Building a great product is one thing. Bringing it to market is another.

Many founders are drawn to TON's ecosystem because of its powerful combination: Telegram (one of the fastest-growing messengers) and TON (a fast, scalable blockchain built to onboard the next billion into crypto).

A billion users is an exciting number. But how do you realistically attract even 1% of them (10 million users)? Where do you begin? How do you avoid burning your budget on failed marketing experiments?

The answer lies in understanding that TON's marketing is different. Telegram's social mechanics differ from traditional social media, and the ecosystem comes with its own norms, tools, and community dynamics.

This guide walks you through a proven step-by-step approach: Start with the existing TON community (crypto-native, Telegram-native users who become your first loyal champions), then scale to the massive Web2 user base of Telegram.

How to Use This Guide

This isn't a "try everything" approach. Each phase builds on the previous one:

Phase 1: Foundation - Understand your users and get your first supporters

Phase 2: Growth - Scale through distribution and partnerships

Phase 3: Scale - Amplify what's working through paid channels and viral mechanics

Phase 4: Optimize - Build sustainable, long-term growth systems

Focus on one phase at a time. Moving too fast or skipping steps often leads to wasted resources and missed opportunities.

Build your understanding and get your first users

Before you spend money on marketing, you need to understand your users and prove your product has value. Most successful TON projects start here.

Understanding Your Users First

Skip this step at your own risk. Teams that don't understand their users end up targeting the wrong people and burning through budgets.

The Four Critical Questions:

1. Who are they? Age, location, interests, habits (especially within Telegram)

2. Where do they spend time online? Telegram is obvious, but also X (Twitter), Reddit, YouTube, Discord

3. What problem does your app solve? Be specific. "Makes crypto easier" isn't specific enough

4. Why Telegram specifically? What makes your solution better inside Telegram vs. a website?

How to find answers: Interview 10 potential users. Ask them how they currently solve the problem your app addresses. Their answers will guide everything else you do.

Getting Your First Users: Start Personal

Here's what most guides won't tell you: Your first 100 users almost never come from paid ads or viral mechanics. They come from people who trust you personally.

The personal approach works because it requires zero marketing budget, gives you immediate feedback from people who care about your success, and these users become your best advocates.

Tap Into Your Own Network

Friends and colleagues: Send personal messages, not mass broadcasts. "Hey [name], I just launched something I think you'd find interesting. Mind taking a look?"

Professional contacts: LinkedIn connections, conference contacts, Telegram groups you're already in

Other TON builders: If you've connected with teams during hackathons or conferences, now's the time to ask for a cross-promotion

Don't be shy about this. Everyone understands you're launching something new and most people are happy to help if you ask personally.

Essential TON Ecosystem Support Programs

These aren't just "nice to have" resources. They're your fastest path to credible users who actually understand crypto and Telegram.

TON Nest --- TON Foundation's official educational program

• Structured mentorship with TON experts

• Direct access to other builders and the Foundation team

• Share your product in the community, get feedback, find early adopters

• Application required, but acceptance rate is high for genuine projects

TON Fam --- Grassroots builder community

• Telegram chat of TON builders and supporters who live and breathe TON

• Share updates, ask for feedback, collaborate with other teams

Content That Actually Gets Users

Most TON teams overthink content. You don't need a content calendar or professional graphics. You need to share your story where your users already spend time.

Where to publish:

• Medium: Write about your building journey, technical challenges, or market insights

• Reddit: Share in relevant subreddits (r/TON, crypto communities, relevant niches)

• VC.ru: Popular in Russian-speaking markets

• X (Twitter): Publish a thread about your launch, lessons learned, or industry insights

Content that works:

• Behind-the-scenes building stories ("Here's what I learned building on TON")

• Market analysis or predictions

• Technical explainers (if relevant to your audience)

• Problem-solution narratives

Small Paid Tests (When Ready)

Once you have 50+ users and some feedback, you can test small paid campaigns to see what messaging works.

Where to test: Niche Telegram channels (use TGStat to find relevant ones) or small budgets on X or Meta

What to test: Different value propositions, various creative formats, different audience segments

Key insight: Use these tests to learn, not to scale. You're validating messaging, not trying to acquire thousands of users yet.

