“The product should constantly improve” Ruwiki CEO Vladimir Medeiko talks about project development.

In 2024, more than 81,000 new articles were created in Russian on Ruwiki.

Quizzes, AI text summaries, and new navigation—Russian internet encyclopedia Ruwiki plans to technologically surpass its competitors. Whether this will make it more popular than Wikipedia in the eyes of users was discussed in an interview with Lenta.ru by Ruwiki CEO Vladimir Medeiko.

— The last time we met was in June '23 when you were just presenting the Ruwiki project. How do you evaluate what has been achieved since then?

Vladimir Medeiko: I evaluate it very positively. When we presented the project, I highlighted several things I focused on. First was developing expertise and working on the quality of materials. Second was technological development, including artificial intelligence. Third was the importance of developing the community. We have achieved implemented stages and successful progress in all three areas.

In the past year and a half, we have partnered with the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Presidential Library, the State Historical Museum, the Moscow Planetarium, the Social Complex of the Moscow Government, Moscow's Department of Transport and many others. The volume of only RAS-reviewed articles last year reached 10,000. With the Ministry of Culture, we began cooperation on the state catalog of museum objects. If the reader sees the badge “reviewed” they can trust the material’s quality. We calculated: in the calendar year 2024, over 81,000 new articles were created in Ruwiki in Russian alone! In total, there are more than 2 million 65 thousand on the platform.

Technologically, we have implemented artificial intelligence (smart search based on Yandex GPT), an audio format, summarization, gamification for authors, authorizations through VK ID, font and theme customization options, a new UI. The product really differs from the initial version when the Wikipedia fork was launched, and we do not plan to stop modernizing. In the end, in the modern world, very few things are created from scratch; it’s about where you find yourself when you realize all your plans. Last year we received the “Heroes of Runet” award for our contribution to the development of a new generation of scientific-educational resources. And we are just starting.

Regarding the community, we are also moving forward. Around 750 volunteers work on Ruwiki monthly. We collaborate with Dobro.ru; last year Ruwiki ranked third on the platform for the number of volunteer applications. We also launched a bonus program for authors.

— What is your audience now? And the traffic?

About six million people use Ruwiki monthly, and this number keeps growing: last fall we talked about five million, and now we have already surpassed six. In terms of demographics, it’s almost equal proportions of men and women, the predominant group is aged 25-34, followed by the 18-24 group, and the 35-44 group completes the top 3.

— Is this your desired target audience? Is it for them that you are making all the technological innovations?

Yes, this is the audience we are eager to work with, and it interests advertisers (monetization is launched in Ruwiki). But we do not limit ourselves to this framework. Overall, Ruwiki can be of interest to even older people who value expertise and references to verified organizations, as well as teenagers. Look at modern schoolchildren—they do their homework using GPT. There are many concepts, including in Russia, regarding the introduction of artificial intelligence into the education system. In the case of Ruwiki, it is not just generated text, created from bits of knowledge scattered across the internet. It is a competent response based on encyclopedia materials, which puts a strong emphasis on quality. Plus, we pay great attention to the safety of materials—we have a “18+” protection, we try not to allow provocative visual content, and ensure that content does not contradict Russian legislation.

— Ruwiki has smart search based on Yandex GPT and expert partners, but people still turn to good old Wikipedia. Why? And how do you plan to change this?

First of all, do not underestimate the power of habit. Human nature is such that we fear change. If we are used to a savings bank, even the most convenient online banking will seem unnecessary. But the situation can be changed by the question of quality and how it meets our needs: once we understand the advantages of the new product, we almost seamlessly transition to the new service. I believe that our audience will continue to grow rapidly thanks to the opportunities our platform offers—primarily not due to the flow of readers from Wikipedia, but because new people are discovering our project. I think that today more and more people are moving away from stereotypes and, in practice, realizing how high-quality Russian services and products can be: from the mentioned online banking to taxis, fashion, and food products. The education sector is no exception.

