Did you know that Telegram sends over 15 billion messages daily?!
The platform has over 700 million active users per month and has grown into much more than just a messaging app; you can also make money on Telegram.
Why choose Telegram for monetizing, you ask?
Because it combines speed, security, and simplicity in a way that has captured the global audience, making it an attractive platform for monetization.
This article will discuss all the popular and not-so-popular ways how to make money on Telegram.
If you are interested in knowing more about this, keep on scrolling!
What Is The Story Behind Telegram?
Telegram is a cloud-based instant messaging and voice-over IP service offering a secure and versatile communication platform. Launched in 2013, it’s known for its emphasis on privacy and encryption, featuring end-to-end encrypted calls and optional “secret” chats.
The platform supports sending text messages, photos, videos, and files of various types, but the coolest option is creating groups with up to 200,000 members.
Here are some of its key features:
- Cloud-based messaging and cross-platform available for several devices and platforms (iOS, Android, Windows, Mac & Linux)
- End-to-end encryption (guaranteeing that only the participants in the chat conversation can read the messages).
- Privacy controls to users and an ability to set up two-step verification and control who can see your profile and last seen status.
- Customizable themes.
- Ability to send large files up to 2GB.
- Telegram Bot API allows developers to create custom bots based on their preferences.
- Instant view is a Telegram feature that allows users to view articles from websites within the app itself without needing the app.
- Multimedia sharing and the ability to share various media types (images, videos, audio, files, etc).
Why Has Telegram Become So Popular?
Telegram became wildly popular because of its focus on privacy and security and the absence of all those boring ads, which have recently become an integral part of almost all popular social media platforms.
In addition, the platform’s popularity grew even more because people discovered numerous ways to make money on it.
This chart shares the percentage of internet users by country who are naming Telegram as their favorite social media platform in the 3rd quarter of 2022.
Now that you know in which country Telegram is liked, you can get familiar with the reasons why users like the platform so much and choose it over other messenger apps;
- User-friendly interface.
- Since it is a cloud-based app, users can access it on Android, iOS, Mac, Windows, and any other browser.
- It doesn’t require a phone number to sign up.
- Customizable themes.
- There is no limit to the size of media and chats.
- The platform’s speed is very fast.
- The ability to media share almost anything you want made it stand out from its competitors (videos, text messages, audio, video calls with other participants).
How To Make A Telegram Channel And Get Started
Before you learn how to make money on Telegram, you must know how to get started on the platform.
Getting started on Telegram is very straightforward; if you haven’t created your account yet, now is the time to do that.
However, before we dive into how to create a Telegram channel, it is important to know the difference between a channel and a group.
Telegram channels
- Allow only administrators to broadcast messages
- Can have an unlimited number of subscribers
- They are perfect for those who want to share their content and not feel the obligation to engage in further communication.
Telegram groups
- Can have up to 200,000 members
- All members of a group can communicate with each other
- They can be the perfect social groups and act as communities by sharing suggestions, discussions, and media between the participants in that group
Moving on, let us walk you through the step-by-step process of creating a Telegram channel;
On Android
- Go to the Google Play store and install the Telegram application on your phone.
- Once it is installed, open it and menu (hamburger) icon.
- Tap ‘New Channel’.
- Choose a name for your channel, tap the camera icon, and choose a picture as your cover display picture.
- Tap the tick button (top-right corner) and choose between Public Channel or Private Channel.
On iPhone
- Go to the App Store, find the Telegram app, and install it.
- Once installed, open it and tap the message icon in the top right corner.
- Choose ‘New Channel’.
- Same as the steps on an Android, add a channel name, description, and display picture.
On Desktop
You can also create a Telegram account from your desktop using the Telegram desktop app, which is available on Mac and Windows. Here are the steps to do it from a desktop:
- Open your preferred browser and type in ‘Telegram.’
- Click the Telegram app and the pencil icon (top-right corner).
- Select ‘New Channel’ and add a name and a description to your Telegram channel.
- Click the profile picture icon and choose a display image for your channel.
- Click ‘Next,’ select your channel type, and click ‘Done.’
How To Make Money On Telegram (Popular, Working Options)
Even though Telegram is not like other popular social media platforms where creators get paid for views, its users can still make money. That being said, you can make money on Telegram in numerous ways.
But, before we discuss the monetizing options and strategies, you must ensure that the monetization method of your choosing will align with the preferences and interests of your audience.
Now, let’s explain every monetizing option one by one;
1. Telegram Affiliate Marketing
By all means, this is the most profitable option on how to make money on Telegram. Some affiliate marketers generate a 6-figure monthly income with this job.
Another successful story on how to make money on Telegram with affiliate marketing. This time, the success story is by TASS, claiming that in 2018, it started out with $10 in Amazon commissions and ended up with $3-6k in 2019.
Telegram affiliate marketing is promoting products or services of other companies through your channel, where you can earn a commission (fee) for each sale thanks to your affiliate link. It functions in a way that companies offer each visitor redirected through your affiliate link to earn money.
These are some statistics on affiliate earnings around the world, and even though they date from 2021, the earnings are not bad at all.
