Think of it like a hamster for traffic: how to attract an audience with a Telegram clicker game

Hi there! Nikolay Bordunenko, Business Analyst at MetaLamp, and Dmitry Kubko, Founder of Cubeko Consulting and Venture Analyst, here to talk about how tap-based apps can be used to drive traffic, which products they’re best suited for, how to launch one from scratch, and key points to consider.

Tap apps (clickers) in Telegram allow users to complete tasks and earn tokens (coins). If these tokens get listed on a cryptocurrency exchange, players can convert them into real money.

Owners of tap apps make money through advertising, partnerships, in-app purchases, or even by earning when their tokens hit the exchange. Additionally, businesses can use tap apps to promote their products and drive traffic.

Telegram clicker apps for traffic generation aren't suitable for everyone; it's crucial to consider the type of product and business sector. This approach works well for products where the goal is to drive sales through high user volume rather than deep engagement. For instance, they’re effective for products with a learn-to-earn model, like training platforms, exchanges, websites, apps, and games. However, tap apps are unlikely to benefit traditional offline sectors, such as a dental clinic.

It's not enough to just launch an app; you need to ensure its success. If the founder is on their own, they'll face too many tasks, including monitoring the entire product market. Therefore, it's often easier to hire a team or work with an agency.

Hiring a Team is more complex and costly. Initially, you'll need:

A founder with expertise in marketing or business development. If you lack this expertise, consider bringing in an advisor with experience in the core product area. To avoid hiring someone who’s not up to par, you can bring on up to three advisors — usually one or two are sufficient.

A co-founder skilled in marketing or business development and will manage the development team.

A product manager, marketer, or business analyst who will structure the product launch process and highlight its strengths. This is crucial to ensure the project's successful launch.

You can either assemble your initial team yourself or engage an agency.

If you have your own team, after the project discovery phase, you’ll need to hire developers. This is typically handled by the advisor or founder. You can choose between a packaged outsourcing solution, an outsourced development team, or an in-house team.

A packaged outsourcing solution is the cheapest and fastest option: the team will develop a basic app in three to four weeks for about $7,000–$8,000, provided they already have templates or off-the-shelf solutions that match your requirements.

For short-term projects, it's easier and more convenient to work with an outsourcing agency rather than building an in-house team. While an in-house team (full-time developers) is generally cheaper than outsourcing services, it comes with risks related to hiring and management, which increases the founder’s workload.

Hiring in-house developers will cost between $13,000 and $16,000, while a custom solution from an outsourced team will range from $20,000 to $50,000. Developing the app typically takes about two and a half months. The best option for the client is when the product is launched by an outsourced team with a full analytics department or established contacts.

If you have nearly a full team but need to hire one or two additional developers, consider using outstaffing. We’ve covered more details about it in our article. Hiring one developer typically costs around $30–$50 per hour or $4,200–$7,000 per month.

The budget for a project can range from $1,000 to $500,000. Generally, having a larger budget makes it easier to grow. However, there are exceptions: some projects have succeeded with budgets of $800–$1,500, while others with significant investments have failed. The success of a project depends on the team and their experience.

In addition to monetary compensation, team members can receive equity. In this context, equity means owning a share of the project. Equity is offered if the project is promising and has the potential to be profitable in the future.

Outline how your concept will develop across one or multiple releases. Typically, development is planned over several releases. The duration of this phase can range from one day to a week.

The length depends on the team's experience and their activities, such as conducting research and preparing technical specifications for developers.

For project discovery:

• Analyze market competition.
• Identify key features related to the project.
• Describe the project’s mechanics, technical and product architecture, and technology stack.

Once completed, the project discovery should be handed over to the developers. The cost of creating a project discovery report varies based on the scope but generally ranges from $500 to $3,000.

Consider the design, features, user success rate, and bonuses related to both the core product and blockchain.

Design. Stick to what users are familiar with. For instance, Instagram developers analyze heatmaps from TikTok, recognize that its interface is user-friendly, and end up adopting similar design elements.

The app design should align with color psychology. For example, blue evokes calmness, while red signals danger. Therefore, it's important for the designer to understand user psychology and color perception.

Features. The clicker app should be as simple as possible. For example, the Aqua Protocol bot on Telegram has over 3 million users, while the Zealy platform leaderboard has only 128,000 participants. Far fewer people transition to Zealy compared to the bot because it requires an additional step — creating a wallet on a different network outside of Telegram, where a native wallet already exists. Downloading another wallet, saving the seed phrase, and dealing with extra transactions significantly decrease conversion rates.

Any app should include at least the following essential features: a task board, a referral system, and a leaderboard.

A task board is needed to attract partners who pay to place tasks — such as clicking a link and watching a video. Users earn in-game currency for completing these tasks.

A referral system is essential for bringing new users to the app. You reward users who invite referrals, while the new users receive a welcome bonus for joining through a referral link rather than discovering the app on their own. According to official statistics from Notcoin and Hamster Kombat, over 90% of new users are referrals.

A leaderboard is necessary to motivate users.

Success rate. Developers ensure a smooth user journey by creating an illusion of choice. Users believe they are freely choosing to participate, which enhances their engagement. They are also given the illusion of high success rates. For example, in trading, users may see a high success rate for their trades on a platform, which encourages them to continue trading. They might try repeatedly, feeling «hooked» by the system, which ultimately leads them to the final product.

Bonuses for the core product. The app should complement the main application. For example, if the core product is a game, the app can promote it by offering coins and boosts for the game.

Blockchain. If you're developing an app on Telegram, it's advisable to integrate with the TON ecosystem and guide users through it. This approach simplifies app promotion. Redirecting users to other ecosystems increases their journey and reduces conversion rates.

While the clicker app is still in development, you can start generating traffic and directing it to a landing page or wait until it's ready for production. The choice depends on the product and your strategy; there isn't a one-size-fits-all answer. For example, Notcoin and Blum focused on selling traffic, while Catizen is more geared towards in-game purchases. There are also hybrid projects that combine multiple objectives.

Predicting the conversion of users into paying customers can be challenging. Users might be attracted to the app because of the free opportunity to earn rewards, but that doesn't necessarily mean they will use the main app it promotes. However, a large user base supports the ecosystem and increases the project's credibility. For example, the TON Foundation supports Hamster Kombat by mentioning the app on its channel and hosting joint live streams.

These steps will help you effectively use your app to attract traffic.

• Ensure the Telegram clicker app fits your product. Verify that the app aligns with your core product and its goals.
• Hire a team or consult an outsourcing agency. Decide whether to build an in-house team or work with an external agency.
• Set a budget. Establish a budget for development and promotion.
• Set measurable goals. Define clear, measurable objectives for your Telegram clicker app.
• Conduct project discovery. Outline how your Telegram clicker app will develop and operate through initial releases.
• Develop the Telegram clicker app design and choose features. Create an intuitive design and select features that enhance user engagement.
• Determine marketing activities to boost popularity. Plan marketing strategies to make your Telegram clicker app well-known.

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