Tuenti is a Spain-based, invitation-only private social networking website that has been referred to as the "Spanish Facebook." Tuenti, pronounced in Spanish, sounds like Twenty in English. The name, however, actually comes from "tu enti[dad]," meaning "your entity." The site is targeted at the Spanish audience, and is currently accessible only to those who have been invited.
Tuenti features many tools common to social-networking sites. It allows users to set up a profile, upload photos, link videos and connect with friends, recently a chat application has been added. Many other utilities, such as the ability to create events, are also offered. Unlike similar social networking sites which feature banner advertisements, Tuenti has opted out of these traditional forms of "noisy" and obstructive advertising.
Now Google Zeitgeist's 2009 listed Tuenti as the third fastest-rising global search. Google's 2008 Zeitgeist report listed Tuenti as the year's fourth fastest-rising global search term, and Alexa Internet ranks the site as the sixth most visited in Spain. It is currently estimated that there are more 9.2 million users, making it the country's most popular social network. Zaryn Dentzel, one of its founders, stated that they intend to focus on Spanish users more before possibly expanding to other countries. The site targets users in specific regions to improve its click-through rates, which have reached as high as 40%.
Tuenti was founded in 2006 by a group of friends in Spain. Felix Ruiz, Zaryn Dentzel, Kenny Bentley, Joaquín Ayuso de Pául and Adeyemi de Ajao worked together to bring Tuenti to what it is nowadays]. Tuenti was acquired by the major communications group Telefonica on August 4, 2010 for a total of 70 million euros. Telefonica now controls 85% of the company.
Dentzel, CEO, and Bentley, the lead programmer, came to Spain after having worked in social networking in the United States. Bentley is credited with coding most of the original platform from a small office in the north of Madrid in the Spring of 2006, while Dentzel led the project and was involved in much of the design and strategy.
The organization now has employees from countries around the world, including Spain, the U.S., Germany, Poland, the UK, Sweden and Portugal.
