Overview
This article helps you calculate return on investment (ROI) for your careers site. You'll learn which revenue and cost inputs to use, how to apply the standard ROI formula, and how to track results consistently for data-driven decisions.
Key benefits
Calculate website profitability using a standardised formula.
Identify which investments deliver the best returns for your recruitment goals.
Support data-driven decisions about future updates and enhancements.
Track ROI trends over time to measure performance consistently.
Use optional spreadsheet tools to speed up calculations and maintain accuracy.
Before you start
Before calculating website ROI, make sure you have:
Access to revenue data for your chosen timeframe.
Complete cost information for website development, hosting, and marketing.
A clear timeframe defined (monthly, quarterly, or yearly).
📌 Note: Choose a consistent approach for calculating revenue and costs so you can compare results over time.
Calculate website ROI
To calculate website ROI, follow these steps, so your results are consistent and comparable over time.
Decide the timeframe you want to measure, such as monthly, quarterly, or yearly.
Identify the revenue your website generates or influences during that timeframe.
Identify all costs associated with building, running, and promoting your website for the same timeframe.
Apply the ROI formula to calculate the percentage return.
Record your ROI result and the assumptions you used so you can repeat the calculation in future.
🤓 Tip: Use the same timeframe for both revenue and costs to ensure fair comparisons across different periods.
Understanding the ROI formula
ROI measures the profitability of your investment on the website.
Use this formula:
ROI (%) = [(Revenue Generated − Cost of Investment) / Cost of Investment] × 100
This shows how much profit you earn relative to what you spend on the website.
Identifying revenue generated
Include revenue that can reasonably be attributed to your website's performance for the timeframe you selected.
Depending on how your organisation measures outcomes, this might include:
Online sales through your website.
Leads generated that convert into sales.
Any other revenue streams tied to your site's performance.
📌 Note: If your site supports recruitment rather than direct sales, you may treat revenue as the value of outcomes the site influences, such as qualified leads, registrations, applications, or hires. Define a specific method for assigning monetary value to each outcome type and record this method for future calculations.
Identifying costs incurred
Include all costs associated with building, running, and promoting your website.
Common cost areas include:
Initial development and design costs.
Hosting and maintenance fees.
Marketing expenses, such as paid ads or SEO services.
Content creation costs.
🤓 Tip: Include internal time costs if you track them, such as time spent managing content, campaigns, or analytics. If you do not track internal time, note this, so comparisons over time remain fair.
Defining your timeframe
Define the period you are measuring so you can compare like-for-like results.
Common timeframes include:
Monthly.
Quarterly.
Yearly.
🤓 Tip: If you are comparing ROI over time, use the same timeframe and the same method for calculating revenue and costs each time.
Using the ROI calculator spreadsheet
You can calculate ROI manually using the formula above, or use a spreadsheet calculator to speed up the process.
Open the ROI calculator spreadsheet.
Enter your cost values for the timeframe you are measuring.
Enter your revenue values for the same timeframe.
Review the calculated ROI output and check that it aligns with your expectations.
📌 Note: The spreadsheet is a downloadable template. If you need to track additional categories specific to your organisation, such as agency savings, reduced advertising spend, or cost-per-hire improvements, add extra rows in your copy of the template to match how you measure value.
Understanding the benefits of measuring ROI
Measuring website ROI helps you understand what is working and where to focus improvement.
Common benefits include:
Identify opportunities by pinpointing where the website performs well and where it needs improvement.
Improve budget allocation by understanding which investments yield the best returns.
Support data-driven decisions by using ROI insights to guide future updates, enhancements, and strategy.
Best practices
Use the same timeframe, revenue categories, and cost categories whenever you compare ROI over different periods.
Document how you calculated each value, including any assumptions or exclusions, so you can repeat the calculation consistently.
Review your ROI regularly, not just once, so you can track trends and respond to changes in performance.
Include internal time costs if you track them to maintain fair comparisons over time.
Use ROI alongside other website metrics to get a complete picture of performance. Combine ROI data with traffic, conversions, or applications for deeper insights.
📌 Note: Choose a consistent approach for calculating revenue and costs so future comparisons remain valid.
FAQs
Q1: What timeframe should I use when calculating ROI?
Answer: Common timeframes include monthly, quarterly, or yearly. Choose a timeframe that matches your reporting needs and use the same timeframe consistently for both revenue and costs when comparing results over time.
Q2: How do I calculate revenue if my site supports recruitment rather than direct sales?
Answer: Treat revenue as the value of outcomes the site influences, such as qualified leads, registrations, applications, or hires. Define a specific method for assigning monetary value to each outcome type and record this method for future calculations.
Q3: What costs should I include when calculating ROI?
Answer: Include all costs associated with building, running, and promoting your website. This includes initial development and design costs, hosting and maintenance fees, marketing expenses such as paid ads or SEO services, and content creation costs. Include internal time costs if you track them.
Q4: Can I customise the ROI calculator spreadsheet for my organisation's specific needs?
Answer: Yes, the spreadsheet is a downloadable template you can modify. Add extra rows in your copy to track additional categories such as agency savings, reduced advertising spend, or cost-per-hire improvements so your inputs match how you measure value.
Q5: How often should I calculate website ROI?
Answer: Review your ROI regularly, not just once, so you can track trends and respond to changes in performance. The frequency depends on your reporting needs and business goals.
Q6: Should I include internal time costs when calculating ROI?
Answer: Include internal time costs if you track them, such as time spent managing content, campaigns, or analytics. If you do not track internal time, note this so comparisons over time remain fair and consistent.
Q7: What is the ROI formula?
Answer: The ROI formula is: ROI (%) = [(Revenue Generated − Cost of Investment) / Cost of Investment] × 100. This shows how much profit you earn relative to what you spend on the website.
Q8: Where can I get help calculating ROI or interpreting my results?
Answer: Contact your Customer Success team if you would like help calculating your ROI or interpreting the results for your organisation.
Q9: Can I compare ROI across different timeframes?
Answer: Yes, but use the same timeframe, revenue categories, and cost categories for each comparison. Document your method and any assumptions to maintain consistency.
Q10: Why is it important to document my ROI calculation method?
Answer: Documenting how you calculated each value, including assumptions or exclusions, allows you to repeat the calculation consistently and ensures fair comparisons over time.