Imagine: every day, millions of people scroll through their feeds, search for products, discuss services, and share impressions. Your task is to get in front of potential customers. Here, targeting becomes an indispensable assistant.
The main myth that prevents many businesses from starting is: "Advertising is expensive." But in reality, social media offers flexible pricing — you can launch a campaign even with small investments, and with a smart approach, it will pay off many times over.
The advantages are obvious!
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Precise targeting. You choose who sees the message: by age, interests, geolocation, and even online behavior.
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Various formats. Videos, carousels, dynamic posts, and placements in communities — you can test and find what resonates with your audience.
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Quick results. Unlike SEO or "word of mouth," the effect is visible almost immediately.
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Expense control. You only pay for actual actions.
Let’s figure out how to launch advertising on VK in a way that brings results rather than just "spending money."
Today we will go through the entire process — from entering the ad cabinet to launching the first campaign. Moreover, we will examine both options: the new VK Ads interface and the old cabinet (which is still available to some accounts).
How to Launch Targeting in VK Ads
Let’s understand how to set up advertising so that it works for you, not against you.
What will we promote?
Before delving into the intricacies of targeting and creating creatives, it is essential to precisely define the main goal — what exactly we will promote.
If the goal is to attract traffic or increase sales, it makes the most sense to promote a website. This could be an online store, landing page, or corporate blog. However, there is an important nuance here: the website must be perfectly adapted for mobile devices, as the overwhelming majority of people access social media from smartphones. The slightest inconvenience in the mobile version can nullify all efforts.
For owners of online stores and marketplaces, there is a more effective solution — a product catalog. This format allows you to showcase products directly in the news feed, while buyers can add their favorite items to the cart without leaving the social network. This approach significantly shortens the path from the first touch to making a purchase.
If the business is related to mobile applications, promoting installations through VK can become an excellent channel for attracting new customers. The social network offers special tools to increase download rates, with the ability to finely tune the target audience.
Content marketers and bloggers can use targeting to promote their articles on Zen. This is a great way to increase reach and attract new readers to their content.
For those who want to increase the number and activity of subscribers in their community, advertising groups and public pages will become an indispensable tool. With the right parameters, you can not only gain reach but also attract genuinely interested individuals.
Lead forms deserve special attention — a unique tool for collecting potential customers' contacts. Their main advantage is that users do not need to navigate to an external site — all data is filled out directly in the platform's interface, which significantly increases conversion.
Don’t forget about video content. Promoting videos and streams helps not only gain views but also increase a loyal audience. This is especially relevant for bloggers, experts, and companies betting on visual content.
Setting Goals and Strategy
After you have determined the object of promotion (website, community, products, etc.), the next important step is setting goals and bidding strategy. Let’s break down this process as thoroughly as possible so that even beginners can launch without errors.
Selecting a Goal
Several goal options are available here, and your choice directly affects how the advertising will work and for what you will pay.
CPC - Cost Per Click
How does it work? You only pay when a person clicks on the link in the ad.
When to use it?
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If you need to drive traffic to your website or landing page.
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To promote articles, blogs, or any content where clicks are important.
Advantages:
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Payment only for actual clicks.
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Well-suited for testing different creative variations.
The main downside is that when someone clicks the link, it does not guarantee that the user will take the desired action.
CPM - Cost Per 1000 Impressions
How does it work? You pay for every 1000 appearances of the post in the feed, regardless of whether anyone clicked on it.
When to use it?
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To increase brand awareness.
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If it is important for as many people as possible to see the message (for example, an event announcement).
Advantages
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Large reach.
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Low cost.
The main downside is that there are no guarantees of clicks, and impressions are counted even if the user simply scrolls past the post.
CPA - Cost Per Action
How does it work? You only pay for specific actions: applications, purchases, registrations, etc.
When to use it?
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For online stores (payment for purchases).
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For collecting applications (for example, for services).
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For registrations (webinars, courses).
Advantages:
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Payment only for results.
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High efficiency with the right settings.
This can be considered the most effective option. However, it is necessary to install the VK pixel on the website to track actions, which requires technical knowledge. But if you are investing significant funds and want to see the full customer journey, it is worth doing.