Now let’s look at the steps at what you should do to become a successful marketer and how to make money on Telegram through affiliate marketing;
- Join free affiliate programs, for example, ‘Travelpayouts.’ Travel affiliate programs are one of the most lucrative ones on Telegram. Here are some of the best travel affiliate programs that you can consider.
- Start building traffic to have people to whom you can promote services and products of the brands and earn a commission fee. Beginner affiliate marketers can earn up to $1,000 per month.
- Consider building traffic that can be zero to partial costs to sources like personal blogs, social media pages, email newsletters, forums and communities, and other popular social platforms.
- Promote last-minute offers by creating a Telegram bot to help people search for a product they are interested in, like travel destination accommodation information, and you’ll get a commission fee for every visitor who books a service through your affiliate link.
Image credits: travelpayouts
2. Through paid subscription
Let’s elaborate on what this means because you are probably wondering how to make money on Telegram with this option. You can monetize your Telegram channel by charging a fee to people who want to join a private channel.
There is a certain strategy that you can use to do so, and that requires sharing a piece of knowledge on your Telegram channel, specialized and custom-created for your target audience (make sure you provide quality content, something valuable that will make users want to know more about that topic).
This strategy will require you to have two public and private channels, where users can get access to your premium content for a fee.
Here is an example of what that looks like:
Quick Note: You can use the Telegram live streaming option to attract more subs or even create accounts on other social media channels to attract and invite audiences from there.
3. Through selling and promoting your products/services
If you have established your channel’s niche and have a content-related Telegram account, you can easily promote your product, make sales, and earn good money. There you go, another option on how to make money on Telegram.
Here is an example of how someone promotes and sells educational services to users looking for valuable content in the niche.
4. By creating Telegram bots
If you know how to make creative bots and have the time, this option will work great for you. Cool way on how to make money on Telegram, right?!
Some users download the free Telegram Bot Code Library and create simple bots. Once you make those bots, you can sell them through your Telegram channel or online marketplaces like eBay or Craigslist.
A good Telegram bot has to be:
- User-friendly, with an interface that is easy to understand and follow.
- Offer comprehensive communication with chatbot (one-on-one communication)
- Able to offer the user valuable content.
- Able to communicate with the user like a person, not a bot.
- Able to deliver well-structured messages and discover the interests and issues of users.
5. Through selling ads or paid posts on your Telegram channel
Since Telegram launched a paid ad platform (Telegram Ads) in 2022, marketers have gone crazy about displaying their posts in public channels. However, to be eligible to display sponsored messages/ads, your channel must have at least 1k subscribers.
Keep in mind that if you start promoting (selling ads or paid posts) on your Telegram channel, they must be from trustworthy and credible channels that align with your channel’s niche.
This is what those ads look like:
Other not-so-popular ways to monetize your Telegram channel
Selling stickers
Creating and selling stickers is also an option to make money on Telegram. This money-making option was not popular in the past because people were used to sending plain text messages and nothing in between.
Now, the scene has changed, and people like to send more emojis or stickers when replying to a message because it is more catchy and entertaining.
Therefore, if you are creative, you can make stickers that stand out and sell them to Telegram channels (Telegram’s open platform also enables you to create stickers).
Telegram virtual assistant
How to make money on Telegram as a virtual assistant? You can do it by consulting people in the niche where your channel shows expertise and credible content.
All you need to do is share your experience with those who want to promote their channels, and you may also be asked to manage and post content to their channels to enable it.
So, you’ll be their Telegram virtual assistant, and people can pay good money for this service.
Selling Telegram Channels
This monetizing option might sound a bit odd and confusing. If you want to try it out, you can purchase a channel at a low price, grow it, and then resell it for a higher price.
Remember that you’ll need valuable content in whatever niche you plan to display to grow traffic on that Telegram channel.
You can resell such Telegram channels on platforms like Payerup. This process is not as easy as it may look like because promoting and growing a Telegram channel that you can sell for a good price might take months.
Through raising funds
You can always ask your Telegram followers to make donations for a certain goal you might have. To pull something like this, you’ll need very loyal subscribers and fans who would really support you in something like this.
Your goal can be publishing a book, donating for an education program you want to take but can’t afford, etc.
How many subscribers does a user need to have to make money on Telegram
Telegram channel owners with 2,000 subscribers are eligible to monetize their Telegram channel. This became possible with Yandex, one of Europe’s leading technology companies.
Now, it has integrated its advertising platform with Telegram; users can learn more about how to make money with their ad options.
How to increase your following on Telegram
Once you’ve created your Telegram channel, you should increase your following. There are several ways for you to grow on Telegram, and below, we’ll share all the options for you to do it.
Remember that increasing your following on Telegram involves creating valuable content, promoting your channel on other platforms, engaging with your audience, and networking with other channel owners to collaborate on cross-promotions.
1. Use automation tools (bots)
You can grow your Telegram presence and reach wider audiences using automation tools (bots). This option will save you lots of tasks and time.
2. Reach out to social media influencers
You should contact influencers in your niche to spread the word about your Telegram channel. Influencers can draw more members, leveraging content from other channels in your niche.
