Telegram news channels with 50,000+ subscribers aren’t making money because they have great content. They’re making money because they know how to trade attention. If you’re running a Telegram news channel and your revenue is stuck at $500 a month, you’re probably only using one tool: sponsored posts. But there’s a smarter, cheaper, and faster way-cross-promotions between Telegram news channels.
Why Cross-Promotions Work Better Than Ads
Running a paid ad on Telegram costs $10-$50 per post, depending on audience size. But a well-timed cross-promotion with another channel can bring you 2,000-15,000 new subscribers for free. And those aren’t just random followers-they’re people already interested in news, politics, tech, or finance, depending on your niche.
Here’s the truth: most Telegram news channels have the same problem. They grow slowly. Their audience overlaps. And they’re all competing for the same ad dollars. Cross-promotion flips that. Instead of fighting over the same pie, you team up and bake a bigger one.
Take two channels: one focused on U.S. stock market updates, the other on crypto news. Their audiences are 70% the same. Neither wants to pay $30 for a sponsored post that converts at 1%. But if they swap one post per week-each promoting the other-they both double their growth rate without spending a cent.
How to Find the Right Channels to Partner With
Not every channel is a good fit. You don’t want to team up with a channel that has 200,000 followers but only 3% engagement. You want someone with similar reach, similar audience, and similar professionalism.
Start by searching Telegram using keywords like “crypto news,” “stock market today,” or “tech updates.” Look at the top 10 results. Then check their activity:
- Do they post daily? (Consistency matters)
- Do they have comments or reactions? (Engagement > follower count)
- Do they have a clear niche? (Avoid general news channels-they’re too broad)
- Do they accept promotions? (Look for posts like “Sponsored by…”)
Once you’ve narrowed it down to 5-10 candidates, join their channels. Spend a week reading their posts. See how they talk to their audience. If their tone matches yours, they’re a potential partner.
Then, DM the admin. Not with a pitch. Not with a contract. Just say: “Hey, I run [your channel name]. I noticed your audience seems really engaged. I’d love to swap a promo post next week-no cost, just mutual growth. Let me know if you’re open to it.”
Most will say yes. Because they’re just as stuck as you are.
How to Structure a Winning Cross-Promotion
A bad cross-promotion looks like this: “Check out @CryptoNewsDaily for more updates.” That’s it. No value. No hook. No reason to click.
A good one looks like this:
“If you’re tracking Bitcoin’s next move, you’re not alone. Our team spends 6 hours a day tracking on-chain signals-and we just dropped a new report showing where the smart money’s moving. We’re sharing it for free with @CryptoNewsDaily’s audience. Click here → [link] (Only 48 hours left).”
See the difference? It’s not a shoutout. It’s a value exchange. You’re offering something the audience wants: exclusive data, early access, or a bonus.
Here’s the formula:
- Start with a problem your audience cares about
- Offer a solution (a report, a tool, a guide, a discount)
- Link to the partner channel with a clear CTA
- Use urgency (“only 48 hours”) or exclusivity (“only for their subscribers”)
When you do this, your click-through rate jumps from 0.5% to 8-12%. That’s the difference between a forgettable post and a revenue driver.
Turn Promotions Into Revenue Streams
Here’s where most people miss the real opportunity. Cross-promotions aren’t just about growth. They’re about monetization.
Once you’ve built trust with 3-5 other channels, you can start charging for promo swaps. Not because you’re greedy-but because you’ve created real value.
Example: You run a finance news channel with 80,000 subscribers. You’ve done 12 cross-promotions with other channels. Each one brought you 5,000-12,000 new followers. Now, you’re not just giving away promo space-you’re selling it.
You create a simple offer:
- 1 promo post = $150
- 2 promo posts per week = $250/week
- Monthly package (4 posts) = $800
You send this to the 10 channels you’ve worked with before. Five say yes. That’s $1,250/month in passive income-just from swapping posts.
And here’s the kicker: you can bundle this with your own affiliate offers. Say you promote a trading tool. You get $50 per signup. One promo post brings you 30 signups. That’s $1,500 in affiliate income-on top of the $150 you charged for the promo.
