The verdict in three sentences
For a mid-sized London company hiring more than 100 people a year, a careers site connected to the ATS pays for itself within the first year. A budget of GBP 17,000 to 39,000 (about 20,000 to 45,000 EUR) can lower the cost per hire by 25 to 40 % by capturing direct applications instead of paid job board clicks. Plan three months of work, including one month to gather testimonials and internal content.
Why job boards keep getting more expensive
In 2026, a sponsored listing on the main generalist job boards costs between GBP 260 and 780 per role, and pay-per-click models often exceed GBP 1.30 per started application for hard-to-fill roles. A company hiring 150 people a year and spending GBP 78,000 on advertising therefore pays about GBP 520 of advertising per hire, before counting HR time spent screening weak applications.
A well-built careers site flips the logic: roles are indexed for free in Google for Jobs thanks to the JobPosting schema, candidates arrive after reading about culture and testimonials, and the share of relevant applications rises.
| Channel | 2026 unit cost (order of magnitude) | Share of qualified applications | Average time to hire |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paid generalist job board | GBP 260 to 780 per role | 10 to 20 % | 45 to 60 days |
| Pay-per-click job board | GBP 0.70 to 2.20 per click | 8 to 15 % | 40 to 55 days |
| Recruitment agency | 15 to 25 % of annual salary | 60 to 70 % | 50 to 75 days |
| Careers site + Google for Jobs | GBP 0 per role after investment | 25 to 40 % | 30 to 45 days |
| Referrals via the site | Bonus GBP 450 to 1,300 | 40 to 50 % | 25 to 35 days |
| LinkedIn Recruiter | GBP 7,000 to 10,500 per seat per year | 20 to 30 % | 35 to 50 days |
What a mid-sized company careers site includes in 2026
Scope varies mostly with the depth of ATS integration and the amount of video content. The prices below are 2026 orders of magnitude for London agencies, excluding VAT.
| Component | Budget (excl. VAT) | Detail | Expected impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Careers site core (10 to 15 pages) | GBP 7,800 to 13,000 | Job families, culture, benefits, process, candidate FAQ | Employer brand foundation |
| ATS integration (Workday, Teamtailor, SmartRecruiters) | GBP 3,500 to 10,500 | Job sync, single form, tracking | No HR double entry |
| JobPosting schema and jobs SEO | GBP 1,300 to 2,600 | Google for Jobs indexing, role and city pages | Free organic traffic |
| Video testimonials (6 to 10 employees) | GBP 3,500 to 8,700 | On-site filming, editing, subtitles | +30 to 50 % time on page |
| Referral module | GBP 1,700 to 4,300 | Job sharing, bonus tracking | Better-qualified candidates |
| Accessibility (WCAG) and candidate UK GDPR | GBP 1,300 to 2,600 | Consent, CV retention periods | ICO compliance |
The total therefore ranges from GBP 17,000 for a core site with a simple Teamtailor integration to GBP 39,000 for a multi-site build with Workday, video and referrals.
The realistic timeline: three months
The first month is for scoping: interviews with managers, choice of priority job families, audit of the ATS and its APIs. The second month covers design, development and video shooting. The third month is for content, end-to-end testing with the ATS and go-live. The bottleneck is rarely technical: it is employee availability for testimonials and sign-off from the communications team.
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Emma, HR Director of a 1,200-employee services company in London, hires 150 people a year and spends GBP 78,000 on job boards. She invests GBP 28,000 in a careers site connected to Teamtailor, with 8 video testimonials and the JobPosting schema. After twelve months, 35 % of hires come from the site and Google for Jobs. She cuts her advertising spend to GBP 50,000, a saving of GBP 28,000 that pays back the project in one year. Her advertising cost per hire drops from GBP 520 to about GBP 333, a 35 % reduction. Annual maintenance of GBP 4,200 is absorbed from year two.
FAQ
How much does a careers site cost for a mid-sized company in London in 2026?
Expect GBP 17,000 to 39,000 depending on the ATS, the number of job families and the amount of video. A Workday integration usually costs 2 to 3 times more than a Teamtailor one.
Does a careers site replace job boards?
Not entirely: it reduces dependence by 25 to 40 % on average. Job boards remain useful for hard-to-fill roles or seasonal hiring peaks.
What is the JobPosting schema for?
This markup lets Google display your roles in Google for Jobs for free. For the companies we support, it often generates 15 to 25 % of applications from month three.
Do we need video testimonials?
They are not mandatory, but GBP 3,500 to 8,700 for 6 to 10 portraits clearly lifts time on site and application quality. Short 60 to 90 second formats are enough.
What UK GDPR obligations apply to applications?
The ICO expects you to keep unsuccessful CVs only as long as necessary, commonly 6 to 12 months, with clear candidate information. The form must capture consent and the ATS must handle automatic deletion.
Let's scope your project. Share your hiring volume, your ATS and your budget (GBP 17,000 to 39,000): we will scope a careers site delivered in three months. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
