How much should I spend on social media recruitment advertising?

There is no single correct answer to how much you should spend on social media recruitment advertising — but there is a data-driven range that delivers consistently strong results. Based on JobsHype's analysis of 500 recruitment campaigns run across our UK Facebook network, most employers achieve meaningful candidate reach at budgets between £100 and £1,000 per role. The average cost per link click is just £0.097, making Facebook one of the most cost-efficient recruitment channels available.

Key Statistics

Why budget matters — but not in the way you think

Most employers assume that recruitment advertising requires large budgets to be effective. The data tells a different story. JobsHype's analysis of 500 real recruitment campaigns shows that Facebook's algorithm rewards relevance over raw spend — meaning a well-targeted £100 campaign can outperform a generic £1,000 campaign on a traditional job board.

The key is matching your budget to the scope of your hire.

What the data shows

Across 500 recruitment campaigns in the JobsHype network:

• Average CPM: £3.51 (cost per 1,000 impressions)
• Average cost per link click: £0.097
• Average reach per £1 spent: 168 people
• Average link clicks per £1 spent: 12.1
• Average engagement rate: 8.45%

These benchmarks apply across a range of sectors — from warehouse and logistics roles to healthcare, retail, and office-based positions.

Budget by hiring scenario

Entry-level or volume roles (£100–£300)

For single-location, entry-level roles such as warehouse operatives, retail assistants, or care workers, a budget of £100–£300 is typically sufficient to generate strong awareness and a healthy number of candidate clicks. At £0.097 per click, a £100 campaign can deliver approximately 1,000 link clicks to your application page.

Mid-level or specialist roles (£300–£750)

For roles requiring specific experience — such as HGV drivers, supervisors, or skilled tradespeople — a budget of £300–£750 allows wider geographic reach and longer campaign duration. At this level, you can expect 3,000–7,500 link clicks and sustained visibility over 2–4 weeks.

Senior, hard-to-fill, or multi-location roles (£750–£2,000+)

For senior hires, roles in tight talent markets, or campaigns covering multiple locations simultaneously, budgets of £750–£2,000+ are appropriate. Multi-page campaigns across the JobsHype network can extend reach significantly while maintaining cost efficiency.

How to set your budget

Start by answering three questions:

1. How quickly do you need to hire? Faster timelines require more spend to generate volume quickly.
2. How competitive is the local labour market? High-competition locations like London and Manchester may require higher investment to stand out.
3. How many roles do you need to fill? Volume hiring justifies higher budgets — and often delivers lower cost per hire as the campaign scales.

Recommended communities

For most UK hiring campaigns, JobsHype recommends selecting pages that:

• Have an Audience Quality Score above 78 (the network average)
• Are within 20 miles of the role location
• Have a minimum of 1,000 followers

High-value pages for national or multi-location campaigns include London (42,741 followers, AQS 87.8), Manchester (20,632, AQS 82.5), Leeds (13,506, AQS 80.5), Liverpool (12,050, AQS 80.2), and Sheffield (8,650, AQS 85.0).

Data confidence

This analysis is based on 500 classified recruitment campaigns run through the JobsHype Facebook network. Campaign spend ranges from under £1 to several thousand pounds. Averages are median-weighted to reduce distortion from outlier campaigns. Individual results will vary based on role type, location, ad creative quality, and audience selection.

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