3. Run an ad campaign
Running an ad campaign on Telegram can help you reach more people and get more members. You’ll need to use the right hashtags in your niche so interested people can be drawn to your channel/group.
Other tips on how to increase the number of your Telegram subscribers
Create a catchy channel name
- Choose a name that reflects the channel’s theme or content (is relevant to your channel’s niche).
- Avoid duplication or too much similarity with other channel names.
- Keep it short and memorable, and remember that punchy names are often more effective than longer ones.
- Make it catchy by using alliteration, rhymes, or wordplay to make the name more appealing and catchy.
- It has to be clear, so avoid overly complex or obscure words (a clear and straightforward name is more approachable and easier to search for).
Create captivating visuals
- The images you share on your Telegram channel must be high-quality, so always use high-resolution images to ensure clarity and professionalism; blurry or pixelated visuals can detract from your message.
- Maintain a consistent aesthetic or theme that aligns with your brand, using a consistent color scheme, fonts, and logo placement.
- Ensure your visuals convey a clear and concise message; overly complicated images can confuse your audience.
- Choose images that are directly relevant to your content; appropriate visuals enhance the understanding and retention of your message.
- Incorporate elements like infographics, illustrations, or animations to make your visuals more engaging and memorable.
Be consistent and frequent with your posts.
- Have a schedule for regular posting because predictability is one of the factors that keeps an audience anticipating what’s next.
- Keep the quality of your content on a consistent level; your posts should always meet a standard that your audience expects and values.
- Stick to your channel’s theme or niche and consider topics or styles to help build a dedicated following.
- Regularly engage with your audience through replies, polls, or Q&A sessions. Consistent interaction fosters community and loyalty.
- Be open to feedback and adapt your content accordingly. Consistency also means evolving with your audience’s preferences.
Add polls
Adding polls on Telegram is a proven and engaging way to interact with your audience. When creating a poll, ensure you are:
- Clear and concise in your questions.
- Avoid ambiguity to get precise responses.
- Provide relevant options relevant to the question and consider including an ‘Other’ option for varied responses.
- Limit your choices because more options can be needed to ensure users understand. Stick to a few clear choices to facilitate easier decision-making.
- Share polls at regular times and don’t overuse them because users might get easily bored of them.
Share your channel in other Telegram groups
- Share your channel in groups that have a similar interest or theme. This ensures your content aligns with the audience’s preferences.
- Engage genuinely in these groups first; regular contributions will increase the chances of positive feedback when you share your channel.
- Always seek permission from group admins before sharing your channel; this shows respect and adherence to group norms.
- Provide a brief and enticing description of what your channel offers and highlight what sets it apart.
- Share your channel at a time when the group is most active to ensure maximum visibility.
Partner with other similar Telegram channels in your niche
- Choose partners whose content complements yours, ensuring mutual benefit and relevance to both audiences.
- Establish what each channel aims to achieve from the partnership, whether it’s increasing followers, sharing content, or hosting joint events.
- Ensure that any shared content meets the high standards your audience expects, preserving trust and credibility.
- Regularly promote each other’s content, but avoid overdoing it to prevent audience fatigue.
- Monitor the partnership’s effectiveness through engagement metrics and adjust strategies accordingly.
Use the Telegram Directory Websites
Quick reminder for those new to Telegram Directory: it is a website where Telegram users can submit their channel or group link for free. By using this option, you can attract and increase targeted audiences and potential customers.
You can submit your Telegram channel/group link in the directories by searching ‘Telegram directory’ or ‘Telegram channel list’ on Google. Popular options for you to submit your link are reputable websites such as:
- Reddit because many subreddits are dedicated to Telegram groups where you can share your link and attract new members.
- Telegram groups because there are Telegram groups dedicated to sharing links with other groups, and you can be part of these groups and share your connection with the community.
- Popular social media platforms because you can share your link on your social media profiles, such as Twitter and Facebook, to attract new members.
Here are the steps to submit your Telegram channel’s link for free:
- Locate the target website to find the category that suits your channel’s niche.
- Choose ‘Sign up’ or the Register option and fill in the blank spaces by adding your name and email and setting a password.
- Select ‘Add New Link’ or ‘Submit Your Link’.
- Add your Telegram channel details, such as name, link, and relevant tags.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this article was comprehensive to you and gave you an insight into the possible ways to make money on Telegram. Remember that making money on Telegram is a viable opportunity that requires a strategic approach, and that is something you’ll have to do first.
Remember that the key point to making money on Telegram is providing value through quality content, engaging with your subscribers, and choosing the right monetization strategy that aligns with your channel’s niche.
The possibilities to make money are almost endless because you can do it through sponsorships, affiliate marketing, selling products or services, or offering exclusive content for a subscription fee.
Now that you know how to make money on Telegram, it’s time to expand your digital footprint and revenue from those streams you’ve always prayed for.
FAQs
Can you earn money with Telegram?
Yes, you can make money with Telegram because the platform offers numerous options for monetization.
What is paid Telegram?
Paid Telegram is a premium subscription service of Telegram offering access to additional, exclusive features. The service is part of Telegram’s sustainable monetization.
