VPN advertising in Telegram: why services come here
A VPN service has two problems with advertising. The first is platform rules. Many ad platforms treat VPN as a restricted category: the ad goes through extra review, runs only in some countries, or is not accepted at all. Terms differ between platforms and change, so check each one’s own rules.
The second is the path to a purchase. If your VPN is sold through a Telegram bot, advertise where that bot lives: the person taps a button in the post, opens the bot and gets a trial without leaving the messenger.
How bot ads differ from Telegram Ads, with its short message in a strict format, and from channel posts is covered in Bot ads vs. Telegram Ads. The rest of this article is about bots only.
A note on the law. Rules for VPN advertising depend on the country. HiViews does not run content that breaks the law or Telegram’s rules, and the advertiser is responsible for the offer being legal in the countries it targets.
Where to advertise a VPN: which bot topics to pick
HiViews has 16 bot topics, and the impression price is the same for all of them. Four are usually considered for a VPN. They are options for a first test, not a promise of results.
- Downloaders. The person came for a file or a video and is thinking about speed.
- Tools. People used to solving tasks through bots.
- AI tools. A stable connection and privacy matter here.
- Games. An offer about ping and speed fits better than one about privacy.
Only the statistics show which topic works: run one post across several topics and compare the bots. A campaign also sets languages, a schedule by hours and dates, and the bot list: the whole network, only chosen bots, or all except chosen ones.
The VPN category and owners’ opt-outs
During moderation the campaign is marked with the VPN ad category; this is required for any VPN offer. A bot owner can refuse any ad category, this one included: those bots will not get your post even if their topic is selected. So a VPN campaign has less reach than a neutral offer.
Welcome or regular placement for a VPN offer
A welcome impression arrives right after /start, before the bot’s own greeting. A regular impression is requested by the bot after it has delivered its result, so the ad is the last message in the chat.
| What we compare | Welcome | Regular |
|---|---|---|
| When the post arrives | Right after /start | After the bot’s result |
| Price per 1,000 impressions | $6 | $3 |
| Pay per click | Yes: $0.05 per click | Yes: $0.05 per click |
| Good for | The main run of a proven post | A cheap test of copy and topics |
Advertiser prices in US dollars, without multipliers.
A convenient order: regular impressions first, to compare two or three texts cheaply, then welcome impressions for the winner. More on the format in Welcome ads in Telegram bots. The default frequency is unique: each person sees the post once per campaign.
Pay per impression or pay per click: which to choose
With pay-per-impression you pay for every thousand delivered posts. With pay-per-click the impressions are free and you are charged $0.05 per click; this option exists for both placements. Only the first click of each impression is charged, a click within half a second of delivery is not counted, and there is at most one paid click per person per hour.
- Per impression when the post is proven and people tap it readily.
- Per click when you do not know how often people will tap and do not want to pay for those who scrolled past.
The break-even point: 1,000 welcome impressions cost $6, which is 120 clicks at $0.05. If a thousand impressions bring fewer than 120 clicks, paying per click is cheaper; if more, paying per impression is.
The stop rule. A pay-per-click campaign that gets almost no clicks is stopped: its impressions are free for the advertiser, so the post has to earn clicks. You are told about it and can relaunch with a stronger post or switch to pay-per-impression.
How to prepare a post for this format is covered in the article on pay-per-click ads in Telegram bots.
How to promote a VPN bot on Telegram: four sample posts
The service in these examples is invented: replace “Name” and the figures with your own. Each post has one benefit and one button and fits into six lines.
-
Free trial — pay per click
Text: “$name, three days of VPN for free, no card needed. It turns on with one button right in Telegram.”
Button: “Get access”
Why it works: the first line states the benefit and removes the fear of being charged, and the link sits in a button.
-
Privacy — pay per impression
Text: “On open Wi-Fi in a café or an airport your connection is not protected. Name encrypts it on your phone and laptop.”
Button: “Turn on protection”
Why it works: an everyday situation instead of general words; the name and the benefit are read in full even without a tap.
