August 31, 2020

Russia's Instamamas


Russia's Instamamas
Instagram is popular all over the world. Image by Ian Spalter, Joy-Vincent Niemantsverdriet, Eric Goud, Robert Padbury via Wikimedia Commons

Last year, Forbes released a list of the 15 highest-earning Instagram bloggers in Russia. This year, the list has changed, with six new figures entering the top 15 earners, including several “Instamamas.”

The top-ranking Instagram blogger this year is yet again Ksenia Sobchak. Over the past year, Sobchak got remarried, launched a show on Pervyi Kanal, and really built up her audience. She advertises a wide range of brands, from Bork appliances to Mixit cosmetics. Sobchak at one point also had a deal with Audi, but after she made critical comments about Black Lives Matter on Instagram, Audi canceled her contract. In second place on the ranking is the singer Polina Gagarina, who uses her account to share details of her daily life, photos of other artists, and to posts ads. Gagarina replaced Regina Todorenko in second place from last year’s list.

Additional changes include the addition of “Instamamas,” bloggers who post about their life with children. For example, in third place, replacing last year’s Olga Buzova, is blogger Ida Galich. Last year Galich launched a show for children and this year became the host of “Takie roditeli” (“Such Parents”), where she shares her experiences of raising a child with her husband. Newcomers to Forbes’ list who share this trend of motherhood include Valeria Chekalin and Alina Levda.

One thing that these bloggers have in common is a new type of sincerity – they attempt to be closer to their subscribers by not only showing the good side of life, but also posting non-photoshopped images and talking honestly about their lives. According to Mikhail Karpushin, Marketing Director of GetBlogger, “Instagram has ceased to be a social network where plastic people publish nonsensical posts, but strives to become a place where you can communicate with a popular person in the same way as a friend.”

Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

At the Circus
January 01, 2013

At the Circus

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.

Russian Rules
November 16, 2011

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.

The Samovar Murders
November 01, 2019

The Samovar Murders

The murder of a poet is always more than a murder. When a famous writer is brutally stabbed on the campus of Moscow’s Lumumba University, the son of a recently deposed African president confesses, and the case assumes political implications that no one wants any part of.

The Little Humpbacked Horse
November 03, 2014

The Little Humpbacked Horse

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.

A Taste of Russia
November 01, 2012

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.

The Latchkey Murders
July 01, 2015

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955