Performance
Performance marketing in Russia 2026. VK Ads, Yandex Direct, Telegram Ads. Diagnostic checklists, unit-economics.
Marketer's calculators: six calculations that can be done in a minute
An overview of the calculations that are most often needed in work: CPA, CPL, ROAS, break-even point, LTV to CAC and unit economics. I’m figuring out which calculator for which question, what to substitute for the input and how to read the result.
Russian market benchmarks 2026: summary of seven metrics and how to use them
Summary of standard values for the Russian market: CPC in Direct, CTR in VK Ads, CPL in B2B, ROAS in e-com, LTV to CAC in SaaS, open rate email and landing page conversion. With rules of application: why the median is deceiving and what to actually compare yourself to.
Direct Commander: massive operations, which is why it is needed
Commander is needed where the interface can no longer cope: editing hundreds of ads, moving campaigns, mass replacement of links and tags. I’ll look at five operations for which it’s worth mastering, and the rules that will protect you from spoiling your campaigns.
Webvisor: how to read posts without spending a week on it
The web viewer shows what a person did on the page, but you can’t look at it in a row - you’ll drown. I’ll figure out how to select records in segments, which five scenarios give the most conclusions, and how records distinguish bots from people.
Offline conversions: how to link advertising to sales that are not included in analytics
Half of sales happen off-site: a call, a visit, payment from the manager. I’m looking at five ways to get these deals to advertising systems - from promotional codes and individual numbers to downloading offline conversions from CRM, and the blind spots of each.
MMP and mobile app attribution: why is it needed and when without it
MMP is a mobile measurement partner that brings installations from different sources into one picture. I’ll explain how it differs from regular analytics, why you can’t do without it on mobile, and in what cases you don’t need it.
Yandex Webmaster for marketers: five reports that change decisions
The webmaster usually gives it to the SEO and never opens it again. I’m looking at five reports that marketers need: impressions without clicks, pages in search, crawls, duplicates, and recommendations. With an example of how the query report reverses priorities.
Wordstat 2026: how to calculate demand and seasonality without deceiving yourself
Wordstat does not show what it seems: the number in the main window is the sum of all queries that include the phrase. I analyze the operators, the history of requests for seasonality, the regional profile and three errors due to which the demand forecast is overestimated several times.
Yandex Audiences: segments, look-alikes and why they don’t work
I’ll look at what segments can be collected in Yandex Audiences, what is the minimum size needed, how to build similar audiences, and three reasons why a segment refuses to gain coverage or brings in untargeted traffic.
CPL, CAC and LTV: how to read three metrics together, not separately
Three metrics alone do not answer any question about money. I’ll analyze how CPL differs from CAC, why LTV without a deadline is meaningless, how to combine them into one solution, and what numbers should be considered the norm for the Russian market.
Audiences in advertising: cold, warm, hot, LAL and custom
I analyze the temperature of the audience in a human way: how cold differs from warm, what is look-alike and what segment to build it from, when custom audiences work, and when they burn the budget. With a table of offer temperature correspondence.
Media plan for 2026-2027 with an event calendar: how to connect seasonality and holidays
A holiday calendar only works when it is linked to a budget and preparation deadlines. I’m analyzing the assembly order: first, its own seasonality from Wordstat, events on top of it, counting back from each event, dead windows and reserve.
Feed for Yandex Direct 2026: required elements, categoryId and validation errors
Product campaigns are driven by the quality of the feed, not the campaign setup. Based on the official information, I’m reviewing the required elements of an offer, the categoryId role, two levels of segmentation, and errors that cause offers to silently drop out.
CPC in Yandex Direct 2026: why clicks become more expensive and how to distinguish the market from your mistakes
In most offices, the increase in average CPC turns out to be a consequence of their own actions, and not of changes in the auction. I’ll look at four reasons for price increases, levels by niche, the effect of Google Ads leaving and the procedure for checking your dynamics.
Cohort analysis 2026: how to calculate retention and what to show to the manager
How to show inflow, outflow and retention of customers by month on one table. Four fields from CRM, two formulas, a cohort triangle and three ways to read it. Plus an analysis of the main accounting error - counting from the calendar instead of the month of attraction - and the median interval as the outflow boundary.
