Telegram channel for business: features of creation and promotion

Social networks and instant messengers have become a universal product. Telegram users receive content in the form of regular messages, which are saved even when the channel is closed: the chronology of posts remains available even if you do not open it for a month. The coverage of posts in Telegram is 60-80%. This messenger is minimalistic and easily customizable for users. The ability to turn off notifications in channels allows you to avoid distractions from important matters, and posts can be re-read at a convenient time. The success of your Telegram channel depends on the content and promotion methods. Let’s figure it out step by step.

Stage 1: Content Planning

The Telegram channel is not suitable for all businesses. It is justified if you have something to tell, a willingness to share cases, tips and details of success. If your content is not unique and duplicates content from Facebook and Instagram, attracting followers will be difficult (even with good advertising).

Requirements for content in a telegram channel

Telegram has high requirements for content, so regular copy-paste will not work. But even a good, unique text with an interesting presentation and discussions on issues of interest to users is not all that is needed for a Telegram channel. Determine the value of your content to readers. If posts do not help solve subscribers’ problems, the channel will not become popular. For example, if a user is interested in bodybuilding, exercise and diet, he will subscribe to a channel about it. If the channels are similar but their content is unique, the user will be a reader of both. But if you copy your competitors’ content, it’s unlikely to interest anyone.

Use the built-in Telegraph editor

When writing long posts, make them readable. Telegram has a minimalistic built-in editor that will help make your longread easy to read. In the Telegraph editor you can:

• highlight important points of the text (italics, bold);
• attach pictures, gifs, videos to posts (without restrictions on the number of files);
• ensure easy reading of your content for Telegram users and those who have a link to the post;
• write texts of any length (limit of 3 thousand characters for regular posts).

Number of posts

Create a content plan based on 1-3 posts per day. You can use the deferred posting service. In our strategy for the telegram channel:

• publishing posts every three days;
• alternation of topics (internet marketing news, useful cases, blog articles, collections of materials about internet marketing).

Posting on the weekend may cause unfollowing, so schedule fewer posts or set them to publish without notification.

Posting time and design of the channel and posts

In Telegram, you don’t need to look for the optimal time for maximum coverage, like in Instagram. Posts are not lost in the feed, and users read content at their convenience.

The logo and name of the channel are the first thing that attracts attention. These are the key elements when creating a channel for a business. In most cases, channels and companies are named the same. But you can experiment: people read the user’s content, not the company’s, so you can develop a personal brand. All posts must be designed in the same style: the same colors for infographics, filters for photos, a single theme.

Stage 2: Attracting the Audience

Creating a channel in Telegram takes a few minutes, but attracting users is a longer process. There are many tools for free and paid promotion. Start when you already have a small audience and 10-15 posts (after all, you are reluctant to subscribe to a bare page).

You can attract the first thousand subscribers for free. For example, add your friends to the channel (if you have such an opportunity). Share the channel on other social networks and ask your friends to do the same.

Paid promotion

Paid promotion is more effective, but you need to set up targeted advertising and make the texts interesting. Advertise your channel in your niche, in communities with a large number of participants. Promotion methods:

• payment for advertising in other channels;
• collaboration with popular bloggers on YouTube and Instagram;
• targeted advertising.

A good telegram channel is an additional source of traffic, increasing trust in the brand, attracting target audience and strengthening your authority in the niche. Create a channel if you have something to tell your target audience. There are no random subscriptions in the messenger, so success depends on the quality and uniqueness of the content.

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