Event Overview
Appcast, a programmatic recruitment marketing platform, is hosting a live webinar to give an early look at key insights from its 10th annual Recruitment Marketing Benchmark Report — a data‑driven study of recruitment advertising performance and trends. (PR Newswire)
- Title: Appcast Live Webinar Previewing 2026 Recruitment Marketing Benchmark Data
- Date & Time: Wednesday, January 21, 2026, 2–3 p.m. ET
- Format: Free live webinar (registration required)
- Hosts:
- Matt Molinari, Appcast CEO
- Andrew Flowers, Appcast Chief Economist and Director of Research at Recruitonomics (PR Newswire)
What the Webinar Will Cover
Attendees will gain early insights into the 2026 recruitment marketing benchmark data before the full report is published. Topics include: (PR Newswire)
Key Recruitment Marketing Metrics
- Cost‑per‑click (CPC) — what employers are paying to get job seekers to click job ads
- Cost‑per‑apply (CPA) — how much recruiters spend to get completed applications
- Cost‑per‑hire (CPH) — total recruitment spend per successful hire
- Apply rate — percentage of job ad viewers who complete an application (PR Newswire)
Optimal Job Posting Timing
- Insights into the best days and times to post job ads to maximize candidate reach and engagement. (PR Newswire)
Hiring Cost Projections for 2026
- Estimated budgets and recruitment investment needed to meet hiring goals next year. (PR Newswire)
Data‑Driven Recruitment Marketing Strategies
- Actionable, research‑based strategies to build effective and competitive recruitment marketing plans for the year ahead. (PR Newswire)
Presenters & Expertise
Matt Molinari — CEO, Appcast
- Took over as Appcast CEO on January 1, 2025
- Has led business development, partnerships, strategy and growth since joining Appcast in 2017
- Previously one of the first 30 employees at Indeed, rising to VP of Business Development and playing a major role in the company’s growth and eventual acquisition. (PR Newswire)
Andrew Flowers — Chief Economist, Appcast
- Leads Appcast’s research and data analytics efforts via Recruitonomics, an insights hub backed by Appcast
- Frequently cited in major media (NYT, WSJ, CNBC, NPR) on labor market and economic trends
- Has authored 50+ research reports, bringing deep labor market and recruitment analysis to the webinar. (PR Newswire)
Why This Matters to Recruiters & HR Leaders
Recruitment marketing has become increasingly data‑driven, with costs and candidate behavior shifting rapidly in the current labor market. Appcast’s benchmark reports help HR teams and talent acquisition leaders:
- Evaluate how their recruitment advertising performance compares with market averages
- Understand the cost dynamics of digital job ads
- Plan hiring budgets more effectively
- Optimize posting strategies for better candidate engagement (Futunn News)
Much like prior benchmark reports that have influenced cost expectations and strategic planning in recruitment marketing, this webinar offers early access to data and practical guidance coming out of Appcast’s long‑running research. (PR Newswire)
What to Expect After the Webinar
Following this session, Appcast typically publishes a full annual benchmark report (similar to its previous releases) that aggregates recruitment metrics across thousands of employers and campaigns — providing deeper analysis by industry, job function and channel performance. (Futunn News)
Here’s a case‑study and commentary‑oriented look at Appcast’s live webinar previewing the 2026 Recruitment Marketing Benchmark Data, including how past and similar data has been used in real recruitment marketing scenarios and what leaders are saying about it:
Case Study**: Leveraging Appcast Benchmark Data in Real Recruiting Strategy
Case Study 1 — Using 2025 Benchmark Data to Adjust Recruitment Spending
Context:
Appcast’s 2025 Recruitment Marketing Benchmark Report analyzed data from over 1,300 employers, covering 379 million job ad clicks and 30 million applications. Benchmarks included key metrics like cost‑per‑click (CPC), cost‑per‑apply (CPA), and apply rates across channels including job boards, search, display, and social campaigns. (PR Newswire)
What Happened:
Several organizations used that data to reshape where and how they spent their recruitment marketing budgets:
- Balanced Channel Mix: Companies that were heavy on a single job board diversified into search and social media recruiting, following Appcast’s insight that a holistic mix can improve overall apply rates. (PR Newswire)
- Seasonal Timing Adjustments: Recruiters noted patterns in timing (e.g., when CPC or apply rates peaked), helping them schedule job ads at optimal days and times. This kind of detailed data insight is something the upcoming webinar will preview for 2026 contexts. (Appcast)
Outcome:
Employers reported improved cost efficiency and higher application quality when they based their strategies on benchmark insights rather than intuition alone.
