Indeed, AI, and what’s coming next in Recruitment Marketing

There’s been a lot of noise lately around Indeed’s latest changes - particularly the introduction of the Job Update API and Disposition Sync. And with good reason.

While most of the technical shifts are happening in the U.S. right now, the direction of travel is clear: Indeed is evolving into an AI-led platform, with a bigger focus on automation, matching, and performance-based optimisation.

If you’ve worked with Indeed for a while, this may sound familiar.

How We Got Here

New features start out as optional. Then they become recommended. Then essential.

We saw it with Sponsored Jobs. What was once a nice-to-have is now often a core part of getting visibility at all - and with more advertisers competing, costs have inevitably increased.

Now, we’re seeing a similar pattern with integrations and data sharing. Clients are being encouraged (or gently pushed) to adopt API-based posting and to share post-application outcome data. All under the promise of better conversion, fewer drop-offs, and smarter targeting.

And to be fair - those things do help. For many clients, Indeed continues to be a vital source of applications. It delivers. It’s trusted. And it’s where many candidates go first.

So this isn’t about abandoning it.

Harking back a little…

I still remember when Indeed was basically a one-man band in the UK. We bought some budget for a major financial services client and saw a spike in visibility - sometimes the client experienced up to 600% additional traffic. And that wasn’t down to clever optimisation. It was simply because very few people were sponsoring jobs at the time.

Now, sponsored jobs are standard. Everyone’s doing it. And when everyone’s doing it, the playing field flattens - and the costs rise. What used to be an edge becomes the baseline.

That’s not a criticism. It’s the natural evolution of any platform that works. But it’s also a reminder: if you rely too heavily on one channel, you’re always subject to the rules changing.

So What’s the Alternative?

Well, that’s the uncomfortable bit.

Indeed still dominates candidate traffic. Job boards are further down the food chain. Trying to beat Indeed on visibility is like turning up to a knife fight with a leaflet.

Building your own presence - careers site, social content, employer brand - is the obvious route. But it takes time, money, and patience. And most clients want results yesterday.

Until now, that’s been the blocker. But something is shifting.

AI Might Be the Disruptor We Didn’t Know We Needed

Here’s the curveball: AI is changing how people search.

If a candidate asks ChatGPT or a voice assistant, “Find me a marketing job near Leeds,” the results won’t just come from job boards. AI tools will pull from careers sites, reviews, content, and context. They’ll recommend jobs based on what makes sense, not just who paid the most.

That’s where employer brand starts to tip the balance.

The companies that invest now - in better content, clearer messaging, and smarter discoverability - will be in a stronger position when AI-driven search becomes the norm.

Clients Are Asking the Right Questions

This shift isn’t just coming from platforms like Indeed. It’s starting to show up in client conversations too.

One recently asked me what I thought the future of Glassdoor might look like — and it was a fair question. With AI tools becoming more advanced and more trusted, jobseekers (especially younger ones) are increasingly relying on smart assistants to suggest where they should work — not just where jobs are posted.

That changes everything. Why scroll through review sites when AI can surface culture insights, employee sentiment, and recommendations in a few seconds?

It’s not a stretch to imagine a future where Glassdoor — or at least how we use it — becomes less relevant. The next generation of candidates isn’t just looking for a job. They’re researching workplaces the same way they research products: based on personalised, summarised, data-rich recommendations.

So the better your employer brand, the more consistent your story, the more you show up — and not just in sponsored listings or ads.

What to Do Now

• Use Indeed - smartly. It still works. It still matters. But keep one eye on how it’s evolving.

• Start building beyond it. A stronger careers site. Better job content. More reasons for candidates to engage directly.

• Think ahead. Because as the tech changes, so will candidate behaviour.

Final Thought

This isn’t a warning siren - it’s a nudge. If Indeed is working for you, brilliant. Keep doing what works.

But don’t wait until the next change hits to start thinking about what comes next.