6 Common Indeed Connection Problems (And How to Fix Them)

Driver recruiters are quite familiar with the fact that Indeed is the industry’s 800-pound gorilla. Indeed not only allows you to post jobs directly on its platform, it scrapes jobs from other sources on the internet and it integrates with applicant tracking systems (ATS), like Avatar’s DriverHub. 

When things are going well with the platform and everything is set up properly, applications roll in. When applications taper off or you realize your page isn’t populating correctly, you know you have a problem. 

As providers of driver recruiting and driver marketing services, including campaign management, Avatar is well versed in the ins and outs of Indeed. Here, we’ll dive into six Indeed connection problems you might encounter and how to solve them to attract the quantity and quality of applicants you need for your transportation company. 

Problem 1: Jobs aren’t visible on your Indeed company page

There are several reasons your jobs may not be visible on your Indeed company page, including XML feed formatting errors, a job landing page that requires a log-in, incorrect title metadata or incomplete job location information. The most common reason is your company name in your ATS is not identical to your company name on Indeed. 

The Fix

If your jobs aren’t populating on Indeed, try these steps:

• Ensure your company name in DriverHub exactly matches your name on your Indeed company profile page.
• Remove extra spaces after bullets or sentences.
• Use city and state in the location. 
• Avoid “&” — type out “and.”

Problem 2: Broken application links or redirect errors.

Broken links or redirect errors occur when there’s a problem with the apply link. The system should automatically create links for you, but if there’s a server connection problem on your end, for instance, it may create an error that does not allow applicants to click through correctly. 

Additionally, some Avatar clients prefer to have drivers redirected to apply on their websites versus on DriverHub, which can lead to connection problems.  

The Fix

If you’ve set up a redirect link and it’s not connecting properly, contact your Client Success Manager to ensure a smooth connection. 

Problem 3: Missing or invalid apply method

You have the option to use “Indeed Apply,” which allows applicants to apply directly on Indeed using their saved resume. Alternatively, you can have job seekers apply through DriverHub or  your ATS. 

If you opt to go the “Indeed Apply” route, you must configure DriverHub specifically for that feature for a trouble-free experience. You are making a decision to weigh quality vs quantity. For the last five years, the strong majority of our clients choose quality and have the candidate apply on DriverHub for higher intent. 

The Fix

If you run into an issue, simply check in with your Avatar Client Success Manager for help setting up DriverHub for the “Indeed Apply” option. 

Problem 4: Expired or removed jobs

Like any piece of technology, you take the good with the bad when it comes to Indeed. One of the platform’s flaws is the fact that it can take six to eight hours to update. This lag can be frustrating for applicants who click on a job listing (that you’ve shut off) in Indeed. They may see an error message or a blank page, preventing them from applying for the job and causing confusion. It also can be a burden for recruiters who have to spend their time responding to inquiries about jobs that are no longer available. 

The Fix

We recommend shutting off your job in DriverHub at the end of the work day, giving Indeed time to catch up overnight when traffic is down and fewer people are applying for jobs. 

Problem 5: Duplicate job listing error

Indeed may suppress one or all versions of a job posting if there are duplicate listings. The further down Indeed pushes your jobs, the fewer applicants you’ll get. Duplicate listings also can confuse applicants (prompting them to call or message you with questions) and disrupt your internal workflows and processes, creating inefficiencies. 

The Fix

Keep your system tidy by avoiding multiple listings for the same job. Be sure you’re posting a position only on DriverHub, not manually on Indeed. The whole point of an ATS that syncs with Indeed is to avoid duplicating your efforts in two systems, so stick to creating job listings in DriverHub. 

Problem 6: Listings suppressed 

Indeed is highly sensitive to spam and scams, so its algorithm may suppress listings due to poor metadata or irrelevant content. As discussed above, suppressed listings are ineffective at attracting candidates, so you want to do everything in your power to keep visibility up. 

The Fix

There are a few tips and tricks we recommend to keep your listings as close to the top of the page as possible: 

• Don’t use the word “bonus” in the title of a free Indeed listing.
• Address pay by listing ranges or saying “pay based on experience.” 
• Provide as many job details as possible.
• Use appropriate terms (CDL driver, accounting, etc.) in the DriverHub key terms field, but avoid keyword stuffing in the listing itself.
• Use straightforward language in the job title and job description. 

Indeed can be finicky, but it’s worth maintaining a clean ATS-Indeed connection so your flow of applications doesn’t stall. To make sure things are running smoothly, it’s a good idea to regularly audit your Indeed company profile to verify that your jobs are populating as they should be.

The Avatar team works closely with Indeed, so if you’re a DriverHub user, don’t hesitate to get in touch with your Client Success Manager for assistance anytime. And if you don’t have the time or desire to troubleshoot Indeed errors, Avatar offers campaign management as part of our driver marketing services.