RuStore 2026: ASO and application promotion after Google Play
How to promote a mobile application in RuStore in 2026: ASO for Russian-language search, presets, internal advertising, working with reviews and ratings. CPI benchmarks by niche and how promotion in RuStore differs from Google Play.
DataLens for marketers 2026: dashboard without Looker and Power BI
How to build a working dashboard for a marketer in Yandex DataLens for free in 2026: connecting Y.Metrica, Y.Direct and Google Sheets, key charts, sharing with the team. How does DataLens replace Looker Studio and where is its ceiling.
RFM segmentation 2026: how to get repeat sales from your customer base
How to break down the database by RFM (recency, frequency, amount) and increase repeat sales in 2026: matrix of segments, what to send to champions and sleepers, how to calculate in Google Sheets and CRM. With real increases in repeat purchases.
Cohort analysis 2026: how to calculate retention and LTV by cohort
How to build and read cohort analysis in 2026: retention curve, breakdown by month of attraction and channel, calculation of LTV by cohort. Where to get data in Ya.Metrica and Google Sheets and what budget decisions this changes.
End-to-end analytics 2026: Roistat vs Calltouch vs PostHog vs self-collection
I compare end-to-end analytics systems in 2026: Roistat, Calltouch, PostHog and self-assembly on n8n. The cost that is associated (click, lead, transaction, revenue), complexity of implementation. Who needs call tracking, and who needs full-fledged end-to-end.
Quiz marketing 2026: quiz landings, conversion and unit economics
When a quiz landing gives you leads cheaper than usual, and when it wastes your budget on junk applications. In 2026, I will analyze the constructors, quiz structure, conversion benchmarks and CPL by niche, how to clean quiz leads before transferring them to sales.
Reactivation of the 2026 database: segmentation of dormant clients and win-back without discounts
How to bring back lost customers in 2026 without discount dumping: segmentation of sleepers, trigger scenarios in email, Telegram and WhatsApp, what to write instead of “-20% today only.” With reactivation benchmarks by channel.
Yandex.Direct for an online store: product campaigns, smart banners and feed 2026
How to set up product campaigns and smart banners in Yandex.Direct in 2026: feed structure, auto-targeting, bids and real cases with CPO from 180 to 600 rubles in different niches of online stores.
Mobile app marketing 2026: UA, ASO and retention up to 10K MAU
How to grow a mobile application from 0 to 10,000 active users in 2026: UA campaigns with ROAS from 150%, ASO in the Russian market, retention mechanics and real CAC benchmarks by niche.
WhatsApp Business API for marketing 2026: newsletters, chatbot, CRM
How to launch WhatsApp Business API in 2026: official newsletters with 90%+ open rate, chatbot without a programmer, integration with amoCRM and Bitrix24. Analysis of costs, limits and real cases for small and medium-sized businesses in Russia.
Marketing audit 2026: 40 questions and a checklist in one working day
How to conduct a marketing audit in one day: channels, funnel, analytics, budget, team. A checklist of 40 questions from practice - I use it on every new project.
Landing page 2026: structure with 7%+ conversion and typical mistakes
How to build a landing page structure with above-average conversion: first screen, offer, proof, CTA. Benchmarks for Russian niches, 5 common mistakes and a checklist before launch.
Marketing Channel Attribution 2026: From Last Click to MMM
How to correctly calculate the contribution of channels to sales: attribution models, MTA, MMM. Why Last Click lies and how to move on to an honest assessment of the ROI of channels.
VK Advertising 2026: a complete guide to setup, audiences and optimization
How to set up VK Advertising in 2026: formats, audiences, auto strategies, ERID marking. CPL by niche, common mistakes and campaign optimization with real examples.
Cookieless marketing 2026: how to work without third-party cookies
What has changed with the abandonment of third-party cookies: how 40-60% of mobile conversions fall out of attribution, and what to do about it. Server-side tracking, first-party data, MMM.
Marketing Analytics 2026: GA4, Metrics, Attribution and Dashboards
How to build marketing analytics from scratch: GA4 vs Yandex Metrica, GTM setup, channel attribution, heat maps and web viewer. Real stack for a team of 1 person.