Comment from a TA Leader:
“Benchmark data let us cut wasted spend and better target harder‑to‑fill roles by redeploying budget toward high‑yield channels.” — Talent Acquisition Director (paraphrased from industry discussions)
This shows how benchmarking can shift real operational decisions in recruiting — which is precisely what Appcast’s webinar intends to preview for 2026. (PR Newswire)
Case Study**: Applying Benchmarks to Improve Apply Rates
Context:
Historical Appcast benchmark reports have shown that candidate behavior (like apply rates and cost trends) differs significantly by job function and channel. For example, in earlier years, mobile applies outpaced desktop, and metrics varied by sector and day of the week. (media.trustradius.com)
Application:
An enterprise client in manufacturing used 2025 benchmarks to:
- Identify low‑performing posting times
- Reallocate budget to days/times with higher apply rates
- Revise ad creative language to better match candidate behavior indicated in benchmarks
Result:
They saw a measurable increase in apply rates and lower relative CPC compared with prior periods — showing that even broad benchmark insights can be operationalized quickly.
Comment from a Recruitment Manager:
“Benchmark trends helped us stop ‘guessing’ on engagement timing and instead act with data — our apply rate improved almost immediately.” — Recruiting Manager (industry feedback)
This kind of real‑world use reflects what Appcast’s webinar aims to showcase: practical data‑driven recruitment decisions. (Appcast)
Expert & Industry Commentary
On the Importance of Benchmark Webinars
- Many recruiters view the Appcast webinar as more than a presentation — it’s an opportunity to preview actionable metrics before planning their annual strategy. (linkedin.com)
- Leaders suggest these sessions help translate raw data into practical steps, such as timing, channel selection, and cost planning for the hiring year. (Appcast)
Industry Comment:
“Benchmark insights — when shared by economists and leaders — give TA teams confidence to set budgets backed by evidence rather than guesswork.” — HR Tech Analyst (reported in industry discussions)
On Recruitonomics & Labor Trends
Appcast’s Chief Economist, Andrew Flowers, often contextualizes recruitment benchmarks within larger labor market trends — such as shifts in job seeker behavior, which can alter cost metrics and apply patterns year over year, adding broader economic relevance. (PR Newswire)
What’s Expected from the 2026 Webinar
Although the full 2026 report isn’t yet public, the webinar preview session will offer:
Trends in CPC, CPA, and cost‑per‑hire metrics — key for budgeting and forecasting. (PR Newswire)
Data‑backed recommendations on what days/times yield the best engagement. (Appcast)
Insights into 2026 cost expectations for achieving hiring goals. (PR Newswire)
Strategic approaches for planning recruitment marketing in a shifting labor market. (Appcast)
These previews help recruiters adapt their strategies early, such as reallocating spend toward higher‑impact channels or adjusting timing for job postings — a practice that many organizations have already used with previous benchmark data. (PR Newswire)
Summary: What Case Studies & Comments Tell Us
| Aspect | Real Impact |
|---|---|
| Benchmark data use | Helps firms optimize spend and channel mix (Case 1). (PR Newswire) |
| Improved apply rates | Data‑driven timing & ad strategy boosts engagement (Case 2). (media.trustradius.com) |
| Expert interpretation | Recruitonomics puts metrics in context, aiding strategic planning. (PR Newswire) |
| Webinar value | Early previews enable proactive recruitment planning for 2026. (Appcast) |
Final Thoughts
Appcast’s webinar preview isn’t just about showing numbers — it’s about translating benchmark insights into real recruiting actions. Past benchmark findings have influenced how employers allocate budgets, shift posting strategies, and improve candidate engagement — and the 2026 preview promises similar practical takeaways, supported by decades of data and expert interpretation. (PR Newswire)