Telegram has long been seen as a platform for community-building, private conversations, and uncensored content. But in recent years, it’s taken on a new role in the world of performance marketing.
With the introduction of Telegram Mini Apps, we’re seeing a different kind of opportunity: one that merges native user experiences with real potential for affiliate and performance-based campaigns.
What makes this format interesting isn’t just the fact that it’s Telegram; it’s how ads are delivered. Instead of relying on sponsored posts in channels or static banners, Mini Apps enable a built-in, interactive advertising flow that behaves naturally to the Telegram environment, allowing even rewarded ads.
In this article, we’ll walk through what Telegram Mini Apps are, how PropellerAds has developed an advertising channel around them, and what kinds of results advertisers are already seeing from real campaigns.
What Are Telegram Mini Apps?
Telegram Mini Apps are lightweight, interactive applications that run directly within the Telegram messenger. They’re designed to load instantly, with no downloads or installs required, making them incredibly accessible, especially for users on slower connections or limited devices.
These Mini Apps cover everything from casual games and quizzes to finance and planning tools, eCommerce apps, productivity apps, and of course, tapping games. Users interact with them much like they would with an app but without ever leaving the Telegram environment. This built-in familiarity creates an ecosystem where engagement feels natural.
Why Should You Try PropellerAds’ Telegram Ads format?
If you’ve experimented with Telegram’s official ad platform, you’ll know it focuses on sponsored posts within public channels. These appear at the bottom of a channel’s feed, are text-only, and require a relatively high starting budget.
By contrast, the Telegram Mini App ads offered by PropellerAds are:
- Embedded inside Mini Apps, not channels
- Visual and interactive, not just static text
- Available with a starting budget of $100
- Backed by robust targeting options, including GEO, OS, browser, and language
- More flexible when it comes to verticals and creative content.
That flexibility makes Mini App traffic more accessible to affiliates and performance marketers, not just brand advertisers.
How Ads Work Inside Telegram Mini Apps
Now, all PropellerAds users can also purchase Telegram Mini Apps traffic and get all those engaged users for their campaigns.
The way these ads are delivered is one of the format’s biggest strengths, so let’s begin with exploring it.
Here’s how it typically works:
- A user opens a Mini App inside Telegram and begins interacting.
- After reaching a certain point, such as finishing a challenge or unlocking a feature, the app prompts an ad.
- The ad loads in a lightweight, mobile-friendly format. It can be closed or interacted with.
- Some apps offer small incentives for users who engage with the ad, like in-game bonuses or points.
From a marketer’s perspective, this gives you a captive audience in a controlled environment, with significantly less friction than in standard web traffic. Ads don’t compete with dozens of browser tabs or background distractions. They’re front and center but still opt-in.
Plus, because each interaction is tied to a measurable event, tracking performance becomes much more straightforward, which helps with optimizing CPA campaigns and managing ROI across GEOs.
Who Needs Telegram Mini App Ads?
Telegram Mini App traffic isn’t just “nice to have” – for certain marketers, it’s a perfect fit. If you’re running campaigns in verticals that thrive on interactivity, short user journeys, or gamified funnels, this format can deliver strong engagement without the high friction often seen in traditional ad placements.
It’s especially useful for:
- Affiliate marketers looking for low-cost, high-volume traffic in GEOs where Telegram usage is dominant (think Nigeria, India, Pakistan, etc.)
- iGaming and casual gaming offers that benefit from in-app-style flows and reward triggers
- Finance apps or tools with simple mechanics like token earning or investment simulations because Telegram is their home
- Affiliates and media buyers who work with mainstream Dating vertical, since Telegram is a messenger, where people chat, so finding new people there feels natural;
- Telegram channel owners aiming to drive subscriptions, offer promotions, or build communities directly inside the app
- Brands testing mini-app gamification as part of a broader acquisition strategy
That makes Telegram Ads ideal for campaigns that value engagement just as much as clicks.
Case Study Insights: What Real Campaigns Show
To get a clearer picture of how Telegram Mini App traffic performs in the wild, PropellerAds shared two standout campaigns. These weren’t isolated successes, they offer repeatable frameworks that others can learn from.
Case 1: Gamified Finance Mini App
In this case, the advertiser wanted to scale his campaigns for a Telegram Mini App where users grew virtual plants to earn tokens. The vertical combined elements of casual gaming and in-game rewards, a blend that works particularly well inside Mini Apps.
Two campaigns ran side by side: one with In-Page Push alone, and another with a mix of In-Page Push and Telegram Ads. The difference was striking:
- The blended campaign delivered 18,921 conversions, compared to 1,524 from the push-only campaign.
- CTRs were 2.77% for the blended campaign versus 2.387% for the push-only campaign.
- Most conversions came from Nigeria, showing how Telegram usage in specific GEOs can dramatically influence results.
The insight? Users already inside Mini Apps are primed to engage with similar offers, especially when ads are delivered as part of a reward or progression system.
Case 2: iGaming Offer in a Mini App
This campaign tested a more direct approach, promoting an iGaming offer inside the Telegram environment.
It used the same native ad delivery strategy: ads triggered after in-app actions, keeping them predictable and non-disruptive. With CTRs nearing 10%, the campaign demonstrated how Mini App traffic can convert for verticals that rely on fast decision-making.
The key takeaway from both examples? Context is everything. Mini App users already expect interactivity, and if the offer matches that rhythm, the results can be well above average.
Final Thoughts
The case studies above make one thing clear: when you align the Telegram Ads format with the right vertical and audience, the returns can be significant. Whether you’re running gaming offers, finance tools, or looking to scale app installs, it’s a channel worth testing.
And as Telegram continues to evolve beyond messaging, now’s the time to learn how to work with its unique traffic ecosystem before everyone else catches on.
