Bigo Ads Overview: Wide Audience, Own Placements and Multiple Ad Formats

Relying on a single traffic source in 2026 means putting yourself in a vulnerable position. There is always a chance that your favorite source will face a long-term disruption or the platform will go offline for an unknown period of time.

You can minimize the impact of such situations by exploring and testing alternative traffic sources in advance. One less obvious option is Bigo Ads. The main advantage of this platform is that it allows you to acquire both social and In-App traffic.

The RentAcc team prepared a detailed overview of the platform. We explained how the Bigo Ads network works, what it is, which services are part of its ecosystem, and who can benefit from using this source.

What is Bigo Ads

According to data from June 2026, the Bigo Ads advertising network reaches 400 million monthly users.

The foundation of the Bigo Ads ecosystem is built around its own products:

• the Imo messenger focused on video calls;
• the Likee vertical content platform, which works similarly to TikTok.

Besides in-house services, the platform is connected to Bigo Audience Network. Currently, this external layer of the ecosystem includes more than 50,000 partner apps.

Bigo Ads is a hybrid of a classic social platform and an In-App network. Media buyers can reach both app audiences and social traffic through a single platform.

How Algorithms Work

Bigo Ads algorithms are based on machine learning. The advertising engine workflow can be divided into 4 stages:

• preliminary creative evaluation and audience matching;
• auction;
• ad delivery;
• learning and further optimization.

The auction works in a standard way — besides the bid, algorithms consider creative quality and relevance.

The system offers buyers 3 campaign optimization options.

At the same time, the exact classification of registration and deposit as shallow/deep can depend on the product and the events being passed. It is not always correct to label every registration as “shallow” and every deposit as “deep” without additional context.

When choosing the “Deep Funnel” option, algorithms consider not only installs but also the probability of post-install events: purchases, deposits, retention, or another action selected by the media buyer.

Targeting System

Bigo Ads provides media buyers with a standard set of targeting options: country, gender, age, language, operator, smartphone price, connection type, operating system and OS version.

An interesting detail is that the available targeting settings depend on the specific GEO. In some countries, you can target narrow segments down to the city level, while in others you have access to a more limited set of options.

For example, in Uzbekistan, targeting specific cities is unavailable, but campaigns can be launched on Likee and Imo. In India, city targeting is available, but advertising on Likee is prohibited. The full table is published on this page.

⚠️ Important: these targeting rules are relevant as of June 2026 and may change in the future.

Bigo Ads offers 2 separate campaign types for retargeting.

1. Re-engagement. Ads are shown to users who already have the app installed. Through Deeplink, the algorithm directs the user to the required page inside the application.
2. Re-attribution. These campaigns are designed to bring back previously acquired users. Media buyers can reattribute user activity after specific conditions defined in the MMP tracker are met: for example, an inactivity period expires or the app is deleted.

To launch retargeting campaigns, you may need data from an MMP tracker or GAID/IDFA lists. A full setup guide can be found on this page.

For better accuracy, Bigo Ads also allows creating Lookalike and custom audiences.

Top GEOs and Local Audience Characteristics

Bigo Ads covers more than 150 countries, but the platform’s main focus is South Asia, Latin America, Africa, and MENA countries.

According to the official Bigo Ads website, the following regions are available for launching advertising campaigns:

• South Asia;
• Southwest Asia;
• Central Asia;
• Middle East;
• Europe;
• Africa;
• South America;
• North America.

Keep in mind that the full list of GEOs is only available in the account dashboard during the campaign creation stage.

It is also worth noting that the majority of users across Imo, Likee, and third-party mobile apps are Android users. In some regions, the gap is extremely significant.

For example, according to Bigo Ads data, in Uzbekistan, the Bigo ecosystem reaches 8 million Android users and only 200,000 iOS users.

Bigo Ads focuses primarily on Tier-2 and Tier-3 GEOs, as well as Android audiences.

In-App Launch Formats

Besides apps from official app stores, media buyers can launch advertising campaigns on this platform through:

• Android APK;
• web versions of apps;
• direct links.

This makes Bigo stand out compared to most In-App networks. In the case of APK traffic, you will need to approve a whitelist with the manager and prepare a landing page, but this is manageable. By the way, detailed launch guides are available on the official website.

Ad Formats

Bigo Ads offers media buyers 4 main placements for launching campaigns:

• Imo messenger;
• Likee short-video platform;
• splash screens and full-screen placements;
• external In-App inventory from partner apps.

There is also a wide range of ad formats available: interstitial, rewarded video, splash, banner, native, and playable ads.

Bigo Ads also offers more unique formats designed to increase brand awareness rather than generate leads — hashtag challenges and branded content.

For example, promotion through hashtag stickers works like this: a brand creates custom stickers with the product name, and users share them while communicating. This approach is unlikely to be useful for affiliates, but it can be attractive for advertisers. For example, branded campaigns can be a good option when entering a new GEO.

The list of available ad formats for the external segment is provided on this page. Keep in mind that the available formats are determined individually depending on the selected placement, account, and the external In-App inventory of a specific partner.

Why You Should Pay Attention to Bigo Ads

Bigo Ads offers webmasters a variety of ad formats and placements, flexible targeting options, and the ability to launch campaigns on APK — but these are not the only advantages of this ad network.

Less saturated platforms. When it comes to arbitrage through In-App sources, most webmasters immediately think of Moloco or Mintegral, but rarely Bigo Ads.

Likee and Imo remain exclusive products. The local audience is not as tired of ads as users on Facebook* or YouTube. In theory, previously exhausted bundles can still work here.

