8 Content, AI, and SEO Communities I Recommend

The hiring process is totally broken. Smart businesses are ducking out of it and going directly to communities.

We all know where the problems are in the hiring pipeline:

• Jobs get thousands of AI-generated applications, drowning out the real ones
• This is followed by mass AI rejections of people who deserved human review but were bypassed.
• Interviewees reading from AI-powered teleprompters get through the interview stages.
• In extreme cases, people get hired for jobs they can't even do.

This is all a massive waste of time.

If you want to sidestep hiring entirely, these are the communities I would recommend for sourcing talent and finding work. This is based on my experience of being a member for at least a few months (and, in some cases, a few years).

Just a heads up: I haven't included screenshots of the communities here, and that's intentional. I don't want to accidentally reveal private or sensitive discussions.

Content Marketing Communities

Top of the Funnel (TOFU)

The TOFU community is dedicated to content strategy, SEO, and inbound marketing. David does an outstanding job of hosting this community and getting people talking.

I also appreciate the fact that discussions happen organically. There's something new to investigate every day.

Finally, the jobs board in the TOFU Slack is also one of the best sources of real opportunities right now. If you're looking for work in any content-related role, you need to be in this one.

What you get:

• Fresh job postings
• Strategy discussions
• SEO advice
• Networking opportunities with freelance and full-time content marketers

Member count: 3,000+
Pricing: Free. Pro membership starts at $19 per month
Platform: Slack

Write the Docs

Write the Docs is dedicated to technical writing techniques, tools, and work opportunities.

When I was working in this field, I found it pretty isolating. And staying up-to-date is very challenging when there's nobody to help. That's why I think having a Slack community specifically for this niche is super helpful.

What you get:

• Documentation best practices for software like Confluence and MadCap Flare
• In-person global meetups
• Active job boards (work offered and wanted)

Member count: 22,000+
Pricing: Free
Platform: Slack

Women in Tech SEO

Founded by Areej AbuAli, this community has become the go-to place for women building careers in technical SEO and related positions.

The mentorship network here is totally unlike any other community on this list. For an example, take a look at this article on programmatic SEO. Emily worked with WTS members to get valuable tips.

I recommend WTS if you're working in content and looking to upskill into a specific area of SEO. (Not a bad idea!)

What you get:

• Technical SEO guidance
• Free trials for SEO tools like Sitebulb
• Job referrals and networking
• Supportive environment

Member count: 10,000+
Pricing: Free
Platform: Slack

Content Club

Content Club is a community for content design professionals. Content design is brings together clarity of communication, accessibility best practices, and UX writing.

This area of content production was new to me when I joined. I've learned a lot just by lurking and following along with discussions.

If the changes in SEO and AI are overwhelming you, I recommend looking into content design as a potential career shift. It'll suit you if you have a keen eye for detail.

What you get:

• In-person meet-ups
• Career development
• Links to training and online courses
• Job posts

Member count: Not publicly disclosed
Pricing: Free
Platform: Slack

SEO Communities

The SEO Community

This is a great community for anyone who follows the latest news in SEO and wants to keep on top of thought leadership discussions.

If you enjoy these topics but find LinkedIn hard work, this community will likely be of interest to you. Normally, when I see a new idea or test pop up, there will be a corresponding discussion in Slack and some exploration of the idea.

What you get:

• Discussion of tests, new SEO developments, and core updates
• Networking with experienced SEOs
• Job opportunities

Member count: 4,000+
Pricing: Free, or $10/mo for pro access
Platform: Slack

Marie Haynes' Search Bar

Marie Haynes has built her reputation on understanding how Google works to an incredible level of detail. She now applies that to developments in SEO and AI, which are becoming increasingly entwined.

This isn't a beginner community. I'd say this is better suited to leaders who want to upskill, experiment, and stay on the cutting edge.

This is the most value community I'm in. If you join one, join this - even the free one. The Pro subscription has paid for itself - more than any training course I've taken.

What you get:

• Latest news on SEO and AI
• Marie's AI newsletter each week
• Free podcast
• Networking opportunities
• With Pro: Marie's tips, resources, and advice

Member count: 35,000+
Pricing: Free, or $42/mo for Pro
Platform: Browser or mobile app

AI Communities

Ben's Bites

Ben's Bites is a helpful website for AI beginners and those who are building their own tools.

This Slack community is pretty quiet, but when something pops up, it's worth reading. There are plenty of interesting discussions from people who are applying what they learn.

What you get:

• AI tool discussions
• Tutorials
• Chances to share your work

Member count: 20,000+
Pricing: Free or $80/year
Platform: Slack

Lenny's Newsletter

Lenny Rachitsky's newsletter has a Slack community for paid members only. This one is new to me, so I'll come back with a full review once I'm in!

For now, check the joining offer. The product bundle is just about unbeatable in terms of value, and that makes it worth the subscription cost.

Member count: 30,000+ (although the newsletter has 1,000,000+ subscribers)
Pricing: $200/year for community access and AI tool bundle
Platform: Slack

How Can Leaders Use These Communities?

Posting jobs on LinkedIn just makes them a magnet for spam. These communities give you direct access to active, engaged professionals.

Even better, they're demonstrating their expertise right in front of you, every single day.

For me, this is the way forward in hiring: direct contact with people who you know you can work with before you speak to them. This beats a 5-round, 3-month hiring process that drags on and requires people to prove things they've done a million times already.

(As a bonus, you can see how other teams are working, what they're trying, and how you can apply those lessons. Communities are a great way to tap into working knowledge and see what's working and what isn't.)

For Content Teams: Getting Maximum Value from Communities

• Contribute to discussions. You know more than you think. Helping someone else encourages other people to come forward, and that might benefit you one day.
• Network, network, network. I connect with people on LinkedIn whenever I get the chance. Doing this has improved my feed dramatically.
• Ask for work. No shame in it! Just do it authentically. If you join to spam or solicit work, you'll likely break community guidelines. Take time to connect with people, then ask them to refer you.

For everyone: Pick 2-3 communities that align with your role, hiring needs, or job search. Spend 10 minutes each day on active participation in each one.

The ROI comes through building relationships and bypassing broken hiring processes.