job board vs. job search and back-fill

I run a niche "accounting job board" with my own job posting clients that post their jobs on our job board which is hosted by a 3rd party. I do not have regular or any control over the search results page nor do I earn revenue on the Indeed back-fill. Those directly posted jobs are then automatically cross posted to our industry partner sites plus all the major job search engines. Client gets great value posting a job on our site.

I have been experimenting with a job search box on our home page (like most of us have) that goes to a search results page that I control the look and feel BUT the results are hosted from Indeed "jobs by Indeed". Not overtly in your face branding but as we all know a required attribution. Indeed than pushes my unique jobs back to me first and then back-fills with "jobs from the web" of which I earn revenue.

So here is my question(s):

1. Are you a job board or a job search site if you offer Indeed back-fill? Does it matter? Can you be both? Feel free to define job board and job search in your response. Keep in mind you can post a single job directly on Indeed.

2. When employers see a search results page that also has jobs from the web or "jobs by indeed" is that a detractor for posting a job directly to your site? If the employer already sees their job in your back-fill on your site why do they need to "re-post" on your site? Keeping in mind all the cross-posting benefit that you offer your client to all the job search engines (indeed, simplyhired, juju etc.) via xml feed and sponsored jobs.

With the latest news that Indeed has over 334 million page views is it clear that we ALL have some connection to Indeed in some way or another?

What are your views?

Tags: backfill, board, job, search

Comment by Jeff Dickey-Chasins on November 18, 2010 at 3:19pm: I think you always have to weigh the value of sending job seekers AWAY from your site - when they click an aggregator listing from Indeed, Juju, SH, etc - versus the monetary or visual value of having those listings. There is no 'perfect' answer - it really depends on the goals of the job board operator for his or her site.

Comment by Todd Goldstein on November 18, 2010 at 3:32pm: Thanks Jeff. What do you think about employers?

Comment by Chris Russell on November 18, 2010 at 4:25pm: I agree with what Jeff says. I also look at backfill as an additional revenue source. Its just extra revenue to be earned and although its not a lot it adds to the bottom line.

Comment by Todd Goldstein on November 18, 2010 at 4:27pm: Thanks Chris, do either of you think it matters to employers if they see back-fill and happen to see their job there in the "back-fill".

Comment by Chris Russell on November 18, 2010 at 4:29pm: as long as you have some original postings i dont think it matters

Comment by Todd Goldstein on November 18, 2010 at 4:33pm: thanks, I do and I prominently feature them on our home page.

Comment by Chris Russell on November 18, 2010 at 4:34pm: I've started sites on Jobamatic which is all backfill and still attracted postings.

Comment by Todd Goldstein on November 18, 2010 at 4:36pm: excellent point. so have I!

Comment by Stephen on November 19, 2010 at 9:01am: I used Jobamatic also and have wondered the same thing: What do employers think when they see their jobs in backfill? I also decided to leave backfill on for now for additional revenue.

Comment by Eric Shannon on November 19, 2010 at 9:07am: on LatPro we used backfill for a while but found employers would note their jobs were there and decide not to post...

job board vs. job search and back-fill

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