Foundation Phase Success Signals:

• You have 100+ active users

• Users are returning and engaging with your product

• You can clearly articulate your value proposition

• At least a few users love your product enough to recommend it

Scale through distribution and strategic partnerships

You've proven people want your product. Now it's time to put it where more people can find it and build relationships that drive growth.

Distribution: Get Listed Where Users Browse

Think of distribution platforms like real estate: location matters. You want to be where your users already browse for apps.

Telegram App Center (@tapps)

This is the primary discovery platform for TON Mini Apps. Getting listed here is like being listed in the App Store, only for Telegram.

How to get listed: Apply on TON Builders Portal

The upgrade opportunity, TApps Featuring, can get you:

• Promotional banners and placement in featured sections in the catalogue

• Features in the Trending Apps channel (6M followers)

• AMAs and campaigns on X

This platform can provide steady, ongoing discovery for well-positioned apps.

Wallet Integrations

Most teams overlook this, but wallet dApp sections can be valuable sources of users. Well-positioned apps can benefit from long-term exposure, with some wallets reporting up to 2M active users and a 3%+ conversation rate from clicks to on-chain actions over a year.

Major TON wallets to target:

• Tonkeeper Pro iOS | iOS | Android

• MyTonWallet iOS | Android

Multi-chain options: Browse all options including HOT Wallet, Bitget Wallet, SafePal

Third-party Catalogues

TON-native directories:

• Ton.app

• Tonscan Explorer

Multi-chain platforms:

• DappRadar - Apply through their developers dashboard. The DappRadar team reviews applications and notifies you via email. TON Foundation can help facilitate listing when possible.

GameFi-specific:

• Play Deck - A Telegram mini app showcasing top Web3 games

Quest and Incentive Platforms

Quests work because they gamify your onboarding while introducing users to crypto concepts gradually. They're particularly effective for user education.

Popular platforms:

• TBook (@tbook_incentive_bot) - TON-native, great for SBT campaigns

• Galxe - Multi-chain platform with large reach

• Questhub (@questhub) - Telegram-native, formerly BroContests

• GemsWall (@GleamRewardsBot): Simple Telegram quests

Quest design that works:

• Start with simple social tasks (follow, join)

• Progress to product-specific tasks (complete tutorial, use main feature)

• End with meaningful tasks that bridge users toward your core on-chain functionality (wallet connection, first transaction)

• Always include sharing/referral components

Remember to budget for quest rewards and expect that not all participants will become long-term users.

Strategic Partnerships: Often Overlooked, High Impact

Successful TON teams know this secret: Your first few partnerships often bring more users than your first advertising campaigns.

Finding the Right Partners

Look for teams building complementary products for similar audiences:

TON Nest --- Meet teams at your stage
TON Fam Chat --- Connect with TON OG founders
TON Hubs --- Regional teams who know local markets

Partnership Approaches That Work

• Cross-app quests: "Complete action in Partner App X to get reward in your app Y"

• Shared campaigns: Pool resources for bigger giveaways, split the user acquisition

• Content collaborations: Joint AMAs, X Spaces, blog posts

• User swap arrangements: You promote them to your users, they promote you to theirs

Partnership success factors:

• Similar development stage: Roughly equivalent user bases

• Aligned audiences: Their users should naturally want your product

• Complementary value: You solve different problems for the same people

• Clear mutual benefit: Both parties should gain something valuable

Important: Not all partnerships work out. Expect some to fizzle, others to exceed expectations. The key is trying multiple approaches with different partners.

Amplify what's working through paid channels and viral mechanics

You've built a solid foundation and identified some growth channels that work. Now it's time to amplify successful strategies through influencers, advertising, and viral mechanics.

KOL Marketing: Authenticity Over Reach

Most teams approach influencer marketing backwards. They chase follower counts instead of audience alignment. In TON's ecosystem, a crypto-native influencer with 10K engaged followers often outperforms a generic lifestyle influencer with 100K.

