Forward3D Announces Partnership with Russian Social Media Platform VK

Forward3D has become the only UK based digital marketing agency invited to become a certified partner of the leading Russian social media platform, VKontakte, also known as VK.

Locaria, the agency’s international division has seen steady growth in demand for its Russian search, social and content localisation services, and the agency has run activity for the likes of Hilton Hotels, The NET-A-PORTER GROUP and ASOS, helping these brands to reach Russian consumers. This accreditation from VK serves as an endorsement of the agency’s track record in running both brand-focused and performance campaigns in Russia and the surrounding markets.

In order to award certified partner status, VK evaluates the consistency and quality of the campaigns being run, and the social platform uses a direct comparison to industry averages as a key part of the accreditation process. Becoming a certified partner of VK signifies that the platform will actively recommend Forward3D to advertisers, and certified partners are reviewed once per quarter for quality control.

Discussing the partnership, Forward3D’s EVP International, Hannes Ben said “This partnership with VK is a credit to the great work that the team has done in helping our clients gain a significant foothold in Russia and the surrounding markets. Social media is increasingly important for brands wanting to reach a Russian audience, not only for its direct selling potential, but also for the measurable knock on effect that it has on other channels such as paid search.”

“VK is ranked in the US’s Top 100 Websites for 2014 (SimilarWeb) with more than 280 million registered accounts, and over 70 million unique visitors every day. VK has achieved a truly dominant position not only domestically, but also across other Russian-speaking markets. The platform is also experiencing a sustained period of growth across Europe, which points to the platform’s continued potential for expansion.”

Alexander Cruglov, VK Client Service Director discussed the partnership, saying “We are pleased to confirm the high quality of advertising services provided by Forward3D on our platform. The agency’s professional team allows UK-based brands to obtain huge client and fan growth in the Russian market.”

As a certified partner, Forward3D will receive higher levels of account management from VK, instant updates on new advertising products, features, changes and invitations to participate in closed tests when applicable. This will ensure that the agency’s clients stay ahead of the curve in new ad functionality and have the ability to react quickly with direct response advertising.