Key figures and insights
Telegram has long ceased to be just a messenger. Today, it's a platform with over 800 million daily active users, where channels have transformed into full-fledged media outlets and business venues. It's no surprise that advertisers are increasingly asking the question: how to target ads on Telegram Ads and what the costs are.
The official advertising platform Telegram Ads operates on an auction model. You pay for impressions (CPM) or clicks (CPC), with the price determined in real-time based on competition in your chosen niche and region.
Key figures you need to know:
The minimum budget for direct access to the Telegram Ads account is – 2 million euros (you can launch campaigns through official partners starting from 500–1000 euros).
The average cost per 1000 impressions (CPM) ranges from 1 to 5 euros for most topics. In high-competition niches (finance, cryptocurrencies, real estate), CPM can reach 10–15 euros.
The cost per subscriber (CPA) varies significantly: from 0.3 euros in general channels to 2–3 euros in narrow professional niches.
Important: the high figure of 2 million euros only applies to direct agreements with Telegram. For actual advertising launches, most businesses use partner agencies that grant access to the dashboard with a budget starting from 500–1000 euros. This means that even with a budget of 5000 dollars, you can test Telegram Ads and get initial results. Don’t let the high threshold mislead you – the tool is accessible to a wide range of advertisers.
But money isn’t the only barrier. To effectively set up targeting in
Telegram, you need to understand the platform’s logic, the available tools, and limitations. In this guide, we’ll break everything down step by step and provide instructions that will help you launch a successful campaign.
How Telegram Ads work: platform, rules, access
Telegram Ads is the official advertising cabinet of the messenger, access to which is provided through Telegram managers or authorized partners. The main purpose of the platform is promoting channels and bots. Advertising websites, applications, or products directly is not allowed – the advertisement always leads to a Telegram channel or bot.
Key features of the platform:
Ads are displayed in public channels with an audience of 1000 subscribers or more.
Format – text message (up to 160 characters) with an invitation link (button). Emojis are allowed, but images and videos are not.
Payment – only for impressions (CPM) with the option to set a maximum bid in the auction.
Minimum bid – 1 euro for 1000 impressions (or equivalent in another currency).
Requirements for the advertised channel:
The channel must be public (have a username).
There must be at least one post in the channel (regular content is preferable).
The channel's age must be at least 30 days (exceptions may apply for new channels through partners).
How to access the advertising cabinet?
The easiest way is to contact one of the official Telegram Ads partners (for example, advertising agencies that aggregate clients' budgets).
Direct access with a minimum budget of 2 million euros is suitable only for large advertisers. For small and medium businesses, it's more logical to use partner cabinets or alternative platforms, which we will discuss later.
Types of targeting in Telegram Ads
Telegram Ads offers two main targeting sections: Target Users (targeting users) and Target Channels (targeting channels). Let's explore each in detail.
Target Users – targeting users
This section allows you to show ads to people who meet certain criteria. Data is collected based on activity in the messenger.Available parameters:
Subscriptions to channels (interests). You choose thematic channels, and ads are shown to their subscribers. For instance, if your product is related to investments, you can select channels about finance and cryptocurrency.
Geolocation. You can specify a country, region, or specific city. Targeting works based on IP address and SIM card data.
Interface language. We show ads only to those who have Telegram set to the desired language.
Platform and subscription. The display is separately configured for iOS and Android users, as well as for Telegram Premium and Wallet owners.
How to use it:
Suppose you are launching an English language course. You choose channels with an audience interested in education and self-development, restrict displays to Russia and CIS countries, target iOS (affluent audience) and Premium subscribers (loyal to paid services). This way, you get the most relevant traffic.
Target Channels – targeting specific channels
This tool allows you to select specific channels where your ad will be displayed. Ads are shown in the feed of these channels (usually in the middle or at the bottom).
Configuration options:
Manual entry of links to donor channels. You create the list of platforms where you want to advertise.
Excluding subscribers. You can show ads only to those who are not subscribed to your channel (to avoid wasting your budget on your own audience).
Automatic selection of similar channels. The system analyzes the channels you select and suggests additional ones with a similar audience.
Example: you manage a channel about healthy eating and want to attract subscribers. In Target Channels, you add channels about fitness, cooking, and a healthy lifestyle. The system will display your ad in the feed of these channels to their subscribers.
Both sections can be combined – for example, select Target Users by interests, while using Target Channels to amplify reach on specific platforms.
Step-by-step guide: launching an advertising campaign
Now let's get practical. We'll go through how to set up a campaign in Telegram Ads from start to finish. For this example, let's assume you are using partner access to the dashboard.
Step 1. Access the advertising dashboard
Once your partner provides you with access, you'll enter the Telegram Ads Manager interface. This is usually a web dashboard linked to your Telegram account.
