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 due to the privacy-first approach and ad-free consumer experience โ€” a minimum of in private chats and groups. But because the platform keeps growing, Telegram features a form of advertising to assist sustain its operations while still respecting user privacy. Letโ€™s explore how telegram ads work, where they appear, and exactly how they change 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 therefore are completely different from ad systems utilized by platforms like Facebook or Google. ๐Ÿ”น What Are Sponsored Messages? Sponsored Messages are short promotional messages that appear in the bottom 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 channel Contextual, depending on the channelโ€™s theme Not determined by user data โ€” Telegram will 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 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 doesn't 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 can use the Telegram Ad Platform to generate and publish sponsored messages. Features include: Channel-based targeting Real-time performance stats Support for multiple languages and regions Minimum spend requirements (may vary by country) You will start advertising via promote.telegram.org โ€” the official ad management portal. ๐Ÿ”น Telegram Premium and Ads Telegram Premium users enjoy an ad-free experience through the platform. This means no sponsored messages will appear in public areas channels for paying subscribers โ€” one of the numerous 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 that are already thinking about similar content. Telegram ads provide 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.