How to Track Which Channel Each Applicant Came From, Without Expensive Recruiting Software

You post one ad on Facebook, another on your site, and mention it to a few acquaintances. Two weeks later you have ten applicants and no idea where each one came from. That's the usual outcome: your money and time get spread evenly across every channel, even though most of your good people come from just one.

The good news: you don't need an ATS costing hundreds of euros a month to figure this out. You need a habit and a few free tricks. In this article I'll show you exactly how to attribute each applicant to a source using a spreadsheet, unique links, and one simple question — things you can set up today.

Why it's worth the effort: don't cut the wrong channel

Without data, decisions come from gut feeling. "Facebook doesn't work" — but was that where the people who actually stayed came from? Or maybe referrals bring fewer candidates, but the best-fitting ones?

When you know each applicant's source, you can answer questions that truly matter:

• Which channel brings me the most applicants?
• Which channel brings applicants who reach the interview, not just applications?
• Where did I waste ad money for nothing?

The difference between "I think" and "I know" is huge. An owner who knows their sources puts money and time where it pays off, instead of scattering effort everywhere.

The basics: a "source" column in a spreadsheet

The whole system starts with one reflex: every time an applicant comes in, note where they came from. You need nothing more than a free Google Sheet.

The minimum columns:

• Date
• Applicant name
• Contact (phone/email)
• Source (Facebook, website, referral, job board, poster, etc.)
• Stage (applied / called / interview / hired)

The key is filling in the "Source" column at the moment of contact, not a week later from memory. If you use a form (Google Forms works perfectly and is free), add a required question there: "How did you hear about this job?", with fixed options. That way the data flows in clean, without you typing it.

Unique links: let the channel identify itself

The problem with asking directly is that people forget or answer "from the internet". The fix is to rely not on their memory but on the link they clicked.

If you send applicants to a page or form, make a different link for each channel:

• One link in the Facebook post
• Another on your site
• A third in messages to acquaintances

You can use free UTM parameters (e.g. add ?source=facebook to the end of the address) or, more simply, separate Google Forms — one per channel. Each form writes to its own tab, so you can see in black and white how many applicants each brought, without asking anyone. It's free and requires no technical skills.

Dedicated emails and codes, when there's no form

Sometimes you don't have a form — you just ask people to send a CV. You can still learn the source here without effort.

Two free tricks:

• Email aliases. If you use Gmail, your address also works with a plus: careers+facebook@... and careers+site@... land in the same inbox, but you can filter by what follows the plus. Put the +facebook address in your Facebook ad and you're done.

• Codes in the text. Ask applicants to write a word in the subject line: "CODE FB" in the Facebook ad, "CODE SITE" on your site. Whoever sends a CV includes the code, and you sort instantly.

Not elegant, but they work and cost nothing. What matters is consistency: pick a trick and use it the same way every time.

Turning the spreadsheet into decisions

Data is worthless if it stays just a list. At the end of the month, look at two things, not just volume.

Don't count only how many applicants each channel brought, but how many advanced. One channel may bring many people who never show up for the interview, while another brings few but serious ones. Compare source against stage: how many from Facebook reached the interview versus how many from referrals?

Then act simply: put more effort (and, if it's paid, more money) into the channel that brings people who stay, and cut back on the one that just fills the inbox. After two or three months of tracking, you'll know what works for your business, not what works "in general".

When a tool is worth it — and when it isn't

The spreadsheet-and-links system is enough for a company hiring a handful of people a year. A paid ATS only becomes useful when you have dozens of openings at once, a whole team recruiting, or you want complex automation. Until then, you're paying for features you won't use.

If you want something cleaner than a Sheet — a careers page on your own site, with separate forms per channel that fill in the source automatically and deliver applicants organized — that can be built once, with no monthly subscription.

At MPO Web Studio we build exactly this kind of page, delivered remotely across the country, with transparent pricing and a ready-made demo before you pay anything. If you'd like to see how it would look for your business, drop us a message on WhatsApp and we'll show you.