8 Сommon Mistakes to Avoid While Running Telegram Ads

With more than 1 billion Telegram monthly users and over 1 trillion channel views, Telegram Ads offer a unique opportunity for targeting engaged niche audiences where they’re most active. However, with the platform’s unique setup, it’s easy to make mistakes that waste budget or hurt performance. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the most common pitfalls of running Telegram Ads — and show you exactly how to avoid them to maximize results.

1. Targeting Many Telegram Channels at Once
2. Starting With High CPM
3. Not Using Invite Links for Channel Traffic Tracking
4. Forgetting to Add UTM Parameters for Bot Traffic
5. Running Ads Without A/B Testing
6. Poor Channel Management
7. Overlooking Telegram’s Ad Policies
8. Not Showing Ads in Your Own Channel
9. Wrapping Up

1. Targeting Many Telegram Channels at Once

One of the most typical mistakes when running Telegram Ads is targeting too many channels in a single campaign. We strongly recommend creating separate campaigns for each Telegram channel. Here’s why:

• Separate campaigns help identify what performs best. When you group multiple channels into one campaign, you're left with only combined results — making it hard to identify which channels drive high-quality traffic and which waste your budget without delivering real value.
• Some channels inflate metrics. Certain channels may generate a spike in views without delivering real conversions. Running individual campaigns helps you spot these low-performing sources and avoid spending money on traffic that doesn’t convert.
• CPM rates vary widely. With individual campaigns, you can tailor your bids to each channel’s pricing. For example, if one channel’s CPM starts at 1 TON and another at 5 TON, grouping them in a single campaign with a 2 TON bid would result in your ad appearing only in the lower-cost channel.

To sum up, targeting each channel individually provides clearer performance insights and makes it easier to optimize your Telegram Ads strategy.

2. Starting With High CPM

Starting your Telegram ad campaign with a high CPM is another common mistake that can quickly drain your budget without delivering meaningful results. Instead, begin with the minimum bid — currently 0.10 TON — to test your ads performance.

When to Increase CPM

If your ad doesn’t receive any impressions within 30 minutes, your bid is likely too low for the channel’s current CPM rate. In this case, start increasing the bid gradually.

How to Increase CPM Effectively

Raise your CPM by no more than 20% at a time, waiting about 30 minutes between adjustments. After each increase, monitor the number of impressions to determine whether your bid is competitive and delivering meaningful visibility.

When to Decrease CPM

If you're getting impressions but the metrics don’t meet your expectations, consider lowering the CPM. You can reduce it by up to 20%, or adjust based on the specific performance gaps you're seeing. For example, if your current cost per follower is $3 and your target is $1.50, you should decrease your bid by around 50% to move closer to your goal.

When to Disable a Channel

Sometimes it's not the bid, but the channel itself that’s underperforming. Here’s when you should consider disabling a channel:

• Low engagement after 1,000 impressions. If your ad has received 1,000 views but 0 clicks, it's a clear sign that the audience isn’t responding. Take a closer look at the channel’s relevance and quality.
• Suspiciously high CTR. If you receive an unusual CTR — for example, 10% or more — this may indicate inflated or non-genuine engagement. These channels can burn through your budget without real conversions.
• No conversions. If you’re getting clicks but no conversions — such as purchases or sign-ups — it’s a signal to pause and reevaluate the channel. Proper analytics and attribution are key to making informed decisions here.

In short, begin with the minimum bid to test performance, and adjust gradually based on results.

3. Not Using Invite Links for Channel Traffic Tracking

An invite link is a unique URL that leads users directly to your Telegram channel. Here are three key reasons to use invite links when running Telegram Ads:

• Track the source of traffic. These links allow you to pinpoint exactly which sources are driving subscribers — and which ones aren’t.
• Evaluate subscriber quality. Invite links help you see not just how many people are subscribing, but who they are. You can identify which channels bring in users from your target region and demographic, and which ones attract less relevant traffic.
• Monitor unsubscribes. Invite links make it easier to track churn. If a large number of users from a particular channel unsubscribe quickly, it’s a clear signal that the traffic might not be relevant.

Overall, using invite links gives you a clear, data-driven view of how each campaign is performing.

