Rewriting for SEO: Russian Microbloggers’ 2023 Advertising Revenue

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The total earnings of Russian microbloggers from advertising in the first nine months of 2023 reached 503 million rubles, signaling a 272 percent rise over the previous year. This figure comes from Forbes via data tracked by the analytics platform Perfluence, which surveyed more than 200,000 influencer profiles to assess revenue streams and distribution. The increase underscores how brands adapted to a shifting landscape, while creators explored new channels and monetization routes in response to platform restrictions that affect their usual reach.

Perfluence explains that part of the growth stems from advertisers reopening budgets that had been tightened during prior periods, coupled with content creators diversifying beyond Instagram, which is blocked in Russia because its owner, Meta, is listed as extremist and banned. In 2023, bloggers earned about 266 million rubles from Telegram, a channel that has strengthened its monetization potential in the region. In addition, around 174 million rubles came from VKontakte, a platform that remains a core part of the social media ecosystem for many Russian creators and brands. This shift demonstrates how influencers are balancing reach, engagement, and profitability across platforms that are legally accessible within the country’s regulatory framework.

Even with the Instagram ban, the platform continues to contribute meaningfully to influencer income, Perfluence notes. It accounts for roughly 9 percent of registered earnings and is considered the third most lucrative channel for the period. Brands reportedly pay creators directly for Instagram campaigns, bypassing Meta’s official tools due to legal restrictions, ensuring campaigns stay compliant with Russian law while still leveraging the audience that Instagram once delivered. This direct-payment arrangement reflects a pragmatic approach by advertisers who want to maintain visibility among Russian viewers without crossing regulatory lines.

In a related note, a Dagestani blogger named Khasbik emerged as a notable example in the ecosystem, drawing public interest through a post that framed him as a character from a well-known video game—an approach that illustrates the creative and sometimes playful strategies influencers employ to stand out in crowded feeds and maintain audience engagement across platforms with varying degrees of access and safety for creators in Russia.

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