Finding the Right KOLs

Start with your network: You likely know someone with reach already

TON Talents - Filter by "Marketing" to find KOL agencies and managers

Curated TON KOLs list - Reach out to creators who already work with TON projects

TON Circle - Platform to run paid KOL campaigns with verified TON creators across Telegram, X, and YouTube

KOL Campaign Approach

Start small: Begin with micro-influencers (1K-10K followers) who have high engagement rates and cost less to test messaging.

Focus on fit: Choose influencers whose audiences align with your target users, even if their follower count is lower.

Performance-based when possible: Instead of flat fees, consider offering base fees plus performance bonuses, revenue sharing from referred users, or tiered rewards.

Creative freedom: Give influencers guidelines but let them create content in their own voice. Authentic recommendations perform better than scripted ads.

Remember that influencer marketing takes time to show results and not every collaboration will drive significant users. It's about building awareness and credibility as much as immediate acquisition.

Paid Advertising: Test, Learn, Scale

By this point, you should know which messages work and which audiences convert. Paid advertising lets you amplify these insights.

Telegram-Native Advertising

Channel partnerships: Use TGStat to find relevant channels by category and audience size.

Ad marketplaces: Telega.io, Plarin, and Clicksdealer can help you run campaigns across multiple channels.

Direct outreach: Contact channel owners directly. This often results in better rates and more flexible arrangements.

You can also find agents or ad managers through TON Talents (Marketing category).

Telegram ad networks:

• Telegram Ads --- Official ads shown in public Telegram channels

• AdsGram --- Performance-based ad network for Telegram Mini Apps

• OpenAD --- Offers free ad credits and bonuses for TON-native projects

• Monetag --- Monetization and ad solutions across web and Telegram

Creative testing approach:

1. Text posts with strong hooks

2. Memes related to your niche

3. Short demo videos

4. User testimonials and success stories

Test these formats to see what resonates with your audience before scaling.

Beyond Telegram

Once your Telegram funnel converts well, you can expand to other platforms:

X (Twitter) ads: Target crypto and Telegram users with keyword and interest targeting
Meta ads: Great for visual products; use Stories and Reels
TikTok ads: Perfect for gamified apps with demo potential
YouTube: Sponsor creators to demo your app and walk through use cases

Programmatic ads: Use platforms like Google Ads if your product includes a web landing or onboarding flow outside Telegram.

Scaling approach: Start with small daily budgets, measure true unit economics (lifetime value vs acquisition cost), and scale only channels that show positive return on investment.

Viral Marketing: Engineering Shareability

Virality isn't random luck. It's about creating mechanics that make sharing beneficial and easy for users.

Telegram Stories: Your Unique Advantage

Unlike other social networks, Telegram Stories are the only way users can reach their contacts directly. When designed well, this creates powerful growth loops.

Case Study: Banana Meter users challenged friends based on banana sizes. This simple mechanic led to hundreds of thousands of Story shares and a K-Factor of 3.95 (nearly 4 new users per user).

Why it worked:

• Tapped into universal humor and competitive elements

• Results were visual and shareable

• Simple to understand and participate in

Building for Stories: Create shareable moments within your app, make results visual and interesting, add competitive or comparison elements, and include clear calls-to-action for friends.

Referral Systems: The Compound Effect

Case Study: @UpscaleTradeBot

This prop trading mini app reached 70,000 monthly active users with 99% coming from referrals through performance-based rewards and progressive incentives.

Referral mechanics that can work:

• Mutual benefits (both parties get rewards)

• Progressive rewards (more referrals = better rewards)

• Time-limited bonuses to create urgency

• Leaderboard competitions

If you monetize through Telegram Stars, consider leveraging the Telegram Affiliate Program for additional growth incentives.

Competition and Leaderboards

Case Study: @egg_fight_demo_bot

A simple rock-paper-scissors game with winner-takes-all leaderboard reached 1.2M monthly active users through pure competition and shareable progress updates.

Competition design principles:

• Clear, simple rules that anyone can understand

• Regular reset periods (daily/weekly/monthly)

• Multiple ways to participate and win

• Social proof through visible leaderboards

• Shareable achievements and milestones

Narrative-Driven Growth

Case Study: Notcoin

Became a global phenomenon by embracing ambiguity with its "probably nothing" campaign. The teasing, playful narrative became instantly memeable and fueled massive curiosity.

