Movers & Shakers in 2023: Job Board Trends for Recruiters

As we delve into the complexities of 2023's job board market, understanding the shifting dynamics reshaping the industry is more critical than ever. This year has been a mixed bag of stability, shifts, and surprises, and there's a lot to unpack: from fluctuating traffic patterns to evolving user preferences. 

Let's explore these trends and reflect on this dynamic landscape. Our goal is not just to inform but also to provoke thought and encourage a critical examination of trends and strategies in our industry.

Stability Amidst Change: The Job Board Landscape

We looked at all the job sites with over 1M monthly visitors in the US to see how the industry performed over the last 12 months. We did not include LinkedIn since most of its traffic is not just job-related. The job and employment sector in the USA has showcased remarkable resilience. Despite minor fluctuations, we've observed a stable trajectory, with about 73.7M unique visitors—a mere 1.61% drop from the previous year, generating around 446M monthly visits. It suggests that the demand for job-related platforms remains robust despite almost 30 years of predictions that job boards would die. 

Device Distribution:  Mobile Stopped Growing  

Most users access job sites via mobile web, which raises a crucial question for recruiters: How well-optimized are your recruitment strategies and job postings for mobile users? A seamless mobile experience can significantly amplify your recruitment efforts.

However, probably because of a lot more people working from home, mobile job browsing seems to have hit a plateau. 

Traffic Sources: The Power of Organic and Direct Reach

Another key insight is the dominance of direct and organic traffic, accounting for over 80% of the traffic to job sites, highlighting Google's continued influence in directing job seekers. So SEO continues to be important, and by improving the visibility in search results on Google, it’s possible to attract a wider pool of candidates at the best CPA possible.

The Contrast of Growth and Decline: Lessons from 2023's Job Sites

The year 2023 was notably challenging for U.S. job sites. Overall, most job sites experienced a decline in visits, with 71% witnessing a fall in traffic. This was particularly true for those with brand recognition and over 3M visits per month.

For the complete rankings and insights, continue reading on our blog…