Relatively flexible moderation. The Campaign & Creatives Policy includes only 4 sections of rules.

There are three major restrictions that will most likely lead to a ban if violated:

• adult content, erotica and even subtle hints: for example, you can get banned for exposed male nipples visible through a T-shirt;
• shock content: screamers, blood, violence, weapons, and more;
• other restrictions: images of politicians and other public figures.

There are also local restrictions for India. For example, ads for gaming, NFTs, and other products involving real money must include a special disclaimer.

⚠️ Important: Bigo Ads requirements depend on the product category and GEO. In addition to the creative content, the platform reviews landing page materials, checks advertiser documents, and verifies compliance with local regulations. To minimize the risk of bans, it is recommended to coordinate campaigns promoting high-risk offers with a manager before launch.

Access to restricted GEOs. Some sanctioned GEOs, such as Russia or Iran, are unavailable in most advertising platforms. This applies to Facebook* and TikTok.

Bigo Ads can provide additional reach in countries where alternative advertising platforms have limited opportunities. We recommend checking the current list of available GEOs with managers before launching.

Affordable traffic. The relatively low traffic costs are explained by the fact that the Bigo Ads ecosystem is focused on Tier-2 and Tier-3 GEOs.

We should also remember that this ad network is not extremely popular among media buyers. We assume that there is less competition inside the Bigo auction, which can positively impact campaign economics.

Experts from the online publication Novabeyond compared CPM rates in Bigo Ads and TikTok Ads — Bigo impressions turned out to be 1.5 times cheaper.

⚠️ Important: In some GEOs and placements, CPM in Bigo Ads can be significantly lower than on popular social platforms. However, the final traffic cost depends on the vertical, seasonality, targeting quality, and competition within a specific auction.

What Challenges Do Media Buyers Face When Working with Bigo Ads

Limited analytics. Media buyers who have already worked with Bigo Ads consistently point out that the built-in analytics are only enough for basic monitoring: impressions, clicks, spend, and campaign results.

To access detailed data, transfer post-install events, and optimize campaigns precisely for deeper conversions, S2S or an MMP tracker is essential.

Broad targeting options. In the Bigo Ads dashboard, media buyers can target by:

• GEO;
• gender;
• age;
• city;
• smartphone type;
• global interests;
• and more.

Do not expect Bigo to offer detailed interest and behavior targeting like Facebook* or TikTok Ads.

Campaign performance in Bigo Ads depends on the quality and relevance of creatives, correctly transmitted events and proper testing of different audience segments.

Self-serve accounts won’t work. To get access to the ad account, a media buyer needs to verify a company and pass additional checks. Registration requirements depend on the region and company type. Keep in mind that local moderators will most likely reject your request if they find even minor inconsistencies.

If you plan to test this source, self-serve accounts won’t be enough.

⚠️ Important: RentAcc clients are not affected by this limitation. We provide agency accounts for Bigo Ads, help launch campaigns, and support clients at every stage.

Lack of an active Russian-speaking community and educational materials. Buyers note that the Bigo Ads interface is very similar to Facebook*. However, there are almost no educational materials or active communities available publicly.

You will have to learn this source through testing and experimentation, but RentAcc clients can avoid this downside. Our managers are media buying experts who provide practical advice on campaign launches and optimization.

Bigo Ads, Mintegral, and Xiaomi Ads: What to Choose

To make the comparison more specific, we compared Bigo Ads with its closest competitors: Mintegral and Xiaomi Ads.

If you are tired of bans and want to combine In-App traffic with social traffic, Bigo Ads is worth considering. GEO coverage is mostly focused on Tier-2 and Tier-3 segments. And the ad dashboard is not overloaded with unnecessary details.

Tips for Launching Ad Campaigns in Bigo Ads

To make it easier for our readers to get started with Bigo Ads, we have collected a list of tips for launching and optimizing ad campaigns.

Tip #1: Do not ignore the “phone price” parameter. Bigo Ads allows targeting users based on smartphone price. This means you can show premium products to users with high-end devices and offer more affordable products to users with budget smartphones.

This targeting option can also be adapted to existing strategies. For example, you can approach wealthier audience segments through emotions and entertainment, while triggering less affluent audiences through earning opportunities.

Tip #2: Do not overestimate your bid at the start of the campaign. Media buyers working with Bigo Ads note that bids can be unstable during the first days. This happens because the algorithm has not yet collected enough data on installs and target actions.

We do not recommend frequently experimenting with bid sizes while the algorithm is still in the learning phase.

Tip #3: Make sure your tracker works correctly. We recommend checking that S2S and MMP integrations are working properly before every launch. If events are not transferred completely or contain errors, the algorithm will not have enough data to optimize your campaign for deeper conversions.

Tip #4: Do not go too far with creatives. The platform’s policies prohibit using images of politicians and other public figures in creatives. Sexualized content and shock content are also banned. Ignoring these rules will inevitably lead to account restrictions.

Conclusion

Bigo Ads is an unconventional source for traffic arbitrage. It offers multiple ad formats, access to restricted GEOs, and the ability to launch on APK. The platform also provides both In-App and social traffic. It is not without drawbacks, but they are minor compared to the advantages.

If you are considering switching traffic sources, Bigo Ads is definitely worth exploring. The RentAcc team will help with campaign launches and optimization, as well as support you throughout every stage of cooperation.

To get access to the platform, contact our managers — the team will answer your questions and connect you to the right network as soon as possible.

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