RBC Ukraine

Assets

• Ukraine RBC news agency
• Autogloss of Turbo.UA
• Pusk.UA is the tool for actively developing e-commerce which was very successful.
• LuxPlanet is the magazine for a luxury-segment. "I not strongly trusted in this direction. But my colleague Vladimir Schultz insisted on its start and thanks to it it paid off and became profitable in read months^[1]".
• Recently made social network of fishers and we are going to start the female edition.

For May, 2012 in the company about 75 people, from them in news agency — 45 work.

Strategy

We consider that in 3-4 years in the market there will be generally niche projects. Portals owing to active development of social networks will die gradually. Start separate mass services hardly reasonablly for the same reason (May, 2012)^[1].

History

The company was started in 2006. Already then it was clear that our markets different and perception of a number of services strongly differs. For example, at us the economic analytics and materials about the stock market are absolutely unclaimed. The Russian popular services "RBC", such as, acquaintances LovePlanet and a video hosting of Smotri.com, by the way, one of the most popular in Runet, at us also did not go^[1].

2008-2010: Survival in crisis

Feature of news agency are his subscribers. In the 21st century it does not make any sense. We changed the model. We the classical agency with an open tape, but earnings at us on advertizing.

We work as our main competitors – the UNIAN, Interfax, "The Ukrainian news", etc. It turns out that on the one hand we have a competition for quoting and efficiency. With another — we should compete in online for attendance and attraction of advertizing.

It turns out that content unit to you is strongly more expensive than traditional online media?

Certainly! The news agency cannot give interrogative heading. Only faktazh. Our reader should not think there was an event or not. We are not able to afford to use rumors. We should recheck any information. These are other costs.

But the model works. In one and a half years – even before crisis – we reached self-sufficiency. In crisis, naturally, were forced to be optimized, but remained afloat. Once again I will emphasize – to us it was heavy, but for the reason that we are completely independent in financing. We have no external injections^[1].

2012: Travel with the Russian RBC

How will change of the Russian top management of RBC with work of the Ukrainian office affect?

In any way. RBC Ukraine is independent group. We have the financing. We are profitable. From the general at us only a brand of news agency. The way of the Ukrainian company was always other than Russian owing to big features of the market.

We will carry out restructuring soon. It is connected with with start of new projects and we will integrate them under one brand. We want to part positioning of news agency and other projects of our group. RBC is nevertheless an economic brand. And on the Ukrainian Internet this niche quite narrow.

As far as you are independent of Russian RBC in the advertizing plan? Whether you sell their Ukrainian traffic?

No. All our income from the Ukrainian projects. We have some clients who want such service. But it is isolated cases. Traffic of Russian RBC very expensive. Russians have a feature – they because of our market will not change something at themselves in work and to adapt to us.

We speak about the large Russian portal. From what to it suddenly to adapt to the Ukrainian market? He just does not see it. We should adapt to it. We less^[1] is enormous^[1].

Switching of advertizing agencies to T-Sell

Seyls-house of T-Sell has no exclusive on the Ukrainian traffic of Russian RBC. Moreover – they in general do not sell it. They sell the Ukrainian group. Here they have an exclusive. Yes.

It is that moment when everything is based on trust. I have friendly relations with Alexander Tismenetsky (the director of T-Sell – AIN.UA comment). We wanted to cooperate long ago. And when it was in KP Media and when was in "Yandex".

And here I well remember this day. Sasha called me to watch football. During the match shared the idea of creation of a seyls-house. Then came with the offer. It seemed interesting. As I trust it – opened the revenues. Began to work. Of course, doubts were. Was afraid that it will not turn out. Especially in the market then there was a lot of rustle and any nonsenses.

But now, later time, I accurately understand that T-Sell is that project for which it was necessary will appear long ago. I always said that our market will mature in money only when it becomes ordered. When rules of the game for the advertiser become clear. When he does not worry about the budgets.

It is also now. It is direct sales department. It is medium and small business. T-Sell has an exclusive for work with the agencies.

By the way, we were one of pioneers who started direct sales department. Said to us that there is no money, kopeks and continuous horror. Today about 40% of all income are the share of it. I am very happy with its work.

It will also grow in absolute numbers further. As a percentage – depends on as far as advertisers who work with the agencies it is unrolled the budgets towards the Internet. If it occurs – the market will blow up and, of course, to direct sales department^[1] will be much more difficult^[1].

Notes