Gaia vs LinkedIn Jobs: which is better for social recruiting?

Quick answer

If you want performance across channels, Gaia wins more often. LinkedIn Jobs is powerful inside LinkedIn, but you still buy posts and manage them manually. Gaia automates the campaign, reaches beyond simply advertising on LinkedIn in isolation, and optimises to qualified applicants.

Why compare Gaia and LinkedIn Jobs?

You rely on LinkedIn because the audience is strong. Yet posts are expensive, results vary by week, and reporting stops at applies. Teams ask for more reach, more control and clearer performance.

Gaia gives you that. A single campaign spans LinkedIn, Meta, Google, TikTok and programmatic display. The system tests creative, reallocates budget in real time and tracks to quality, not just clicks.

What LinkedIn Jobs offers

LinkedIn has rich profile data, strong brand recognition and native job alerts. For networking roles and specialist talent, visibility can be good. Recruiter and paid job slots extend reach inside the platform.

Limits appear on control and cost. You pay per post or per slot, creative formats are fixed, and optimisation is on you. You cannot test ten messages at once without heavy manual effort.

How Gaia stacks up

Cross-channel by default. You reach the same audience both on and off LinkedIn. Passive talent sees your message where they spend time.

Automated optimisation. Budget and bids move to what drives qualified applicants. Underperforming audiences or creatives are paused automatically.

Creative freedom. Run multiple messages and visuals, prove which combination converts, then scale it. See GaiaPages: from app to applied in 60 seconds.

Fast apply and retargeting. Reduce drop-off with mobile-first apply and bring back interested candidates without cookies.

Full-funnel reporting. See your cost per qualified applicant and per hire. Attribute results by channel and audience. With just a few clicks, your ATS is fully integrated so you can see recruitment marketing performance through the funnel.

Key comparison table

Area LinkedIn Jobs Gaia
ModelPaid job posts and slotsPerformance campaign across channels including LinkedIn
TargetingPlatform data inside LinkedInSkills and intent audiences across all major channels
OptimisationManualAutomatic, real-time
CreativeFixed job formatsFull creative testing and learning
RetargetingLimitedCookie-free retargeting included
ReportingApplies and clicksQualified applicants, interviews and hires
Cost controlPost or slot pricingBudget set once, then optimised to outcomes

Customer spotlight

Finastra needed specialist talent and better quality. With a cross-channel campaign that included LinkedIn inventory, quality and diversity improved. Read the Finastra case study.  

Helpful links:

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

Who is Gaia best for?

• Teams that want LinkedIn reach but need scale across more channels.
• Roles that benefit from passive talent.
• Budgets that must show clear cost per qualified applicant.

Implementation

Connect your ATS and select roles. Gaia builds audiences and creatives, you approve and launch. Campaigns go live within days.  

Ready to test it? Book a demo.

FAQs

Can Gaia still use LinkedIn inventory?

Yes, as part of a cross-channel plan with optimisation between platforms.

How do you handle audience overlap?

Frequency is controlled across channels so candidates are not spammed. Budgets shift to the combinations that convert.

What about employer branding content?

Gaia runs brand and conversion assets together. Creative that proves engagement gets more reach.

Ready for a single campaign that includes LinkedIn and optimises beyond it? Book a demo.

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