Too Long, Didn’t Read

We redesigned and launched a new Agent Directory for the Land.com Network to improve agent discoverability and build user trust.

Through an audit of the existing product, we identified gaps like limited search filters, outdated agent profiles, and poor mobile usability. Insights from internal stakeholders and Maze.com user testing revealed a strong need for better search functionality and trust-building features like past sales stats, reviews, and agent specializations.

The updated directory included robust filters, performance metrics, and mobile-optimized agent profiles. Post-launch, we saw a 30% increase in searches, a 40% improvement in agent contact rates, and a 50% reduction in mobile bounce rates. This project delivered a seamless, user-centric solution to connect buyers with trusted agents effectively.

Project Highlights

• Internal existing product audit

• Pre & Post release user testing through Maze

• A responsive, fast website

• Desktop & Mobile Searching

• Filtering

• Branding variations across three sites

• Enhanced Profile pages, showcasing Agents experience

Project Overview

The Land.com Network is a leading online platform connecting buyers, sellers, and real estate professionals in the land and rural property market. The goal of this project was to design and launch a robust Agent Directory to help buyers connect with agents efficiently while showcasing the expertise, credibility, and past performance of real estate professionals.

Key Objectives

We started by auditing the existing product to identify gaps and areas of improvement. Next, we collaborated with internal stakeholders to gather insights that aligned business objectives with user needs. To validate our designs, we conducted Maze.com testing to better understand user habits and expectations. The project focused on improving the search experience to help users find agents efficiently. Finally, we enriched agent profiles to highlight expertise and past successes, including visualizations of sales data and other trust-building elements.

1. Audit the existing product for gaps and areas of improvement.

2. Gather insights from internal stakeholders.

3. Understand user habits and expectations through Maze.com testing.

4. Improve the search experience for finding agents.

5. Showcase agent expertise through enriched profile pages highlighting past sales and credentials.

Process

We began by conducting a heuristic evaluation of the existing product to assess usability, information hierarchy, and design consistency. To understand industry benchmarks, we also compared the current user experience with competitor directories.

Findings We discovered that the existing product was very difficult to find. While there was two locations that a user could find the Agent Directory, one was buried in the “more” section of the top navigation, and the other was a large call to action located below the fold.

If a user was able to find it, the current product lacked adequate search filters, making it difficult for users to refine results based on location, agent specialization, or past sales.

Agent profiles were often outdated and provided limited information about expertise and track records, Navigation issues were prevalent, as users struggled to move efficiently between search results and profile pages. The profile page used the same UI as normal listing search, and any filtering would remove the Agent’s listing information and run a new nationwide property search.

Finally, the mobile experience was poorly optimized, offering neither responsiveness nor usability on smaller devices.

"A robust Agent Directory requires not just visibility but also trust. Agents need to showcase their credibility, while users need a seamless search experience."

Meeting with Internal Stakeholders

Key Stakeholders

We worked closely with product managers to define success metrics and understand technical feasibility. The sales team provided insights into agent needs, expectations, and current pain points. We also collaborated with the marketing team to ensure the new design aligned with the brand identity and supported customer acquisition goals. Lastly, the customer support team helped surface common complaints and feature requests from end users.

Key Takeaways

Through these discussions, we learned that agents desired more visibility and differentiation to stand out in a competitive market. Buyers were looking for trust indicators, such as verified past sales, agent specializations, and client testimonials. Additionally, the search functionality needed to be intuitive, reflecting how buyers typically look for agents. Since over 60% of traffic originated from mobile devices, optimizing the mobile experience was a critical requirement.

Process

We tested the existing Agent Directory with real users to identify pain points and gather insights into their search and decision-making behaviors. Using Maze.com, we set up user tasks such as locating the directory, finding an agent specializing in farmland in Texas or evaluating an agent’s experience before deciding to contact them.

The tests were conducted with 45 users, including buyers and sellers of real estate, to measure task success rates, navigation clarity, and overall satisfaction with the existing platform.

In addition to observing task completion, we collected qualitative feedback through open-ended questions. Users were encouraged to share their initial impressions, describe what they found intuitive or challenging, and suggest improvements. This approach provided a holistic understanding of user frustrations and preferences, helping us pinpoint both surface-level and deeper usability issues.

Findings

The testing revealed that users struggled with limited search filters, making it challenging to narrow down relevant agents. Navigation between search results and agent profiles was often confusing, leading to user frustration. Trust signals such as past sales data, verified reviews, and years of experience were noted as critical to decision-making, with 85% of users stating they would contact agents who showcased clear performance stats. Users found it hard to locate the directory from the home page, which hindered discovery.

Many users also expressed frustration with some agents using logos instead of head shots, which diminished the personal touch and trustworthiness of profiles.

The mobile experience was particularly lacking, with slow loading times and difficult navigation on smaller screens.

Key Improvements

We also addressed a significant user pain point by adding a “Find an Agent” link to the main navigation, ensuring the directory was easy to locate directly from the home page.

We added robust search filters that allowed users to refine results by location, agent type specialization, price and size of the properties sold previously.

To reduce friction, we implemented type-ahead search suggestions that offered users relevant options as they typed. Sorting options were introduced, enabling users to organize results by name, price, acres, and listing numbers that an agent had experience with.

Finally, we redesigned the search results layout to feature prominent agent photos and key stats, creating a visually cleaner and more functional experience. This allows users to get and compare information on agents, with out having to visit their profile page first.

Design Outcome

These improvements enabled users to refine their searches quickly and efficiently. Agents also benefited from more targeted exposure to relevant leads, increasing their visibility and opportunities for engagement.

Agent Directory Desktop

Key Components

The redesigned profile pages began with a hero section featuring the agent’s name, professional photo, contact information, and a concise tagline. Next, we added visual representations of past sales stats, including total properties sold, recent transactions, and average deal value.

Specializations were prominently displayed using clear labels, showcasing property types such as farmland, ranches, and recreational land. To further build trust, we included Land Star awards verifying top sellers authenticity

Finally, we incorporated clear and accessible call-to-action buttons, allowing users to contact agents effortlessly.

User Insights

The majority of users, around 85%, indicated that past sales stats were the most persuasive elements on agent profiles. Layouts with visual data, and badges, significantly improved user trust, while mobile-optimized designs enhanced usability and loading times on smaller screens.

Wireframe Snapshot: The design focused on modular components that could scale seamlessly and maintain clarity for the user.

old Navigation Design

• Success Rate: 84.4%

• Failure Rate: 15.6%

• Average Time on Task: 6m 43s

New navigation Design

• Success Rate: 96.1%

• Failure Rate: 3.9%

• Average Time on Task: 32.6s

• Completion Time Improvement: 92% reduction (12.4x faster)