Telegram Mini Apps (TMA) — a new phenomenon in the 2024 advertising market. This platform is rapidly gaining popularity among users, attracting the attention of advertising professionals with its untapped potential. As always, brands and agencies show great interest in innovations. Let’s dive in.

Telegram Mini Apps?

Telegram Mini Apps are mini-applications that operate within the Telegram messenger and function as fully-fledged websites or applications. They allow users to access various services directly within the messenger without installing additional software. Thanks to close integration with bots, TMA gain extended functionalities.

An important advantage of TMA is their operation in Telegram’s secure environment, ensuring a high level of security.

Formats and Opportunities

• Standard banner advertising.
• Rewarded posts or videos — users receive bonuses or in-app currency for viewing ad content.
• Contextual advertising. Advertisers place ads in thematically relevant apps. For example, educational apps pair well with ads for courses or books.
• Basic targeting options based on geography, language, and operating system (Android or iOS).
• Targeting users with an active Telegram Premium subscription — a solvent audience.
• Native advertising. Ad integrations seamlessly blend into the app experience and align with user actions (purchases, views, and other activities).

Advantages

• Minimal launch costs. Telegram provides a ready-made infrastructure with advertising formats and use cases.
• Targeting. The platform’s API provides detailed user information for precise targeting.
• Integration with the Telegram ecosystem. TMA easily integrate into existing brand channels, chats, and groups.

TON

Telegram accepts payments for ads in TMA primarily in the cryptocurrency TONCoin — a part of its strategy to unify all processes within its ecosystem.

This decision creates a mixed situation: while TONCoin is convenient for agencies and platforms already working with cryptocurrencies, it becomes a significant barrier for companies without experience in digital assets.

A Spoonful of Tar

TMA has three significant limitations. First, the requirement to use TONCoin cryptocurrency for ad payments. This creates a significant barrier for many advertisers, although intermediaries partially solve this issue.

Second, the limited geographic reach: Telegram is less popular than WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger in North America and Western Europe.

Third, strict technical restrictions on the ad interface: advertisers cannot create custom formats, and ad frequency is tightly regulated.

As a result, for now, advertising in TMA remains a niche tool, not suitable for every advertiser.

Alternatives

Telegram is not a pioneer in integrating mini-programs. Similar advertising options are already available in WeChat, LINE, and are partially implemented in Facebook Messenger and Viber.

However, the TMA platform stands out for its greater openness to developers and users.

Conclusion

TMA is becoming a promising advertising platform, especially in developing countries with a large Telegram audience. Leading the way is India, followed by Russia, Indonesia, Brazil, Mexico, Nigeria, Egypt, and Turkey — markets with active growth and high potential.

Despite the platform’s apparent niche status, its advertising options can be valuable to a wide range of advertisers.

TMA offers brands an effective way to organically integrate ads and engage audiences in their channels and groups.