Competitive analysis
The aim of the analysis was to understand how modern classifieds platforms onboard users, with a particular focus on the role of search, category hierarchy, and support for different user intents. The analysis focused on homepage structure and entry points rather than visual design.
— Platforms analysed: Facebook Marketplace • OLX • Gumtree
— Key comparison areas:
• visibility and hierarchy of search,
• how categories are presented,
• support for returning users,
• reduction of information overload,
• the user’s first point of contact with the platform.
— Insights from the analysis
• Search as the primary entry point: across all analysed platforms, search is the most prominent element and the default way to start the interaction.
• Hierarchy instead of a long list: categories are grouped and limited to key areas, which improves scannability and reduces cognitive load.
• Distinguishing user intents: platforms support returning users through history, saved filters, or quick access to recently used areas.
• Reducing communicative noise: secondary content is visually de-emphasised and subordinated to the user’s primary task.
Content audit
The aim of the audit was to identify what information is communicated on the homepage, what role it plays in users’ decision-making, and which elements support – or hinder – getting started. The audit provided the basis for reorganising the information hierarchy and making information architecture decisions.
— Heuristic evaluation
I conducted the analysis using Jakob Nielsen’s heuristics, focusing on information hierarchy, functional communication, and user support at the point of the first decision. The heuristic evaluation showed that the main issues on the Craigslist homepage stemmed from a lack of clear hierarchy, an excess of equally presented content, and insufficient support for decision-making. These issues increased cognitive load and reduced overall efficiency when using the platform.
— Content inventory
Content was inventoried and assigned to communication roles, then grouped into three categories:
• Core content: ad search, category selection, location selection.
Insight: core elements were not sufficiently prominent and competed with secondary content.
• Supporting content: subcategories, thematic links, help information.
Insight: a lack of logical grouping and contextual relationships increased cognitive load rather than reducing it.
• Secondary content: terms links, administrative information, and elements rarely used at the entry stage.
Insight: secondary content had a similar visual priority to core content, disrupting the hierarchy.
User surveys
The aim of the surveys was to understand how users interact with classifieds platforms, what first steps they take on the homepage, and what prevents them from getting started quickly. The study was designed to validate issues identified in the content audit and heuristic evaluation, as well as to provide context for further design decisions.
— Research method:
• format: online survey,
• tool: Google Forms,
• type: quantitative study with closed and semi-open questions,
• number of respondents: 20,
• respondent profile:
• people who use classifieds platforms occasionally and regularly,
• users with varying levels of experience (new and returning).
— The survey focused on three areas:
• Entry behaviour: whether users start with search or browse categories, and how often they return to the same types of listings.
• Homepage experience: whether the page is clear and easy to scan, and whether users know where to start after landing on the page.
• Issues and frustrations: what makes it harder to find listings quickly, and which homepage elements feel unnecessary or distracting.
— Key findings:
• The dominant role of search. Most respondents indicated search as the first and most frequently used way to enter the platform, particularly among returning users.
Design implication: search should serve as the primary starting point on the homepage.
• Difficulty orienting quickly. A significant share of users reported needing a moment to “look around” after landing on the homepage before deciding what to do next.
Design implication: the homepage does not clearly communicate content hierarchy or the recommended first step.
• Information overload. Respondents pointed to too many equally weighted options, which caused confusion and increased time to reach their goal.
Design implication: it is necessary to reduce the amount of content presented at once and introduce clear communication priorities.
• Different needs of new vs returning users. The study confirmed behavioural differences: new users need clear onboarding and structure, while returning users expect shortcuts and quick access to repeated actions.
Design implication: the homepage should support different user intents by differentiating content and actions.
— Summary
The surveys confirmed that the main issue with the homepage is not a lack of functionality, but how content is communicated and prioritised. The findings informed a redefinition of the information hierarchy, the design of new user flows, elevating search as the key entry point, and introducing quick actions for returning users.
Problem statement
Based on a content audit, heuristic evaluation and user surveys, I identified a key issue with the Craigslist homepage that stems not from a lack of functionality, but from how content is communicated and prioritised. The homepage serves as the platform’s main entry point, yet it does not support users in making their first decision, forcing them to filter an excess of equally weighted information on their own.
— Problem: new users
New users need a clear starting point and an understandable information structure, because the current layout requires them to learn the platform’s internal logic and infer the content hierarchy independently. As a result:
• users don’t know where to start,
• they spend more time orientating themselves instead of achieving their goal,
• the risk of early abandonment increases.
— Problem: returning users
Returning users need shortcuts and quick access to repetitive actions, because the homepage does not provide mechanisms that support continuing previous intents, such as repeat searches or favourite categories. As a result:
• they have to follow the same path from the beginning each time,
• using the platform is less efficient,
• the experience does not scale with frequency of use.
— Core issue
The core problem with the Craigslist homepage is the lack of prioritised communication based on user intent. Key, supporting and secondary content are presented as equally important, which leads to information overload, a lack of clear progression, and increased cognitive load.
Design challenge
How might we redesign the Craigslist homepage so that it clearly communicates its role as a starting point, supports different user intents (new and returning users), reduces information overload, and preserves the brand’s functional, neutral character?
