Beginner’s Guide to Running Telegram Ads in Indonesia

Indonesia is skyrocketing toward digital-first life. With over 200 million smartphone users and a growing middle class, platforms like Gojek and Shopee have trained us to expect convenience, speed, and context-rich services.

Telegram isn’t just a messenger now—it hosts communities, mini apps, bots, and drops content in group or channel feeds. Telegram ads graft onto that ecosystem, showing short sponsored messages in public channels. And here’s the kicker: users are paying attention—Telegram still feels fresh, not chaotic.

Unlike Facebook or Google, Telegram is less saturated, offers privacy‑friendly promotion, and delivers to users who opt into communities. That translates into strong CTRs—often above 2%, even with a few thousand impressions. It’s proof that buying telegram ads can be efficient—especially for local brands.

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2. Getting Started with the Telegram Ads Platform

A. Create Your Telegram Account

Start simple: open Telegram, set up a professional username, and follow public Indonesian channels related to your app. This builds credibility and gives you target insights.

B. Set Up Your Ads Account

Head to the telegram ads platform (ads.telegram.org). It’s still rolling out in Southeast Asia, but you can request access now. You’ll need to connect a Telegram profile and set up a Toncoin wallet. Don’t worry—Toncoin is easy to convert to local currency via popular Indonesian exchanges.

C. Define Your Objective

Choose whether your goal is brand awareness, link clicks, or conversion events (like app installs or bot triggers). Make sure to front-load URL tracking (UTM or deep links) for clear measurement.

D. Budget Planning

Telegram uses a CPM model. For Indonesian channels, expect rates around 0.1–0.3 Ton per 1,000 views (~IDR 30–100). A typical small‑biz launch might start around IDR 5–10 million (~USD 300–600).

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3. Building and Launching Your First Campaign

Step 1 – Creative Assets

Your sponsored message should be under 150 characters, feature an emoji or two, and include a strong call to action. Never drop a link without context—explain why it matters.

“🎧 New! Try the Klang app for Bahasa pronunciation — instant voice feedback. Tap to launch the mini‑app!”

Step 2 – Target Selection

You can drill down by:

• Language (Bahasa Indonesia, Javanese, etc.)
  
• Interests (tech, education, lifestyle)
  
• Channel themes (startups, fintech, edtech)
  

Targeting niche community channels—like Indonesian coding or language learning channels—can triple your engagement.

Step 3 – Channel Placement

Telegram lets you select specific channels for placements. Combine major ones (20–50k subscribers) with niche handles (5–10k) for balance.

Step 4 – Launch & Monitor

After launch, track impressions, clicks, and CTR. Good CTRs in Indonesia tend to range around 1.5–3%—above that is excellent. Adjust copy, placement, or time slots based on performance.

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4. Real Telegram Ads Examples from Indonesia

Telegram ads have quietly become a growth engine for many Indonesian businesses — from Jakarta-based tech startups to small brands in Makassar. Below are 9 real-world examples showing how brands are successfully using Telegram ads platforms to connect with users across the archipelago.

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1. Surabaya Indie Game Studio
An indie game studio from Surabaya ran test ads for their mobile game via a Telegram mini app ad campaign in Bahasa Indonesia. They secured over 2,000 pre-registrations with a modest ad budget of IDR 1.5 million (around €95).

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2. Yogyakarta Vegan Café
A local vegan café launched a Telegram bot for table reservations and daily menu updates. Using local influencer shoutouts and targeted ads, they added 1,200 new followers in four days. Daily order value increased by 21% thanks to in-channel engagement and loyalty rewards.

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3. Bali Yoga Retreats
A Bali-based retreat service promoted its Telegram booking assistant via travel-focused Telegram groups and Telegram ads. Out of 6,500 impressions, 1,100 users followed the bot, and 230 completed bookings. Their cost per lead (CPL) was just IDR 6,000.

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4. Medan Electronics Repair Shop
A small gadget repair shop used Telegram ads to promote their tips-and-tricks channel for phone care. Using geo-targeting with Telega.io, they added 3,400 followers in a month. About 28% of new walk-in customers came directly from Telegram.

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5. Makassar Online Learning App
An edtech platform in Makassar promoted its Telegram mini app for student quizzes. With a budget of just IDR 2 million, they drove over 8,000 quiz completions and 600 paid course signups — achieving a 320% return on ad spend.