Case Study: Cluely
Backed by a16z, Cluely is an AI startup that grew rapidly through bold, attention-grabbing content and "cheat-on-everything" positioning. (Viral tweet example | Article)

Creating shareable narratives:

• Take a clear, potentially memorable position

• Make it instantly understandable

• Stay consistent across all communications

• Create content that people want to share

Reality check: Viral growth is unpredictable. These mechanics can help, but they're not guaranteed to work for every product. Focus on building great experiences first.

Geographic Expansion: Think Local

Different regions have different user behaviors, platform preferences, and marketing channels. What works in the US might not work in Southeast Asia.

Regional Strategy

TON Hubs are your fastest path to understanding regional nuances:

• Connect with local builder communities

• Access regional KOL networks

• Get cultural insights and messaging guidance

• Understand regulatory considerations

Market entry process:

1. Research: Connect with your relevant Hub, study local successful projects

2. Test: Small campaigns with local partners or KOLs

3. Scale: Full marketing approach adapted for the region

4. Optimize: Refine based on local data and feedback

Learn from TON-native teams in your target region: Identify mature projects already active in your desired geography through TON Nest or TON Fam.

Work with local experts: Browse TON Talents and filter by Marketing to find regional specialists who understand both the local market and TON ecosystem.

Remember: Going local doesn't mean just translating content. It means adapting your messaging, channels, and growth tactics to match how users in that region discover, trust, and adopt products.

Build sustainable, long-term growth systems

You've reached a significant scale. Now focus on sustainability, brand building, and systematic optimization.

Official TON Marketing

At this stage, you may be ready for ecosystem-level visibility. TON Foundation's official channels spotlight major ecosystem updates and strategic milestones.

TON Official Marketing Support Program

• Requirements: Live product, significant news, ecosystem relevance

• Potential placement: Telegram (@toncoin, @toncommunitychannel), X (@ton_blockchain, @toncommunityhq), TON Blog, Hub channels

• Formats: AMAs, reposts, roundup mentions, full features

This isn't your core marketing channel - it's a credibility and visibility boost for major announcements. Apply when you have genuinely significant news to share.

Media and PR Strategy

Media coverage builds credibility and reaches users beyond the Telegram ecosystem.

Start with TON-Native Media

These outlets are followed by your core community:

• Trending Apps

• The Daily TON

• TON Newbie

Expand to Crypto Media

Broader crypto audience reach:

• CoinDesk

• The Block

• Cointelegraph

• BeInCrypto

• MPost

• Forklog

Many offer special packages for TON projects, just check the "Partner" section of TON Builders Portal for current offers.

If you've previously received marketing support from TON Foundation and want warm introductions to media platforms, reach out in your team's Telegram chat.

Consider Mainstream Tech Media

For consumer-facing products with broad appeal: TechCrunch, VentureBeat, Wired. This typically requires significant traction and a compelling story that goes beyond just crypto.

PR approach that works:

• Lead with compelling data (user milestones, revenue, unique insights)

• Connect to broader trends (AI adoption, crypto mainstream, Telegram growth)

• Provide exclusive access when possible

• Build relationships consistently, not just when you need coverage

Most media platforms require some budget, especially early on when your brand is unknown. Evaluate reach, audience fit, and potential ROI before committing.

Advanced Analytics and Optimization

You can't optimize what you don't measure. Set up comprehensive tracking across the entire user journey.

