Reality Digital to boost social networking capabilities on Gurgle.com

The deal will initially see an integration of the Reality Digital Opus social media platform into Gurgle's existing site to provide extended user-generated content and blogging capabilities.

Gurgle.com, owned by Mothercare, attracts a core audience of young British parents, from those trying for their first child to those with children under three years old.

Pettrina Keogh, managing director at Gurgle.com, said: "The development of blogging and UGC capabilities [on Gurgle.com] is but a stepping stone for further investment in social networking technology, to benefit both users and advertisers in the near future."

The site hopes that the addition of user-generated content and social networking features will improve interaction and communication between users.

Rob Proctor, head of EMEA at Reality Digital, said: "Today's internet users converse in both text and video-based media and expect a certain set and level of communication tools in any site.

"Given Gurgle's audience, blogging and other forms of social networking are a very natural forum for these young parents to share and collaborate in.

"These new capabilities are creating an environment for parents-to-be, in which they can share the story and build up to the greatest day of their lives with friends and loved ones."