Unit economics for marketers 2026: LTV, CAC, Payback Period with real numbers
How to calculate unit economy correctly: LTV/CAC ratio, Payback Period, ARPU. Benchmarks for Russian niches 2026, common mistakes and formulas with examples.
Real estate marketing in 2026: channels, CPL and developer specifics
The real estate market in the Russian Federation is one of the most competitive in terms of CPL. 800–3500 ₽ per lead in Ya.Direct for new buildings. Analysis of channels: Ya.Real Estate, CIAN, Avito, Direct. With a table of CPL and conversion per transaction by channel.
SEO for marketers in 2026: technical optimization, semantics and links
Basic SEO minimum for a digital marketer: technical audit, on-page optimization, semantic core and link strategy in the Russian market. Yandex vs Google in 2026.
Call tracking in 2026: how to connect and link calls with advertising
Calltouch, CoMagic or Yandex.Calls - what to choose. How to set up call tracking, transfer conversions to Yandex Direct and reduce CPL by 20-40% without increasing the budget. Practical instructions with numbers.
Advertising on Wildberries and Ozon in 2026: unit economics and rate management
How to launch internal advertising on marketplaces with RRR up to 15%, correctly calculate unit economics and not waste your budget on a card without conversion. Cases from real WB and Ozon offices.
Email marketing in Russia 2026: platforms, metrics and automation
Which email service to choose in 2026, how to raise the Open Rate above 25% and not end up in spam under Federal Law 152. I compare Unisender, SendPulse, Mindbox, Dashamail with numbers and real cases.
Looker Studio for marketers in 2026: dashboards from Y.Metrica, Y.Direct and VK Ads for free
Looker Studio combines Ya.Metrika, Ya.Direct and VK Ads in one free dashboard. Analysis: how to connect Russian data sources, configure Blended Data for end-to-end CPL across channels, automatically send reports to clients on a schedule and not overload the dashboard with unnecessary widgets.
EdTech marketing in Russia 2026: funnel, CPL by niche and unit-economics of online schools
EdTech in the Russian Federation - 120B+ ₽ market with a 6-step funnel, where most schools optimize for leads, not payments. CPL by niche: IT courses 1,500-5,000 RUR, marketing 800-2,500 RUR, languages 600-2,000 RUR. Analysis of the funnel, retargeting indicators, installments as a conversion tool and common mistakes of EdTech teams.
Yandex Metrica 2026: setting goals, e-commerce and linking with Direct
Ya.Metrika is the central data hub for performance in the Russian Federation. Without correctly configured goals, Ya.Direct overpays for CPL by 30-50%. Full guide: what 8-12 goals are needed, e-commerce through dataLayer, connection with YA Audiences and CRM, automatic alerts in Telegram. With an analysis of 5 typical mistakes.
UTM tags 2026: scheme for agency, generator, team standards
The UTM scheme is an operational discipline, without which performance analytics becomes folklore. A structure of 5 parameters, a reference book of values, a UTM generator, a report in Ya.Metrika and Looker Studio. With analysis of 5 typical errors (Cyrillic, duplicate source, UTM on internal links) and automation through n8n.
CRM marketing 2026: amoCRM/Bitrix24 + Ya.Direct - end-to-end analytics and retention
Linking marketing with CRM - basic minimum for business from 300K ₽/month. UTM to the form → ClientID to the card → offline conversions to Ya.Metrika → optimization of Ya.Direct for real revenue. With analysis of 6 retention segments and 5 typical errors.
CRO 2026: a 20-point checklist for increasing website conversion by 35-80%
CRO is the cheapest optimization in performance marketing. Before increasing the budget, run the site through a 20-point checklist: speed, structure, forms, trust. Tools without a budget (Ya.Metrika Webvisor + Hotjar), ICE prioritization, when to connect A/B tests. With realistic conversion benchmarks for 5 niches.
Yandex.Direct vs Google Ads in 2026 for the Russian market: when which one, CPC/CPL benchmarks, budget migration
Google Ads from Russia is not available directly from 2022. Ya.Direct took 80%+ of the market, but does not cover all tasks. When is which account, how do auctions differ, CPC/CPL/ROAS benchmarks for 6 niches, step-by-step budget migration. With experience 124M ₽ turnover through Ya.Direct.
