I created my first Telegram channel in 2022 while working as a data analyst. The main goal was to share useful resources and my experiences. But after a few months, it became an additional source of income.

So far:

• I have several Telegram channels, in Russian and English.

• I earn about $5,000 a month from them.

• This income allows me to develop other projects without financial worries.

• Additionally, my Telegram channels are great platforms for promoting my own projects.

This is my story and conclusions.

!!! An Important Message Before We Go Further

Some people think having 1,000, 5,000, 10,000, or even 50,000 subscribers on Telegram is the same as having that many followers on other social networks. They’re wrong.

Here’s why:

• Telegram is a messenger, not a social network: People don’t subscribe to hundreds of channels like they follow accounts on social networks. A typical user follows only a few channels.

• Quality over quantity: The number of subscribers doesn’t matter as much as their engagement. Even 1,000 engaged subscribers can be profitable.

• Channel theme matters: Whether your channel is about entertainment, education, or something niche, the topic plays a huge role in attracting and keeping subscribers.

If I see a lot of subscribers in a Telegram channel, it's a sign that I should check the channel. In 70% of cases, it's a channel with bots.

First Telegram Channel

I created my first Telegram channel in June 2022. Within a few months, with just over 1,000 subscribers, I started earning money and selling ads because advertisers began reaching out to me.

This channel is in a pretty narrow niche: a Telegram channel for beginner data analysts. In my posts, I share useful content that helps subscribers learn for free, practice skills, find internships and jobs worldwide, and much more.

Monetization

Now, the channel has over 15,000 subscribers, and last month I earned about $3,000 from this channel alone.

To monetize this channel, I use sponsored ads. Each ad now costs $250, and I post about 10-12 ads per month, gradually increasing the price. Most of my clients are repeat customers who advertise regularly.

Clients mostly found my channel and reached out to me, but I also used newsletters and ad exchanges like Telega Exchange and others to attract clients.

Here's the average cost per 1,000 impressions (CPM) for channels in different niches on Telega Exchange (see the picture)☝. For example, the CPM in the Business and Startups category is $57.31. This is an estimated cost, and you can set your own price, even higher, especially if your channel is with unique content.

Promotion

I promoted this channel entirely for free, testing many methods and identifying the most effective ones.

Why Are 15,000 Subscribers and Even Less Enough to Make Good Money on a Telegram Channel?

1. Remember what I said earlier: 1,000 quality subscribers on a Telegram channel are not the same as 1,000 followers on a social network.

2. I publish high-quality content (my subscribers regularly thank me).

3. My audience is very targeted at companies that sell analytics products. It gives me a reason to charge a high price for ads.

4. My audience is high-quality because I grew it smartly, without using black or gray methods like buying followers.

!!! If you follow these rules, you'll get a quality and highly engaged audience.

Other Telegram Channels

This year, I created additional Telegram channels to increase my income. Now, it's becoming a network of channels that generate income for me.

Monetization

I earned about $2,000 from new channels last month.

I monetize my new channels mainly by selling my own products.

• It's an excellent way to earn money for experts in various fields (lawyers, fitness trainers, psychologists, etc.). An expert runs their channel, attracts targeted subscribers, and sells their services or consultations.

• You can also sell any of your own products—SaaS, physical products.

Promotion

Over time, creating my first channel, I gained a lot of experience in promoting. Now, my new channels grow much faster than the first one.

For example, this channel grew from 0 to over 6,600 subscribers in just 2 months.

Other Ways to Monetize

Monetize Through Donations and Subscriptions

You can also create a paid private contact with exclusive content, services, or just nice bonuses for fans.

• The most common approach is to make your main channel free, grow your subscribers, publish content that you can monetize, for example, through sponsored ads, but also create a paid channel with exclusive content. Some subscribers from the free channel become paid subscribers.

• Another approach, which is less common, is to create a paid channel without having a free channel.

For example, the paid channel “Varlamov” has about 1,918 subscribers, and the subscription costs €10 per month. Therefore, the MRR (Monthly Recurring Revenue) is €19,180. In this channel, Varlamov shares additional content like photos from traveling, thoughts about countries, etc.

Monetize Through the Telegram Creator Program

Telegram began sharing ad revenue in March 2024. Channel owners now receive 50% of all revenue that the company earns from ads displayed in their channels. You can earn from official Telegram ads starting from 1,000 followers.

Some of my channels can't get monetized because more than 50% of their subscribers are from Russia, where this monetization program isn't available. Channels in English have just been monetized, so there's not much to share yet.