Back in 2024, the question "how much does blogger advertising cost" was answered almost linearly: the more subscribers, the higher the price. By 2026 things are more complex — placement cost depends not only on reach, but on the platform, payment format and where the industry's ad budgets are currently flowing.
How budgets were distributed in 2025
According to industry reviews, in 2025 YouTube accounted for 33.1% of blogger advertising budgets in Russia in monetary terms, Telegram — 27%, VK — 20.2%, TikTok — 11.5%. This is still a market where video remains the most expensive and sought-after format.
2026 forecast: the balance is shifting
Here is where it gets interesting. According to the ARIR industry association forecast, in 2026 YouTube's share of influencer marketing budgets may shrink to 12%, while Telegram could take up to 44% and TikTok up to 33%. Even if the actual numbers turn out softer than the forecast, the direction is clear: advertisers are looking for stable and predictable platforms, and Telegram and TikTok are currently winning that race against YouTube.
At the same time, nobody is making drastic moves with budgets: 65–70% of advertising money stays on proven platforms — VK, Telegram, YouTube — and agencies and brands allocate only 20–30% of the budget to testing new domestic platforms such as Max, Dzen and Wibes.
Prices are not growing evenly: in Telegram almost all formats got more expensive, while on VK mid-sized video posts saw the sharpest increase.
What is getting more expensive — and what is not
In Telegram, almost all ad formats across almost all segments became more expensive in 2026 — a consequence of the limited number of available promotion channels after the Instagram ban and the spring slowdown of Telegram itself. On VK, video posts with 5,000–25,000 views grew in price the most — up 51% in a year. This is the niche of so-called mid-tier bloggers, where the main competition between advertisers is now unfolding.
What this means for media planning
The key practical takeaway: relying only on the "market average CPM" is no longer enough in 2026 — prices differ strongly across platforms, formats and reach ranges, and short-term regulatory factors (for example, the FAS temporary moratorium on fines for Telegram advertising until the end of 2026) also affect where it pays to enter right now. A media plan that accounts not only for reach but for the likely price dynamics over a quarter saves budget far more effectively than a one-off "market rate" placement.
Want to see where the market is heading before your competitors do? The ETC team builds a media strategy and media plan for your niche — with reach forecasts and KPIs fixed in the contract.