MyTarget

MyTarget is an advertising platform created by VK (formerly Mail.ru Group) for placing ads within the ecosystem of Odnoklassniki, VKontakte, Mail.ru, VK Video, RuTube, Yandex Zen, and thousands of partner sites. MyTarget combines targeting, automation, and analytics tools, allowing businesses to reach audiences based on interests, behavior, and demographics.

What is MyTarget?

MyTarget is an advertising management system that helps companies show personalized ads to users of social networks and major internet platforms.
The platform focuses on precise targeting of the desired audience and budget optimization for specific business goals: sales, leads, app installs, or brand awareness.

MyTarget is the foundation of VK Ads, but as a separate interface and brand, it is still actively used by many advertisers and agencies.

Where are MyTarget Ads Displayed?

• Odnoklassniki (ok.ru) — posts in the feed, videos, stories, the recommendations feed.
• VKontakte — promoted posts, clips, video ads.
• Mail.ru — banner and native advertising in mail and news.
• RuTube and VK Video — video ads before or during a video.
• Partner Network — thousands of websites and applications within VK’s advertising ecosystem.
• Mobile Applications — banners, carousels, native formats.

Ad Formats in MyTarget

• Native Ads — Look like regular feed posts, contain text, an image, and a button (e.g., “Learn More” or “Buy”).
• Banners and Display Ads — Images or videos placed within content or on the side.
• Video Ads — Short clips (up to 30 seconds) for increasing engagement.
• Carousel Ads — Multiple cards with images and links, convenient for e-commerce.
• Dynamic Product Ads — Automatically insert products from an online store’s product feed.
• Audio Ads — Ads that play between tracks in VK Music.
• Lead Ads — Forms for collecting leads directly within the social network without leaving for a website.

Campaign Objectives

• Sales — Stimulating purchases or orders.
• Traffic — Driving users to a website, app, or landing page.
• App Installs — Advertising mobile apps with a direct install from App Store and Google Play.
• Leads — Collecting contact data directly within the social network.
• Reach and Awareness — Increasing brand visibility.
• Engagement — Likes, comments, clicks, subscriptions.

Targeting Settings in MyTarget

MyTarget allows precise definition of who will see the ad. Settings include:

• Age, gender, region, language.
• Interests (e.g., automobiles, fashion, children, travel).
• Behavior — Websites the user visits and actions on social networks.
• Income and Device — Type of smartphone, operating system, model.
• Look-alike Audiences — Users similar to your existing customers.
• Retargeting — Showing ads to users who have already visited your website or interacted with your brand.
• Geotargeting — Showing ads in specific cities or within a radius around a point.

Example
An online English school launches a campaign on MyTarget.

• Goal: Leads.
• Audience: 25–40 years old, Moscow and St. Petersburg, interests — education, career, travel.
• Format: Native post with a “Sign up for a free lesson” button.
• After 10 days: 230 leads, cost per lead decreased by 28% compared to Facebook Ads.

Advantages of MyTarget

• Broad Reach. Covers over 90% of Russia’s internet audience.
• Flexible Settings. Ability to combine targeting by interests, behavior, devices.
• Automatic Optimization. The system adjusts impressions based on campaign goals (e.g., by CPA or ROI).
• CRM and Analytics Integration. Supports MyTarget Pixel, Yandex.Metrica, Google Analytics, Calltouch.
• E-commerce Friendly. Supports product feeds, dynamic campaigns, and retargeting.

Disadvantages

• Complex Interface for Beginners. Takes time to understand the settings.
• Fewer Creative Formats than in Meta Ads.
• Average Conversion Rate for broad audiences without retargeting.

Analytics Tools

• MyTarget Pixel — Tracks user actions after a click: purchases, calls, registrations.
• Conversions and Events — Setting up goals for automatic campaign optimization.
• UTM Tags — Allow tracking ad effectiveness in third-party analytics systems.
• Look-alike and Retargeting — Tools for re-engaging with interested users.

How to Launch Ads on MyTarget

1. Go to target.my.com.
2. Register or log in using VK ID.
3. Select a campaign objective (traffic, leads, sales, etc.).
4. Set up the Audience: demographics, interests, geography.
5. Upload Creatives (banners, texts, videos).
6. Set the Budget and Strategy (per click, impression, or lead).
7. Launch the Campaign and track results in the “Statistics” section.

Example MyTarget Report

Summary

MyTarget is a powerful advertising platform that unites VK social networks and media sites, helping businesses find their target audience, increase sales, and boost awareness. Thanks to extensive capabilities in targeting, retargeting, and analytics, MyTarget is one of the most effective digital advertising tools in the Runet, especially for companies focused on the Russian and CIS markets.