In-Depth Analysis of Russia’s Mobile and Internet Audience Trends

Publication date: 04 Oct 2018

Mobile Audience Expansion and Leading Applications in Russia

The growing mobile audience in Russia signifies a crucial shift in how users access digital content. According to Mediascope, WhatsApp emerged as the most widely used mobile app on Android in Russia, with 80% of users actively engaging on this platform for messaging. Following closely, VKontakte—Russia’s top social network—has captured a 75% usage rate among Android users, emphasizing its role as a staple in Russian digital interaction. The Chrome browser, essential for mobile web browsing, takes third place, engaging 70% of the audience.

Mobile apps from other sectors, such as finance and social connections, also show high adoption rates. Sberbank’s mobile app sees 68% usage, enabling millions to conduct daily financial transactions directly from their smartphones. Messaging apps like Viber follow closely, with 67% of users, while Instagram remains one of the most popular social networking tools, used by 66% of the mobile audience. Comparatively, pre-installed tools, such as Google’s Speech Synthesizer, see limited engagement, reaching only 1% of Android users.

Leading Platforms: VKontakte Dominates Russia’s Mobile Landscape

Among mobile resources, VKontakte (VK) stands out as the leading digital platform, illustrating the social network’s wide reach in Russia’s mobile internet landscape. VK attracts daily visits from 27% of the mobile audience, amounting to 14.4 million active users per month, reinforcing its position as the largest mobile social network in Russia. Its immense popularity reflects the importance of local platforms tailored to Russian cultural and social preferences.

Following VKontakte, WhatsApp sees a 14.2 million monthly audience, used by 26.5% of mobile users for communication and group messaging, showing that social and messaging needs are key drivers in mobile activity. Google’s search engine comes in third with 12.2 million (22.9%) users, reflecting strong demand for web searching on mobile, while Yandex, Russia’s leading local search engine, engages 11.3 million (21.2%) monthly users, reinforcing its local presence.

Trends Indicating a Mobile-First Future

The rising mobile audience shows that the internet in Russia is shifting to be more mobile-centric. The prevalence of social media and messaging apps, as well as increased reliance on mobile financial services, underscores this shift. Industry experts suggest this mobile-first transition will impact the design and development of digital products, communication strategies, and advertising models in the coming years.

With the overall Russian internet audience reaching 90 million this year—approximately 75.4% of the population over the age of 16—the need for mobile-optimized content and services is evident. Mediascope’s insights reveal that, while the internet penetration among younger demographics is near its peak, there remains steady growth in internet use among the older generation. As such, Russia’s expanding internet audience demonstrates that more people are joining the digital world, mainly through mobile devices, making it essential for service providers to align with these changing preferences.

Future Implications for Brands and Content Providers. 

With the mobile internet becoming a primary source of connectivity for Russian users, content creators, advertisers, and brands are urged to adapt their digital strategies accordingly. High engagement on mobile-friendly platforms like VKontakte and WhatsApp suggests that audiences respond best to content tailored for quick, on-the-go consumption. As mobile usage continues to rise, delivering optimized and engaging experiences will be crucial to capturing and retaining this active and growing internet audience.