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.”

  • Client Cornerstone Gigs
  • Industry Staffing / Product Development Support
  • Talent Focus Contract Recruiters, UI/UX Testers, Product Testing Specialists
  • Platform Used dstribute.io – Job Distribution Software
  • 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

Craigslist isn’t just for general labor. Tech-savvy freelancers, side hustlers, and project-based professionals regularly browse Craigslist Gigs to find flexible contract work. But to truly tap into this audience at scale, you need:
  • Automated listings
  • Smart scheduling
  • Geographic targeting
  • Platform-specific language and formatting
dstribute.io handled all of that for Cornerstone Gigs—unlocking a previously untapped pool of niche workers in cities across the U.S.

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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