Key Metrics to Track

Off-chain engagement:

• Impressions, reach, engagement rates across platforms

• Telegram channel/group growth and activity levels

• Content performance and viral sharing

Product usage:

• Monthly Active Users (MAU)

• Retention rates (Day 1, 7, 30)

• K-Factor (viral coefficient) for referral features

• Session length and frequency

On-chain activity:

• Active on-chain users

• Total Value Locked (TVL) if applicable

• Transaction volume and frequency

• Conversion from off-chain to on-chain actions

Campaign performance:

• Cost per acquisition by channel

• Lifetime value by user segment

• Return on ad spend

• Attribution across touchpoints

Analytics Tools

General analytics:

• Google Analytics --- Web traffic and behavior

• Mixpanel --- Event tracking and user funnels

• Amplitude --- User journey analysis

• Plausible --- Privacy-focused alternative

Telegram-specific:

• Telegram Mini Apps SDK --- Built specifically for TMAs, supports both off-chain and on-chain events

• Telemetree --- Telegram-focused analytics

• Cloudflare Insights --- Traffic and security monitoring

Blockchain analytics:

• Dune - On-chain data visualization and transparency dashboards

Consider TON's Data Contest Program to get high-quality visualizations while increasing ecosystem visibility.

Optimization Process

Weekly reviews: Campaign performance, user feedback, key metrics
Monthly analysis: Channel effectiveness, user cohort behavior, competitive landscape
Quarterly planning: Major strategy adjustments, new channel testing, resource allocation

Small improvements compound over time. A 2-3% better conversion rate or 5% lower acquisition cost creates massive advantages at scale.

Working with Agencies and Experts

At this stage, it often makes sense to bring in specialists for specific areas where you need deeper expertise or more execution capacity.

When to consider external help:

• You've found strong product-market fit but need execution expertise

• Entering new geographic markets that require local knowledge

• Scaling successful channels faster than your team's capacity

• Specialized needs like PR, creative production, or technical implementation

Where to find TON-native experts:

• TON Talents --- Filter by Marketing category

• TON Nest --- Network with other successful teams

• Direct referrals from other successful TON projects

Agency selection approach:

• TON ecosystem experience - They understand the unique dynamics

• Performance-based pricing when possible - Aligns incentives

• Transparent reporting - You should have full access to campaigns and data

• Cultural fit - They understand your vision and values

The Progressive Approach

Phase 1: Foundation

• Complete user research and validate your value proposition

• Get your first users through personal networks and TON community programs

• Test messaging through content and small paid experiments

• Focus: Understanding and early validation

Phase 2: Growth

• Get listed on major distribution platforms

• Establish strategic partnerships with complementary projects

• Launch quest campaigns and referral programs

• Focus: Scalable discovery and user acquisition

Phase 3: Scale

• Invest in KOL marketing and paid advertising channels

• Implement viral mechanics and optimize for sharing

• Expand to new geographic markets

• Focus: Amplification and reach

Phase 4: Optimize

• Build comprehensive analytics and optimization systems

• Develop media relationships and PR strategy

• Work with agencies and specialists where needed

• Focus: Sustainability and long-term growth

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Trying everything at once: Focus on mastering one channel before adding another. Scattered efforts rarely succeed.

Optimizing for vanity metrics: Followers and impressions don't matter if they don't convert to actual users.

Ignoring retention for acquisition: It's better to have 100 engaged users than 1000 inactive ones.

Copying other projects exactly: What works for them might not work for your specific product and audience.

Giving up too early: Most marketing channels take time to show results. Give strategies adequate time to work.

Skipping the foundation: Understanding your users and proving product-market fit is not optional.

Remember the Progression

User acquisition → Retention → Loyalty

Attracting newcomers: Start with personal networks and TON community programs (TON Fam, TON Nest). Expand through distribution platforms, partnerships, KOL marketing, and paid advertising. Use viral mechanics and geographic expansion to scale reach.

Converting newcomers: Focus on seamless onboarding, clear value delivery, and guided user flows. Use quests, tutorials, and progressive disclosure to help users understand and succeed with your product.

Building loyalty: Create long-term engagement through leaderboards, community features, recurring events, and programs that recognize and reward your most active users.

TON's ecosystem is still in its early stages. The teams that build sustainable, community-driven growth systems now will be best positioned as the ecosystem matures and reaches mainstream adoption.

Marketing on TON requires patience, community focus, and genuine value creation. But for teams that get it right, the opportunity to build alongside one of the fastest-growing crypto ecosystems is enormous.

This guide was created by TON Foundation for teams building on TON. If you found it helpful, share it with other builders. To request ecosystem support, explore available programs at https://builders.ton.org.