Choosing the Right Format for Native Advertising on Telegram with Direct VC

As foreign social networks struggled with user loss due to blocking measures, Russian-made messaging app Telegram continued to gain more users. Forbes recently published data from various analytical sources for 2022, revealing that Telegram’s audience grew by 66% over the past six months, from 25 million users in January to 41.5 million daily users in July. The platform experienced its main growth in February, when users increased from 27.5 to 40.6 million.

Furthermore, opinion leaders from other social networks started migrating to Telegram, with 42% of Instagram bloggers and 89% of TikTok bloggers switching to the platform in March 2022. By the end of April, Telegram had become the leading social network in Russia in terms of author growth, with a 23% increase compared to February 2022. The average daily reach of users also rose by 13%, while the time spent on the platform increased from 20 to 35 minutes per day.

With these developments, it’s clear that Telegram is one of the top social networks in Russia for subscriber and content growth, including advertising. This has led many advertisers to actively promote their businesses and find new customers on the platform.

There are various ways to run advertising campaigns on Telegram, such as using Telegram Ads, creating a Telegram channel, or collaborating with popular bloggers. Targeted advertising within the Telegram Ads service has its benefits but requires a significant budget. Meanwhile, the success of promotion through creating a Telegram channel or collaborating with bloggers relies on independent search for integration channels and the production of high-quality content.

To address common inquiries from companies, QB Agency experts provide insights on how to create effective ad posts on Telegram, what to write about, and whether to use native advertising or a more conventional advertising approach.

Choosing to integrate advertising is a favorable option.

The format for advertising promotion on Telegram depends on the chosen strategy, whether it be integration, seeding, or posting through the Telegram Ads platform. With the abundance of messenger channels available, it can be overwhelming to choose. While it may seem tempting to opt for Telegram Ads, advertising integration can be a more suitable choice in specific cases. For instance, if a brand lacks its own Telegram channel or bot but requires swift website promotion, advertising integration would be ideal. Connecting to the ad platform may take time, and creating a Telegram channel may not be efficient as successful cases have shown.

In situations that require prompt action, integration with existing Telegram channels is the way to go while simultaneously working on creating your own channel. It’s worth noting that having a channel without published content and a bot would still not allow you to launch an advertising campaign via the platform. Additionally, there are specific restrictions on channel topics and content on Telegram Ads, and various products are banned, such as alcohol, tobacco, and fast food.

Furthermore, the platform has character and content limits that restrict detailed long-reads and links to external resources. Premium subscription accounts on Telegram also became relevant in summer 2022 and are not shown ads published via Telegram Ads, making integration with bloggers and seedings in other channels more effective. Compared to other types of promotion on Telegram, an advertising campaign through Telegram Ads is much more expensive, and before investing, it’s crucial to ensure confidence in all aspects, such as budget, audience, and compliance with advertising requirements.

Alternatively, choosing advertising integration can launch an effective Telegram campaign by analyzing channels’ views, percentage of bots among subscribers, engagement rate, and cost of view. You can obtain all of this information from exchanges that offer a channel catalog or by reaching out to a particular source’s owner directly.

Assuming that you have already compiled a list of channels for integration and they all have favorable metrics, the subsequent step is to develop the advertising integration. In terms of format, it will resemble a typical messenger post, but with unique characteristics. Allow me to elaborate further.

Advertising post on Telegram

In essence, it closely resembles posts on other social media platforms, as it comprises four primary components.

The header, whose primary purpose is to capture the reader’s attention. The most effective method is to pose a question (e.g., “How can you study online for free?”) or provide an intriguing fact (e.g., “Breaking news for those who want to learn – for free!”). Additionally, you may include emojis or format the text in italics to make it more appealing. However, it is critical to ensure that all the elements of the message complement one another.

The main section includes the product’s advantages and offer details and may include up to 4096 characters, provided a graphic image is included at the end. If the image is at the beginning, the primary part’s limit is 1024 characters. When creating the primary part, there is no one-size-fits-all formula for making it more effective. It varies depending on numerous factors. Telegram is a news resource, and lengthy posts with many characters are typically well-received. However, the audience for which it is written must be considered. If the integration occurs in a channel where posts contain approximately 500-700 characters, subscribers are unlikely to read a 4000-character text. However, each circumstance must be evaluated independently.

The call to action usually follows the main section and includes a link to the promoted resource (e.g., a link to the company’s official website or webinar registration). It may resemble a brief, motivational phrase. Furthermore, multiple links can be included in the post, with one serving as a phrase and the other standing alone. A UTM tag may be added to assess advertising’s effectiveness after the entire campaign.

As previously stated, the image can be at the beginning or end of the post. Its purpose is to highlight the post in the channel feed and attract users’ attention.

