A few weeks after reshaping its user interface with a new look and logotype, the Russian video portal ‘Rutube’ has launched a major overhaul of its services. Initially a copycat of YouTube, the portal is now strongly integrating its features with social networks, offering personalized selections of videos compiled from what a user’s friends have shared on social networks.
“The first social network integration will be with Facebook. The second stage, planned for the fall, will include integrations with Twitter and VKontakte [Russia’s leading social network], along with the launch of mobile applications,” Rutube announced.
Every user that logs into Rutube.ru via Facebook is presented with a personalized, constantly updated page. Rutube also offers users of the social network free viewings of feature films and TV programs released before their network debuts.
“Rutube became the first Russian Internet company that is extensively integrating with social networks in order to provide personalized aggregations of content,” the company claims. “By leveraging information from the social graph, Rutube will be able to provide users with a tool for gathering videos that are truly suitable to their tastes.”
According to comScore Video Metrix, in May 2012, 26 out of the 52 million Internet users in Russia watched online videos via a social network, Rutube notes.
In addition to hosting and displaying user generated videos, the new Rutube also gathers videos from a variety of third-party video hosting sites, such as Youtube and Vimeo, whose videos are also available on various social networks.
Founded in 2006 and a property of Gazprom Media since 2008, Rutube defines itself as a video portal and a content distribution platform. With 6.3 million unique monthly users visiting its portal and 11.7 million viewing its clips, according to TNS, Rutube still lags behind YouTube. The latter generates a monthly traffic of over 24 million users aged between 12 and 54 residing in large Russian cities, according to the same source.
Rutube’s business model is based on advertising revenues. The company claims to have a 25% to 30% share of the Russian video advertising market, which has been estimated at less than $30 million in 2011. It could reach approximately $60 million this year, according to Rutube.
