Mail.ru Group, the top Russian Internet group, has released Target, its new synonymously named targeted advertising tool with enhanced ability to reach users of Odnoklassniki and MoiMir, its two major social networks.
Target, which was launched last week, can be used to advertise communities and applications within the social networks as well as any external website. Users can be targeted by location, gender and age by completing a quick three-step online procedure offering demographic variables.
The ads are formatted as small classifieds-like announcements including a headline, a short text of up to 65 characters, an illustration of 65×75 pixels as well as link of up to 18 characters.
CPM based campaigns can be paid by banking cards, electronic currencies, Internet banking or offline electronic terminals. The CPM breakdown amounts to 85 kopeks ($0.03) per messages to promote internal pages and to 20 rubles ($0.71) per message for “external” sites. According to ComNews.ru, a Russian site specializing in IT and telecoms issues, Mail.ru Group may consider switching to an auction-based system at a later date.
This new advertising offer replaces the more limited Obyavleniya, launched just two months ago.
In March, 2011, Odnoklassniki reached 8.34 million unique daily users between 12 and 54 and 18.26 million monthly. MoiMir reached 5.64 and 19.98 million respectively, according to TNS.
Vkontakte.ru, the leading Russian social network in which Mail.ru Group owns a minority stake, also has a targeted advertising offer that generated $15 million in 2010, or 16% of the company’s revenues, reports RIA Novosti. In March, its audience amounted to 23.43 million unique users between 12 and 54, according to TNS.