Success criteria
The project will be considered successful if:
• users make their first decision faster (search or category selection),
• the number of equally weighted decision points on the homepage is reduced,
• the user experience scales with frequency of use,
• the homepage communication remains consistent with Craigslist’s brand DNA.
Value proposition
Craigslist helps users quickly find what they’re looking for through a clear content hierarchy and simplified entry points, without information overload and without forcing unnecessary decisions.
— Value breakdown:
• for new users: a clear starting point, faster understanding of the platform structure, and lower cognitive load at first contact,
• for returning users: quicker access to repeat actions, a shorter path to the goal, and an experience that scales with frequency of use.
— Product promise: Craigslist remains a simple, functional classifieds service that doesn’t require learning the system, but naturally guides users to action - regardless of their experience level.
Card sorting
Card sorting was a key step between the content audit and designing the information architecture. The method was used to validate whether the way classifieds categories are grouped on the Craigslist homepage aligns with users’ mental models and supports fast decision-making at the point of entry. Given the historically expanded and inconsistent category structure, the study helped identify ambiguous, duplicated or unnecessary elements that required renaming, merging with other groups, or moving to a lower level of the hierarchy.
— Primary objective: To verify which homepage elements users perceive as essential for initiating an action, and which create information overload or should be demoted to a secondary role.
— Secondary objectives:
• to check whether users treat search as a natural starting point,
• to identify elements competing for attention, such as categories, the calendar or auxiliary links,
• to assess which content users consider irrelevant at the entry stage,
• to understand differences in priorities between new and returning users.
— Research method:
• study type: card sorting,
• format: semi-open card sorting,
• tool: FigJam,
• number of participants: 8,
• participant profile:
• people who use classifieds platforms,
• no requirement for prior familiarity with Craigslist.
Card sorting confirmed that users treat search as a natural starting point, and that some elements currently present on the homepage compete for attention without meaningfully supporting the decision-making process. The findings informed the design of a clear content hierarchy and a reduction of decision points on the first screen.
Business impact
The Craigslist homepage is the platform’s primary entry point, so its structure directly affects time to first decision, bounce rate, the effectiveness of posting ads, and retention among returning users. This project focuses not only on improving readability, but on optimising the first seconds of interaction – the moment that, in practice, determines whether a user stays on the site.
— Expected business outcomes
• Reduced time to first action. Making the search bar the primary CTA and reducing the number of equally weighted elements should shorten the time needed to make the first decision, increase progression to search results, and reduce “browsing around” before taking action.
• Lower bounce rate. A clear information hierarchy and a defined starting point reduce the sense of chaos, lower cognitive load, and limit the risk of early drop-off.
• Higher “Post an ad” conversion. Separating the posting action from content exploration simplifies the decision, shortens the path to the form, and increases the likelihood of starting the posting flow.
• Better support for returning users. Adding shortcuts such as Favourites and Account, and reducing competing elements, speeds up repeat actions, increases satisfaction for frequent users, and supports long-term engagement.
Site map – new version
The new information architecture organises the Craigslist homepage around clear entry points, reduces information overload, and separates primary, supporting and administrative content – while preserving the brand’s neutral, functional character.
— First level:
• Search: The main entry point, enabling quick access to content without needing to browse categories. Includes a search field, location selection and contextual filters as optional support.
• Location: Geographical context as a prerequisite for relevant results. Location functions as a global filter rather than a separate decision competing with search.
• Post an ad: A clear action for users publishing content, separated from exploration so it doesn’t disrupt the main journeys.
— Main categories (Browse categories):
• Housing
• Jobs
• For Sale
• Services
• Gigs
• Community — demoted to a secondary role on the homepage
— Supporting content:
• Events calendar as an additional module
• Favourites as a shortcut for returning users
• User account, visible but not emphasised at the first-decision stage
— Information and help:
• Help & FAQ
• Safety & scams
• About
• System status
— Supplementary navigation and footer:
• cities and regions
• international versions
• administrative links
• legal information
USER FLOW
I designed the user flow based on the content audit, card sorting and the new information architecture. The goal was to reduce the time needed to make the first decision, minimise information overload, and clearly separate journeys for new and returning users.
Based on the new information architecture, I designed wireframes for the Craigslist homepage, focusing on the hierarchy of user decisions rather than the interface aesthetics.
The goals were:
• to highlight search as the primary starting point,
• to reduce the number of equally weighted decisions on the first screen,
• to clearly separate key content from supporting content,
• to preserve the platform’s neutral, functional character.
The wireframes became the foundation for further UI design and usability testing.
— What was the biggest challenge?
The most difficult part was preserving Craigslist’s neutral, functional character while introducing a clear hierarchy. Historically, the platform relies on the equality of elements and structural simplicity, so the change required finding a balance between reducing information overload and maintaining the brand’s DNA.
— What did this project teach me?
• How to design information architecture in systems with a large number of equally weighted content elements.
• How to translate audit findings and user research into concrete structural decisions.
• How to think of the homepage not as a layout of sections, but as a decision-making mechanism.
• How to design from the perspective of user intent rather than content categories.
— What would I do in the next stage?
• I would build an interactive prototype in Figma.
• I would run a first-click test and tree testing in Maze or UsabilityHub.
• I would validate the category structure through A/B testing.
• I would analyse behavioural data, including scroll depth and first-click heatmaps.