Bidding Strategy
After selecting a goal, you need to determine the bidding strategy — this will affect how the algorithm will distribute funds.
"Maximum Price"
How does it work? You manually set the maximum amount you are willing to pay for an action (for example, 50 rubles per click). The system tries to stay within this amount but does not exceed it.
When to use?
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When you know exactly how much you are willing to pay for a click or conversion.
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To control expenses at every stage.
Advantages:
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Full control over expenses.
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Ability to test different bids for optimization.
Choosing by maximum price requires knowledge of pricing in VK and competitors' prices. If you set too low a price, you may not make it into the feed at all. And with too high a cost, you may just waste your budget.
"Minimum Price"
How does it work? The algorithm automatically searches for the cheapest ways to achieve the goal.
When to use?
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For beginners who have not yet grasped the specifics of targeting.
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When you don’t have time to constantly monitor bids.
Advantages:
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The system automatically adjusts appearance in the feed.
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No need to manually adjust expenses.
Since the system searches for the cheapest options, posts may not always appear to the right audience. Thus, money may be spent more quickly, and effectiveness may decrease.
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Start with "Minimum Price" — this is a safe option that allows the system to find optimal ways to promote offers on its own. Once you gain experience, you can switch to manual bids.
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Test different goals — if in doubt, launch several campaigns with different goals (for example, one for clicks, another for conversions) and compare results.
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Don’t forget about UTM tags — they will help track transitions in Google Analytics.
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Control expenses — set daily limits to avoid overspending.
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Analyze statistics — 3-5 days after launch, check which ads are performing better and optimize the offer.
Audience Settings
Geographic targeting opens up broad opportunities for focus. The system allows you to choose not only countries and cities but also specific districts, as well as set a radius around a specific point, which is particularly valuable for local businesses. A café owner only needs to indicate 3-5 kilometers around the establishment, while an online store operating across the country can expand reach while considering regional demand peculiarities.
Demographic parameters add another level of precision. Every detail matters: gender, age, marital status, education, and even the presence of children. For example, a seller of premium cosmetics can choose women aged 25-45 with higher education, while a children's development center can target parents aged 25-40. These parameters help exclude ineffective channels and focus on genuinely interested individuals.
Targeting gains special power when combined with interests and behaviors. Analyzing key phrases that people enter in searches, subscriptions to thematic communities, and using negative keywords to filter out irrelevant queries — all of this creates a clear portrait of the potential customer. For a fitness center, this might include queries like "how to lose weight" or "training program," while for a travel agency, it could be subscriptions to travel-related pages.
Retargeting becomes the final touch in the portrait of the ideal user. By installing the VK pixel on the website, you can follow up with those who have already shown interest: viewed products, added them to the cart, but did not make a purchase. For expensive products with a long decision-making cycle, a retargeting window of 90 days is effective, while for impulse purchases, 7-30 days is sufficient.
Creating an Ad
The creative part requires special attention. The text and visuals should not only convey information but also instantly grab attention, generate interest, and prompt action. Let’s examine each element in order.
The headline serves as the calling card of the message. The ideal headline fits within 25 characters, including spaces, and contains a specific value proposition. Instead of the banal "Low Prices," it is better to use "Xiaomi Smartphone for 12,990 ₽ — hurry to buy!" This approach creates a sense of urgency and specificity. Avoid cliché phrases and general wording — they simply dissolve in the news feed.
The main text requires careful crafting. Start by stating the problem or need, then present the product as the ideal solution, support claims with evidence, and finish with a clear call to action. For example: "Tired of constant phone breakdowns? Our service center performs repairs of any complexity in 30 minutes with a 6-month warranty. Bring a friend and get a 20% discount! The promotion is valid until the end of the week." Remember — the maximum length of the text is 700 characters, and short paragraphs of 2-3 lines read significantly better.
The visual component plays a key role. Images should be of high quality (at least 510×316 pixels), without pixelation and unnecessary text. For products, use shots from several angles, and images with people increase engagement by 30-40%. Videos should ideally last 15-30 seconds with captivating opening frames. Be sure to add subtitles — statistics confirm that 85% of people watch videos without sound.
