Hi, I’m Maria. I know Telegram inside and out. I run several Telegram channels, including Аналитика и growth mindset, Analytics and growth mindset, Grow Telegram channel, Bot, Mini app, others. I earn money through sponsored ads ($300-$500 per post) and by selling my own products on Telegram, such as Telegram Hero, Telegram AdHero, others.

A year ago, nobody cared. Now? Telegram is the hottest platform.

Lately, tons of new Telegram channels, bots, and mini-apps in English have been popping up. Just a year ago, this trend was barely starting — most English-speaking users couldn’t even tell the difference between a Telegram channel and a group.

And now? They’re all in, growing their channels, bots, and mini-apps like crazy. Telegram is turning into a massive platform.

Telegram channels vs. Bots vs. Mini apps: What’s the difference?

A Telegram Channel is a one-to-many communication tool, allowing admins to broadcast messages to a large audience. Unlike groups, subscribers can’t post messages — only the channel admin(s) can.

I personally grew several Telegram channels, as I mentioned above.

 

A Telegram bot is an automated program that interacts with users within a chat interface. It operates based on commands, text inputs, or predefined workflows.

 

A Telegram Mini App is a web application that runs inside Telegram, offering an advanced UI beyond what bots can provide.

You can use 2–3 elements in combination with each other

You can use all three together or just one, depending on your needs.

For example, Catizen (a game) uses:

• A channel for announcements and game promotion.
• A bot as the entry point to launch the mini app and send notifications.
• A mini app where users can play the game directly.

The key product here is a mini app. But there are some other cases. For example when the key product is Telegram bot or Telegram channel.

One of the most effective promotion methods

I have tested many methods, and Telegram Ads is one of the most effective ways to get traffic for Telegram channels, bots, and mini apps.

Here’s the Telegram Ads website, where you can set up your ads.

How to set up an effective Telegram ads campaign

To get high-quality subscribers and customers at the lowest cost, you need a Telegram ad strategy.

A Telegram ad strategy is a bridge between you without results and you with results — a structured plan to achieve your goals efficiently within budget, covering:

1. The right number of ads needed for success.

Many people launch just a few ads and face the problem that views increase very slowly because there is high competition in target channels.

Run more ads to identify what works instead of relying on just a few. For example, start with 100 ad campaigns for testing, following the principle: 1 ad = 1 target channel. Then gradually increase the number of ads.

2. Optimal CPM settings to balance cost and performance.

Test different Telegram channels with a lower CPM, starting at 0.1 TON per 1,000 views. Increase CPM only when absolutely necessary.

3. Clear rules for scaling or stopping ads.

Wait until an ad reaches 1,000 views before deciding whether to turn it off or continue running it. 1,000 views are enough to determine whether an ad is effective or not.

4. Step-by-step testing to minimize wasted budget.

As ineffective ads are turned off, continuously create new ads to test. This includes testing different channels and refining the ad copy to improve performance.

5. Smart channel & bot selection.

✔ Test not only large channels but also multiple smaller, niche channels where competition is lower but engagement is higher.

✔ Focus on channels where your ideal audience is already active. Try different types of channels and bots (for example, for crypto-related products, don’t just test crypto channels and bots — also explore other niches where people might be interested in crypto, such as tech channels and other).

✔ Follow this rule when setting up ads: one ad should target one channel. This will help you track the performance of each channel more accurately. If you include multiple channels in one ad, some might bring good results while others don’t, making it hard to understand which channels work best.

Where to find channels?

• 1. TGStat (you can sort channels by Channel’s age (months), subscribers and other)

• 2. Similar channels (inner Telegram feature)

• 3. Telega io

• 4. Just searching for channels in different topics

 

6. Ad copy.

Create multiple ad variations tailored to your audience’s pain points, then test them to determine the most effective approach.

✔ Use short, engaging copy that directly addresses your audience’s pain points.

✔ Include a strong CTA that encourages users to take action.

✔ Use different ad copy for different types of channels and audiences.

✔ To improve ad performance, test multiple variations of ad copy within the same channel — for example, create 2–3 ads with different messaging for a single channel. You don’t know what will perform best until you test different variations.

✔ Avoid exaggerated claims that may violate Telegram’s ad policies. If your ads were declined, read this post.

If you promote a crypto project, read this article: How to Promote Your Crypto Project with Telegram Ads — 6 Easy Steps.

If you need a complete guide on how to promote and monetize your Telegram channel, run Telegram ads, and create content that boosts your business — try my Telegram marketing course.