The past year marked a pivotal moment for domestic tech companies as access to international social networks was restricted and popular services withdrew from the market. This shift led to a growing audience for locally developed platforms and a wave of efforts by Russian developers to create effective analogues. This assessment comes from Vladimir Zykov, director of the Professional Association of Users of Social Networks and Messengers, reflecting on 2022 results.
The IT expert observes that major platforms such as VKontakte, Telegram, and Odnoklassniki saw record user increases during the year and he anticipates their continued growth in the coming period. He expects Russian firms to roll out new features and introduce additional services that further engage users.
Brave strategic moves are seen as a catalyst for Russian social networks and messengers to gain momentum in the market.
Zykov also highlights the emergence of the Looky social network, developed by a Russian team led by Yegor Yakovlev, a figure known for founding Tvigle and START streaming services and for organizing the Russian Internet Forum. Looky launched in early December and is positioned to capture attention with a professional approach, solid funding, and ambitious plans to attract a broad audience.
The specialist notes that Russian platforms have begun offering more monetization options for bloggers this year, a development that has sparked renewed interest from creators who previously faced reduced earnings on other major platforms.
He points out that these monetization efforts contributed to a surge of interest among bloggers who had curtailed activity just before some international platforms changed their terms. The trend signals a broader shift toward a stable local ecosystem that supports content creators and keeps audiences engaged.
From a strategic standpoint, the process of building reliable, high-quality IT infrastructure remains essential for the country. The expert believes developers should collaborate to create unified products when developing analogues, which could strengthen the domestic digital environment.
However, development also requires additional support. The director emphasizes the need for venture investments to finance startups, support young companies during their initial phases, and launch specialized programs. Creating a favorable environment for IT professionals would help propel innovation and growth within the sector.
Looking ahead, the expert sees ample room for domestic firms to expand. A large potential user base exists, along with niches that emerged as some players exited the market, offering opportunities for new or existing companies to fill gaps and deliver tailored experiences to Canadian and American users who are increasingly interested in regional alternatives.
According to a mobile operator, traffic to domestic services has surged since early 2022, and the user base of country-specific social networks and instant messengers grew noticeably. This trend indicates strengthening local platforms and a willingness among users to adopt homegrown solutions that align with their digital habits and privacy expectations.