This Australian interactive classifies publisher needed a strategy for integrating their classifieds ads from their newspapers into a cohesive, Internet-savvy solution. The solution had to offer not only easier use, but new features, new business models, and new revenue sources, as well as allowing each of their newspapers to have a presence from within the system. The solution outlined features and design strategies. Some of these included:
- Map locators and local reference maps
- Reorganized listings highlighting key information
- The inclusion of photos within non-traditional listings
- The integration of editorial content and cross-referencing within other sections
- The ability to build more category-based and consumer-oriented brands for major categories
- Highlighting unusual or important information within the listings
- Iconify common data so that ads are both easier to read (and thus more valuable) and smaller (to save space)
- Premium, optional features that can be sold separately
- Category indexes
- Restructured and updated headings for better classification and easier searching
- Synchronized headings with other media and papers
- Indicating related links to other media (the Web, teleclassifieds, etc.) to drive business to these ventures
- Embed instructions for important processes related to listings (such as car payment calculators, home loan calculators, home buying steps, etc.)
- Use jump links within editorial to drive the audience to the classifieds from related editorial sections
- Streamlined ad placement via various media (phone, FAX, Web, mail)
- Updated publishing system to better compose pages with advanced features and new configurations
- Create separate, unified, and national (or international) sites that target specific categories (like cars). Multiple classifieds sources can feed ads into these sites.
- Strategy for building revenue.
- Strategies for user content and ad placement via multiple media.
- Strategies for engaging potential advertisers in realspace
- Strategies for adaptive technologies that streamline ad reading for customers.
1996
Nathan Shedroff: Information and Visual Design, Production, and Strategy
Recent Comments