Gaia vs Indeed: job board performance comparison

Why compare Gaia and Indeed?

You are paying for listings, getting lots of applicants and not enough good ones. Time to hire is slow, the team is overwhelmed by CVs, and budget keeps disappearing into posts that do not deliver.

Gaia fixes this. Instead of buying space on one board, you run a performance campaign across the channels your talent actually uses. Targeting is precise, creative is tested, and the system reallocates spend to what works. The result is fewer junk CVs, more shortlists, and a clearer view of what your money did. In short, Gaia answers the question: what to do when job boards stop working?

What Indeed offers

Indeed is a high-reach job board and search engine. It suits basic awareness and simple roles where listing volume matters. Sponsored jobs can boost visibility and you get standard filters, alerts and CV search.

Where users struggle is control. Targeting is limited, optimisation is manual, and reporting focuses on clicks and applies, not quality. You are still buying space, not outcomes.

How Gaia stacks up

Targeting and reach. Gaia builds audiences from intent, skills and location signals, then reaches them across social, search and display in one campaign. You are not limited to visitors of one site.

Realtime optimisation. Budgets shift automatically to the best channels, audiences and creatives. Poor placements stop spending.

Creative testing. Multiple messages and visuals run side by side. Winners keep serving, underperformers are retired.

Fast apply UX. Mobile-first flows reduce drop-off, so more right-fit candidates apply. See how GaiaPages gets candidates from app to applied in 60 seconds.

Cookie-free retargeting. Stay compliant while nudging interested talent back to apply. Read: Cookies are crumbling - here’s what that means for your hiring campaigns.

Integrations and reporting. Connect your ATS, see cost per qualified applicant and per hire, not just clicks. Explore Integrations.

What this means in practice

Teams move from static posts to adaptive campaigns. You reach passive and active talent, not just jobseekers on one board. You pay for performance, not placement.

Key comparison table

Area Gaia
Model Fixed listings and sponsored posts Performance campaign across multiple channels
Targeting Keywords and location filters Skills, intent and geo audiences across channels
Optimisation Manual Automatic, real-time
Retargeting Limited Cookie-free retargeting included
Creative testing Not native Built in, always on
Apply flow Board apply and redirects Fast, mobile-first apply
Reporting Clicks and applies Cost per qualified applicant, funnel and hire metrics
Integrations Basic ATS posting Deep ATS integrations and tracking

Customer spotlight

Mitie shifted budget from static listings to a cross-channel campaign and saw measurable lifts in quality and efficiency. See the Mitie series on candidate quality, cost and efficiency and diversity, or view the full Mitie case study.

Helpful links:

• Product: GaiaComplete and GaiaPages.
• Resource: You don’t need more applicants, you need better ones.

Who is Gaia best for?

• High volume or multirole hiring.

• Roles where quality and speed matter.

• Teams who need performance visibility and predictable cost.

Implementation

Connect your ATS, import roles, approve creative, launch. Campaigns go live in days, not weeks. You can run self-serve or managed. Reporting is available from day one.

Ready to test it? Book a demo today.

FAQs

Is Gaia more expensive than listing on Indeed?

Often the opposite once you account for quality and time to hire. You spend across channels, but waste is reduced and conversion is higher.

Can Gaia include LinkedIn and Google?

Yes. Gaia activates the channels that work for your audience and optimises between them automatically.

How do you measure candidate quality?

Define a qualified applicant in your ATS, for example completed apply with must have answers. Gaia then optimises to that signal.

Ready to move from listings to performance campaigns? Book a demo.

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