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Messenger marketing: Viber, Telegram, SMS

| Article: 3 min read | Marketing

Messenger marketing is a store's communication with shoppers through messengers (Viber, Telegram, WhatsApp, Messenger) and SMS: order messages, reminders, personal offers, support. The main condition is the person's consent to such messages.

Where shoppers are

Gradus Research (survey of September 15 to 17, 2025, 1,100 respondents aged 18 to 60 in cities of over 50,000): Telegram is the most popular messenger, used weekly by 92% of those who use it; Viber is second; WhatsApp's share grew from 30% to 41%. 44% of Ukrainians spend more than three hours a day in messengers, and 75% get news through Telegram, Viber and other messengers (Komersant Ukrainian, citing Gradus, November 2025). The sample consists of users of the Gradus mobile app, so this is not a fully representative study. There are no figures for Viber specifically in this source.

Telegram in Ukraine is also growing as a business channel: according to Forbes Ukraine, based on research by Telemetrio and the agency t:me, in 2025 there were 127,032 Ukrainian channels, with 433.2 million subscriptions to them versus 64 million in 2021 (UNIAN, December 2025).

There is no fresh independent data on which channel sells better for stores in Ukraine (Viber, Telegram or SMS). Choose by your audience and check with a test.

Which channel for what

Channel

What works well

Limitations

SMS

Short service messages: a code, order status, Nova Poshta tracking number

Little space, every message is paid

Viber

Mailings with an image and a button, order messages

Business messages are paid, a provider is needed

Telegram

A store channel, a bot for order status and support

The person has to message the bot or subscribe themselves

Email

Long emails, receipts, flows

See email marketing

The table reflects general practice, not a conclusion from research. Pricing terms and limits change, so check them with the provider.

Under Article 10 of the Law "On Electronic Commerce," commercial electronic messages are sent on the basis of the recipient's consent; without consent, only if the person can opt out of subsequent ones. The message must be clearly commercial, and the terms of discounts must be clear (Article 10; verify the current text at zakon.rada.gov.ua). The Law "On Advertising," updated in 2023, also covers advertising in messengers and chatbots (Telegram, Viber, WhatsApp), and the fine for spam is 51,000 UAH (Forbes Ukraine, 2023). Check the current version of the law separately.

In practice: a separate consent checkbox (not pre-checked), the channel stated, an easy opt-out, and storing the date of consent. On personal data, see Personal data in Ukraine.

How to start

  1. Service messages about the order (Viber or SMS) carry the least risk and immediately cut "where is my parcel" questions.
  2. Collect consent for promos at checkout and in the account.
  3. Promo mailings: short, 1 to 2 times a month, by segment.
  4. Count not replies but orders from the mailing compared with those who were not sent it.

Common mistakes

  • Adding people to a channel or mailing without consent.
  • Writing too often: an unsubscribe costs more than a one-off sale.
  • Relying on one messenger: platform rules and availability can change.
  • Having no backup channel for service messages.

FAQ

Which is better for a store: Viber or Telegram? It depends on the audience. According to Gradus 2025, Telegram is the most popular and Viber is second; there is no comparative data on effectiveness for stores.

Can I send SMS without consent? Under Article 10 of the Law "On Electronic Commerce," only with an option to opt out, and in general consent is needed. If in doubt, consult a lawyer.

Do messengers replace email? No, they complement it: short and urgent goes in the messenger, long and receipts go by email.

Sources

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