What a lead from Instagram costs in Kazakhstan: real numbers

In Kazakhstan, people search Google for «таргет» ("targeted ads") 2,400 times a month, and for «таргетолог» ("targeted ads specialist") 880 times (Google Ads data, October 2026). The most common question from businesses is "how much will a lead cost?" We answer with numbers from our campaigns.

How ads with a WhatsApp button work

1. A person sees a video on Instagram or Facebook.
2. They tap the "Message" button.
3. They land straight in your company's WhatsApp.

You don't need a website for these ads. What we count is a conversation: a person tapped the ad and wrote to you on WhatsApp.

Real cost per conversation by niche

Data from our ad report as of 22 October 2026, Instagram and Facebook:

Niche and city	Messaged on WhatsApp	Cost per conversation
Cement, Aktau	395	$0.14
Orthopedic mattresses, Almaty	2,436	$0.22
Mattresses	1,231	$0.38
Window repair, Aktobe	1,216	$0.40
Mattress factory, Almaty	4,025	$0.50
Mattresses	2,567	$0.57
Roofing	1,328	$0.58
Window blinds, Taraz	2,651	$0.66
Metal roof tiles, Almaty	2,420	$0.90
Construction adhesive, Oskemen	303	$1.04
Kitchen furniture, Zhanaozen	5,612	$1.47

The spread is 10-fold. So the honest answer to "how much does a lead cost" is: it depends on the niche, and you can check it quickly with a test.

A conversation is not a sale yet

A conversation means a person has written to you. Whether they become a customer depends on:

• response speed — a reply an hour later loses a noticeable share of people;
• response quality — the price, the terms, the next step;
• tracking — all chats in a CRM so that no one gets lost.

That's why we look not only at the cost per conversation, but also at what happens to it next.

What the cost depends on

• Niche and average order value. Where the purchase is more expensive and the decision takes longer, a conversation usually costs more.
• City. Smaller cities have fewer competitors, but also fewer people.
• The video. The first seconds decide everything: the real product, a clear benefit, the price.
• Audience. Too narrow is expensive; too broad brings a lot of random people.
• Placements. Some placements bring lots of random taps — it's worth turning them off.

How to lower the cost per conversation

1. Shoot videos on site. The real product and a real workshop work better than pictures. Our videographers shoot videos in different cities across Kazakhstan.
2. Run several videos. After a few days you can see which one works better.
3. Show the price or "prices from". You'll get fewer empty "how much is it?" messages.
4. Refresh your videos. When people get tired of the same video, the cost goes up.

Frequently asked questions