Nautanki.TV to enable branded networks

Nautanki.TV has launched Youtopia.in, which will allow companies or individual users to create their own social networking site or online community

Social networking sites such as Orkut and Facebook allow marketers to create their own branded pages, communities and applications on their sites in order to interact with their target audience.

If a company or brand wants to set up its own social network or community, it needs technical knowledge, money and manpower. Identifying this need of brands to communicate with their target audience, Nautanki.tv, an online video content network, has come up with a site called Youtopia.in. Youtopia will provide the necessary infrastructure to companies and independent users to create their own social networking or community site.

Explaining how Youtopia will help companies, Sunil R Nair, chief executive officer and founder, Nautanki.tv, says, “If a company or an independent user wants to set up a social network, it needs to buy storage space, hire software programmers and develop applications. In case of Youtopia, a company is required to create an account, pay an annual subscription fee and get the necessary tools or applications like instant messenger, forum and facility to upload and share videos or photos while configuring their social network.”

Once the network is ready, a company gets the option to choose an independent URL and enable users to register and join the network. “Members who register with the network will be allowed to create their own profile page, similar to Orkut and Facebook,” adds Nair. A company can opt for a closed or open network depending on its objective, whether it wants to use it for internal networking or for interacting with consumers.

Youtopia will also allow companies to monetise their social networks. Nautanki.tv is developing an ad network to allow network owners to place banner, text and video ads on its network. The company will share the revenue earned by the owners through ads.

The company is talking to various entertainment companies interested in setting up their own social networks. It is also targeting FMCG companies which want to create networks for their brands.

Youtopia will allow people to choose from a pool of photos and videos sourced from various photo and video sharing sites. Even independent software programmers will be allowed to submit small applications or widgets, which will be used by various registered members who create their social networks.

Youtopia is currently in the alpha phase and will be opened for general public or commercial use after July 15.