’d like more information about selecting the best job board system for your publication, let’s talk. We’re happy to help you sort through the best options available right now.
