Yandex has introduced a new advertising format for messengers, allowing ads to be displayed directly under channel content. Unlike previous methods, these ads are targeted at individual users rather than the entire channel audience, meaning different subscribers see different advertisements.
The new tool is available to businesses, channel owners, and influencers via Yandex Direct. At launch, the service covers several tens of thousands of channels across more than 50 thematic categories within the MAX messenger. Advertisers can now run campaigns in the Unified Performance Campaign or Simple Start modes.
Yandex Direct now optimizes placements based on specific goals, such as acquiring new subscribers. Advertisers can set a target cost per subscriber, and the system handles the optimization. The platform also offers automated landing page creation for campaigns promoting channels outside of messengers, such as on Search or the Yandex Advertising Network.
According to Oleg Ivanov, director of product development at the Yandex Advertising Network, the company has been working with MAX channels since April 2026. Data shows that advertisers prioritize Telegram and MAX as key channels for their strategies through the end of 2026, with 67% and 56% preference respectively.
Yandex Direct currently supports advertising across major content platforms, including VK, MAX, Telegram, RuTube, YouTube, and Dzen. Since 2024, total advertiser investment in these platforms has increased sevenfold, driven by the expansion of available advertising inventory.