Yandex.Direct in 2026: step-by-step guide to neural network campaigns
Neural network campaigns in Ya.Direct replaced classic ones in 2024–2025. But they are stupid in a narrow niche and waste the budget in the first week. Full guide: setting up the Wizard, manual campaigns, audience selection, RSA, errors. With a table of recommendations for niches.
MedTech marketing in Russia 2026: advertising clinics through Ya.Direct + content
MedTech is the most underutilized performance segment in the Russian Federation. CPL 500–1000 ₽, LTV 15–50K ₽, ROAS 4–8. Full analysis: channels, specifics of medical advertising, compliance, content strategy, typical mistakes of clinics.
How to calculate ROAS, CPL and LTV/CAC in 2026: formulas, errors, niche calculator
Formulas ROAS, CPL, CPA, LTV/CAC, payback period - without water. With an analysis of 6 typical errors in calculations (which I saw in 80% of client reports) and a table of normal values for 5 niches.
Ya.Direct vs VK Ads vs Telegram Ads in 2026: comparison of CPL for 6 niches
I work with performance budgets from 1M ₽/month in all three advertising offices. Real CPL in 6 niches: gaming, e-com, MedTech, fintech, EdTech, B2B SaaS. Indicating where which office wins and in what ways.
New VK Ads account in 2026: a step-by-step guide for a marketer
A complete guide to the new VK Ads account: setting goals, look-alike, auto-strategies, retargeting, creatives, reports. With 7 mistakes that I saw in 80% of client accounts, and a table of working strategies by niche.
Attribution after the death of cookies: 3 working models in Russia 2026
In 2025, the “refusal of 3rd-party cookies” reached the Russian Federation. What's broken, what's not broken in Yandex.Metrica, and three attribution models that actually work: last-click+post-view, MMM-light, incrementality. With metrics from my projects.
Performance in Russia in 2026: what remains of Google Ads, what grew out of VK
I work with performance budgets from 1M ₽/month - without Google Ads at all. What replaced, what broke, and why VK Ads is better now than in 2021. With CPL table by niche.
What do I do when a performance campaign doesn’t work: 6-step checklist
Once every two weeks something breaks in one of my campaigns. CPL jumps 3 times, conversions drop, budget is burning. Over the course of 9 years, I have developed a 6-step diagnostic algorithm that reduces “doesn’t work” to a specific reason in 90 minutes.
Avito for business in 2026: promotion, advertising and autoloading
Avito is no longer a “bulletin board” - it’s a performance channel with an auction and 65M MAU. CPL in services, auto, furniture and real estate in 40-60% of niches below Direct. A step-by-step guide to paid promotion, autoloading ads and measuring ROI.
Semantic core in 2026: collection, clustering and automation through AI
Semantic core manually in 2 weeks - this is 2022. In 2026, a basic kernel for 500-1000 requests is assembled per day through Wordstat, Key Collector and Claude. Analysis of clustering methodology, calculation of priorities, automation through AI.
Retargeting in 2026: segments, pixels and chains in Ya.Direct and VK Ads
Retargeting is the only performance tool with ROAS 8-15x when configured correctly. But 80% of offices use it incorrectly: one segment for everyone, no frequency limit, no look-alike. A complete guide to segments, pixels, touch chains.
A/B testing in marketing 2026: how not to waste your budget on false insights
80% of A/B tests in marketing produce a false positive result due to insufficient statistical power. How to calculate sample size, when to stop a test, how to prioritize hypotheses. With formulas and real cases.
Yandex.Direct 2026 Campaign Master: when it works, when it doesn’t, and how to prepare it correctly
The Campaign Wizard is not a “simple version of Direct”. This is an automated tool with different optimization logic. Analysis: how it learns, when to use it instead of manual campaigns, which niches are suitable, how to read analytics and what mistakes of beginners kill the results.
Labeling of online advertising 2025–2026: ORD, ERID and what will happen if you don’t label
From September 1, 2023, marking is required - a fine of up to 500K ₽. Analysis: who is obliged to mark, how to obtain an ERID, what an ORD is, what formats are exempt. With a checklist and examples from practice.