To launch Telegram Ads, you need an ad account (through a reseller, directly in TON, or in Stars), an ad of up to 160 characters, targeting, a CPM bid and a budget — and then the ad must pass moderation. Below is a step-by-step guide for a euro account, which most advertisers use.
Step 0. What to prepare before launch
- A Telegram account with a public @username. In privacy settings, allow others to add you to groups and channels — otherwise a reseller can’t grant you access.
- A goal and a landing page: a channel, bot or website. The channel should look active: profile picture, description and regular posts.
- A budget: a euro account usually starts at €250–500 plus the reseller’s fee and VAT. See how much Telegram Ads costs.
- Labeling details if you target Russia: legal entity, tax ID and a contract with the reseller. See our article on ad labeling.
Step 1. Get an ad account
There are three options with different capabilities:
| Account | How to get it | What you can promote | Targeting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Euro | Through a reseller, with a contract and top-up in local currency | Channels, bots, websites | Channels, topics, channel subscribers, interests, geo, language, devices |
| TON | On your own at ads.telegram.org, funded in Toncoin | Telegram channels and bots only | Channels only |
| Stars | From the settings of a channel or bot that earns Stars | Your own channel or bot only | Channels and bots |
If you promote a business or website, choose a euro account. Compare intermediaries in how to choose a reseller and read our reseller reviews.
Step 2. Create the ad
- Log in at ads.telegram.org with your Telegram account and click Create a new ad.
- Ad title — an internal name users don’t see. Include the offer, audience and date to find it later.
- Ad text — up to 160 characters. Neutral tone, no all-caps, superlatives or income promises. See our guide to creatives.
- URL — a link to a channel, bot or website. Websites must use HTTPS, with no link shorteners or automatic redirects.
- Media — optional 16:9 image (from 640×360) or MP4 video up to 20 MB.
- Initial status — start right after moderation or stay paused.
Step 3. Set up targeting
In a euro account you choose one of two approaches: show the ad in specific channels (Target channels) or to specific users (Target users — by topics, channel subscribers, countries, language, devices). You can’t combine them in one ad.
A practical rule: start with specific channels in your niche or their subscribers. Broad interest targeting brings many impressions but a less precise audience. Details are in our article on targeting.
Important: targeting can’t be changed after the ad is created. To test another audience, use Create a similar ad.
Step 4. Set the bid and budget
- CPM — your bid per 1,000 impressions. The minimum in a euro account is about €1 for most topics. The higher your bid compared with competitors, the more impressions you get.
- Budget — how much to allocate to this ad from your total balance. You can increase it at any time; to decrease it you have to stop and delete the ad, and the remainder returns to your balance.
- Daily views limit per user — how many times a day one person sees the ad. 1–2 is enough to start.
- Schedule — show the ad only at certain hours if needed.
Step 5. Moderation and launch
After saving, the ad gets the status In Review. Then it becomes Active (running), Declined (needs fixes) or On Hold. Changing the text or link sends the ad back to moderation; changing the bid or budget doesn’t. Common rejection reasons are covered in our article on moderation.
Step 6. Monitor the statistics
The ad page shows impressions, clicks, channel joins or bot starts, CPM and spend, with a chart by minute or day. Draw conclusions after 3–7 days and at least several thousand impressions. How to improve results is covered in how to lower CPC.
Common first-launch mistakes
- One ad for the whole audience — nothing to compare. Launch 3–5 variants.
- A bid that’s too low — the ad gets almost no impressions.
- An “empty” channel as the landing page: no profile picture, description or fresh posts.
- No labeling when targeting Russia.
Read also: Telegram Ads Pixel: How to Track Website Conversions · How to Promote a Telegram Bot or Mini App with Telegram Ads
FAQ
Can you launch Telegram Ads without a reseller?
Yes, through a TON account at ads.telegram.org or through the Stars account of a channel or bot. But then you can only promote Telegram channels and bots, and a TON account only offers channel targeting.
How long does moderation take?
Usually from a few hours to one or two days. Re-moderation starts when you change the text, media or link.
Can you change targeting on a running ad?
No. Targeting is fixed at creation. To change the audience, copy the ad with Create a similar ad.
What CPM bid should you start with?
Start slightly above the minimum and watch impressions during the first day. If there are almost none, raise the bid in small steps.
How do you add ad labeling in Telegram Ads?
The advertiser’s legal entity and tax ID go into the account, and the erid token goes into the additional information field and into the website link. The token is issued by an advertising data operator (ORD) or a reseller.