The call-to-action button is the finishing touch of the message. Its text should precisely correspond to the goal: "Buy" for online stores, "Sign Up" for services, "Learn More" for complex products. Visually, the button should stand out against the background of the ad. Experiment with different phrasings in the context of A/B testing.
Don’t forget about the technical side — UTM tags.
Mandatory parameters for UTM tagging:
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utm_source=vk (source of traffic)
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utm_medium=cpc (type of advertising)
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utm_campaign=campaign_name
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utm_content=creative_option
An example of a correctly formatted link:
https://example.com/?utm_source=vk&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=summer_sale&utm_content=red_dress
What are UTM tags for?
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Accurate tracking of each creative's effectiveness
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Comparison of results from different marketing activities
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Analysis of end-to-end analytics in Google Analytics
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Optimization of expenses
Before publishing, be sure to check: absence of spelling mistakes, functionality of all links, correct display on mobile devices, and compliance with VK's advertising policy. The first data on effectiveness can be assessed within 24-48 hours after launch.
Setting Up in the Old Cabinet (for Those with Access)
The old VK advertising cabinet is no longer available for creating new projects. Instead, VK Ads is used. If you already have the old cabinet, you can try to access it via the links https://vk.com/ads or https://vk.com/adscreate, but if you have a new page, you are usually prompted to register in VK Ads when you follow the links. To gain access to the old cabinet, if it has already been created earlier, you can contact support.
Explaining How to Create Ads in the Old Interface
Before launching targeting, you must log into the VK cabinet. If you have access to the agency cabinet, the system will automatically redirect you there, where you will need to select a client from the list. It is important to note that all advertising in the social network is strictly regulated by Russian law and the platform's internal policy. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the moderation rules before starting work. All advertising messages are automatically submitted to the Unified Register of Internet Advertising (ERIR) in accordance with legal requirements.
Selecting the Goal of the Advertising Campaign
At the beginning, the system will prompt you to define its main goal. This choice significantly affects the further settings and algorithms. Available goal options include attracting traffic to the website, increasing the number of community subscribers, promoting video content, or collecting applications from potential customers. Each type of goal has specific formats and clarifying details.
Ad Formats
VK offers a variety of formats that can be roughly divided into two main categories.
Posts in the news feed (available in all versions of the website and mobile apps):
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Carousel (up to 10 cards with separate links)
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Post with a call-to-action button
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Universal post with media content
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Video with autoplay
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Promotion of websites and mini-apps
Text-and-graphic blocks (displayed only in the desktop version):
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Compact banners with images and text
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Square formats for games and applications
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Special advertising showcases
Each format has its technical requirements for images (sizes, proportions, acceptable file formats) and textual content (character limits, restrictions on using emojis in some cases).
Creating an Ad
The process of developing a post begins with selecting the community from which the advertisement will be launched. Then you need to:
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Write a convincing text with a clear call to action
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Select visual content (photo or video)
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Provide contact details or links for transition
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Set age rating and OKVED code
For complex formats (like carousels), you will need to prepare several card variations with individual headlines and images for each item.
Target Audience Settings
Accurately defining the end consumer is a key factor for successful promotion. The platform provides expanded targeting opportunities.
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Geographic (countries, cities, radius zones)
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Demographic (gender, age, marital status)
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By interests (thematic communities, search queries)
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Behavioral (user activity)
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Retargeting (working with website visitors)
Special attention should be paid to retargeting, which allows showing messages to readers who have already expressed interest in the product. For this, you need to install the VK pixel on the site or upload contact lists.
Budget Settings and Launch
In the final stage, you need to:
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Set daily or total limits
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Choose a payment model
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Determine the bidding strategy (automatic or manual)
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Schedule the time (hours and days of activity)
After passing moderation (which usually takes a few hours), posts will start showing to the selected target audience. It is important to regularly monitor statistics and make adjustments as needed to improve effectiveness.
