Telegram Stories: How the New Format Changes Promotion in Messenger

On 3S.INFO, we'll delve deeply into what's currently possible with Telegram Stories and how to effectively leverage these tools in gambling and betting media buying.

Last Updated: 25 august 2025

Telegram Stories is a feature allowing users to share photos and videos that disappear after 24 hours. On 3S.INFO, we’ll delve deeply into what’s currently possible with Telegram Stories, what advertising opportunities exist, recent updates over the past few months, and how to effectively leverage these tools in gambling and betting media buying.

Telegram Stories: The New Key Ad Format in 2025 for Media Buyers and Affiliate Marketers

In 2023, the Telegram team made an important move by introducing the Stories format to the platform. Initially, it seemed like just another iteration of something already widely available elsewhere. But neither Instagram* nor WhatsApp possesses the same level of tools and flexibility that Telegram developed over the next couple of years. By summer 2025, Telegram Stories evolved from simple blogger tricks into a powerful promotional channel for gambling and betting offers, iGaming, CPA and affiliate ecosystems.

* Social network Instagram has been blocked in Russia by court order.

Main Changes in Telegram Stories in 2024–2025

Stories are now accessible not only for personal accounts and premium-boosted channels but also for most commercial channels, including affiliate and CPA niches.
Clickable widgets and buttons added: links can be inserted directly into stories, allowing instant redirects to landing pages, bots, or even offers within a mini-app (TMA).
Interactive elements: polls, voting, weather widgets, location tags, music, timers for exclusive promotions and “white-listed” audiences.
Stories posts from mini-apps and bots: now, media buyers can advertise offers not only in traditional story formats but directly through Telegram Mini Apps (bots, showcases, crypto ratings, subscriptions).
Flexible Analytics: track views, link clicks, reactions, and interaction depth via Telegram API or external trackers using UTM labels and custom parameters.

Functionality of Telegram Stories for Advertising in 2025

Telegram Stories are no longer just “a selfie on the wall.” Simple screenshots don’t cut it anymore. Stories can now be constructed as full-fledged seedings, incorporating:

Photos, short and long videos: vertical native style “from the hand.”
Clickable buttons and widgets (e.g., visual banner linking to an offer or bot).
Separate visibility settings (by audiences, tags, GEO).
Interactive elements (polls, mini-games, customized call-to-action).
Importantly, the capability to create location-specific and thematic story chains (e.g., series of stories like “weekly wins,” match results, player reviews, promotions for bookmakers).

Important Note: Maximum functionality for commercial use is available only for channels and administrators with a certain level of Boost (premium subscription equivalent to 0.1% or higher of total subscribers). Regular users, following the March 2025 update, can publish no more than a couple of stories per day — limitations have become stricter.

Advertising Changes via Telegram Stories

To publish commercial stories in a channel, you need a Boost. The higher the percentage of premium subscriptions among your audience, the more stories you can post per day and the broader the settings become. This encourages referral marketing within Telegram itself.
Ability to use Stories as a “landing page”. Stories with links to offers, quizzes or automated bots serve as direct replacements for conventional creatives in feeds. Viewers see the story, click immediately, register, place a bet or make a deposit.
Real-time performance tracking. Through UTM tags, not only transitions but also conversions are tracked: number of registrations, bets, and events in the application.
Native integration with bots and mini-apps. You send traffic to the desired bot, and inside the TG ecosystem, the user completes the entire path from click to deposit without leaving Telegram.

Main Scenarios for iGaming Media Buyers and Affiliates

Today, Telegram Stories operate for iGaming according to several strategies:

Instant Seed of Offers via Stories: Quick mechanics for new launches, promotions, free bets, bonuses.
Acquisition and Retention through Storytelling: Series of Stories where opinion leaders or players share personal experiences, showcase “wins,” provide lifehacks.
Retargeting and Repeated Leads: Story campaigns based on segmented audiences (e.g., users who haven’t made a deposit) with personalized offers and extra bonuses.
Gamification and Interactivity: Short quizzes, polls, challenges with prizes directly in stories. Engages stronger than a banner alone.

New Advertising Formats in Telegram Stories in 2025

Format	Description	Price	Feature	Average CTR
Clickable Stories	Stories with button/link	$0.05 per click	Premium-only, Available for Boost Channels	1–3%
Stories with Widgets	Interactive: poll, timer, GEO tag	CPM from $1	Ideal for Promotional Actions and Live Bets	1–2%
Video Stories	Up to 60 sec, Call to Action	CPM from $3	High Engagement, Especially for Captures and Bonus Offers	Up to 6–8%

Ad Format	Display Location	Targeting	Cost	Best Application Scenario
Telegram Ads	Channel Feeds	GEO, Interests, Language	CPM from €0.5	Brand, Information Guides
TMA Ads	In Mini Apps	Media Buying, Betting Communities	CPM from $1.8	Direct Actions: Registration, Deposit
Yandex.Direct in TG	Channels connected to YAN	Automatically by Category	CPC	Website Promotion, Quick Subscriptions

Driving iGaming or Betting Traffic Through Stories: Advantages and Pitfalls

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Unique Engagement: Modern stories aren’t just text noise. They’re visual series with animation, emotions and a clear call-to-action.

Fast Results: Flow from showing to subscription or first bet takes just a few clicks and seconds.

Targeting “Live” Solvent Users (particularly Premium/Positive Wallet).

Flexible analytics at every stage.

Stories undergo strict moderation: Direct promotion of crypto, medicine, political topics, and scams are prohibited.

Significant parts of the expanded functionality are available only for channels with Boost, which must be considered when promoting offers.

You cannot duplicate a single story across multiple channels simultaneously. Each publication requires unique content.

Best Practices and Tips for Media Buying in 2025

Use clickable Stories with UTM tags to track not only clicks but also the real registration funnel.
Each story should contain only one call-to-action: “check it out,” “claim your bonus,” “register now”; avoid overloading with extra content.
Localize texts: On major GEOs (BR, RU, IN), Stories with triggers, slogans and even promo music adapted specifically for the locale generate higher CTR.
Automate posts using Telegram API if your channel is large. It helps save time on routine tasks.
A/B Testing is a Must-Have: Have at least 5 different creatives for each gambling offer.
Keep an Eye on Limits: No more than 10 stories per day on boost channels. Fewer posts mean greater attention to each one.

And remember: avoid conflicting with Telegram’s policies and local laws. All integrations must pass moderation checks. Formulate offers carefully, avoiding banned terms and consult with local experts beforehand if unsure about indirect approaches.

Case Studies and Insights 2025: How Stories Work for iGaming

Telegram Mini Apps associated with casinos or live betting can achieve up to 9.8% CTR and prompt player registration via “single click.”

On average, Telegram Stories and TMA Ads outperform regular teaser grids by 2-3 times in terms of effectiveness, especially in CIS and Asian markets.

Premium subscribers demonstrate higher response rates and LTV, but naturally, the cost-per-click is correspondingly higher.

Telegram Stories in 2025 are a must-have tool for affiliates and media buyers. New formats, flexible settings, integration with mini-apps and bots, creative widgets as well as effective analytics enable not just “sharing links,” but constructing full-fledged attraction and retention funnels, testing hypotheses, and earning more from the same audience. The key is to play fairly, avoid spam, follow Telegram’s rules, pay attention to content quality and never shy away from experiments.