From Doubts to Dollars: how Akbar uses HilltopAds to earn $1,500 a week on Telegram

It's clear that Telegram has won over millions of users worldwide, becoming a powerful platform for earning money. This case study highlights how Telegram can be leveraged for profit, particularly in the realm of traffic arbitrage.

An Indonesian webmaster, Akbar, shared his success story, revealing how he scaled his weekly earnings from $40 to $1,500 in just 6 months by promoting discount offers on his Telegram channels. Given the current global inflation, this is an ideal time to focus on promoting discounts, and Akbar’s approach has proven to be remarkably effective.

Key points:

Name: Akbar
Top GEO: Worldwide
Ad formats: Direct Link of HilltopAds
Website category: Mainstream
Earnings: $1,500 weekly

Before getting started, it's essential to understand the size of the potential audience. Here's the registration statistics for July 2024, along with data from the past few years:

It's difficult to predict how many Telegram users there will be by the end of the year, but one thing is clear — the user base is growing rapidly.

In terms of geographic reach, Telegram is popular in many countries. Although our publisher is based in Indonesia, their audience extends far beyond the region. The chart below illustrates that in 2023, India saw the highest number of Telegram downloads at 84 million. Russia followed with 35 million downloads, and the United States recorded 30 million. In Latin America, Brazil led the way, while in Western Europe, France and the United Kingdom were top performers.

To start earning effectively, it's crucial to know where Telegram is most popular, where it's less so, and where it might even be restricted.

It's worth noting that the majority of Telegram's audience consists of adults with purchasing power, making monetizing a quality channel a realistic goal.

A bit about the publisher:

Hello everyone! My name is Akbar, and today I want to share my story about how I started earning money on Telegram. My interest in this platform had been growing for a while, but taking that first step wasn't easy. When I finally decided to give it a try, it was already the beginning of February 2024. I must admit, I had plenty of doubts — it seemed like Telegram was already crowded with experienced players, and there was no room left for a newcomer like me.

However, despite my fears, I decided to give myself a chance and started small — I created a channel dedicated to current discounts and promotions. My goal was simple: to help people save money while earning by promoting discount offers.

I soon realized that simply posting content might not be enough for successful monetization. So, I began actively using chatbots and stories within Telegram, which allowed me to engage more deeply with my audience and offer them more personalized content. Thanks to this approach, my channel started to grow, and within just six months, I was able to increase my earnings from $40 to $1,500 per week.

My journey on Telegram started with doubts and fears, but it led me to a stable income and a clear realization that any venture is worth trying.

Let's note that it's easiest for beginners to start with the discount niche since running such a channel doesn't require significant time or financial investment. The traffic here is inexpensive and easy to generate, even using free methods. We’ll use this example to explore Akbar’s next steps.

About ad formats:

To promote offers on Telegram, Akbar successfully uses Direct Link, which allows him to direct users straight to the target pages without the need to create his own website. This approach has proven to be not only effective but also convenient. To make the links short and appealing to his audience, Akbar stays in touch with his HilltopAds manager, who provides him with easy-to-remember and clickable URLs. These links significantly boost click-through rates and conversions, contributing to the successful monetization of his Telegram channel.

For more detailed information about the ad format, refer to the article:

Note: Long links are often perceived as spam, and users may close or scroll past the post without reading the offer.

Now let's move on to our publisher's experience:

Starting with simply placing links to products and directing traffic to offer landing pages, Akbar quickly realized that more was needed to keep his audience engaged. To maintain subscriber activity and attract new followers, he began regularly posting exclusive promo codes, making his channel particularly appealing to those looking to save on purchases. These promo codes not only boost engagement but also motivate people to subscribe, ensuring they don’t miss out on new deals.

However, Akbar didn’t stop at just maintaining channel activity. He incorporated a unique element into his strategy — a chatbot. This bot became an additional tool for both attracting and retaining his audience. Akbar crafts posts with trigger questions like "Want even more exclusive discounts?" or "Looking for maximum savings?". These questions pique the interest of his subscribers, prompting them to take action. Once the audience’s interest is piqued, he sends them a link to the chatbot. Through interaction with the bot, users gain access to even more promo codes and exclusive offers, and they voluntarily subscribe to a mailing list, further strengthening their connection to the channel.

