In the wake of foreign platforms severing monetization ties, domestic content creators redirected their efforts toward growth on alternative networks and increased their reliance on in-network advertising. Reports surfaced on the News outlet’s website to recount these shifts in strategy.
Speaking with Ekaterina Pickersgil, who serves as Managing Director at Win2Win Communications, it becomes clear that many bloggers have settled on two principal arenas for their activity — VKontakte and Telegram. The former remains attractive because it supports a broad range of content formats, somewhat echoing the appeal of popular video platforms, which helps creators reach audiences through multiple channels.
Pickersgil highlighted that creators tailor advertising formats to fit each platform, recognizing that monetization relies on crafting platform-appropriate partnerships and promotions rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
Ivan Samoylenko, Managing Partner at B&C Agency, noted that in certain regions, bloggers saw income decline by as much as 50–80 percent. Yet this downturn did not last; as creators redirected their attention to Telegram and VKontakte, revenue streams began to stabilize. Meanwhile, advertisers reassessed where to place their budgets, increasingly favoring these networks to maintain reach and engagement with local audiences.
Industry voices such as Denis Volkov, CEO of the Epicstars platform, observed that the exit of some foreign brands opened space for Russian advertisers to step in and fill previously underserved niches. Influencers picked up the pace, collaborating with local brands more quickly and with greater frequency as demand grew and market dynamics shifted.
Amid these shifts, public statements by political figures became part of the conversation around the blogging ecosystem. A deputy in the State Duma suggested that bloggers engaging openly in anti-government activities should face harsher penalties, a stance that intensified the debate about freedom of expression and regulatory boundaries within the online space. The discussion reflected the broader tensions between digital expression and state oversight that have characterized online life in the country.
As observers look ahead, analysts consider how the ruble’s performance and the macroeconomic climate could influence online content monetization. Fluctuations in currency can alter advertising budgets, affect campaign pricing, and shift how brands allocate resources across local and international digital channels. This ongoing recalibration underscores the resilience and adaptability of creators who diversify their platforms and formats to sustain audience connection and revenue stability.
Across the board, the blogger ecosystem demonstrates a trend toward platform specialization, with creators pairing audience preferences with suitable ad formats and partnerships. The move toward Telegram and VKontakte signals a preference for networks that offer flexible engagement models, strong community features, and easier direct communication with followers. Advertisers, in turn, are recalibrating their strategies, emphasizing authentic collaborations, transparent disclosures, and flexible campaigns that account for regional tastes and regulatory realities. The net effect is a more localized, responsive digital advertising landscape that prioritizes direct relationships between brands and content creators, while still enabling scalable monetization through diversified formats and cross-platform storytelling. This evolution reflects a dynamic marketplace that rewards adaptability and rapid alignment with audience expectations, rather than relying solely on a single, dominant channel. [attribution: News]