When I was last looking - before I got my current position - there were a couple of companies that I'd apply to nearly any position that looked both like a good match and interesting. It must have worked, I got three interviews and one offer (and job), all from what I think are pretty to very good companies to work for - even if the two based near Puget Sound have their critics (myself included in one case).

What you said seems to be the norm. Some companies have an autobot that at least lets you know that they got your resume/application.

Some do have a thing where you create an account and apply for as many jobs as you want. And you can come back, log in and see where your application is in the process.

And some you just have to send off into the ether hoping that it got there, cause you never hear back.

Well, with 500-5000 folks applying for every job out there--whether because they are desperate for food & shelter or have to because of Unemployment requirements--well, only bots can handle the deluge. Dedication to actually doing a job? How old are you, anyway (rhetorical)? yeah, whatever. It's a millennial world, Alice! ;)

The concepts of courtesy or mutual obligation have left the building, the city, the state, and the nation.
Many agencies only keep a file for six months before trashing it. I've filled out the same sixteen forms in order to be interviewed by some wet-behind-the-ears newbie who didn't even know how naive s/he was, sometimes at the same desk, three and four times in the same office.
I try to keep close enough track to only apply once for any opening, which is challenging enough when a dozen agencies are all advertising it, but I'll re-apply to the same company two or three times a year.

That's strange. In my recent job search I at least got an autobot answer to my resume submission. Then if the position was filled I got an autobot answer telling me it had been filled.

And that's minimally.