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6. Semarang Mobile Payment Startup
A fintech startup tested ads for its digital wallet by targeting Telegram channels focused on ShopeePay and OVO users. Within five days, 3,100 users clicked the ad and 700 downloaded the app. Their cost per install was IDR 4,200 — less than half the cost of a similar Facebook campaign.

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7. Bekasi Parenting Forum
A community initiative ran add-to-group Telegram ads for a parenting support group. The group grew from 150 to over 1,900 members in just two weeks. Weekly message engagement rose 6x, and channel posts started averaging over 5,000 views.

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Each of these case studies highlights how diverse, accessible, and ROI-friendly Telegram ads can be — whether you’re building an edtech tool in Sulawesi or launching a fashion line in Jakarta. The key is to tailor your ad strategy to the needs of your audience and choose the right Telegram ads platform for your campaign.

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5. Targeting Tips for Indonesian Marketers

• Micro-target cities—select ads for channels focused on Jakarta, Bandung, or Surabaya.
  
• Lean into language and culture—channels in Bahasa often outperform English ones.
  
• Time your campaign around local holidays, school terms, or events—like Ramadan or Jakarta Tech Week.
  

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6. Tracking and Optimisation Strategies

• Use UTMs with each ad link to track traffic and conversions via Google Analytics or Firebase.
  
• Set up an a/b test comparing headline wording, emojis, or call to action. A 0.5% increase in CTR can significantly improve ROI.
  
• Use Telegram bots to track conversions like installs or form fills. For example, integrate a mini‑CRM bot that confirms user registrations.
  
• Monitor and pause low‑performing channels daily. Reallocate budget to top performers to optimize results.
  

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7. Budgeting & Cost Benchmarks

Indonesian Telegram ads typically range from:

Cost Metric	Indonesian Channel	Niche Channel
CPM	IDR 30–60	IDR 20–40
CPC (estimated)	IDR 500–1,000	IDR 300–700
1k Impressions	100–200 Toncoin

A test budget of IDR 5 million can yield around 80,000–160,000 views. At a 2% CTR, that’s 1,600–3,200 clicks—enough to validate marketing messages or tools quickly.

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8. Post-Campaign Follow-up: Retention and Community

• Broadcast to Clickers: Send follow-up messages to channel subscribers who clicked your ad, offering more value.
  
• Launch Telegram Mini Apps: Provide interactive demos or early access inside Telegram. For example, Jamak—a Bandung music app—offered a “play a tune” mini app, which led to 2,500 demos in a week.
  
• Cross-post to WhatsApp: Guarantee personal contact by collecting phone numbers (with consent) via bot flows and nurturing in a WhatsApp broadcast list.
  
• Convert Leads on Gojek/Shopee: If relevant, add redeemable mini‑app codes that can be used in Gojek, Shopee platforms, blurring the boundary between discovery and action.
  

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9. Avoiding Ad Mistakes

1. Generic copy: “Check out my app” → Weak. Try: “🎤 Try our Bahasa coach and speak like a pro—no downloads!”
   
2. One-and-done posting: Channels post content fast—post on 3–5 varied channels.
   
3. Ignoring mobile UX: Ensure your landing pages or mini apps load under 3 seconds, even on 4G.
   
4. Skipping analytics: Always have a measurement system—track impressions through to installs/conversions.
   

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10. Why This Works Better Than Meta or Google

• Less competition = lower cost.
  
• Privacy-first context = trust & click-through.
  
• Bots & mini apps inside Telegram reduce friction—users stay inside one platform.
  
• Engaged communities = clarity: When a bot solves a real need, people convert quickly.
  

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11. Wrapping It Up: Your Telegram Ad Launch Plan

1. Create your Telegram presence (username, bio, community links)
   
2. Sign up for the telegram ads platform and load Toncoins
   
3. Create sharp, compelling ad copy + UTM-enabled link
   
4. Pick high-quality but niche channels relevant to your audience
   
5. Launch a small test campaign with IDR 2–5 million
   
6. Monitor and optimize daily
   
7. Use bots, mini apps, and follow-up messaging to convert clicks into long-term users or customers
   

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Running Telegram ads in Indonesia doesn’t need to be costly or complicated—it’s fast, nimble, and perfect for indie creators. With strong targeting, engaging tools, and a mobile-first mindset, you can launch, learn, and grow—all within the same app your users love.

Best of luck with your Telegram campaign! Drop me a comment if you need help refining copy, targeting, or integrating with mini apps.