Authorization is done through the phone number and confirmation code.
Step 2. Create a new campaign
Click the 'Create campaign' button. You will be prompted to choose an objective. Currently, only one objective is available – 'Subscribers'. This means all campaigns in Telegram Ads are aimed at attracting subscribers to a channel or bot.
Step 3. Set up targeting
Here you will work with the Target Users and Target Channels sections.
Target Users: define the geography (for example, Russia, Moscow), language (Russian), and if needed, select interests through subscriptions to specific channels. You can also exclude existing subscribers of your channel.
Target Channels: add links to the channels where you want to advertise. For starters, we recommend selecting 5-10 channels with similar themes and checking their statistics through open data (for example, via analytics services).
Set the display time limits (it can be around the clock or only during specific hours).
Step 4. Creating an Ad
In this section, you'll write the post text and set up the button.
Text: up to 160 characters including spaces. You can use emojis, but they also count as characters. Be sure to highlight a benefit or unique selling point to capture the user's interest.
Button: a link to your channel is automatically generated (of the form
t.me/yourchannel ). The button text is usually "Go to" or "Subscribe", but it
can be changed (for example, "Learn more").
Banners/images are not supported – only text.
Step 5. Budget and Bids
Set your daily budget limit (for example, 100 euros per day) and the maximum bid per 1000 impressions. We recommend starting with the average market rate – 2–3 euros, to test demand. The platform will show the projected reach based on the selected parameters.
Important:the bid does not guarantee impressions, as it operates on an auction basis. If competitors bid higher, your ad will be shown less frequently or may not be shown at all.
Step 6. Launch and Moderation
After saving, the campaign is sent for moderation. Typically, the review takes from a few hours to a day. Moderators monitor compliance with the rules: no prohibited topics (drugs, weapons, pornography), the text does not contain insults, and the link leads to a real channel.
If everything is fine, the campaign is launched, and you start receiving impressions and subscribers.
Step 7. Tracking Results
In the dashboard, you have access to statistics: impressions, clicks, subscriptions, and budget spent.
Key metrics – CTR (click-through rate) and cost per subscriber (CPA). Analyze this data and adjust your settings as needed: change bids, add/remove channels, test different ad texts.
Pros and Cons of Telegram Ads
Telegram Ads is a powerful yet specialized tool. Before investing your budget, weigh all the pros and cons.
Pros:
Massive reach.The Telegram audience is growing, and ads are displayed in channels with millions of subscribers.
High-quality traffic.There are fewer bots on Telegram than on other social networks, users are engaged and trust the content.
Premium context.Ads in the official feed are perceived as part of the channel, which increases trust.
Flexible targeting.The ability to target interests through subscriptions is a unique feature.
Cons:
High entry barrier.The minimum budget for direct access is 2 million euros. Partner cabinets partially solve the problem, but still require significant investments.
Limited formats.Text only, no images, videos, or carousels are allowed.
Only channels/bots.External websites or apps cannot be advertised directly.
Tracking complexity.There’s no deep analytics on user actions after subscription. You'll need to use UTM tags and link with analytics systems.
Competition. In popular niches, auction prices can be very high, making it difficult for newcomers to break through.
AdsGram as an alternative
If official Telegram Ads seem too expensive or inappropriate in format, consider advertising networks within Telegram. One of them is AdsGram.
AdsGram is an advertising platform (ad network) that allows you to run performance campaigns in Telegram channels, bots, and Mini Apps. Unlike exchanges where you negotiate with administrators manually, AdsGram provides access to automated traffic purchasing.
What advertisers get:
A unified dashboard for launching campaigns across hundreds of channels.
Payment for impressions (CPM) or clicks (CPC) – a predictable budget.
Automatic posting of ads (native formats, without reward mechanics).
Targeting by language, geo, theme, platform (iOS/Android), availability of Premium and Wallet.
Algorithmic fraud filtering and transparent statistics.
The key difference from Telegram Ads:
The entry threshold is significantly lower – you can start with budgets from just a few dozen euros.
More formats: native posts in channels, integrations in bots, advertising in Mini Apps.
The ability to work with any themes (not just channels).
Clear analytics without manual approvals.
AdsGram is perfect for those who want to quickly test hypotheses, scale successful campaigns, and achieve controlled traffic without high risks.
Conclusion
Targeted advertising on Telegram is an effective way to attract subscribers and customers if the right tool is chosen. The official Telegram Ads gives access to a vast audience, but requires a serious budget and strict adherence to rules. For most medium and small projects, ad networks like AdsGram become a more flexible solution, allowing campaigns to be launched faster, cheaper, and with a greater variety of formats.
Regardless of your choice, remember: the success of advertising depends on the quality of your channel, engaging content, and precise targeting settings. Test different approaches, analyze outcomes, and scale what works.
