How to get companies to pay for my job board?

Super helpful thread; this is exactly the stage I’m in. I’ve built up solid traffic and a niche audience (remote nursing roles), but turning that into consistent employer-side revenue has felt like the missing piece. Really appreciated the tips about using UTM links and starting with targeted outreach. Feels doable now. Thanks for sharing!

You need traffic, I even boostrapped 3 job boards so they were receiving new submissions but nobody went for paid. Generally job board is easy to make, the whole business is marketing and getting traffic.

@robwalling of https://www.startupsfortherestofus.com/ always gives a great piece of advice on your business model: "Don't build two-sided marketplaces unless you already have one side of the marketplace."

Rob had success building niche job markets in the past, so he's coming from an informed place.

What is the niche industry of your job board? Where do people in this industry hang out? Forums? Reddit? Companies usually have public contact information - can you cold call them? Are there blogs in your niche where you can comment, or better yet, do content marketing and get them to guest blog you?

Some other people mentioned curating jobs from other sites - can you do this for jobs that AREN'T listed on Glassdoor, Indeed, etc.? That'll give you a much better SEO footprint and you might even get the attention of these sites if you feed them enough traffic.

Probably been mentioned before, but could you give companies X free tokens? If they convert they might be more enticed to pay for the full service.

I wrote about this model in MicroSaaSHQ newsletter. You first need to curate the jobs from various sources, build traffic and build some credibility that you can send traffic to the job posts. Then companies would be happy to pay for premium spots to list their jobs. Building that traffic is the main thing.

Start by offering free listings (first listing for free for example) to a couple of relevant (big) companies. Not only is this a nice gesture but it will also get you traffic to your website.

Once you get some relevant traffic of job searchers, you can use these statistics to present to companies and get them to pay.

Direct sales should work the best: find and contact relevant companies yourself. Call them up and explain your service and why you're currently offering this for free.

1. Curate job posts from other websites
2. Add a ?utm link to every job post (like that companies can see where the clicks are coming from)
3. Build traffic and subscriber list (blogging with focus on right keywords, be valuable in niche communities, build network)
4. Then reach out to companies

You will like this playbook https://buildthetrends.substack.com/p/01-niche-job-board

Getting companies to pay for your job board involves a combination of strategic marketing, providing value, and effective communication. Here are some steps you can take:

Identify Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP):

Clearly define what sets your job board apart from others. Highlight unique features, a specific niche focus, or any added value that makes your platform attractive to employers.
Build a Strong Platform:

Ensure that your job board is user-friendly, has an appealing design, and offers features that make the recruitment process efficient for employers. A seamless experience will encourage companies to invest in your platform.
Offer Free Trials:

Provide companies with a limited-time free trial to showcase the effectiveness of your job board. This allows them to experience the platform and see the potential benefits before committing to a paid plan.
Create Compelling Packages:

Develop competitive pricing packages that cater to different company sizes and hiring needs. Consider offering tiered plans with varying features and benefits to appeal to a broader range of businesses.
Highlight Success Stories and Testimonials:

Showcase case studies and testimonials from companies that have successfully hired through your job board. This builds credibility and demonstrates the value your platform brings to employers.
Networking and Partnerships:

Attend industry events, network with HR professionals, and build partnerships with other businesses in the recruitment space. Word of mouth and recommendations can be powerful in convincing companies to use your job board.
Provide Analytics and Metrics:

Offer detailed analytics on the performance of job listings, including views, clicks, and applications. Companies appreciate data that helps them assess the effectiveness of their recruitment efforts.
Effective Marketing:

Develop a robust marketing strategy to increase awareness of your job board. Utilize online and offline channels to reach potential clients. Social media, content marketing, and email campaigns can be effective tools.
Offer Discounts for Early Adopters:

Consider providing special discounts or incentives for companies that sign up early. This encourages businesses to take the leap and try your platform.
Responsive Customer Support:

Provide excellent customer support to address any concerns or issues promptly. A positive customer experience will encourage companies to continue using your job board.
Stay Updated and Innovate:

Keep your platform updated with the latest features and technology. Stay informed about industry trends and continually innovate to provide a cutting-edge service.
Remember, the key is to clearly communicate the value your job board brings to employers and make it as easy as possible for them to see the benefits.

You can source jobs from public API's. Both Lever(.co) and Greenhouse have a public API enabled by default for new clients.
If you're on WordPress with WPJM, you can utilize wp all import to load these jobs from the APIs.

Job boards are hard - I got my early customers mostly from cold emailing people

Think about providing a brief free trial for employers to list openings in order to draw in the first applicants. As you develop momentum, approach those businesses for paid collaborations, highlighting the exposure and value they received from the trial.