In 2023, Russian advertisers allocated 900 million rubles to promote goods and services on the social network Instagram. This platform is owned by Meta, a company that is banned in Russia and labeled extremist by the government. Roskomnadzor, the country’s media regulator, shared this figure with the business publication Vedomosti. The reported budget is recorded in the Unified Register of Internet Advertising, the registry run by Roskomnadzor.
Data from the Association of Bloggers and Agencies (ABA) shows that the earnings of major Instagram influencers in 2023 rose by 35% compared with 2022. ABA serves as a self-regulatory body that unites advertising and influencer agencies such as Wildjam, Didenok Team, Insight People, Perfluence, Blacklight, and others. ABA also notes that the overall influencer marketing market in 2023 grew much faster than Instagram advertising alone, reaching approximately 30 billion rubles, which represents a near 90% increase over the prior year.
Industry groups tracking interactive advertising have not yet released a forecast for the influencer and social media marketing market in 2023. The lack of a formal projection highlights the ongoing shifts in the regulatory and consumer landscape for online promotions within Russia.
Earlier in March, industry observers reported a shift in freelance earnings, noting that male bloggers tended to work independently and earn more than before while women also increased their incomes through freelance activity. Researchers pointed to common freelance roles for men such as programmers, consultants, bloggers, and recruiters, with teaching, administration, and courier work appearing less frequently. For women, the most prevalent freelance professions were bloggers, sales roles, teaching, management positions, recruitment, and consulting. These patterns illustrate the diverse paths that independent creators and professionals pursue in the digital economy.
In another note from the entertainment space, Timati’s daughter reportedly joined a trending moment by performing the song My Marmalade, highlighting the ongoing interplay between online culture and music influence within contemporary social media landscapes.
As the social media advertising ecosystem evolves, brands and creators in North America and Canada often monitor international trends for potential competitive insights and cross-border opportunities. Observers suggest that high-performing campaigns on platforms like Instagram depend on clear audience targeting, authentic content, and consistent measurement of outcomes, even as regulatory environments continue to shape what is permissible in different markets.