-
Speed — pay per impression
Text: “With Name VPN, video plays without pauses. Servers in 20 countries, and three trial days to check the speed yourself.”
Button: “Check the speed”
Why it works: instead of claiming to be the fastest, it invites people to see for themselves.
-
Games — pay per impression
Text: “Ping jumping in the middle of a match? Try Name: one-tap connection and servers close to the game servers.”
Button: “Try it free”
Why it works: the text is written for the Games topic and talks about what matters to that audience.
What a post should not contain
- Promises to get around blocks of specific services, or hints at illegal use. Write about privacy, speed and the trial period.
- Words like “the best”, “the fastest” or “100% anonymous”: there is nothing to back them up.
What moderation checks
Every campaign is moderated, usually within a day.
- Category. The campaign gets the VPN mark so that it does not reach bots which refused it.
- Content. No scams and nothing that breaks the law or Telegram’s rules; the full list is in the HiViews rules.
- Format. Up to six visible lines of text, no more than two buttons in a welcome post.
- Pay-per-click. Only strong posts are accepted: a catchy first line, a clear benefit, a visible button. Every link is a button or a word, with no bare URLs or @mentions. A weak post can run on pay-per-impression.
The post cannot be changed after approval: you duplicate the campaign, and the copy is moderated again. Topics, boost and the impression limit can be changed while the campaign runs, with no new review.
How to read the statistics and cut weak bots
With click tracking on, the dashboard shows impressions, clicks, CTR and spend, by day and by bot.
- Compare bots at a comparable volume and work out the cost per click: spend in the bot divided by clicks from it.
- Exclude the weak ones. The “all except chosen” mode removes bots that spend budget and bring no clicks.
- Look past the click. Only your own tracking knows how many people started a trial and paid, so tag the link with its own parameter.
- HiViews Verified shows the post only to people with a real-looking profile. It is free, but delivery is slower.
Impressions that anti-fraud finds fraudulent are reversed and the money returns to your balance. “Unique” in the statistics always means distinct people.
An example budget calculation for a VPN campaign
An illustration, not a forecast: the prices are real, while the numbers of clicks and connections are round figures.
| Stage | Calculation | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Test of two posts on regular impressions | 2 × 5,000 impressions = 10,000; 10,000 ÷ 1,000 × $3 | $30 |
| Main run on welcome impressions | 5,000 impressions ÷ 1,000 × $6 | $30 |
| Total | $30 + $30 | $60 |
Suppose the welcome stage brought 150 clicks. Then a click cost $30 ÷ 150 = $0.20. If 30 of those 150 people started a trial, one connection cost $30 ÷ 30 = $1. On pay-per-click the same 150 clicks would cost 150 × $0.05 = $7.50.
Options multiply the price: boost is ×1.25–×2 (the campaign is picked proportionally more often) and Telegram Premium-only audience is ×2. You can top up from $5 by card, USDT (TRC20) or CryptoBot; details are in the finance guide, and the step-by-step launch is in the guide for advertisers.
FAQ
Can I advertise a VPN in Telegram bots?
On HiViews, yes, as long as the offer does not break the law or Telegram’s rules. During moderation the campaign is marked with the VPN category and is shown only in bots whose owners have not refused that category.
How much does VPN advertising in Telegram cost?
The same as for any topic: $6 per 1,000 welcome impressions and $3 per 1,000 regular ones. Both placements can be paid per click: $0.05 per click with free impressions. The minimum top-up is $5.
Pay per impression or pay per click for a VPN?
If you do not know how often people tap your post, start with pay-per-click. If 1,000 welcome impressions bring more than 120 clicks, paying per impression is cheaper. A pay-per-click campaign that gets almost no clicks is stopped.
Why does a VPN campaign build reach more slowly?
Some bot owners refuse the VPN category, so fewer bots are eligible. A boost speeds delivery up: the campaign is picked more often and the price is multiplied by the same factor.