Telegram Ads: How Advertising Works on the Platform

Telegram, the globally popular messaging app with 900 million active users (at the time of 2025), has long stood out for the privacy-first approach and ad-free buyer experience โ€” no less than in private chats and groups. But because platform is growing, Telegram provides a form of advertising to assist sustain its operations while still respecting user privacy. Letโ€™s explore how telegram ads minimum budget work, where they appear, and exactly how they differ from traditional advertising models. ๐Ÿ”น Do Ads Exist on Telegram? Yes โ€” but only in the limited, non-intrusive form. In late 2021, Telegram officially introduced Sponsored Messages, a privacy-friendly advertising solution shown in large public channels. These are not typical ads and are completely different from ad systems employed by platforms like Facebook or Google. ๐Ÿ”น What Are Sponsored Messages? Sponsored Messages are short promotional messages that appear at the end of public channels with more than 1,000 subscribers. They are: Text-only (no images or videos) Limited in length Displayed to all users inside the channel Contextual, based on the channelโ€™s theme Not according to user data โ€” Telegram does not track or profile users for ad targeting Example: Sponsored: Discover the best crypto tools on Telegram! ๐Ÿ”น Telegramโ€™s Advertising Principles Telegram ads are created around these core values: No personal data is used for targeting Ads are simply shown in public places channels No disruption in private chats, groups, or media Users can disable ads with Telegram Premium Telegram will not sell user data to third parties ๐Ÿ”น Telegram Ads vs Traditional Ads Feature Telegram Ads Facebook/Google Ads User Tracking โŒ No tracking โœ… Uses personal and behavioral data Ad Placement โœ… Only in public channels โœ… Across feeds, stories, search, etc. Targeting Method โœ… Channel-based โœ… User profile-based Media Format โŒ Text-only โœ… Images, video, carousel, etc. Opt-Out Option โœ… Via Premium โŒ No universal opt-out ๐Ÿ”น Who Can Advertise on Telegram? As of 2025, businesses and advertisers are able to use the Telegram Ad Platform to make and publish sponsored messages. Features include: Channel-based targeting Real-time performance stats Support for multiple languages and regions Minimum spend requirements (can vary greatly by country) You will start advertising via promote.telegram.org โ€” the state ad management portal. ๐Ÿ”น Telegram Premium and Ads Telegram Premium users enjoy an ad-free experience over the platform. This means no sponsored messages will appear in public channels for paying subscribers โ€” among the many benefits of the premium plan. ๐Ÿ”น Is Advertising on Telegram Effective? For advertisers targeting niche communities, crypto audiences, tech followers, or content consumers, Telegram ads can be extremely effective. Since ads are shown within relevant public channels, they have a tendency to reach highly engaged audiences who're already considering similar content. Telegram ads give a unique, non-invasive advertising model that balances monetization with privacy. By limiting ads to large public channels and avoiding user profiling, Telegram has built a system that serves both advertisers and privacy-conscious users.