Despite being blocked and classified as extremist platforms in Russia, Russian bloggers have managed to significantly increase their revenue on Instagram*, Facebook*, and X. According to recent data, advertisers invested a staggering 4.7 billion rubles in these platforms over the course of 11 months in 2024, marking aneight-fold increase compared to the previous year.
Instagram, in particular, remains a goldmine for bloggers. The top accounts with an audience of over 800,000 users witnessed a 20% surge in earnings, with the top 5 earners raking in 130.5 million rubles. The primary driver of this growth is not the influx of new advertisers, but rather the increased ad rates and popularity of short-form videos on Reels.
Meanwhile, Russia's own social media platforms are not lagging behind. VK, for instance, is gaining traction by targeting regional audiences. Telegram, on the other hand, is promising to become an even more promising platform for advertising in 2025, thanks to its mini-apps and video formats. While it already generates significant revenue for large channel owners, experts note that the influencer marketing market continues to adapt: budgets are being fragmented, and brands are actively testing local solutions.