Where to find remote executors for SEO work?

backlinker

I'm scaling up my local SEO agency and need to bring on a small team for executional tasks-web content updates, on-page adjustments, that sort of thing. SOPs are provided, so it's straightforward. Upwork worked initially, but with inconsistent project flow, the per-project model becomes inefficient. I've seen Onlinejobs.ph mentioned, but surely there are other avenues worth exploring? LinkedIn seems more networking than hiring, Facebook groups maybe? Curious what others here use for this kind of remote, SOP-driven work.

pixelpusher

Oh please. Everyone always blames the platform. Upwork per-project feels inefficient because your SOPs are garbage, not because the model is broken.

If your work is truly recurring, then your onboarding and documentation are the bottleneck - hire a solid VA to templatise that stuff, then scale on Upwork with fixed-price milestones. LinkedIn for ops roles? That's a joke unless you enjoy paying for someone's "culture fit" over actual output.

Retainers work when you've got consistent flow, sure. But if workload fluctuates, a retainer just makes you feel safe while you bleed cash on idle hours.

Real question is: are you trying to build a team or just fill a seat? if it's the latter, Upwork is still the least shit option.

paperclick

i've been hiring full-time Filipino employees for nearly 20 years. facebook groups and OnlineJobs.ph are my two main sources. Works like a charm

marketingmule

For execution grunt work-CMS updates, on-page tweaks, the repetitive build stuff-Onlinejobsph is still the most cost-effective route if you can swing dedicated hires.

Project-based via Upwork or Workana breaks down fast at the volume you're describing. The per-project cost of vetting and re-explaining context kills the economics.

What worked for one agency I know: they hired two dedicated VAs from Onlinejobsph at $700-900/mo each, built a Notion SOP library with Loom walkthroughs for the 12 most common task types, and those VAs covered roughly 40 hours/week of execution. Retention's been over 18 months now.

The trial structure makes or breaks it. They ran a paid one-week trial with three specific tasks, and only then committed.

justauser

Honestly, for that kind of work - SOP-driven, inconsistent volume, small execution tasks - I'd skip the big platforms too. Upwork is a pain for building a small flexible team. Here's what's actually worked for me:

OnlineJobs.ph - You already know it. Solid for dedicated part-timers, but the "inconsistent work" bit is tricky. Instead of one person, hire 2-3 part-timers and split the hours. When work slows down, you're not paying idle time.
Managed services like Belay or Prialto - You pay a monthly fee and get a dedicated person who handles whatever you throw at them. More expensive than direct hire, but zero headache with time zones, payroll, or consistency. For web updates and on-page tweaks, this could be perfect.
Actually... forums like this one - There are communities here where people post "looking for ongoing help, variable hours, will pay hourly" and get flooded. The trick is to vet hard - test task plus a small paid trial. I've found some of my best long-term helpers this way.
Discord servers - Remote work communities (e.g., "Remote Work Hub" or "Freelance Legion") feel less transactional than Upwork. Just say "anyone want 5-15 hours a week doing simple web updates? SOPs provided." You'll get DMs.
Referrals from your current freelancers - Ask your favourite person if they have a friend or sibling who wants steady (if variable) work. They'll vouch for them, and you skip the platform fees.

Bottom line: for inconsistent but SOP-driven work, you don't need a platform. You need a small bench of reliable people you DM directly when work comes in. Build that bench from forums, Discord, or referrals.

budgetburner

software agency owner here. We're based in Eastern Europe. EU and US firms keep fishing in the same shallow pond and wonder why they overpay. Same quality, far less cost. What's the catch? Nothing-just the stubborn refusal to look elsewhere

socialbutterfly

great question! I've got a similar setup running white label work for three UK agencies at the moment. Here's how I found them:

🖥️ First one: found me on Fiverr. We did a couple of projects on-platform, then the owner offered me direct work and that's how we started.
🤝 Second one: found me via People Per Hour. same pattern - a few paid gigs on the platform, then we moved off it.
🔁 Third one: the first agency (the Fiverr one) referred me directly.

so if you're looking, I'd say go with Upwork. or even better, ask any agency owners in your network if they have someone they can recommend. referrals have been the strongest route for me.

24fire

I've found decent results through OnlineJob.ph for sourcing Filipino talent. The labour market there is remarkably deep for certain roles, especially when you're scaling a remote team on a lean budget. Just be prepared to vet thoroughly - it's a volume game, not a silver bullet.

prpro

LinkedIn works best when you treat it like building a garden rather than sticking up a billboard. I've seen it time and again with clients-if you focus on genuine conversations and nurturing connections, you get far more consistent results than just blasting your services. It's a different game from Upwork or Indeed, and that's actually its strength.

nightowl

We treat Upwork like a trial run - a fixed-price project first, like dipping a toe in the water. If the quality holds, then we move to hourly. It's about building trust before scaling commitment.

roichaser

Reddit, Upwork, LinkedIn & Indeed

localpack

LinkedIn for full-time roles - that's where I've found my best long-term hires. For part-time or project-based support, Upwork's been solid. A colleague once pulled a killer media buyer off there for a three-month retainer, worked out better than expected.

ranktracker

i focus on the execution side of technical SEO for agencies - log file analysis, structured data audits, internal link optimisation, that sort of thing. If you need someone to handle the grunt work while you focus on strategy, I'm your guy. Just dropped you a DM with a breakdown of my process and some example deliverables.

bouncekiller

right here, actually. funny how the best talent pool is just a bunch of sarcastic comments away. agencies love overcomplicating recruitment when half of us are lurking in the same threads, judging the job posts before we even apply. But sure, go spend thousands on LinkedIn Premium instead

trafficcop

Oh, jobrack.eu is a solid shout. been using it for a while now-think OnlineJobsPH but with fewer timezone headaches and way more Eastern European marketing folks who actually get B2B. The Balkans have some absolute gems for campaign managers and webinar ops. just vet them properly, because not everyone who claims they can run a LinkedIn ad actually can

datanerd

We lean heavily on referrals. My best hires have come from a trusted network-LinkedIn recommendations, former colleagues, or someone in my own ABM circle. Cold applications rarely understand enterprise demand gen the way a peer-referred candidate does.

prpro

In our agency, everyone works remotely, but we've set simple protocols and use version control for real‑time feedback. It's like having a shared whiteboard - everyone sees changes instantly without needing constant check‑ins.

cyberpunk

Meta ads work for finding non-VA hires. Discord's better for VA roles - that's been my experience anyway.

conversionninja

I've watched a few agencies slip away from Upwork once their projects steady out, piecing together a scrappy little remote crew instead. Onlinejobs.ph gets tossed about a lot for a reason-but digging through the piles to find someone who actually fits takes patience. Some folks swear by LinkedIn or niche Slack spaces where the same types hang out. Honestly, most of it is messy trial and error until you latch onto a couple of dependable souls you can keep around long-term. How bumpy is your workload at the moment-weekly chaos or just random spurts?

adcraft

Honestly, most of the remote hiring advice I see is just people swapping the same five job boards like they're trade secrets. If you actually want candidates who can run campaigns without hand-holding, skip the generic feeds. Callixacore's jobseeker side has been the only place I've consistently found senior-level talent who already knows how to troubleshoot a broken attribution model. Not saying it's a silver bullet, but compared to the spam you get on LinkedIn? Night and day.