To complement his strategy, Akbar actively uses stories in Telegram. In brief product reviews, he shares valuable information and personal impressions, accompanied by links to the products. This approach allows him to offer his subscribers more personalized and visually appealing content, which positively impacts conversion rates.

Akbar’s case is a prime example of how the effective use of various tools and storytelling can turn a Telegram channel into a successful business project. His story emphasizes the importance of a creative approach, communication, and adaptation to the needs of the audience, helping not only to attract new customers but also to retain existing ones.

Why do you use chatbots and storytelling to promote offers on Telegram?

Haha, that's an interesting question because storytelling isn't the most typical strategy in traffic arbitrage. I'm from Indonesia, and I grew up watching Indonesian TV shows, which are as popular as Brazilian and Indian dramas. People love unexpected plot twists and characters that resemble real-life people. Sound familiar? Yes, that’s storytelling. A well-crafted story can attract far more leads than regular posting.

A story captivates the audience, evokes emotions, and is more memorable as a result. This approach is perfect for solving tasks and promoting the products we want to advertise. Our brains are better at processing information when it's presented in the form of a story with characters, rather than as dry statistics—this is even backed by scientific research. Storytelling is widely used as a marketing tool across various fields and is a crucial skill for attracting clients.

Can storytelling be used in affiliate marketing, and will it be effective in promoting offers? The answer is definitely "yes," and not using this technique in affiliate marketing is a real marketing sin.

As for chatbots, they’re incredibly useful for creating funnels, optimizing newsletters, and retaining customers. The key point is that bots bring in real buyers. Once someone subscribes, the bot automatically starts sending them messages. In the end, you gain a new customer without having to constantly monitor the process — your virtual assistant takes care of everything.

How have you known about HilltopAds?

I first learned about HilltopAds through a recommendation from a fellow publisher in the industry. They mentioned HilltopAds as a reliable platform with high payouts and great customer support, so I decided to give it a try.

How was your experience with HilltopAds after registering?

My experience with HilltopAds was positive right from the start. The registration process was smooth, and I was quickly approved. Danil, my account manager, was incredibly supportive throughout the process. He was always responsive and helpful whenever I had questions. I also appreciated the wealth of information available on their blog, especially the detailed guides on how to register and create a Direct Link. This made it much easier to get started and optimize my campaigns.

Why are you still working with HilltopAds?

I’m still working with HilltopAds because they’ve been incredibly effective in helping me monetize traffic from my Telegram channel. The platform offers a wide range of offers that align well with my audience, making it easier to generate consistent revenue. The ability to quickly create and optimize Direct Links has been particularly valuable, allowing me to seamlessly integrate ads into my content. Additionally, the support from my manager, Danil, has been excellent, helping me fine-tune my approach and maximize earnings from my social traffic.

How much do you earn on the HilltopAds platform?

While I prefer not to disclose exact figures, I can share that I currently earn around $1,500 per week. This is a significant increase compared to other networks I’ve used in the past. If you're curious, feel free to check out the proof of payments in the screenshots provided:

What recommendations would you give to publishers who have never worked with HilltopAds?

Here are some recommendations for those who are just starting with HilltopAds and monetizing traffic on Telegram:

1. Define your channel's niche. Before you begin, it’s important to clearly understand what your channel will be about. Choose a topic that will interest your target audience and attract potential advertisers.
2. Create quality content. To attract and retain your audience, regularly post engaging and valuable content. Think about what your target audience wants to see or learn.
3. Actively promote your channel. For your channel to grow and start generating revenue, you need to continuously work on its promotion. Engage in collaborations, utilize cross-promotion, and don’t forget about targeted advertising.
4. Partner with reliable Ad Networks. This will help significantly boost your earnings. Work with ad networks to get paid for ad placements and use referral links for additional income.
5. Analyze your results. Constantly monitor your channel’s performance metrics: views, subscriber growth, and ad interactions. Use this data to optimize your strategy and enhance ad effectiveness.

I’ve navigated various ad networks and strategies to find the best fit for monetizing my social traffic, particularly on Telegram. After extensive experience, I can confidently say that HilltopAds stands out as an exceptional choice.
— Akbar

Want to earn money? Register with HilltopAds and create your own financial success story!