Spotlight — Sports Bloggers Platform
Spotlight — Sports Bloggers Platform
Sports.ru is the largest sports media in the CIS, where readers can also become authors.
Spotlight was created as a free course to help people write about sports and grow into bloggers. The goal: attract more authors, raise content quality, increase UGS and session length.
Sports.ru is the largest sports media in the CIS, where readers can also become authors.
Spotlight was created as a free course to help people write about sports and grow into bloggers. The goal: attract more authors, raise content quality, increase UGS and session length.
Context & challenges
Context & challenges
When I joined the project, the team had already spent two years preparing. The educational materials — lectures, tests, videos — were ready, but the design direction was still undefined. The main challenge was that nobody had a clear vision of how the platform should look. The situation was complicated by the fact that Sports.ru had just gone through a major rebranding. The company was still adjusting to its new identity, while the key visual developed earlier by an external studio didn’t match the updated style at all. Users couldn’t even recognize Spotlight as part of Sports.ru, which risked making the project feel disconnected from the brand.
When I joined the project, the team had already spent two years preparing. The educational materials — lectures, tests, videos — were ready, but the design direction was still undefined. The main challenge was that nobody had a clear vision of how the platform should look. The situation was complicated by the fact that Sports.ru had just gone through a major rebranding. The company was still adjusting to its new identity, while the key visual developed earlier by an external studio didn’t match the updated style at all. Users couldn’t even recognize Spotlight as part of Sports.ru, which risked making the project feel disconnected from the brand.
Key visual by external studio
Key visual by external studio
Key visual by external studio
Key visual by external studio
Examples of new company branding
Examples of new company branding
Examples of new company branding
Examples of new company branding
We didn’t have the luxury of time. Deadlines were strict, so I started with the essentials — mapping out the screens and creating wireframes. That gave us a solid structure we could later adapt to any visual concept.
We didn’t have the luxury of time. Deadlines were strict, so I started with the essentials — mapping out the screens and creating wireframes. That gave us a solid structure we could later adapt to any visual concept.
Screens map
At the same time, we held ongoing discussions with stakeholders and eventually aligned on a guiding principle: “Spotlight should feel different from Sports.ru, but still clearly connected to it.” This gave us freedom beyond the constraints of the design system, while still allowing us to build on the new brand elements.
At the same time, we held ongoing discussions with stakeholders and eventually aligned on a guiding principle: “Spotlight should feel different from Sports.ru, but still clearly connected to it.” This gave us freedom beyond the constraints of the design system, while still allowing us to build on the new brand elements.
first drafts
first drafts
first drafts
first drafts
From there, I experimented with different visual approaches and continuously gathered feedback from colleagues, authors, and users. Iteration by iteration, the picture became clearer. By the fifth design version, we had full stakeholder approval and encouraging feedback from our audience.
From there, I experimented with different visual approaches and continuously gathered feedback from colleagues, authors, and users. Iteration by iteration, the picture became clearer. By the fifth design version, we had full stakeholder approval and encouraging feedback from our audience.
One of the latest iterations
In the design itself, I focused on simplicity and engagement. The homepage featured a promo video that Sports.ru had produced for Spotlight, starring a well-known actor who was also one of our bloggers — an instantly familiar and trustworthy face for the community.
In the design itself, I focused on simplicity and engagement. The homepage featured a promo video that Sports.ru had produced for Spotlight, starring a well-known actor who was also one of our bloggers — an instantly familiar and trustworthy face for the community.
The course program was designed to give users a sense of scope at a glance: on desktop, all lessons were visible in one screen, while on mobile I worked to minimize unnecessary scrolling.
The course program was designed to give users a sense of scope at a glance: on desktop, all lessons were visible in one screen, while on mobile I worked to minimize unnecessary scrolling.
Lesson pages were centered around video content, with assignments and additional materials placed right below. Even small details, like the “join the Telegram channel” block, were designed to appear and disappear at the right moment, keeping the interface clean and focused.
Lesson pages were centered around video content, with assignments and additional materials placed right below. Even small details, like the “join the Telegram channel” block, were designed to appear and disappear at the right moment, keeping the interface clean and focused.
The final design translates block priorities into a clear layout.
The final design translates block priorities into a clear layout.
Following the same principle: all key blocks fit into the first view.
Following the same principle: all key blocks fit into the first view.
The final design brought all our work together into a cohesive platform — clear, engaging, and aligned with Sports.ru’s brand. Every decision, from block hierarchy to visual details, shaped a product that feels natural and easy to use.
The final design brought all our work together into a cohesive platform — clear, engaging, and aligned with Sports.ru’s brand. Every decision, from block hierarchy to visual details, shaped a product that feels natural and easy to use.
Results
Results
A clear, visually engaging, and mobile-friendly platform that empowered new voices in sports media and strengthened the Sports.ru blogging community. The product is actively developing and continues to attract new authors
A clear, visually engaging, and mobile-friendly platform that empowered new voices in sports media and strengthened the Sports.ru blogging community. The product is actively developing and continues to attract new authors