— What do you plan to do in 2025 to retain users and attract new ones?

The product must constantly improve. This year we have planned several development directions. I’ll start with the reader experience. Of course, we will improve the interface to meet users' interests and behaviors. There will be an updated main page, a new look of the article, article cards on the main page of the mobile version will become interactive. We will add retention mechanics—quizzes. Users will be able to test their knowledge after reading the article. We will improve navigation and introduce a convenient categorization system. We will move to a new level of personalization: it will be possible to more accurately set your feed and interests, and receive high-quality article selections. At the beginning of the year, there was a feature where you can ask Ruwiki to retell the text differently: simpler, shorter, or more academically. A super convenient option for all students and not only.

— Will there be changes for authors?

Of course. Here the key task is to simplify authors' access to the platform and guide them within it. A so-called “workshop” will be implemented with proposals for articles to be improved. A new visual editor is in development, which will be more intuitive and understandable for a wide audience. And of course, we will develop our bonus program for authors—the opportunity not only to write for Ruwiki on a volunteer basis but also to receive ranks and prizes.

— Are there any new solutions planned?

Last year we introduced a new development—the Ruwiki chatbot. It is currently in test mode in telegram and helps our channel subscribers find answers to additional questions. In the future, we plan to develop it as a product—a kind of “pocket hint.”

— Is Ruwiki in demand among the languages of the peoples of Russia?

Less so than the Russian version, but these sections do have an audience. Ruwiki exists in 20 languages of the peoples of Russia, excluding Russian. In terms of content, the top 5 sections are Chechen, Tatar, Bashkir, Chuvash, and Yakut. In terms of traffic, the leaders are Mari, Bashkir, Tatar, Yakut, and Chechen.

For us, this is an important social direction—preserving cultural heritage, ensuring access to education, maintaining linguistic diversity. We are open to cooperation with all organizations engaged in the preservation of the languages of the peoples of the Russian Federation. Please email us—we will come up with great projects together.

— How is the project going to transfer materials from the Great Russian Encyclopedia to your platform? And why was the decision made to transfer them to you?

This decision was unexpected for us. I want to believe it is because our project is considered effective and fast-growing. It’s a process. In this case, we are the receiving side, and before implementing the transfer, many questions need to be resolved—from technical to legal. On our part, I repeat, if we receive the GRE materials, we will do everything necessary to carefully preserve this unique information.

— GRE is a brand. Do you have any research on how well the audience remembers your brand after 1.5 years?

Yes, we do. Currently, according to our measurements regarding brand recognition and health, spontaneous knowledge of GRE and Ruwiki is at the same level, and in the “prompted knowledge” measurement, Wikipedia and GRE surpass Ruwiki (we are in third place). It is important not to forget that our project is 1.5 years old, while these brands have been on the market for many years. We also value quality characteristics: for example, if a year ago, the brand Ruwiki was perceived with the characteristic “censored,” in the latest measurement our top 3 qualities according to the audience are: “modern,” “convenient,” and “technological.”

Our “noticeability” is also evidenced by the presence of detractors. A toothless project does not provoke so much reaction. We take this calmly, carefully process feedback and take into account comments if they contain truly constructive things.

— Do you plan any projects in the education sector?

We have a portal for schoolchildren that is working and regularly updated, featuring RAS-reviewed materials for OGE and EGE preparation, with more than 22,000 monthly visitors. In the new year, we plan to closely cooperate with the Moscow Government's social complex in school work. We hope to become a useful and interesting product for the young audience.

— After a year and a half of operation, are you ready to announce your investors' names?

Unfortunately, no. Our agreements remain the same, and again, I can only emphasize that these are private investors who support our project and our values: neutrality, reliability, openness, and convenience. And they are satisfied that we are keeping our promises.

