Craig's List getting a makeover
With their latest job posting Sunday, Craig’s list has finally decided that it is time for a facelift. The bulletin board website that was launched more than a decade ago has changed the site only modestly in the past few years. Simple and commercial free, they seem to have determined that the user experience has become a huge priority for users! Since inception this is either something that has largely gone unnoticed or, quite the opposite, has essentially served as the benchmark of success for so many years, but now must change.
So why would Founder, Craig Newmark decide to create a different user experience in the first place? One could argue that it is the competitiveness of the market that is attracting many of the, more than 50 million users elsewhere or maybe it is the fact that the definition of “common-sense and down-to-earth” on the web and in social media, specifically has changed so dramatically in the past decade since CL launched. I suspect that it is a combination of things. We all know that the user experience now defines your success online as it always has to the offline community. You need to connect now in such a different way and I, for one, am excited to be witness to this transition. In a post I watched of Newmark on www.BigThink.com he spoke about sites like www.DonorsChoose.org and www.fixmystreet.com where people can make an impact on very specific areas of their own lives and actually see the results first-hand be it for their grandchild’s school project or a pothole that they hit on the way to work. As our online and offline lives become more and more connected, we have grown to expect that what we look for online is going to be consistent as we travel offline. It continues to amaze me that the percentages of the time between those two lines are growing together.
Craig’s List is known for its utilitarian design and the lack of any advertising – I sense this will not change as then the peace sign would likely have to go as well. I don’t envision Craig Newmark being okay with either of those being part of the new look. As a CL fan and user, I know that they will come up with something that continues their tradition, but am excited to see the new look unveiled. If recruiting help is needed, I know a company that would love to assist!