Avoid These 3 Mistakes
Even good cross-promotions fail if you mess up the basics.
Mistake 1: Promoting too often
Don’t spam. One promo per week per channel is enough. More than that, and your audience starts ignoring you. And the partner channel will stop working with you.
Mistake 2: Not tracking results
You need to know what’s working. Use a unique link for each promotion. Bitly or Telegram’s built-in link analytics work fine. Track clicks, new followers, and conversions. If a channel gives you 500 new followers but only 3 clicks? Stop working with them.
Mistake 3: Assuming all channels are equal
A channel with 100,000 followers but 1% engagement is worse than one with 20,000 followers and 15% engagement. Engagement is the real currency. Always choose quality over quantity.
Scale It: Build a Telegram Promo Network
Once you’ve got 5-7 reliable partners, you can turn this into a system.
Create a simple Google Sheet. List:
- Channel name
- Follower count
- Engagement rate (likes/comments per post)
- Last promo date
- Revenue generated
- Contact info
Now you’ve got a promo network. Every Monday, you rotate promotions. Channel A promotes B, B promotes C, C promotes D, and D promotes A. Everyone gets exposure. Everyone earns.
Some people even start charging for access to their network. You can offer “Priority Promo Access” to other channel owners for $20/month. They get first pick of slots, analytics reports, and your best-performing promo templates. That’s another $500-$1,000/month in revenue-just from organizing what you already do.
Real Example: How One Channel Made $7,200 in 3 Months
A guy in Poland ran a Telegram channel about European tech startups. He had 45,000 followers. His revenue: $300/month from one sponsored post.
He found 6 other channels with similar audiences. He swapped one promo per week. Each promo included a free startup founder toolkit (PDF with templates, pitch deck examples, investor lists).
After 30 days: +18,000 followers.
After 60 days: He started charging $200 per promo. Four channels signed up.
After 90 days: He added affiliate links to his toolkit. 217 people bought a $49 course through his link.
Total revenue in 90 days: $7,200.
He didn’t run ads. He didn’t sell anything himself. He just connected the right dots.
What’s Next? Build Your Own System
Telegram news channels aren’t going away. The ad market is getting crowded. The only way to grow-and make real money-is to stop competing and start cooperating.
Start today. Find one channel that fits. Send a simple DM. Swap one post. Track the results. Then do it again.
By the end of this month, you could be earning 3x what you are now-without spending a dollar on ads.
Can I cross-promote with channels that have smaller audiences?
Yes-sometimes even better. Smaller channels (10K-50K followers) often have higher engagement and are more responsive. A 20,000-follower channel with 12% engagement can outperform a 100,000-follower channel with 2% engagement. Focus on relevance and activity, not just size.
How often should I promote other channels?
Once per week per partner is ideal. More than that feels spammy. Less than that loses momentum. If you’re working with 5 channels, rotate them so each gets promoted once every 5-7 days. This keeps things fresh and fair.
Do I need to pay for Telegram Premium to do cross-promotions?
No. Telegram Premium is not required. All cross-promotions work perfectly with free accounts. You only need to be an admin of your channel and have access to the partner’s DM. No special tools or subscriptions are needed.
What if a partner doesn’t deliver on their promo?
Set clear expectations upfront. Agree on the date, time, and content before you start. If they miss it, don’t react angrily. Just pause the partnership and move on. Track performance so you know who’s reliable. Over time, you’ll build a shortlist of trustworthy partners.
Can I use bots to automate cross-promotions?
Avoid bots. Telegram’s algorithm penalizes automated spam. Even if a bot sends your promo, it won’t look human-and your audience will ignore it. Cross-promotions work because they feel personal. Manual, thoughtful posts build trust. Automation kills that.
How do I track clicks and new followers from a promo?
Use a unique short link for each promo. Tools like Bitly, Rebrandly, or even Telegram’s own link analytics let you track clicks. For new followers, check your channel’s growth stats right after the promo goes live. If you see a spike within 2-4 hours, it worked. If not, the partner’s audience didn’t engage.
