Parents try to keep their kids away from Internet for an apparent reason- He/She might get exposed to inappropriate content. This encouraged Mr. Monish Ghatalia to form a web-space, specifically for kids. Worldoo.com is a place where kids will find everything they yearn for- Cartoons, movies, games , animals, friends, chats and more. Worldoo.com is a virtual ecosystem where a child can relish bountiful of fascinating activities. Let us explore the intriguing start-up!
About Worldoo.com!
A virtual ecosystem where the child can live, express and play! The users are called Citizens. A citizen is provided a virtual home which he/she has to take care of. A citizen can make friends, earn virtual money, participate in events, play games and indulge in many exciting activities. The kids are urged to express themselves by creating new things and discussing popular subjects. Also, they can chat with friends. Worldoo.com allows kids to play many age-appropriate online games. They can earn stars and adorn their respective homes. “We have provided for a perfect mix of games, cartoons, arts and crafts, movies and much more so that kids will not feel the need of visiting multiple websites which may prove harmful to them. In association with our content partners have created exclusive destinations such as the Game Den, Sentosa Tourism, Cartoon Network, National Geographic, Jeff Corwin sites where kids can interact with content that they prefer”, says Mr. Ghatalia.
Stuff to do!
- Community Centre @ Worldoo.com
1. Participate in events- Various events are organized where the child can express his/her creative prowess.
2. Earn stars and Badges- For all the activities they indulge in, kids are provided a star. When they earn enough stars, they are given a badge.
3. Shop from the DOO store- Kids can earn stars and shop from the DOO store. The stuff purchased can be used to decorate the DOO home. The child can create and design his/her home.
4. Become the Boss- If the child earns maximum stars at a landmark, he/she becomes the boss of the landmark.
5. The game Den- Many fascinating online games to play. An utter delight!
6. Watch videos and learn-Child can view numerous educational yet delighful videos, and learn from them. The child can browse pictures and facts of many endangered species. Also he/she can learn to make art/science projects on Worldoo.com.
7. Chat with friends- The child can make new friends on Worldoo.com and chat with them.
Market Research involved
An extensive Market research was conducted by Worldoo.com to ascertain the needs of children. Also, important feedbacks were taken from parents. “Prior to the launch in April 2013, we conducted extensive research through IMRB to find out what kids wanted on the internet and the opinions of the parents on the same. This included time spent by kids on the internet, most viewed websites by kids on the internet, what their parents thought the internet was useful for and features of an ideal website by both kids and parents. We also ran a test run to understand the feedback received and were overwhelmed by the positive response received.”, says Mr. Ghatalia.
Journey so far
Worldoo.com has received a rave response from children across the country with more than 60,000 users registered so far, and over 11 million page views. Worldoo.com is the 3rd most viewed kids site in India!
Challenges encountered
“As worldoo.com is a unique concept by itself, the initial challenge was to go to the top global content brands like Cartoon Network, National Geographic and Gaming Companies and get them to believe in idea. We were elated when they trusted our idea in the first meeting itself and shared exclusive content with us. Most brands tailor-made their content to suit the need and design of the platform. The other challenge was to make the site a visual classic. It took a series of designers and illustrators to create this well designed platform. It took close to 2.5 years till we got it right. The aim was to make worldoo.com a complete environment of entertainment and education through a world of landmarks housing a variety of content”, says Mr.Ghatalia. Parents are apprehensive about letting their kids onto the internet and hence changing perceptions among parents was essential.
How does Worldoo.com intend to make money?
“Our focus of interaction with various brands in present times has been inclined towards digital engagement over conventional digital advertising. Internet while has become the mecca of content it is also imperative that we as a kid’s portal do understand to what extent and how is the brand integration being weaved on the platform. Digital brand integration is going to be driving factor for the portal at this point in time. Just to state an example we have associated with a paint brand, and instead of the average flat based advertising that they would usually do, at Worldoo.com we give them an opportunity where kids can actually experience the kid’s range of paints. What we have done is given the kids to use the paints in their virtual homes called Doo Homes”, says Mr. Ghatalia.
About the founder
Mr. Monish Ghatalia, an experimentist by nature, is the founder of Worldoo.com. He firmly believes in the power of innovation and invention. After nearly 2 decades in the industry, Mr. Ghatalia decided to launch an online ecosystem for kids( first of its kind), which gives the marketer a great platform to reach its target customers. His constant urge to innovate and reach new markets has led to the formation of many esteemed organisations such as Expresso Communications (An advertising firm in Dubai),Treetins (A social networking platform), and RBBI, Dubai’s first UX/UI digital agency.
Partnerships and Affliations
Worldoo.com has associated itself with many partners such as Cartoon Network, National Geographic, Jeff Corwin, Designyard, Sentosa Tourism, Zapak, Miniclip, Pidilite, Asian Paints, Sony Pictures and many other kid brands. Offering the brand a platform to promote exclusive content is the singularity of Worldoo.com. Also, Worldoo.com has partnered with Smurfs 2, Despicable Me 2, Krrish 3 and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2. Many other new affiliations would be announced soon.
Future Plans
“Worldoo.com aims to increase its reach and awareness across the globe and aims to become the largest kids platform by 2015. We are also working towards global launches in South East Asia, Middle East, UK, US in the years to come. In some years, we would like to take the concept of worldoo.com at a more tangible level for kids to engage with through IPs such as games, comics, books and more. We are in the process of introducing worldoo.com merchandize in retail outlets”, says Mr. Ghatalia.
Funding
Worldoo.com is a completely self funded project and does not seek an external funding for now.
TTP’s take on Worldoo.com
With the surging ambit of the web, Worldoo.com is a welcome initiative. By Providing children with a fascinating web space, Worldoo.com certainly will be a big hit amoong them. The fact that the activities of kids are carefully moderated, and the team has partnered with many big players shows that the start-up is going in the right direction. It remains to be seen, how Worldoo.com will establish itself globally. We wish Worldoo.com team all the very best!