4. Forgetting to Add UTM Parameters for Bot Traffic

UTM parameters for bots work much like invite links — they help you track the source of your traffic and understand user behavior from the very first interaction. One common example of a UTM parameter looks like this:

bot?start=hello

You can configure your bot to trigger different actions based on the UTM parameter — for example, showing custom welcome messages tailored to each traffic source.

UTM tags can also be passed to external links — such as a website users visit from the bot. This allows you to track the entire journey: from launching the bot to taking action on your site. You get a complete view of user behavior and can evaluate the true value of each traffic source.

5. Running Ads Without A/B Testing

Every audience — and even each channel — responds differently. That’s why you need hard data to understand what actually works.

We recommend testing at least 4 different ad creatives. Telegram allows up to 160 characters for ad text, but sometimes a simple message — even just a few words — can outperform longer copy. Try variations with different emojis (standard and custom), tone of voice, calls to action, and even links placed directly in the ad text.

Beyond creatives, here are other elements that need to be tested:

• Channels: Select 100 channels or more within your niche and run tests to identify which ones perform best.
• Topics: You can target users based on their interests — such as cryptocurrencies, finance, education, and more — and test which categories deliver the best performance for your ads.
• Devices: Telegram allows you to target users on desktop or mobile. Test both to see which drives better engagement or conversions.

At Magnetto, we use our own-developed solution to run efficient A/B tests and uncover the most effective strategies for our clients. 

6. Poor Channel Management 

Once your Telegram ads are live, certain changes in your channel can trigger re-moderation — which may pause your campaign or cause delays. Here’s what you should avoid after launching your ads:

• Changing title, description, and profile picture
• Changing username
• Closing the channel

Make sure everything on your channel is set up and finalized before launching ads to keep things running smoothly.

These channel management tips can help boost engagement and performance:

• Content publishing frequency should align with your niche and audience expectations. For example, crypto channels often post up to 10 times per day, while 3 high-quality posts daily is the optimal maximum for most other topics. The key is consistency — avoid long gaps in activity or overwhelming your followers with too many updates.
• Good formatting makes your Telegram posts easier to read and more engaging. Use short paragraphs, bold key points, and line breaks to improve clarity. Add emojis to highlight important parts, and use bullet points for structure.
• Engage directly with your audience. Enable comments under posts to encourage conversations or launch discussion groups linked to your channel. The more interaction you foster, the more loyal and active your community becomes.
• Pin important messages — such as special offers, links to bots, or onboarding instructions — to help new subscribers see them immediately.
• Telegram offers additional features to channels that receive user “boosts”. Ask your loyal followers to boost your channel — in return, you’ll unlock exclusive benefits such as multiple stories per day, custom reactions, personalized channel backgrounds and more.

Toncoin channel

Strong channel management keeps your audience engaged and helps you get the most out of your ad traffic. To sum up, avoid disruptive changes after launch, stay consistent with content, and engage your audience to build loyalty.

7. Overlooking Telegram’s Ad Policies

To avoid unnecessary delays, it’s important to understand and comply with the platform’s guidelines.

Here are some of the most frequent reasons Telegram Ads are rejected by moderators:

• Grammar errors — Ads must be free of spelling errors.
  
  
• Use of imperatives — Avoid overly aggressive commands like “Click now” or “Buy this”.
  
  
• Use of superlatives — Terms like “#1” or “the best” are discouraged and could get your ad denied.
  
  
• Prohibited topics — Ads promoting adult content, illegal services, or misleading information are not allowed.
  
  
• Channel formatting violations — For example, using all caps in your channel name or description.
  
  
• Excessive emojis — Too many emojis can make your ad look spammy and unprofessional.
  
  
• Advertising other ad platforms — Mentioning or linking to competitors like TikTok or other ad networks is not permitted.

Make sure to review Telegram’s ad policies carefully before submitting your campaign.

8. Not Showing Ads in Your Own Channel

Don’t want competitors promoting themselves in your channel? Run your own ads to claim that space before someone else does.

Additionally, promoting your own products or services within your channel drives conversions from users who are already familiar with your brand. You can also use this opportunity to test messaging, direct users to new features, or highlight limited-time offers. In short, it’s not just about blocking competitors — it’s about using every inch of your real estate strategically.

Wrapping Up

Telegram Ads offer huge potential, but only if you approach them strategically. Running successful ad campaigns requires more than just a good offer — it takes well-planned execution, attention to detail, and ongoing optimization.