Telegram reveals business features and revenue-sharing

Telegram, in a bid to compete with messaging app rivals WhatsApp and Messenger, has rolled out new business functionality and revenue-sharing features.

Available to all premium users, these features include opening hours, locations, chatbot support, and automated messages. What’s noteworthy is that users no longer require coding skills to utilize these features, making them accessible to all business owners.

One of the key additions is the revenue-sharing model for Telegram channel owners, who will now receive 50% of the revenue generated from ads displayed on their channels. However, this feature applies only to public channels with a minimum of 1,000 users. Payments will be made in Toncoins, a cryptocurrency backed by the TON blockchain, and advertisers will use Toncoins to purchase ad space.

Similar to WhatsApp, Telegram now allows businesses to list their operating hours and locations in their profiles. Moreover, start pages have been introduced, enabling businesses to showcase information or provide a welcome message in an empty chat. Users can customize these start pages by selecting text and stickers.

To enhance response time, Telegram has introduced quick replies, allowing users to select pre-set messages from a list. These messages can include text formatting, links, stickers, media, and files, and can be sent simultaneously.

Additionally, Telegram Business now supports greetings and away messages. Greetings are pre-set messages sent to users when they initiate a chat for the first time, while away messages are pre-set replies indicating that the user is out of the office during specific times and dates.

Another feature introduced is the use of tags for chats, enabling users to categorize chats and streamline their workflow on the app. Additionally, businesses can now use links or QR codes to allow users to initiate a chat directly with them.

However, perhaps the most significant addition is the introduction of chatbots. These AI-powered assistants can be programmed to manage specific or all chats automatically, offering businesses a more efficient way to handle customer inquiries. Telegram is encouraging developers to make their AI chatbots available to other users within the Telegram business community, further enhancing the platform’s functionality for businesses.