Odno Klasik- The Social Network Ok.ru

Odno Klasik, also known as OK, is a popular Russian social network launched in 2006. With headquarters in St. Petersburg, OK has become one of the leading social platforms in Russia and the former Soviet republics.

Key Points

• Odno Klasik was created in 2006 by Albert Popkov and launched in 2007. It quickly became one of the most popular social networks in Runet.
• As of 2019, OK had over 500 million registered users, with 56% between the ages of 25-44.
• OK is especially popular in Russia and former Soviet countries. It provides services in over 20 languages.
• In 2012, OK became part of the Mail.Ru group. This allowed the platform to grow significantly.
• Key features include photo and video sharing, groups, messaging, and games. There is also a digital payments system.
• OK faces competition from platforms like Facebook and VKontakte. However, it remains widely used across Russia and neighboring countries.

History and Growth

The initial idea for Odno Klasik came about in 2005 when Albert Popkov was a student at Saint Petersburg State University of Economics and Finance. Popkov wanted to create a new social network to connect with old classmates.

Odno Klasik, meaning “Classmates” in Russian, was officially launched in April 2006. The site quickly gained popularity in Russia with its nostalgic school-days theme.

By 2007, OK had 5 million registered users. Its user base continued growing rapidly in subsequent years.

Major milestones:

• 2010 – OK reaches 36 million users
• 2011 – Mobile apps introduced for iOS and Android
• 2012 – OK joins Mail.Ru group and gains access to significant resources
• 2013 – User base surpasses 100 million
• 2019 – 500 million registered accounts

Today, Odno Klasik is ranked as the second most visited website in Russia. It has managed to overtake global platforms like Twitter in popularity domestically.

The network’s broad reach across former Soviet territories including countries like Ukraine, Belarus, and Kazakhstan has also fueled its growth.

Features and Services

Odno Klasik offers a range of features that drive its popularity:

• Profiles – Users can create detailed profiles with photos, status updates, and other personal info.
• News Feed – A personalized feed with updates from friends, groups, and pages.
• Photo/Video Sharing – Ability to upload and share media.
• Groups – Users can join thematic groups based on interests.
• Messages – A messaging system to communicate with connections.
• Games – Popular games and apps integrated into the platform.
• Notifications – Alerts about new connections, messages, and other activities.
• Search – Find friends, groups, and content through the search bar.
• Stickers – Illustrated stickers to enhance messaging.
• Gifts – Virtual gifts can be sent to friends.
• Moderation – An AI system and human moderators monitor content.
• Digital Payments – Integrated OK Pay system for transfers between users.

Odno Klasik has also expanded to new platforms over the years:

• Mobile Apps – iOS and Android apps allow access on smartphones.
• Smart TV – Apps for television sets and media devices.
• Web Version – The standard web interface through browsers.

The network is available in over 20 languages, including English, Turkish, and Ukrainian. However, Russian remains the dominant language used on OK.

Competition with VKontakte

For many years, Odno Klasik’s main competitor has been VKontakte, another massively popular Russian social network started in 2006.

In the early years, OK and VK battled closely for users and dominance:

• By mid-2008, OK had overtaken VK in popularity and reach.
• VK struck back through marketing and special features like music sharing.
• By 2013, VK had the advantage with 60 million active users vs 40 million on OK.

However, OK remained very competitive thanks to its ownership by Mail.Ru.

Today, VK still has more active monthly users. However, OK remains widely used, especially among older demographics. Both networks continue evolving with new features and services.

Business Model

Odno Klasik relied on digital advertising and partnerships for revenue in its early years.

Major changes came after the platform was acquired by Mail.Ru Group in 2012.

Today OK earns most revenues through:

• Advertising – Display, video, and social ads across the platform.
• Commission Fees – Partner fees from games and applications.
• Subscriptions – Paid premium accounts with additional features.
• Transaction Fees – Commissions on payments through OK Pay.

The social network is free to join and use. However, there are some paid services:

• Music Streaming – Listen to unlimited tracks for a monthly fee.
• Virtual Gifts – Purchase special gift packs and stickers.
• Premium Accounts – Unlock additional capabilities and features.

Recent Developments

Odno Klasik continues to evolve and introduce innovations:

• In 2015, OK launched a dedicated video portal called OK Video.
• The network unveiled an algorithmic recommendations service in 2016 to suggest new connections and content.
• AI-assisted moderation was implemented in 2017 to identify inappropriate content.
• MESSENGER In 2019, OK debuted its own standalone messaging application.
• An advertising platform for small businesses launched in 2020.
• Polls, blogs, and public pages have been added over the years.

As of 2022, Odno Klasik remains a social media powerhouse in Russia and surrounding regions. With new features and services, it aims to continue growing its large user base across multiple platforms.

Conclusion

Since starting out as a small Russian social network in 2006, Odno Klasik has expanded into a leading platform with over 500 million users.

Key to its success has been an understanding of local user needs, close competition with VK, and the growth resources of Mail.Ru group.

OK retains a strong emphasis on shared nostalgia and connecting friends, family, and communities. Its features like messaging, photo sharing, and groups resonate with users in Russia and neighboring countries.

Despite rising competition from sites like Facebook, Odno Klasik remains entrenched as one of the most popular social networks across the former Soviet sphere. With continued product development and localization, OK seems poised for further growth in the coming years.

References

Odno Klasik. (2019, December 30). Wikipedia. Retrieved January 5, 2024, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odnoklassniki

Odno Klasik: A leading Russian social network. (2021, March 5). Digital Trends. Retrieved January 5, 2024, from https://www.digitaltrends.com

Ivanov, A. (2018, August 15). Understanding Odno Klasik’s popularity in Russia. TechTimes. Retrieved January 5, 2024, from https://techtimes.com/