Source Lenta.ru

In the summer of 2024, one of the Western cloud marketing automation providers suddenly ceased services in the region, leaving clients with the challenge of finding a new technological solution for managing targeted communications. One of these retailers was our client in the pet product industry, who approached us to replace the imported solution. We love pets as well as complex projects, so we quickly agreed and arranged the project.

Project start: urgent launch

The project started in mid-August 2024. First of all, we focused on refining libraries for the mobile app, which displayed native banners, but we also needed to ensure the delivery of push notifications — the primary customer interaction channel that generates a significant part of the retailer's revenue.

Simultaneously, the main work on integration with client data was going on. This allowed us to create customer profiles, analyze their purchase history, and segment the audience for personalized offers. In addition to the showcases and profile, we implemented data-based aggregate calculations for deeper analysis of customer behavior.

Real-time events for contextual communications

One of the important elements of the project was connecting real-time event processing, which enables building Customer Journey Maps (CJM) and adapting client interactions in real time. This ensures more precise and dynamic management of the customer experience and enhances conversion rates for situational sales.

In the communications part, we also integrated email and SMS channels, which is standard for every project and requires the implementation of contact history and feedback collection. The email channel was refined according to the specific requirements of the retailer, especially regarding sending offers with multiple products (SKU positions of the product feed).

Recommendations in action and product attribution

An important element of the overall solution was the product recommendations that we implement on the website and in the mobile app. These personalized offers significantly enhance customer engagement, increasing conversions and the average check.

The work doesn't end there. Our upcoming plans include implementing product attribution, which will allow us to more accurately link offers with specific products, considering customer interests and behavior.

Final stage

The project launch is planned for October 2024, and we are confident that Accelera will not only replace the Western vendor but also open new horizons for the development of the retailer's marketing strategies. Our solution focuses on maximum personalization and real-time adaptation, which is key to successful interactions with the modern customer. On our side, we continuously work on the product to provide maximum business opportunities for our clients.

We are proud to announce that our game "CyberQuiz" has received a prestigious award at the Loyalty & CX Awards Russia 2024. This interactive game, played by over half a million participants, has helped raise awareness in the field of cybersecurity through engaging gameplay. In a comic format based on real-life situations, players acquired useful knowledge and learned to approach digital operations more responsibly.

Our Awards

This is not our first achievement in the fields of gamification, customer experience (CX), and loyalty, and we are happy to add a new award to our list:

• Gamification of the Year. Game “CyberQuiz”, 2024

• Vendor of the Year. Accelera by “Cube Solutions”, 2024

• Technology Leader of the Year. Loyalty program processing and gamification by Accelera, 2024

• Loyalty Solution of the Year – beeline & Accelera: Integrated solution for loyalty program processing and gamification, The Global Loyalty & CX Awards 2023

• Solution of the Year Accelera, 2023

• Best Game Fire Basketball, Sber Devices 2023.

• Runet Prize with the game “Bonus Shooter”, played by over 2.4 million users, 2020

Games as a Trend

Over the last six years, gamification has become an integral part of the marketing strategies of many companies. While it was once a rarity, today companies are increasingly launching their gaming services to engage and motivate users. Games help increase conversions into target actions, and loyalty programs manage bonuses and influence shopper behavior in retail.

Our projects confirm that audiences actively respond to game solutions. In some of our games, like "CyberQuiz", millions of users have participated, highlighting the importance and effectiveness of gamification in modern marketing.

Our Gaming Solutions

To make launching gaming projects for our clients as simple and effective as possible, we have developed special game modules and game API. These tools allow for quick integration of gamification into existing systems and launch a game in the shortest possible time. Moreover, we offer a set of ready-made games that can be used immediately after connection, significantly reducing campaign launch times.

For the most advanced clients, we offer games with multiplayer — an example of such a game is "Rock Paper Scissors", where players could compete against each other in real-time.

And this is just the beginning! We continue to develop our gaming solutions and help our clients reach new heights in marketing and customer experience.

Stay with us — there is much more exciting to come!