How do all of these elements interact? The following logic should be used when creating any advertisement post: the user sees the image, which piques their interest. They then examine the details, beginning with the heading’s subject. Following that, they read the primary section. If they are interested in the product, they will use a link to a third-party resource. Additionally, the header and image are optional, and the post may begin with the primary text without an image. And, each of these situations can be effective, which should not be ignored.

Furthermore, all Telegram ad publications are divided into two primary categories, depending on their goals and nature.

Native post and its features

This type involves tailoring the text to match the style of the channel, with the aim of attracting attention and driving more traffic to the promoted resource. This can target both users who are already interested in the product as well as new users. The key aspect of a native publication is to minimize the mention of the brand, usually through a link or brief explanation of the offer.

Native publications have several advantages, such as a high level of user trust, various formats depending on the channel content, and greater memorability and value.

However, creating and adapting native posts to the channel’s main content can be challenging. Additionally, these publications contain less information about the product and its benefits. If a blogger frequently publishes native content for multiple brands, the audience’s trust in the author may decrease. Thus, it is essential to choose integration channels carefully and monitor the number of views for each post.

Alternatively, direct advertising can be used.

Direct advertising appeal post

When compared to the native format, direct advertising is easily distinguishable from the other channel information since it is not concealed. Typically written in the third person, these posts are designed to achieve a specific advertising objective, which is to maximize lead generation by highlighting the product’s benefits.

Direct advertising is easily noticeable among other channel information, as it is not disguised in any way. Typically written in the third person, such posts are created to achieve a specific advertising goal – to generate as many leads as possible by highlighting the benefits of the product. Its straightforward nature makes it effective in urging readers to purchase goods or services if targeted towards an interested audience.

In direct advertising, the product and its benefits are usually described in detail, and creativity is not limited to standard templates. Different formats can be explored, such as creating a short post with a link to a more detailed description of the product on a longrid.

However, when publishing direct advertising, it is essential to consider that it can be intrusive for various reasons. For instance, if a post is published using the same template across multiple channels simultaneously or if the channel is filled exclusively with advertising messages. It is also unwise to partner with the same channels repeatedly. To ensure effective promotion, it is best to avoid these situations and create separate creatives for each integration.

Recommendations for Successful Integration

Irrespective of the type of advertising you choose, there are some general recommendations that you should consider to ensure effective integration.

Firstly, consider your budget and the payback of your posts. The duration of your ad in a Telegram channel usually determines its cost of placement. To ensure maximum traffic, consider formats like 1/24 and 2/48 (1-2 days). Additionally, posting an ad in a channel with too much advertising may be ineffective, as it may get lost in the crowd.

Secondly, unique content for different platforms is necessary to avoid repetition and boredom. Users often subscribe to several channels with different topics, so your message needs to be diverse enough to catch their attention. Additionally, this strategy can help you determine the most effective advertising format for your business.

Thirdly, make your post visually appealing and easy to read. Divide long texts into paragraphs, highlight key points in bold, and add a motivational ending. The design and semantic part of the product description should be coherent and understandable to the user.

Fourthly, focus on the headline by adding useful information or provocation to it. A compelling headline will grab the audience’s attention and increase coverage.

Fifthly, when using a longrid, avoid including too many links in one post as not everyone will read to the end. You can use both direct and “sewn-in” links, but keep in mind that when clicking on a direct link, the user immediately goes to the site, while clicking on a “sewn-in” link prompts the user to confirm their intention to go to a third-party resource.

Lastly, for native advertising, use figures and statistics to support your claims. Confirmed facts, research, and personal observations are highly trusted. Additionally, you can start your post with a statement of the problem to highlight how the product can help solve it, especially in the medical or beauty segment.

To precisely reach the desired audience through direct advertising, it’s recommended to craft a post from the brand’s perspective, highlighting its knowledge and expertise in the field. The objective is to enhance the audience’s confidence in the brand. Additionally, incorporating incentives and rewards in the post can motivate users to take a specific action after reading the publication.

In conclusion

In 2023, advertising on Telegram has become an indispensable part of promoting products on the Russian market. The platform’s audience continues to grow, and campaigns conducted on it are increasingly effective. However, the advertising formats available on Telegram vary depending on the brand’s budget. While the official Telegram Ads advertising platform can be costly, many advertisers opt for integration with popular Telegram channels. These integrated advertisements can take the form of either hidden or direct advertising messages.

It’s important to note that each integration is unique and depends on various factors such as product properties, campaign objectives, and the selected Telegram channels. Both native and direct advertising have their advantages and disadvantages. Nonetheless, Telegram advertising has firmly established itself in the marketing strategies of many companies and has proven to be highly effective.

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Note: *This social network has been identified as extremist and is banned within the Russian Federation.