Polish social networking website Nasza-Klasa (NK) is looking to revamp its image, in an effort to catch up with its overseas rival Facebook.

Following a boom in 2008 and 2009, Poland’s top social networking website, bringing together present and former schoolmates, has seen a steady outflow of members as the charm of rekindling contact with old schoolmates has worn off.

“The most dynamic and progressive group of Polish internet users has long left NK to tap into the more functional Facebook,” says Michał Wolniak, creative director of  marketing agency Heureka.

Back in November 2010, Nasza-Klasa encompassed a network of 11.9 million users, dropping by 300,000 in just a month.

Yet internet research center Megapanel PBI/Gemius argues that membership had risen by 650,000 as compared to the previous year. The figures pale, however, compared to global player Facebook, which saw 9.1 million new members signing up just last November.

Boasting a 17.5-percent surge in profit last year, Nasza-Klasa is not giving up just yet and plans to run an overhaul of its rather outdated image, seeking new ways of retaining membership.

As the Puls Biznesu finance daily writes, the website is now rather to be more family-oriented.

According to PBI, NK reigns supreme in rural areas, but is far behind Facebook in cities with populations over 500,000. The Polish website is more frequented by the less Internet-savvy older generations and has more users with elementary and vocational education, as opposed to its main competitor, which gathers relatively more members with higher education. (ab)