Telegram Ads: How Advertising Works on the Platform

· 2 min read
Telegram Ads: How Advertising Works on the Platform

Telegram, the globally popular messaging app with over 900 million active users (at the time of 2025), has long stood out because of its privacy-first approach and ad-free user experience — at the very least in private chats and groups. But because platform continues to grow, Telegram features a form of advertising to aid sustain its operations while still respecting user privacy.

Let’s explore how telegram ads cpm work, where they are, and how they alter from traditional advertising models.



🔹 Do Ads Exist on Telegram?
Yes — but only in a very 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 so are completely different from ad systems utilized by platforms like Facebook or Google.

🔹 What Are Sponsored Messages?
Sponsored Messages are short promotional messages that appear in the bottom of public channels with over 1,000 subscribers. They are:

Text-only (no images or videos)

Limited in length

Displayed to all users inside channel

Contextual, using the channel’s theme

Not according to user data — Telegram does not track or profile users for ad targeting

Example:

Sponsored: Discover the best crypto tools on Telegram!

🔹 Telegram’s Advertising Principles
Telegram ads are designed around these core values:

No personal information is used for targeting

Ads are just shown in public areas 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

🔹 Telegram Ads vs Traditional Ads
Feature Telegram Ads Facebook/Google Ads
User Tracking ❌ No tracking ✅ Uses personal and behavioral data
Ad Placement ✅ Only in public areas channels ✅ Across feeds, stories, search, etc.
Targeting Method ✅ Channel-based ✅ User profile-based
Media Format ❌ Text-only ✅ Images, video, carousel, etc.
Opt-Out Option ✅ Via Premium ❌ No universal opt-out

🔹 Who Can Advertise on Telegram?
As of 2025, businesses and advertisers may use the Telegram Ad Platform to create 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 — the state ad management portal.

🔹 Telegram Premium and Ads
Telegram Premium users enjoy an ad-free experience throughout the platform. This means no sponsored messages will appear in public places channels for paying subscribers — one of the many benefits of the premium plan.

🔹 Is Advertising on Telegram Effective?
For advertisers targeting niche communities, crypto audiences, tech followers, or content consumers, Telegram ads can be be extremely effective. Since ads are shown within relevant public channels, they tend to reach highly engaged audiences who're already enthusiastic about 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 established a system that serves both advertisers and privacy-conscious users.