Case Study
How Cornerstone Gigs Attracted Specialized Talent Through dstribute.io’s Craigslist Automation
The Problem: No Traffic, No Talent
As a growing firm supporting startups and mid-market companies with on-demand product development and testing talent, Cornerstone Gigs needed a consistent pipeline of skilled freelancers and short-term specialists, including:
- Technical and sourcing recruiters
- UI/UX testing contractors
- Product QA testers and beta testers
But traditional platforms like LinkedIn, Upwork, and Indeed were either too expensive, overly saturated, or ineffective for short-notice, project-based gigs.
“We were spending money across traditional job boards with little ROI. No applicants. No testers. No traction. We needed a way to reach high-intent freelancers quickly and affordably.”
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Client Cornerstone Gigs
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Industry Staffing / Product Development Support
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Talent Focus Contract Recruiters, UI/UX Testers, Product Testing Specialists
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Platform Used dstribute.io – Job Distribution Software
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Use Case Craigslist Automation for Contract Hiring and Testing Projects
The Breakthrough: Craigslist Automation with dstribute.io
Cornerstone Gigs turned to dstribute.io for one reason: Craigslist still works for project-based talent—especially when it’s automated, optimized, and scheduled across multiple cities.
With dstribute.io’s platform, they gained:
- Automated Craigslist posting in key metro areas
- Scheduled gig listings targeted by category and role type
- Real-time application routing for fast response handling
- Performance analytics to double down on what worked
The Strategy: Activate the Right Markets with the Right Message
In the first month:
- The team launched 20+ Craigslist campaigns targeting contract recruiters, UX testers, and QA freelancers
- Messaging was localized and tailored to each talent type
- Posts were scheduled to go live at high-traffic times daily
- Listings were rotated to avoid Craigslist limitations
Craigslist’s “Gigs” and “Jobs” sections were utilized strategically, with different wording, role titles, and compensation strategies tailored to each category. Backed by dstribute.io‘s managed advertising service to help bolster rollout, expansion, and rapid growth.
The Results: Real Talent, Real Fast
Over 5 months, the impact was measurable and undeniable.
Application Growth
- Before: 0 applications/month
- After: 500+ applications/month
- Roles sourced included technical recruiters, UI/UX testers, QA contractors, and freelance product reviewers
Talent Engagement
- From 0 qualified workers/month to 25+ specialized hires/month, including:
- Remote usability testers for SaaS platforms
- Contract recruiters supporting tech clients
- Freelancers conducting structured product QA
This volume matched project capacity, allowing the team to accept new client work confidently.
Team Expansion
- From 1 overwhelmed operations lead to a team of 7 recruiters actively qualifying and managing candidates.
- Increased ability to build out rosters for multiple clients and regions
Key Wins for Cornerstone Gigs
| Metric | Before Using dstribute.io | After 5 Months of Use |
| Monthly Applications | 0 | 500 |
| Specialized Contract Hires | 0 | 25+/month |
| Recruiting Team Size | 1 | 7 |
| Roles Targeted | General Gigs | Targeted: Recruiters, Testers, QA |
| ROI from Craigslist Channel | 0 | High |
Why Craigslist Worked for Specialized Talent
- Automated listings
- Smart scheduling
- Geographic targeting
- Platform-specific language and formatting
Conclusion
Cornerstone Gigs successfully scaled from zero to hundreds of applicants a month, added 25+ freelancers to their monthly roster, and tripled their internal recruiting capacity—all by automating Craigslist recruiting with dstribute.io.
Whether you’re hiring tech recruiters, usability testers, or product QA talent, Craigslist, when paired with automation, offers an efficient, affordable, and scalable channel.
Ready to Attract Niche Freelance Talent?
Discover how Craigslist can become a reliable, high-volume talent source—without the manual work.
Visit dstribute.io to learn more or schedule a demo to see how it works.
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