Telegram has ballooned to up to 500 million active users every month, with a projected 1 billion users by 2022. An estimated 15 billion messages were sent daily through the app, cementing its place as one of the world’s most popular messaging channels. As a rapidly growing communication platform, it’s now an opportunity for brands and companies to build a community of loyal customers and a way to stay in touch with their audience.
Because Synapse has always sought new ways to create steady growth and maximize conversion opportunities for our clients, Telegram has become one of our most powerful focus platforms. Telegram community management is an underutilized way to cultivate a loyal group of qualified leads and repeat customers.
Why Use Telegram?
When people think of messaging or group apps, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger are often the first names that come to mind. But if you’re looking to distance yourself from the risk of customer data leaks like both platforms have had in the last few years, Telegram is a great option.
All the information on Telegram is cloud-based and stored there, so your customers or community members won’t have to back up their data to look back at their previous chats. They’ll be able to check back on reference numbers, previous promos, and other messages that your company had sent to them previously.
Another great thing about using Telegram to communicate with your audience is that unlike Facebook Messenger, which has a restrictive media upload limit, Telegram has a larger limit. Facebook Messenger restricts its uploads to 25MB, but Telegram allows you to send videos up to 1.5GB in size. This means that you can send marketing videos, podcast episodes, and other larger files directly to your community.
It’s also an excellent choice for customers who want to protect their user data or customers who might be uncomfortable using their actual phone numbers on messaging platforms. Telegram uses user names over phone numbers reassures customers that they’re not signing their phone numbers up to get spammed.
Creating a Telegram Community
Curating your company’s members-only space isn’t much different from creating a members-only Facebook Group. To create your own Telegram community, all you need to do is to make the group directly on Telegram.
Give your group its official name with a branded logo as its picture. This way, it’s easily recognizable for your customers and allows them to find it more quickly when searching through the groups. You can also invite your customers directly through a contact list that you may have gathered through a customer subscription list or their accounts on your website.
Once you’ve invited your customers into the group, your group manager can interact with them in the same way a Facebook Group administrator can. Post promo graphics, videos, engage with them, answer questions—Telegram is a great option for much quicker customer support responses—and give them content to look forward to.
Growing a Strong Customer Community
Post interesting content relevant to your industry
Stay updated on the latest industry trends and issues, and make sure you post relevant content on your Telegram page. Your community grows when you provide quality content that gives them insight into what’s new and what’s going on in the field.
For example, if you’re a company that produces hair care products, post and discuss trending ingredients like argan oil and its merits. You could even add posts about the season’s hairstyles or trending hair colors, with examples from celebrities and famous stylists.
Refrain from advertising constantly
Remember that the group is meant to become a community. This means prioritizing good discussions and encouraging user engagement. Refrain from using the community to constantly spam advertisements about your products and services.
Your audience is looking for deeper connections and a way to communicate more closely with your brand. Constant advertising and endorsements may turn them off, as they may start to consider your group as another marketing spam page.
Instead, create the sense of community by inviting them to post content on their own, such as asking them how they liked a particular product or service. You can ask them to post about their experience using the product and post pictures about it.
Run contests
People like taking part in contests if there’s a great prize involved. Offer a few months of free premium features to your service or a package of your most popular products. Invite them to join the contest and have them invite more people into the group. You can also ask them to show off content enjoying your products and services.
Not only does this create a trove of user-generated content that you can post later on, but it also gives your customers a sense of being acknowledged or recognized. It lets them know that you’re a brand trying to build a relationship with them and not just trying to sell something to them.
Be active and consistent
Your customers may be providing a lot of the activity and engagement in the group, but as the brand owner, you have to do your part by being responsive and active with them. You have to make your presence felt. If they have concerns or issues about the product, answer them promptly. If a follower responds to your post or reposts it, return the favor by answering or commenting.
Setting a posting schedule can also help. If you don’t have the time to post daily, you can set a few days a week to visit the community and make posts. Be consistent with the branding and activity so customers know when to expect you and engage with your posts.
Great Management Goes a Long Way
One of the best ways to keep your community growing and thriving is getting good group management. Having a dedicated community administrator ensures that there’s always someone answering and engaging with customers on your behalf. They can even post the content for you if you don’t have time to be on the group every day.
Synapse Research Ltd.’s numerous digital asset services include Telegram community management and growth. Our online community specialists can create a thriving community of customers and qualified leads, keeping them engaged and interested in your products and services. Contact us today to build your group immediately or learn more about our digital services.