Benefits May 21, 2003

More Newspapers Offering Web-Only Recruitment Ads

May 21, 2003 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Nearly half of the largest 245 newspapers in the country now offer a Web only, help wanted advertising option for employers placing recruitment ads.
Reported by

Overall, 49% of the newspapers surveyed are now offering a rate card for Internet-only recruitment advertising, up from 32% in the fourth quarter of last year. More significantly, it represents a shift in revenue for newspapers that have historically stuck to their core print product, according to data from Corzen, Inc.

The shift has not just happened at the larger metro papers, as smaller papers are beginning to offer online job postings as well.

Newspapers have apparently done their homework; with the average price among all newspapers for a 30-day Internet only recruitment is $196, comparable to what the larger national online sites charge:

  • CareerBuilder charges $200 for a one month job posting
  • Yahoo’s HotJobs is $275 for a one month ad
  • Monster charges $305 for 60 days online.

However, all three national online job sites offer lower rates for employers posting multiple jobs. “Competitors are offering comparable pricing for their online listings,” said Bruce Murray, Corzen’s CEO in a statement. “However, for many newspapers, this price is less than the price of the same ad in print. The ultimate affect on newspapers’ earnings is likely to become apparent as hiring picks up. Publishers might see the same volume of ads, but it is not clear that they will generate the same total revenue.”

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