Telegram’s business model is more innovative than you think

The ecosystem of messenger apps is very interesting. There are several such apps that have their own customer base. To name a few, WhatsApp and Snapchat are some of the most popular ones out there on the market. 

But apart from these two, Telegram is another messenger app that records one of the highest numbers of downloads from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. In 2022, records indicate that some of the countries with diverse app markets are India along with the US and Russia. These countries have an estimated 31.84 millions downloads, as per reports.

With advanced developments in the technology space, users can now have better access to information and have the ability to network with people from around the globe. These messenger apps just add to the seamless experience of connecting with other people with similar interests. 

What is Telegram?

Telegram is free along with an open-source software. It offers so much to its users like a cloud-based instant messaging feature which is seamless and instantaneous. The platform is end-to-end encrypted which brings forward security for the users.

When a user is experiencing Telegram, they can create their own stickers along with creating bots. Users also have the ability to join several channels and consume insightful content. Reports indicate that Telegram does not prefer selling ads on the platform. The Telegram team believes that the privacy of the users could get compromised.

Telegram launched a freemium model in 2022, where users paying for the subscription plan would get access to premium stickers, getting to follow more channels, an increase in download speed and several others. Data indicates that reducing fee and tax, the in-app earning crossed about $1 million in 2022. This share was mostly contributed by the iOS users. 

Over the years, Telegram has gained enormous popularity from all over the world. Report indicates that Telegram has approximately 700 million users, who are active every month. So understanding the business model of Telegram is more interesting than you think.

The business model of Telegram-

Telegram is an open-source messaging app. It offers a freemium model with several features like file sharing along with VoIP, video calls equipped with end-to-end encryption and several others. Telegram was founded on August 14th, 2013, by Pavel Durov and Nikolai Durov. 

The company has its headquarters in London, the United Kingdom along with several operational processes taking place in Dubai, UAE. A study shows that Telegram is highly preferred by the markets in Uzbekistan and Iran. In 2020, Telegram recorded about 540 million downloads. Out of those, studies show that 500 million were from the Android ecosystem. Telegram has a closed-source server, as per reports, and records about 15 billion messages being sent daily. 

• In order to enhance the server efficiency of Telegram, the company has about 5 data centers. When you deep dive into the business model of Telegram, it empowers the user experience. As per the data, Telegram has been mostly funded by its co-founder, Pavel Durov. 

• In 2020, when Telegram initiated their freemium plan, the company generated massive revenue and massive growth. Telegram is said to not sell ads in private or group chats on the platform.

Interestingly, while understanding the objective of creating Telegram and not choosing to run ads on the platform, the company was initially created not to make profit. The messaging application focused on an inclusive platform that offers several features for the users. 

What does Telegram offer and how do they make money?

Telegram allows users to edit their messages after sending it. Users can also delete the message after sending from both sides. Along with this the cross platform feature of Telegram helps users to access Telegram from multiple devices.

Chatting is made more interactive with the availability of hashtags, mentioning the person along with the option of replying. Users can also mute any group they want and pin a message at the top of their screen. Also, if you enjoy Telegram, you can share files of 2GB in size or more, as per reports. 

Telegram believes in a diverse and inspiring community. That is why they move away from selling ads on the platform. The founders always look forward to protecting the data of the customers. In the world of accessible internet, communication should be fast and efficient. This is the similar objective of Telegram. 

In Telegram, you can lock any chat with your desired password. This is a very useful feature if you choose privacy. You can put a timer on your media, which will delete it at a certain time. The two-step verification of Telegram is another useful feature as it ensures safety from hackers. 

If you are using the subscription plan of Telegram, you have access to an advanced chat system with several other features like faster downloads along with premium stickers and many others. Telegram offers several features to its users. It is an interactive platform where the target audience of Telegram is towards the youth. When you see the co-founders being so passionate about the project, there is a sense of community expressed in the messaging ecosystem. As the company does not sell ads, higher priority is being given to the privacy of its users. Over the last few years, Telegram has scaled immensely. After the company launched their freemium model, Telegram recorded an increase in revenue. When any messenger app offers interesting features for the users and they keep on innovating, that platform portrays customer support. In a world of learning and uplifting we should embrace knowledge and walk towards it. 

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