Various payment methods are available for topping up the balance, including bank cards, electronic wallets, and cashless transfers for legal entities.
How to Analyze Targeted Advertising
After launching, the equally important stage follows — analyzing its effectiveness. A competent assessment of results allows not only to state facts but also to make informed decisions for optimizing and increasing returns on investments.
The basis of the analysis consists of key performance metrics, which can be conditionally divided into three groups. The first group includes metrics of reach and engagement. This includes data on the number of views, unique reach, frequency of impressions, click-through rate (CTR), cost per thousand impressions (CPM), and cost per click (CPC). This data helps assess how successfully the creative captures the attention of potential customers.
The second group of metrics is related to conversions. Here, the number of target actions (applications, purchases, subscriptions), conversion rate (CR), cost per target action (CPA), and for videos — viewing depth are analyzed. This data demonstrates how effectively views convert into actual actions.
The third group includes economic data: return on investment (ROI), payback of marketing investments (ROMI), and average check. These metrics are particularly important as they allow evaluating the financial effectiveness of activities as a whole.
To get a complete picture, it is necessary to use several analytics tools. Basic data is available directly in the advertising cabinet, where you can analyze the effectiveness of individual offers, various segments, and dynamics over different time periods. Additionally, it is recommended to connect web analytics systems (Google Analytics or Yandex.Metrica) to track user behavior on the site after following links, as well as CRM systems to control applications and sales.
Analyzing reach and impressions allows identifying early signals of problems. If, despite a large reach, the number of clicks remains low, it indicates insufficient engagement of the content. A frequency of over five indicates "overheating" — people are simply seeing the post too often, which can be irritating. A sharp increase in CPM usually indicates intensified competition in the niche.
The click-through rate (CTR) is one of the most important indicators. A value below 0.5% signals problems with the creative or mismatch with customer desires. A high CTR (over 2%) with low conversions may mean that the ad is attracting non-target consumers.
Analyzing conversion metrics requires special attention. A high CTR with a low conversion rate usually indicates problems with the landing page. If the cost of a target action exceeds the average check, your actions are resulting in a loss. For videos, viewing depth is critically important — if less than 30% of users watch the video to the end, it is worth reconsidering its content.
Based on the data obtained, specific decisions can be made for optimization. In case of low effectiveness (poor CTR and CPA), it is necessary to check targeting accuracy, update creatives, add negative keywords, and experiment with different formats. If actions yield results but the cost of acquisition is too high, consider lowering bids, narrowing the target audience, or focusing on retargeting. To scale successful ideas, you can increase budgets, implement precise tracking with UTM tags, and set up end-to-end analytics.
Effective analysis is built on a specific methodology. First, basic metrics (CTR, CPA, conversions) are evaluated, then a deep analysis is conducted on individual elements. Based on the obtained data, changes are tested, and successful solutions are scaled. The key principle: advertising must be profitable. If the cost of acquiring a customer exceeds the average check, urgent optimization of the marketing strategy as a whole is required.
Collect VK Analytics with Postmypost
In today's environment, VK has become the primary platform for digital marketing in Russia. After the restrictions on Instagram's operation in the country, VK remains the main social network with comprehensive marketing tools that allow businesses to effectively promote their products and services.
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The service provides the most complete statistics on communities and personal pages, including subscriber growth dynamics, engagement metrics, detailed analysis of subscribers, and effectiveness of individual publications. Thanks to such detailed analytics, the promotion process becomes predictable and manageable. Instead of guessing what content will work, you get precise data on what truly resonates with the audience.
Postmypost automates the process of collecting and analyzing data, saving time. The service collects and organizes statistics, identifies the most successful content, and tracks changes in subscriber behavior. This allows you to focus on creating quality content and growing your business without spending time on routine analysis.
The solution is perfect for business owners, SMM specialists, marketers, bloggers, influencers, online stores, and any companies using VK for promotion. In conditions where VK has become the primary marketing platform in Russia, professional analytics tools have turned from an additional option into a necessary condition for successful promotion. Postmypost makes this process as simple and effective as possible. New users can access the full functionality of the service for free for 7 days!
